Stark Voices March 2012 Edition

March 2012

To Ban or Not to Ban?

By Kelli Henderhan

Safe on Campus

By Sarah Huff

Staying safe is important to everyone on campus. It was brought to my attention that some students are questioning their safety because of the car theft this semester. If there is ever a question about the campus, generally answers can be found on the school’s website.

The School employs a Chief of Security along with three full-time and 24 part-time security personnel; all are active or retired police officers. You can visit Security in room S104 or call: (330) 704-2582 to make a report or ask any questions.

Here are some ways to keep yourself safe while on campus:  Report when a light isn’t working, inside or outside the building.  Avoid being alone at night by parking close to friends in a well-lit area.  Take advantage of Stark State’s free shuttle service to minimize walking time to and from classes.  When walking to your vehicle, have your keys in hand and ready to go.  Keep your vehicle locked at all times, with valuables out of sight, if possible either covered up or locked in the trunk.

Stark State College now has an app for smart phones available with the Emergency numbers programmed right on the home screen, along with other information about the college.

Walking down the corridor of computer labs on any college campus gives one a good glimpse into the social construct of the average student.

On many screens can be found that now infamous blue and white title bar:

A number of students are playing games, listening to music or cruising their friends’ pages; others are chatting, but does all this hinder students’ studying? After all, planting a digital garden or “liking” photos isn't going to help that grade in Comp II. How do I know this? I've been one of those students. I've sat down at a computer with every intention of getting some studying and homework done, only to sign onto Facebook for a minute and there goes an hour. We've become amazingly talented at wasting our time, time that we often lament we have a lack of. So, should Facebook be banned from college computer labs in an effort to help cultivate students’ attention to their studies, or will our attention simply drift somewhere else just as time consuming? Give us your thoughts.

Meet the Staff New Technology Clubs On Campus Around the Community Student Submissions Career Connections

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Staff Reporter Gerald Croston is 38 years old and resides in Canton. He has attended Stark State College since 2006, working toward his Associate of Applied Science in social work and his Associate of Applied Science in technical communications. Gerald has been working with non-profit organizations since 2010. Currently, he assists in operating a re-entry program in the city of Canton, helping individuals and families stabilize their life circumstances. He plans to attend the University of Akron after graduation to pursue his Bachelor’s degree in social work. He credits Stark State for setting him on the road to turning his dreams into reality.

Editor Sarah Huff will be the editor of Stark Voices this semester. She is a student in the Associate of Arts communication program, and the Associate of Science technical communication program. Her main focus this semester is to gain a larger readership by supplying material that will inform, engage, and provoke thought throughout the college. Sarah hopes that the readers find the material in the paper interesting and that it will spark conversation. Hopefully, students will get ideas to use for projects in their various classes or gain insight on what to do after graduation. Sarah works as a local board operator at WDPN/Q92 radio station. As a former student ambassador for the United States, she has traveled to seven different countries and has experience in crossculture communication. Her dream job would combine traveling and making the world a better place.

Assistant Editor Kelli Henderhan, a technical communications major at Stark State, has been a home health care worker for nine years. Her passions are helping people and animals, reading literature, and listening to music. She hopes to combine these passions and work with non-profit organizations benefiting the elderly, people with mental illness, and animals.

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The Write Stuff

By Kelli Henderhan By Sarah Huff

CNET News reports, Kinect for X-Box 360 has an experimental new game that makes studying for A&P fun, exciting and interactive.

There are huge perks to playing any game on the Kinect, especially health and fitness. Since your body becomes the controller, it makes you move, forcing involvement. By using touch screen motions with your body, it’s easy to see how so many people have become more active, lost weight and showed general healthy improvements. But what if the game system helped you become a more intelligent student?

New software for the Kinect has emerged and I’m eager to know what you think about it. Our college is technologically based; therefore, I thought it would be a great idea to share with you the new and upcoming advancements as they are being released.

“Mirricle” the name given to the game, will allow students to open up their own bodies to study Anatomy and Physiology. CNET says the name came from combining “Mirror” and “Miracle.”

Researchers Tobias Blum and Nassir Navab have been working with a team from the Technical University of Munich in Germany to perfect the software.

The program works by allowing the Kinect to estimate where the body of the user is positioned and then projects visuals, such as someone else’s CT images, to allow for interaction and visualization. Elizabeth Armstrong Moore suggests these are two of the biggest perks of studying with this hands-on program.

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Are you stark raving mad for writing? Join Stark Raving Writers, advised by Daniel Beall.

Students and faculty are welcome to share works such as music lyrics, screen plays, novels or personal essays. As Daniel states, "You can have a standard essay about your family, or you could have a very creative, beautiful piece about your family."

Stark Raving Writers offers a community of encouragement and constructive criticism that will stoke the creative fires, setting ablaze inspiration and imagination. Let your voice be heard! As Ernest Hemingway once said, "There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."

The club publishes Circinus, a literary journal, once a year that's composed of strictly student writing. Poetry, short stories, screen plays or other creative pieces are welcome.

The deadline for submissions is March 11th.

Send entries to: writingcenter@starkstate.edu.

Club meetings are on the last Wednesday and first Monday of every month, except Wednesday, May 2nd. Meetings take place in Room E215 from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

You may want to consider involvement in the Environmental Club or Sustainability Club if you found this article interesting.

Environmental Club: Scott Williams cwilliams@starkstate.edu

Sustainability

By Sarah Huff

The amount of energy consumption is one of the largest problems at Stark State. The College spends more than $1 million on its utility bills every year. But Stark State is committed to a 20 percent reduction in energy consumption by the year 2014, with 2004 being the benchmark year. By paying attention to sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality, two buildings will be certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

Sustainability is full speed ahead, which is plain to see with one step into the new M building. The first thing I noticed was the bright green wall behind the recycling receptacles. Located beside the cans is a water fountain that can easily fill water bottles.

Stark State is involved with a new program known as STARS (Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment and Rating System). The College will answer to The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) to compare sustainability efforts with similar institutions.

STARS is a credit-based program that will track the sustainability program already in place. Over the years, Stark State has utilized energy-saving techniques, college-wide recycling, lowered the overall energy cost by 28 percent, and reduced water consumption by 40 percent.

Sustainability Club: Lindsay Crow lcrow@starkstate.edu

Stark State College is a member of AASHE, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability for Higher Education.

A Safe Haven

By Gerald Croston

There comes a time when life circumstances can become too much to handle. An intervention is then needed to help individuals pass the roadblocks keeping their lives from moving forward.

Stark Social Workers Network (SSWN), located in Northeast Canton, is a complex social service agency. The compassionate staff helps individuals overcome personal issues. Services SSWN offers include family reunification, employment services, support groups, relapse prevention, mentoring for adults and adolescents, and daily life skills.

Stark Social Worker’s Network (SSWN), located in Northeast Canton, is a multifaceted agency with a compassionate staff that can help you, or the one’s you care about overcome personal issues that’s keeping their life on hold. (continued in next column)14111111111111

There are plenty of areas to get involved with the Sustainability Task Force on campus; for any questions, contact Stefanie Smith at ssmith2@starkstate.edu.

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Services (SSWN) include: Family Reunification, Employment Services, Support Groups, and Relapse Prevention, Mentoring for Adults and Adolescents, Referrals, and Daily Life Skills.

For further information contact SSWN. Monday - Friday; 9:00am- 4:00 pm.

Address: 1221 Harrisburg Rd. N.E. Canton, Ohio 44705 Phone: (330) 455-2260

Two Years Ago

By Mary Lee Kramer Legal Assistant Certificate Graduate, December 2011

Two years ago, I stepped inside this building With a little piece of paper.

It sent me to Admissions floor, one class assigned.

It surely was a caper.

“You’re kidding me,” my husband said.

“You’re really gonna go?”

“Who’s gonna do the Laundry now and suppers every night?

“I really wanta know.”

I had no clue what I had done, Two jobs, one school and him.

My life was gonna do a flip.

I was standing on a limb.

For thirty-one years, I’d stayed at home, ‘N cooked ‘n cleaned ‘n canned.

I’d quilted, mended, made my clothes, Did bookwork without end.

I’d unlocked cars ‘n looked at stars, Homeschooled, carpooled, Rocked babies thru the night, Babies, toddlers, teens, adults, married Grandchildren, yeah, alright.

Now here I was in land unknown, A grandma that was fifty; Set to sit beside a bunch Of students from the City.

I got all kinds of warnings From friends that thought they knew What kind of people go to College, And all the things they do.

But here instead I found a place Where gather lots of people; Young and old, gifted, challenged Athletic, smart, handicapped, and crippled.

They go to school and work two jobs, Just trying to make a living.

They put amazing efforts forth And really are quite giving.

They’ve set their feet upon a place Where they intend to start A new career, a path to follow; Truly a work of Art. They may be here a year or two, Or maybe three or four.

Nobody knows what’ll change their lives When they walk through that door.

They only know the journey’s long.

The end is hard to see.

But I am glad I took that step For the change it made in me.

Cause now I know that I can meet With challenges unknown.

It’s possible to work together With those you’ve never met, Learn to get along together, And meet a deadline yet.

You step outside your little box, The life you always had, And work until you think you’ll drop, Or maybe make yourself go mad.

Instead, you finally finish up The course you set to learn.

Then hopefully, you’ll find a job, Where money you will earn; That puts to use the mountain of stuff You just shoved in your brain.

I trust next week when our work is done, We’ll be dancin’ in the rain.

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Once registered with College Central Network, students will have access to a service called Career Central. This service helps students

Mission: Employment

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By Gerald Croston

Career services at Stark State College offers valuable resources for students searching for an internship, part-time job, or entry-level position.

The Career Development Center (CDC) provides opportunities for employment and mentoring to mold students into more marketable professionals.

The CDC offers assistance for students preparing a resume, cover letter, and mock and online interviews.

Mock interviews allow students to enhance their interviewing skills and a chance to overcome anxieties of the interviewing process. The CDC will allow potential employers to conduct interviews on campus.

The job-seeking process has changed dramatically in the last decade with the internet taking an active role, allowing individuals to find employment online.

The Career Development Center has a new database called College Central Network, allowing students to access job listings, apply for available employment, and contact professionals for networking opportunities. The new database integrates all aspects of the job-seeking process to minimize the time it takes to access an entry-level position. (continued in next column)

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Build or upload a resume to Resume Central, to be viewed by potential employers. The resume will be reviewed and must be approved before being posted.

Search for potential employment and internship opportunities through Job Central and Intern Central.

Receive emails & updates.

Track job searches and check offers for positions.

Gain information about upcoming events through videos and articles.

Manage mock interview schedules.

Access Mentoring Network to contact professionals that give advice and direction.

Add their professional work to their resumes with Portfolio Central.

Company: Summa Health System Position: Physical Therapy Assistant Home Care Location: Wadsworth, Ohio Deadline to Apply: April 1, 2012 Company: Curtiss Wright Flow Control Company Position: Mechanical or Industrial Engineering Internship Location: Brecksville, Ohio Compensation: $16.00/hour Deadline to Apply: March 24, 2012 Company: Western Reserve Health System Position: IT Support Analyst Location: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Deadline to Apply: March 21, 2012

If you have any comments, suggestions, concerns or even criticisms, about Stark State or this paper, please let us know by contacting us at: starkvoices@starkstate.edu. Because ultimately, this isn’t our paper; it’s your paper. The Stark Voices.

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