2012-2013
Volume
2, Issue 3
Photograph by Jason Wu
OPINIONS
SURVIVING
WINTER QUARTER by aaron toop Brace yourselves, winter is upon us! I personally enjoy it, but many find it to be the hardest quarter of the year. Here are some helpful advice to push through this somemes awkward middle quarter. Learn from your mistakes. Were you happy with your performance in fall quarter? If you were, keep it up! S ll, find some areas you could improve on and work on them. If your fall quarter le you feeling a li le downhearted for the holiday season, find out why. This is your next chance for change. Look at where you fell short and put more effort into those areas, whatever it takes. Just because it's cold doesn't mean classes stop. By California standards, our highs are now freezing. The days of beau ful sun and warmth are long gone, but don't worry, they will return soon. Just because it is hard to get out of that warm bed and make the trek down to campus doesn't mean your professors feel the same way. Rain or shine, blistering heat or biting cold, lectures con nue and you should make sure to a end them. Plus most of the rooms are heated due to the UC's hea ng policy of turning the heaters on around 60 degrees! Think ahead. Summer really isn't that far away, though it may seem like the sun has forsaken us. If you are planning to make use
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of your summer for internships, REU's (Research Experience for Undergraduates Summer Programs), or other summer programs, be warned. Most of the due dates occur before the end of winter quarter so get those applica ons in! Check the weather. Riverside is rather notorious when it comes to the weather. You'll want to dress appropriately and come prepared. Just because the sun is shining doesn't mean it is going to be warm so stay informed. And with that, stay warm, and good luck!
NEVER do it again but it was a relief to see that all of my hard work paid off.” Ciku Gachiri, Economics major “Fall finals were the most me consuming and demanding out of all the finals that I have taken while at UC Riverside (I transferred in 2011 from RCC). Although I enjoyed the subject ma er of all my classes, producing two 20-page and one 10-page final papers was quite ring.” - Angel C. Ayala, Anthropology major
FALL FINAL REFLECTIONS “Finals were rough. But the long nights of studying paid off.” - Brandon Sung, Biology major “I thought I had just about the worst luck ever during Fall finals week as I wearily struggled through [stomach pain] before taking my two hardest finals back-to-back (star ng from 8 a.m., jeez!), but somehow, I managed to pull everything together and get the grades I thought I could only wish for. Lesson reaffirmed: Work hard and NEVER GIVE UP! However, one of the finals I took prior to having these [stomach pains] and which I thought I was most prepared for DIDN'T go as expected. Oh, life...” - Jessica Nguyen, Biological Sciences major “I'd never recommend this to anyone but a er pulling a legi mate all-nighter consis ng of wri ng two papers, studying for a final, and finishing up a project I was more than surprised to a) have survived it and b) receive all A's! I've never not slept 24+ hours and will
“Studying for my finals was very stressful, not that I wasn't caught up with the readings, but just having to memorize a lot of material through the whole quarter. I got really sick the day a er finals that lasted for a week. I was coughing, blowing my runny nose constantly and vomi ng. It was not a pre y sight.” - Cassie Nguyen, Public Policy & Management major
“Fall finals were not as bad as I thought they would be. I am happy to say I loved my classes and, thankfully, paying a en on in class helped in the long run!” - Merima Tricic, InternaƟonal RelaƟons & Middle Eastern Studies major
During winter break ...
Bringing the holiday spirit to the residents of the Totally Kids Specialty Healthcare Facility in Loma Linda with wonderful Christmas carols. - Rhythm&Brains Music Group
Went to visit the light show in downtown Riverside with my girlfriend! It was amazing and made for a very memorable night. - Dennise Shin, 1st year Psychology major
Performed a lion dance at a classy wedding in Palm Springs. Always a pleasure to perform for a deserving and appreciative crowd. - Alan Dao, 2nd year Biochemistry major
Skiing trip to Mammoth Lakes with family for some stress relief and kicked off the New Year with the people I love most! - Sarah Smith, 1st year Biochemistry major
Played in the snow at Zion National Park during my road trip through New Mexico, Texas, and New Orleans! - Monica Marks, 3rd year Materials Science and Engineering major
Went snowboarding at Mt. High! - Tiffany Viggiano, 4th year Anthropology major
OPINIONS
Took a fun archery lesson in Pasadena with my sister. Cut short due to a lightening storm though since we were shooting metal arrows. - Mary Michael, 1st year Sociology major
After a long and agonizing search, bought a small, spunky, fuel-efficient 2013 Dodge Dart! - Deanne Elliot, 2nd year Political Science & History major
Enjoyed ice skating with friends Rhea Tseng, Linda Wang, Richel Leung, Jody Gotoc, & King Solomon! - Nhi Truong, 1st year Biochemistry major
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EVENTS
Letters to Santa by jessica soria
Every year around Christmas, many children dream about receiving a gi that, seemingly, only Santa can deliver. However, even Santa Claus needs a li le help because for some children, it stays a dream. This year, a group of University Honors students had the chance to brighten 60 first graders’ Christmases by being their Santa Claus. At Columbia Elementary School, two classes of first graders wrote a le er about themselves and their ideal Christmas gi s. These le ers were delivered to the University Honors office. Then, from November 12 to December 6, University Honors students had the opportunity to si through the le ers and choose a first grader for whom they would get a gi , according to his or her le er. Students then had un l December 7 to purchase and deliver their gi s to the University Honors office. On December 14, students visited the two first grade classes from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. During that me, they delivered gi s and spent me cha ng, bonding and helping the first graders. Prior to visi ng the two classes, students also heard a talk on the ideals of Christmas and the impact of giving. Both first graders and University Honors students alike enjoyed the visit. “I thought it was tons of fun and the kids were so excited when we got there; it reminded me what it was like to be that age. I think everyone should do it at least once since the experience was invaluable,” commented 3rd year Honors student, Erik Romero. In addi on to making a child’s Christmas memorable, Le ers to Santa also counted as one of the two required Community Service events that Honors students had to fulfill as part of the new Learning Commitment. Students who volunteered to buy a gi and a ended the talk received credit for the event. All in all, the most important gi came not in the shape of a toy but in the joy of caring and giving.
DANCE MARATHON! by aaron toop
The UCR Golden Key sponsored Dance Marathon is fast approaching, and Feb. 23 will be here before you know it. For those of you who have not heard of Dance Marathon, it is a six-hour dance filled with music, friends, games, prizes and a whole lot of fun. Last year many different ac vi es took place, including performances from different campus groups. Choreographed dances were taught to all par cipants throughout the night. Those who felt they needed a break from the dancing were able to partake in Minute to Win-it games held around the gym. Each game had ckets awarded for its comple on; these were later used for a raffle that awarded prizes at the end of the night. During the event, Zumba instructors came to give everyone a great workout as well, and who doesn’t love a great evening dance workout? The main purpose of Dance Marathon (besides having everyone put on their dancing shoes) was to raise money for Guardian Scholars, a non-profit that provides resources for students aging out of foster care to pursue higher educa on. Last year Team Honors raised $750 dollars to be donated. This year Team Honors is forming again under the leadership of Jason Elder and the Dance Marathon Mascot, Super Pig (that is also literally a piggy bank in the Honor’s office)! The team hopes to raise $2000 and needs everyone’s help to do so. Dona ons can be made online using crowdrise.org and searching for “dance marathon 2013 ucr,” or deposited into Super Pig directly. Super Pig has been valiantly figh ng his way around the country to spread the word about Dance Marathon and fill his belly with money for the Guardian Scholars program. Super Pig has his own Facebook page (hƩps://www.facebook.com/super.piggy.dm) documen ng many of his travels as he spreads the word about Dance Marathon with such celebri es as Chancellor White and the CEO of Golden Key. Please contact Jason Elder at jelde003@ucr.edu or Emily Nudge at emilyu@ucr.edu for more informa on.
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NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS “My New Ye YYears ear a s re resolu eso s lu u on o is is not no n ot procras naa n on my my homeho om meengg on work and ge ge ng ng a job.” job ob.”” ob.” Shea Wi W illlliaams ms, Williams, C Cr Crea rea eaƟ eaƟ Ɵve ve WriƟ ve WriƟ riiƟngg M ajjorr CreaƟ Major “My r lu on leeast o esolu is is n Althou e book for to read at fun a gh I’lll m b to ma ke m e busy, I fee onth. e to e l realm I need sc of a st nto th ory on ape in e ce in a whililee.” Rache ” l Leep er, Cre aƟve WriƟn Major g
ing re-readin issh re “I plan to fin ” . ck.” Homesttuck l, gallll, Chris Sttega or jo a Studio Artt M
“My reso lu u books th on is to read mo at I pers re on to read. On top o ally want f my reg school re ular adin ing and studying .” .” Julia Jen kin i s, Che mistry M ajor
““I resolve reso olve to gain ol i more muscle l mass.” Vincent La, Medical School Student
‘ The ill watch of w I r a e e is y “ This d “Gam and rea ’ x ix r t a M s.” Throne dfrey, icolee Go ajor Nic try M Chemis
FEATURES hier ke healt nd a m o t e sa “I resollvv he din ing hall ual inin t n us in e s h e t ic of choic appeal e h t n in .” iet.” restra die potatoor ajo ness M usin B e r P , hu Karen C get ally rojn fi e to ng p hop al wri I r a rson d.” is ye “ Th f my pe finishe s o ect one ess, agn Major M Sam WriƟng Ɵve Crea
“My New Y 2013 iiss t ear ’ss resollu u on o be mo re confid for myself a ent in nd t in when pu ake more chanc e rsuin s ng my d reams.” .” Adriiaann e Blackw ood, Cre aƟve WriƟng Majjo or
Rhodes and Marshall Scholarship Workshops by ayymen amaar & krystal vasquez The Rhodes and Marshall scholarships are two of the most pres gious awards for students that seek to challengthemselves. These scholarships allow one to pursue a degree in the United Kingdom with full funding for two to three years and help prepare students to take on leadership roles in the future. For the first me, UCR will be having a series of workshops dedicated to helping students interested in applying for the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships and other awards. These workshops will take place over a period of four quarters and are designed to help students become compe ve for these awards. Students will be shown how to improve their interviewing skills, write a successful personal statement, improve one’s curriculum vitae (an overview of a person’s experience and qualifica ons), and learn different ways to write. During the fall quarter there were two workshops, each led by a different faculty member. The first workshop was about developing rela onships with faculty; the second workshop focused on wri ng the Statement of Purpose. In the first workshop, the importance of having an ongoing rela onship with different faculty members was emphasized greatly as many of these scholarships require anywhere from 5-7 recommenda ons. During the second workshop, Professor Russin, a Rhodes Scholar alumnus, explained the importance of wri ng the personal statement of these awards from his personal experience. Students interested in applying for the Rhodes or Marshall scholarships are encouraged to join these workshop series as early as possible in order to have more me to prepare for applying. Students who complete the four-quarter workshop sequence and apply for one of these scholarships and awards will be named Chancellor’s Leadership Fellows. The experience gained from these workshops will allow one to be successful in a professional se ng. As no one from UCR has yet been awarded these scholarships, it is the hope that these workshops will produce a winning applicant. For more informa on about these workshops, please contact Gladis Herrera-Berkowitz at gladis.hererra-berkowitz@ucr.edu. 4
PROFILES
FixUC
by rajvee shanghavi
Alan Dao
by jessica soria
Alan Dao is an outgoing and charisma c second year University Honors student who is heavily involved in various on-campus acvi es while balancing a full class schedule. I recently had the opportunity to chat with him and learn how he manages his busy life. Mee ng outside Coffee Bean, I asked Alan about the ac vi es he currently is involved in on campus, and he shared the details of a few of his numerous ac vi es. In addi on to being in University Honors, Alan is part of the Vietnamese Student Associa on (VSA). He got involved in VSA last year by a ending their first general mee ng, and from there, he was intrigued by a par cular aspect within VSA: the Lion Dance team. The Lion Dance stems from the ancient tradi on of dance to dispel evil spirits and bring about good luck u lizing vigorous physical acts in the performances. Since Alan has joined, he and the Lion Dance Team have performed at least four mes over the past year. Another ac vity Alan is commi ed to this year is being a UCR tour guide, which he was selected for a er undergoing a long interview process in spring quarter. This job requires dedica on, responsibility and a fairly extensive knowledge of UCR, traits which Alan has in spades. When asked about how University Honors has had an impact on him, Alan men oned two universally loved aspects about University Honors: scholarships and priority registra on. What he focuses on, however, is the “community structure of Honors” and how it serves as a reminder that he is here to get the most out of his college experience. His advice for fellow Honors students is while it is great to be involved, one of the most important things to remember is “don’t take your mind off the academics.
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For the past few years, students have suffered from an enormous rise in tui on, placing a heavy burden on these young individuals as well as their families. However, first-year University Honors student Katye Robinson is an enthusiasc member of FixUC, a student-run organiza on dedicated to solving the University of California system’s funding dilemma. The president of FixUC is Chris LoCascio and FixUC’s goal is to urge the UC Regents to consider the UC Student Investment Proposal which provides a poten al long-term solu on for the high cost of educa on. This proposal, which took about nine months of planning, sets a stable and predictable plan towards growth for the distant future. According to this proposal, students will be able to a end a UC without having to worry about paying for their educa on un l a er gradua on. Once these students have graduated and obtained jobs, five percent of their salaries during their first 20 years of employment will go towards paying for their educa on. FixUC suggests an innova ve solu on to the UC budget crisis and tui on increases that can improve the lives of many individuals seeking a higher educa on. As a fellow college student, I strongly think that no student should worry about excessive fees or overwhelming loans. “It is definitely a great outgrowth and it’s something really impressive coming from the students,” notes Katye. “We are not just allowing our lives to be controlled for us, and it’s wonderful that the UC system has been open to this cause at all.” To view a copy of the UC Student Investment Proposal students can log on to fixuc.org. Students who wish to spread the word about this proposal can help by signing an online pe on on the link below. hƩp://www.ipeƟƟons.com/peƟƟon/fixuc/
Chess Club by krystal vasquez
Michael Neichayev, a University Honors student, has a great love for chess and is a member of UCR’s chess club. He has worked with Honors coordinator Emily Nudge and her fi h grade son William to set up a program at Hidden Springs Elementary School to spread the love of chess to these students. Every Tuesday, members of the chess club donate their me to teach a group of about 30 fourth and fi h graders the general rules and tac cs of the game of chess. “It’s rather fun to teach fourth and fi h graders chess,” says member Kameron Sugino. “We only teach those who signed up to use their lunch me recess to learn chess, so almost all of them are focused and intent on learning, which is fantas c since they can support each other’s drive to learn instead of us trying to force them to learn.” Of course, a program such as this one has its challenges. With such a short me to teach, a lot of the children forget some rules and the members of the Chess Club feel like they do not always get around to teaching them everything they want to cover. Nevertheless, it is s ll a unanimously wonderful experience for all the par cipa ng members. Due to the success this program has had with the children and faculty, word has traveled to other nearby elementary schools, including Hendrick Ranch Elementary. Though logis cs s ll need to be figured out, UCR’s Chess Club may soon spread the joy of chess to another eager group of young students.
ANNOUNCEMENT
MCC 28th JAN honors outlook I S G O I N G V I R A L ! COMING SOON TO THE WEB!
2013
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University Honors 2316 Olmsted Hall, Riverside, CA 92521
Photograph by Karen Chu