ib V
s n o i t a r
Division of Student Affairs, University of Louisville
Table of Contents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
The VP’s Pen: Don’t You Love it When a Plan Works? What Students Are Saying About Friend of LOUniversity Red Barn Highlighted in NACA Magazine New RSO Supports Disability Awareness!!! Opening Week at UofL New Student Recreation Center Update Student Support Services Bridges the Gap Summer Academy Mixes Fun with Learning Endowments Grow Photo Album Exciting Fall Events 2011 Panhellenic Recruitment Goes On! Walking and Talking: Teaching & Learning Student Involvement Fairs Light Up the New West Plaza Yell, Yell, Yell! University of Louisville Arts Madness Fall Semester 2011 Welcome to Student Affairs Kudos Mark Your Calendar! Special Thanks
1. The VP’s Pen: Don’t You Love it When a Plan Works? Many of you within Student Affairs can remember different periods of our collective work. Sometimes we chronicle these periods around students we may recall, or people we may have
October 2011
directly worked beside in our usual day. A few of us also chronicle our Student Affairs work by the vice president that was in the chair at the time or the University President for that period. Either way, the last few years have truly been remarkable and our students have been direct beneficiaries of your commitment and work. I have stated, “We get to work with the smartest people on the planet.” Our students will be the leaders of our corporations, communities, and countries. They will be the scientists and scholars that discover ways to heal others or the find answers for other complex challenges we face. We get to work with these people, and we do it selflessly with a simple goal to help our students learn, become a little better, and to learn how to succeed so later they can apply these efforts outside of the university. Recently, I was returning from an SSAO meeting in another state and the person beside me on the plane struck up a conversation. He was an attorney for a pharmaceutical company and attended the University of Connecticut for undergraduate studies and Syracuse University for his graduate work. He remarked that his stronger connection was to Syracuse. This was a surprise until I asked the usual follow-up “Student Affairs” questions. In our short conversation he learned a lot about Student Affairs and the positive influence we have with many students - an influence of which many may never be aware. To his surprise, he began to understand why he was more connected to his graduate alma mater. He simply was a lot more involved at Syracuse.
tions a r b Vi He participated in campus activities, attended athletic events, engaged with his faculty differently, volunteered, and contributed throughout the campus. These were things he did not do while at UConn. Five years ago we set out an ambitious plan: • • • •
To inspire a vibrant campus life and engaged student body. To celebrate tradition and create a sense of purpose. To enhance services that meets the needs of students. To transform theory into practice to support student learning.
Ask any senior what they think of this campus today and a smile that is filled with pride will overcome you. The plan is working. Those seniors remember few locations to eat, a Cardinal newspaper that rarely discussed campus activities, and limited housing options. Today they are enthralled by new traditions, thousands of new beds in which to reside, and dozens of new places to eat. The energy and vibrancy alone at Cardinal Towne is simply amazing. These numbers are truly revealing: 62% of our freshmen choose to reside on campus, 31% of the undergraduates reside on campus, our students are being retained and graduating at record numbers, the campus community is eating and engaging in scholarly activity around meals and new facilities, and 5,100 students residing in University owned or affiliated housing. Add into these figures growth in Career Services at unprecedented levels, phenomenal growth in Greek Life and Recreational Sports, and record numbers of student organizations tells us that the plan is working and each of you are responding in ways that has defined UofL as a national leader in our profession. You have also responded in ways that have truly inspired our students. We do not get to flash forward and see the product of our efforts. There is no test at the end of the semester that defines what our
students have learned in our course. We have no measurement that can determine the success of our students in life. However, we can project, with certainty, that we have created a better learning environment where our students feel comfortable, engaged, and connected to their campus. Don’t you love it when a plan works? Way to go!
2. What Students Are Saying About Friend of LOUniversity Friend of LOUniversity was an unforgettable three-day experience that helped freshmen students embrace the culture and attractions of Downtown Louisville and focused on presenting opportunities that will help them to become Friends of Lou. In its second year, 19 students participated. The program was awarded the 2011 Student Affairs Outstanding New Program. Here is what some freshmen had to say: “I think this was the best thing I could do to enter this school year on solid ground. I now feel confident about meeting new people, not getting lost around Louisville, and getting connected. Friend of LOUniversity was a fantastic experience. I would have to say that my favorite parts were the KFC Yum! Center, 21C and the dinner cruise. The icebreaker games were great too!…I would definitely encourage other students to attend this event. I went in feeling nervous, almost queasy, because I was totally alone and didn’t know how it would turn out, but I ended up not wanting to leave at the end. This trip has encouraged me to embrace college and every opportunity that comes along with it—specifically in the beautiful city of Louisville! I would tell students to be bold during this session and take it for all it’s worth—because it’s worth a lot! Thank you (UofL) for giving me the opportunity to take part in such an extraordinary event and I hope it continues, because it helped me a great deal. I can now enter college with a new confidence, thanks to Friend of Lou!” —Kristen Vickers “I enjoyed learning about the community and meeting people that 2
tions a r b Vi care so much about Louisville. Everyone was so happy and loved what they do for a living. It makes me feel more confident that I can feel the same way in the future…I feel that I have a step up from others just because I feel like I already know how Louisville “works.”…I would definitely tell (incoming freshmen) to participate. It is a unique experience that will begin your adventure to the University of Louisville.” —Kaitlin Gray “My favorite part of Friend of LOU was definitely being able to learn more about Louisville from some of its biggest people! They were all so nice and everybody left us thinking about something somebody else didn’t tell us. I think my college experience will be different from this camp because I have already met 19 other freshmen, and we were able to experience and learn about our new home together. If I could, I would tell every single freshman to attend this camp! There is so much you gain from it that you don’t get from orientation or just being in the city.” —Kaitlyn Carlisle “… I loved meeting everyone, hearing the guest speakers, and learning about all of the volunteering possibilities. Hmm, if I HAD to choose a favorite part—it was probably the dance party on the Belle. It was fun to see everybody loosen up and have fun. It [My college experience] will be different because I realized during camp that there are a ton of people in the city who want to help college students…and I feel like I can achieve my goals now.
I also realized that a lot of first year students are just as nervous as I am, and I won’t be hesitant to start up a conversation with someone new. It really is a fresh start! Of course I would encourage them [freshmen]— especially if they’re new to the city. I applied to go to UofL without EVER visiting the city because I wanted to go to a school with an LGBT services office. Finding out Louisville is so great is the cherry on top of the sundae. In many ways, I feel like the camp pumped up my move and took away a lot of the anxiety that I had.” —Marissa Sparkman
3. Red Barn Highlighted in NACA Magazine The Red Barn was highlighted in an article by our own Julie Onnembo, Dave Shaw, George J. Howe and Tim Moore that was published in the NACA magazine Campus Activities Programming, Back To School 2011, Vol 44, No 2 issue. You can read this article by going to http:// issuu.com/naca/docs/bts_2011. The article begins on page 70. A second article begins on page 84. Congratulations Julie, Dave, George and Tim!
4. New RSO Supports Disability Awareness!!!
CUDA (Cards United for Disability Awareness) is a newly formed RSO open to all students who support disability awareness. Please help spread the word to students and encourage participation of everyone! For more information, contact uoflcuda@gmail.com.
3
tions a r b Vi 5. Opening Week at UofL
4
tions a r b Vi 6. New Student Recreation Center Update No doubt you have heard of the plans for a new Student Recreation Center. Many changes have been made to the original plans that have enhanced the future center’s functionality. It is going to be exciting to say the least and a tremendous addition to our campus. There are displays set up in the windows of the SAC walkway and entrance to the Intramural area of the SAC that show an artist’s rendering of the center, along with schematic drawings that depict the layout of the facility. You can also visit http://louisville.edu/reccenter for a lot of other information. The web site will feature a time lapse photo record of construction and up-to-date information on the progress of the facility as things continue to move forward.
7. Student Support Services Bridges the Gap Exactly one week before this semester was to begin, a small group of dedicated students were taking extra steps with Student Support Services (SSS) to prepare themselves for a new year. The students participated in the SSS Summer Bridge Program, which offers new, transfer, and returning students opportunities to learn about helpful offices and programs at the University of Louisville, develop techniques to encourage beneficial academic practices, and enjoy various cultural experiences around the city of Louisville. Throughout the program, representatives from the Health Promotions Center, Ekstrom Library, Class Act Credit Union, the Career Development Center, and REACH (among others) met with the students to give them information about their offices on campus and the services they provide. Bridge participants engaged in note taking, stress resiliency, and diversity seminars which gave them helpful tips to cope with the classes, life issues, and people they will encounter throughout
the school year. Students especially enjoyed the trip to the Louisville Bats baseball game and the Louisville 21C museum! At the close of the three-day program, the students made posters and gave presentations on what they gained from the program. One group’s presentation theme was ‘Keeping your head above water’ and they described the program as giving them the tools they needed to keep themselves afloat when academics and life attempt to weigh them down. All in all, the students were thankful for the Bridge Program and the information they received about the University and the city, and the skills they learned to stay one step ahead in their academics. But most of all, they were excited about the relationships they built and the supportive “home away from home” they now have in Student Support Services.
8. Summer Academy Mixes Fun with Learning
Every year for the past four summers, the Student Affairs Summer Academy has offered opportunities for staff to recharge and renew themselves for the busy academic year. A mixture of fun and learning has always been the formula the Professional Development Committee follows, and this year was no different starting with a terrific presenter and current faculty in the ELFH (Leadership, Foundations and Human Resource Education) program in the College of Education and Human Development, Dr. Brad Shuck. Brad led the staff through a high energy and interactive journey to understanding what staff engagement looks like 5
tions a r b Vi and how one can take responsibility for their own engagement. Following that amazing opening session, staff heard about the new housing affiliates and upcoming professional conferences, had lunch with Angie Fenton from The Voice Tribune, enjoyed a massage, learned about 360 Degree Performance Evaluations or tried meditation. The second day started with yoga and a wonderful tour of campus with our own UofL treasure, Dr. Tom Owen, and culminated in a yummy lunch with engaging remarks by Coach Ken Lolla of the UofL Men’s Soccer team as well as staff recognition via the Son Awards in honor of our own George Howe. A fun time was had by all!
Outstanding New Program Friend of LOUniversity Summer Camp Outstanding at Putting Students First Julie Onnembo Outstanding Team Member Teresa Smith Kenny Quisenberry Outstanding Attitude Charisma Stigall Collaboration Gerome Stephens Outstanding Problem Solver Tim Moore Outstanding Service to the Community Joni Burke
The 2011 Son Award Winners:
Outstanding Supporting Staff Member Karen Zody Outstanding Relationship Builder Award Frank Mianzo Michael Mardis
Outstanding Contribution to Student Affairs Pam Curtis
9. Endowments Grow
Outstanding Contribution to Improving Area of Responsibility Kathy Pendleton Excellence George Howe
The Red Barn Alumni Association hosted the 42nd Annual reunion concert, on Friday, July 8th, featuring The Tymes Band. 121 people 6
tions a r b Vi attended this event and $1,170 was raised for the Red Barn and RBAA endowments. Thank you all who attended and donated to the cause to help the students at the University of Louisville.
10. Photo Album
Summer Picnic
Coffee and Conversation “Jolly in July”
Dr. Tom Jackson presenting the book, “Two Centuries of Black Louisville,” authored by Mervin Aubespin, Kenneth Clay, and Blaine Hudson, to the Botswana Vice President, the Honorable Mompati Merafhe. The book was presented at the 45th Anniversary in Washington, D.C. celebrating 45 years of Independence for the Republic of Botswana. 7
tions a r b Vi 11. Exciting Fall Events Cardinal Family Weekend 2011, was held on September 30th– October 2nd. Family Weekend is a Cardinal tradition for the entire campus community. Events included: the Parent of the Year Award Reception, the St. James Art Fair and the Family Weekend Tailgate before the UofL vs. Marshall football game. The special event this year, sponsored by the SAB, was the renowned hypnotist Tom DeLuca who appeared in the Multipurpose Room on Friday, September Cardinal 30th. Tom DeLuca is not Family Weekend your average entertainer. He’s known for being the best in his business and campuses are crazy about him. This was a great event for all who came. September 30-October 2, 2011 The end of October brings us to our Annual Homecoming Festivities that will be two weeks’ worth of old and new events culminating with the traditional National Pan-Hellenic Step Show and the UofL v. Syracuse football game. For all other events being offered this fall, please contact Student Activities at stuact@louisville.edu or check out the student event calendar at: http://louisville.edu/student/calendar.
12. 2011 Panhellenic Recruitment Goes On! There is no truer example of perseverance than what was achieved by the amazing women of the Panhellenic Council. The storms that blew through on August 13 resulted in high winds that whisked their tent from Greek row to the Speed Museum parking lot, a fallen tree on a power line that left two sorority houses in darkness only to be saved by generators, and the presence of the Louisville Fire Department.
Through all of this, Sorority recruitment continued without a hitch! 160 women received and accepted bids on August 17, and all was well with the world. Much admiration and praise for Joni Burke, Holly Bradford and all of the Panhellenic officers and members for a job well done! Handing out bids
13. Walking and Talking: Teaching & Learning Teaching and learning is what Housing and Residence Life “walks and talks.” The teaching and learning happens all year round and at all levels, but it happens more frequently during the summer. This summer was no exception for the student staff getaway as they spent long days and evenings preparing to welcome the growing number of residents that call our residence halls home. Below, you can read just how they combined their mission, core values, partnerships, and abundant resources to train some of their student staff groups. These talented, new and rising professionals worked hard to make sure the halls were ready to welcome the residents to a year filled with discovery, getting connected to campus and learning lessons that will impact them for the rest of their lives. Here are some the their experiences: 8
tions a r b Vi UofL’s Resident Assistant University: Creating Tradition and Training for Leadership With a successful partnership among housing affiliates, paired with the addition of over 300 new beds on campus, it only seems natural that training the housing staff to prepare for these new changes would be a necessity. The ground breaking relationship University of Louisville’s Housing and Residence Life office has created with Education Realty Trust (University of Louisville Properties) over the years, does not end with unifying the application process or streamlining the accounts payable side of things. It also includes training the Resident Assistant staff as a whole. This year’s training model and theme, “Resident Assistant University,” emphasized three out of five of Housing and Residence Life’s core values: community, integrity, and respect. The training consisted of a lecture style series of campus resources presenting to “Freshmen” (first year RA’s) and “Upperclassmen” (two or more year returning staff) guided by a new staff/returning staff track. An encouraging speech from the University of Louisville’s Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Tom Jackson, helped to kick off the training week. The two weeks were divided by a retreat in which staff participated in a fun getaway to build camaraderie and motivate them for the next week’s worth of in-hall training. Staff kept up with the training by following a syllabus specific to their track and also by following a twitter account set up specifically for the RA class of 2011. During the onset of training, the RA staff was given a pre-test. On the last day of training, a “final” was administered to assess staff learning and compare scores. As a finale to training, the entire housing staff attended a graduation/pep rally in which a local celebrity was invited to be our “commencement” speaker. RA’s were given RA “swag” as gifts and were treated to cake and ice cream as they celebrated the end of the two week long training. As more affiliated housing groups joined the campus community, their
student staff members were given the opportunity to attend and participate in training, and many took advantage. RA training was a huge success and we look forward to continuing a tradition with Resident Assistant University as the Housing and Residence Life program moves forward in its efforts to be recognized as one of the top programs in the nation. —Jeremy Williamson Consistency and Inclusion: Desk Assistants Get Ready for a New Year Consistency and inclusion were the two buzzwords at this year’s Desk Assistant (DA) fall training. As the new Safety and Security Graduate Assistant for Housing, I wanted to begin the year with a streamlined delivery of information and help the staff be confident in how they could use what they have learned. One of my over arching goals for this year is to enfold the Desk Assistant staff more fully into the residence hall community. I have assigned each Desk Assistant a “home” building based on where they work the majority of their hours, and my hope is that they will feel ownership and pride for their “home” building, leading to stronger relationships among the building staff. Director, Shannon Staten, emphasized to our DAs the important role they play because of how many residents and guests they encounter and assist during the year. Margaret Zettegren, the supervisor of the First Year Guides, led a session where the DAs thought through qualities of a student leader. The day was long, but our Desk Assistant staff thoroughly learned about their responsibilities and role at the front desk, and I was especially encouraged to watch them engage with each other and help out when it came to covering shifts for the first week of school. The staff is a large and diverse group, and I look forward to assisting them in reaching each of their individual goals as Desk Assistants and whatever else they are working toward. —Jennifer Shaheen 9
tions a r b Vi First Year Guides: Making the First Six Weeks Count Move in day is an exciting time for First Year Students, and the student volunteers who help them carry boxes, televisions, and the other items to set up their first residence hall room. One of the main student groups that help on move in day is the Housing and Residence Life First Year Guides. The First Year Guide program is designed to help freshmen residents get acclimated to campus during their first six weeks at the University of Louisville. Housing and Residence Life selects 47 students to serve as these mentors. After the students are selected, they go through a three day training process to make sure they are ready to serve as campus advocates. This year’s training was successful and fully packed with sessions on diversity and students in crisis. At the end of training, the students were rewarded with a Housing and Residence Life pep rally! The pep rally entertainment for the night was a dance featured by the Residence Life pro-staff team, and it was a hit! Several questions have been asked as to why the First Year Guide mascot is a gnome. Since gnomes traditionally serve as guides, this is an appropriate mascot for the student mentors, because they are guiding the freshmen through their first six weeks of school. This symbol has become a tradition within housing, and it is fun to see a student’s face light up when they see a gnome t-shirt or pin. Some of the events the First Year Guides promote are: Blue Light Special, Playfair, the President’s Ice Cream Social, and many other programs the mentors create themselves. All of these events are more successful because of the involvement of the First Year Guides. They are truly a unique and driven group of students that are passionate about the development of the first year students. —Margaret Zettegren
Housing and Residence Life is enriched and grows on the talent and investment of their staff. The student-staff holds them accountable to grow and enhance the quality of service provided for students every day. They are charged with preparing student staff to be the mentors, connectors and role models for the residential students. They continue to look for ways that speak to their mission and core values, and utilize the partnerships and resources they have available. They look to enhance how it is done year after year. As noted before, they look to “walk the talk” and this year they can rest-assured that teaching and learning has happened and is happening here.
14. Student Involvement Fairs Light Up the West Plaza It’s a fact: UofL students are excited about getting involved on campus and being a part of big things. At the 2011 RSO Fair and the 2011 Involvement Fair hosted on August 23rd and 24th, hundreds of new and returning students descended upon the newly renovated West Plaza to visit tables hosted by more than 100 student groups and departments. Student groups were out in force to recruit new
members and grow our vibrant UofL Campus Community, while departments from all over campus showcased their engaging programs. Many groups reported that they talked to more than 100 interested students at their table alone. All kinds of students were drawn in by the pumping music from the 10
tions a r b Vi Student Activities tent and the awesome free food provided for students by the Student Activities Board and the Dean of Students office. It’s clear that our students are eager to make a difference and be part of a diverse and vibrant community.
16. UofL Arts Madness Fall Semester 2011 Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts ticket consignment: $15 for UofL student/faculty/staff ticket opportunities for the Kentucky Center Presents season.
15. Yell, Yell, Yell! The Department of Intramural and Recreational Sports is heavily involved in the camp scene on a national basis. Over 1,000 middle school, high school and college-aged cheerleaders and dance team members flooded the SAC gyms this August. During the summer, the department hosted women’s basketball and women’s volleyball camps in addition to the cheer and dance camps. Over 1,500 potential future UofL college students came to our campus for the various activities. These camps are popular with middle and high school students. Attending one almost always leaves the participant with some powerful memories, since they spend from several days to a week here with some of their best friends, doing something they love. Those memories also include our campus and programs. Hosting these camps is a powerful recruitment tool for the University.
For more information about University of Louisville Arts Madness, contact Julie Onnembo at jaonne01@ louisville.edu or come by the Student Activities Office SAC W310.
17. Welcome to Student Affairs Valeria Aramburú is the new Graduate Assistant in the Disability Resource Center. Valeria earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education at Bellarmine University, and will begin work on her Master’s degree in the College Student Personnel program this fall. Valeria comes to the University of Louisville after working in the Jefferson County Public School system through the AmeriCorps program. Welcome Valeria! Jessica Watts is a GA in Threlkeld Hall. She is a 2nd year master student in the College Student Personnel program. Jessica worked during her first year of grad school as an office assistant in the Housing Office. She did her undergraduate work at Georgetown College. 11
tions a r b Vi Thomas Converso is working as a GA in Louisville Hall. He comes to us from completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh. He is a master level student in College Student Personnel. Jennifer Shaheen is the GA for Safety and Security working out of the central office. She is responsible for hiring, training and supervising the 50+ student desk workers for our halls as well as working on safety and security education for students. She just completed her undergraduate degree here at UofL and worked with Housing as an RA during her last couple of years. Patrick Chenault is one of the new professional full-time staff as a Residence Life Coordinator for Housing and is managing UTA and Medical Dental apartment buildings. He is joining us after completing his master program at the University of Dayton. Taylor U’Sellis is a Residence Life Coordinator for Housing and is managing the Complex halls. She is coming from working full-time this last year for the IUS Housing Office. She completed her Master’s work at the College Of Charleston; however she is a Louisville native and is excited to be “home”. Adam Robertson is the new Residence Life Coordinator managing Kurz Hall. He has come from working full-time in the Housing program at West Georgia. He completed his master’s work at Mississippi State. Danielle Stallard is a Career Coach with the Career Development Center. In May 2011, she earned a Master of Arts Degree in Higher Education from the University of Louisville. She was formerly a Human Resources Generalist with AEGON Institutional Markets.
Ashley Dale is the newly appointed Career Coach for the School of Music and College of Education. Previously, she worked with Jefferson Community and Technical College as a Coordinator of Career Services. She is an alumni of the University, obtaining her Bachelors of Arts and Master’s of Arts.
18. High Five A High Five goes to James L. Brown of the Career Development Center. James has recently been appointed by the President to Chair the Commission on Diversity & Racial Equality, effective July 1, 2011. “My time will be dedicated to fulfilling this role,” says James.
19. Mark Your Calendar! October 10–11 Fall Break October 18 Faculty Friends: Meet Stuart Esrock, Communication, noon - 1pm October 19 Divisional Staff, 9am - noon October 20 Foam Party October 28 Step Show October 24–29 Homecoming Week November 2 Learn at Lunch: Public Relations Roundtable led by Katie Partin, noon - 1pm December 6 Faculty Friends: Meet Kristin Wilson, ELFH, noon - 1pm December 9 Red Barn Birthday Party December 15 Graduation Reception January 11 Getting Organized: (repeat session) Professional Organizer Tracie Utter, noon - 1pm
12
tions a r b Vi 20. Special Thanks Thank you Valerie Browning, Kaitlyn Carlisle, Pam Curtis, Ashley Dale, Kaitlin Gray, Shirley Hardy, Dr. Tom Jackson, Jr., Jeremy Johnson, Suhail Johnson, Dr. Michael Mardis, Laura Mercer, Frank Mianzo, Julie Onnembo, Cathy Patus, Lee Ann Riffle, Tanina Seagraves, Jennifer Shaheen, John Smith, Teresa Smith, Marissa Sparkman, Danielle Stallard, Shannon Staten, Gerome Stephens, Charisma Stigall, and Taylor U’Sellis, Kristen Vickers, Jeremy Williamson, Beverly Wolford, and Margaret Zettegren for your contributions to this newsletter. The Student Affairs Vibrations newsletter is produced and edited by Susie Cucura, Student Affairs Publications and Marketing Coordinator, susie.cucura@louisville.edu.
This publication is produced by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs Student Activities Center, Suite W302 University of Louisville 2100 S. Floyd St., Louisville, KY 40208 502-852-6933
http://louisville.edu/student
13