Volume 013 Issue 006
April/May 2016
Sexual Assault Awareness Month April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which is a time to openly discuss sexual assault and inform people on how to prevent it. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 5 women in the United States “have experienced completed or attempted rape,” with most victims first experiencing sexual violence before the age of 25. Adult and Commuter Student Services recently hosted a Campus Sexual Violence and Prevention Seminar to shed light on sexual assault with guest panelists from the U of M’s Counseling Center, the Office of Student Conduct, Shelby County Rape Crisis Center and the Memphis YWCA. The Stonewall Tigers were also in attendance to perform a series of skits depicting sexual violence in effort to show students what is and is not acceptable.
Driven by Doing Designed, written and edited by: Ericka Smith
Seminar is to speak out if you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted. The Memphis Rape Crisis Center provides counseling, free pregnancy testing and STI testing for rape victims. The U of M Counseling Center also has resources for sexual assault victims and is confidential.
“If you have some concerns for yourself or someone that you know, we have walk-in hours between 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. You can come with your friend and we will meet with you. It can be a very brief meeting, it is Sexual violence is any unwanted confidential; we don’t share that information sexual contact or unwanted sexual with anyone else. From that meeting, if you experiences, such as verbal sexual want to participate in counseling, services are harassment. The effects of sexual violence available to U of M students free of charge,” include long-term physical and mental health said Dr. Kim Collins from the Counseling problems, chronic pain, headaches and sexual Center. diseases, according to the CDC. Victims are typically anxious, suffer from depression and For more information on sexual assault, contact the Rape, Abuse, and Incest anger, and have problems trusting others. National Network (RAINN) hotline at 1-800The most important takeaway from 656-HOPE. the Campus Sexual Violence and Prevention
A Message from our Director Hello Adults, Commuters and Veterans! Well the clock on the wall says time is winding down for the spring 2016 semester. This means your academic and student organizational work for this semester will come to a close. You will be able to reflect on your academic labor and be glad about it.
The PINNACLE inductees were certainly happy about their scholarly achievement at the induction ceremony on Friday, April 8, 2016. Again, Congratulations! There were proud relatives and friends there to cheer them on during the ceremony. Dr. Rosie Phillips Bingham was the (guiding light) speaker for the occasion. It is our hope that reaching this pinnacle is just the beginning for our non-traditional adult graduate students and undergraduate students. There are some students who will graduate and start a new chapter in life. They will either start graduate school or be seeking full-time employment. Congratulations to you too!
We hope that the monthly newsletter has kept our commuter and veteran student population informed about various institutional activities, events, and student engagement opportunities. You can feel free to carefully peruse this edition to learn more about the year-end activities and events.
Joy R. Stout, Director of Adult and Commuter Student Services and the Veterans Resource Center Office: 901-678-2644 jstout@memphis.edu
Thank you for adding to our readership and have a great summer!
Meet Candace Davis! Candace is one of our adult students who is balancing life, leadership and school in an effort to achieve her Bachelor's degree. As a sophomore, Candace enjoys the flexibility that the University of Memphis’ online degree program offers. She is able to maintain her job as an administrative support assistant and be an active mother to her 21-month-old daughter all while pursuing her degree in Education. Working, parenting and pursuing a degree is something many students at the University of Memphis experience. How does she balance it all, you may ask? Candace studies during her work breaks, in the evening and on the weekends. But when she’s not studying, she enjoys going to the beach, creative writing and of course – shopping! When asked what keeps her going and focused on earning her degree, Candace Davis, ASA Historian Candace attributes her drive to being a good role model and creating a prosperous lifestyle for her family. Candace is a member of the Adult Student Association where she serves as Historian for the organization and she is also a member of the Helen Hardin Honors Program. If you see Candace around campus – be sure to say hi!
Adult and Commuter Student Services recently spoke with Dr. Clay Woemmel about resumes, interview training, job listings and much more. If you’re close to graduation or just want to get a head start on The Job Search, set up an appointment with Career Services through Tiger Link. What advice do you have for students entering the workforce? like sometimes people get discouraged but in reality Your resume really is your first impression. Sometimes, I feel like most people apply for lots of students, in their eagerness to seek a job, rush through their jobs before they find that job resume and it might sell them short because it may not contain all that’s the right fit for them. their information, or when you write something in a hurry, it’s Even if you put in an more likely to have mistakes in it. It’s really important to take application and you don’t some time with your resume and have someone look over it immediately hear anything, I because you miss things in your own writing. think it’s important to keep Why should students participate in interview training? going because most people who are successful in their job Dr. Clay Woemmel, Career Services It’s also a great time to practice interview skills because most people feel more confident when they go into an interview if they search put in lots of applications, they use a variety of different methods, they go to have a little bit of practice because they know more of what to expect. We do mock interviews. The student can provide us with career fairs and apply online, they talk to people they know and a job description for the position they’ve applied for or would like they network. I think it’s important to be really proactive. to apply for in the future, and we will do some research and come up with some typical questions for that position. Then, we have the student dress professionally and present themselves as they would in a real interview. We record the interview then get feedback. Interview training is one of our most highly rated programs that’s been consistent across the 16 years I’ve been here. People find that having that practice really helps them do their best during the interview.
Where do you suggest students look for job listings? I encourage students to take a look at our Tiger Link system. That’s our new online system that we launched last fall. We have part time, full time and internship listings available through Tiger Link. Current students can log into Tiger Link using their U of M username and password and it stays active for approximately one term after graduation. Currently, there are 400 listings in Tiger Link. The reason why I suggest that is because employers contact the University of Memphis and say, ‘Hey, I’m interested in having your students apply for our opportunities.’ I feel like that gives students a leg up because students are applying to people who are interested in U of M graduates. How long before a person graduates would you suggest applying for jobs? I would start 3 months prior to graduation looking. For May graduation, I would begin looking for opportunities around the first of March. Certainly in late April and May you want to go into high gear in terms of your applications and so forth. I feel
Do you think students should accept jobs not in their field when they first graduate? Depending on your goals, sometimes a job that’s not exactly in your field can lead to other opportunities. If it’s a job that has an opportunity for advancement and it’s something you would enjoy doing, I think it’s good to think outside the box. Everyone’s circumstances are different. While some people may be able to wait a little while to find exactly the right thing, other students have families that depend on them. I think most employers value previous work experience. It may be better to take a job a little outside of your field instead of a prolonged period of unemployment because that can cause people to wonder what’s going on with this person, why hasn’t this person been hired. If you were fired from your previous job, should you disclose that information during the interview? Yes. I think it’s better for the employer to hear it from you than some other party because if you skip over it or talk around it and then they check references, it may make them question what you’ve told them and put everything you said in doubt. Where if you’re upfront about it, you at least have the opportunity to try to cast it in a more positive light. What makes a good reference? You want to make sure your references can speak to your work related skills, so professors that you’ve had in your classes, previous supervisors, an advisor you’re close with, those tend to make good work related references.
If your class meets:
Then your final exam will be:
MWF, 6:50a
W, May 4, 7:00 - 9:00a
MWF, 8:00a
F, April 29, 8:00 - 10:00a
MWF, 9:10a
F, April 29, 10:30a-12:30p
MWF, 10:20a
M, May 2, 8:00 - 10:00a
MWF, 11:30a
M, May 2, 10:30a-12:30p
Spring Commencement 2016
SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2016 at the FEDEX FORUM
MW, 12:40p
W, May 4, 10:00a-12noon
MW, 2:20p
W, May 4, 1:00-3:00p
MW, 5:30p
W, May 4, 5:30-7:30p
MW, 7:10p
M, May 2, 7:00-9:00p
MW, 8:50p
W, May 4, 8:00-10:00p
TR, 8:00a
T, May 3, 8:00 - 10:00a
TR, 9:40a
T, May 3, 10:30a-12:30p
TR, 11:20a
R, May 5, 8:00 - 10:00a
TR, 1:00p
R, May 5, 10:30a - 12:30p
TR, 2:40p
T, May 3, 1:00 - 3:00p
TR, 5:30p
R, May 5, 5:30-7:30p
TR, 7:10p
T, May 3, 7:00-9:00p
TR, 8:50p
R, May 5, 8:00-10:00p
S, 9:00a
S, April 30, 9:00-11:00a
S, 1:00p
S, April 30, 1:00-3:00p
U,1:00p
U, May 1, 1:00-3:00p
10:00 am-College of Arts & Sciences, Communication and Fine Arts, and University College and Doctoral Candidates for these colleges. 2:30 pm-Fogelman College of Business and Economics, Kemmons Wilson of Hospitality and Resort Management, College of Education, School of Health Studies (NEW School), Herff College of Engineering, Loewenberg College of Nursing, School of Public Health and School of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Doctoral Candidates for these colleges and schools. Backup Date: SUNDAY, May 8, 2016 at 12:00 PM and 4:30 PM.
Seniors
April 5, 2016
Juniors
April 6, 2016
Sophomores
April 7, 2016
Freshmen
April 11, 2016
Non-Degree Seeking
April 13, 2016
Exams are quickly approaching, which means long nights in the library, cramming and of course, stress! Utilize the study tips below, provided by www.testtakingtips.com, so you can fearlessly conquer your exams. It is best to review the material right after class when it's still fresh in your memory. Don't try to do all your studying the night before the test. Instead, space out your studying, review class materials at least several times a week, focusing on one topic at a time. Find a comfortable and quiet place to study with good lighting and little distractions (try avoiding your own bed; it is very tempting to just lie down and take a nap). Learn the general concepts first, don't worry about learning the details until you have learned the main ideas. Take notes and write down a summary of the important ideas as you read through your study material. Take short breaks frequently. Your memory retains the information that you study at the beginning and the end better than what you study in the middle.
Here are 3 stress management tips from Reader’s Digest to help you deal with the end of the year pressure. ACSS will host a stress management seminar on April 20, 2016 at 12: 40-2:05 p.m. in the Student Recreation Center.
Compose a Mantra
Say Cheese
Devise an affirmation — a short, clear, positive statement that focuses on your coping abilities. “Affirmations are a good way to silence the self-critical voice we all carry with us that only adds to our stress,” Dr. Elkin says. The next time you feel as if your life is one disaster after another, repeat 10 times, “I feel calm. I can handle this.”
Smiling is a two-way mechanism. We do it when we’re relaxed and happy, but doing it can also make us feel relaxed and happy. “Smiling transmits nerve impulses from the facial muscles to the limbic system, a key emotional center in the brain, tilting the neurochemical balance toward calm,” Dr. Cooper explains.
Visualize Calm It sounds New Age-y, but at least one study, done at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, has found that it’s highly effective in reducing stress. Dr. Cooper recommends imagining you’re in a hot shower and a wave of relaxation is washing your stress down the drain.
Adult and Commuter Student Services hosted its annual Off Campus Housing Information Fair on March 23rd, 2016. Over 500 students and 20 vendors were in attendance. It was an exciting day to learn more about offcampus housing communities and off-campus living resources.