Volume 1
Issue 10
For the Kean University Student Community
November 2, 2004
The
COUGAR’SByte A Student Life & Leadership Development Publication
Up ‘Til Dawn Letter Writing Campaign By Cece Christmas, Greek Senate’s V.P. of Public Relations On Thursday, October 28, over 35 teams headed over to Downs Hall between 6 and 10 pm to enjoy pizza, the movie Spiderman 2, and most importantly, compose letters to family and friends petitioning them to send donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This annual charity event sponsored by Kean University Greek Life, is open to the entire Kean community and attracted Greeks and non-greeks alike. Everyone, including members of the Class of 2006, Kean Dance Theatre and Kean Pride, came ready to write and eager to support this wonderful organization. Kush Parikh, President of the University Activities Board (UAB) said “the turn out is amazing and the campaign appears to be very successful.”
Kean Volunteer Day The Office of Community & Disability Services is sponsoring Kean Volunteer Day at the Food Bank on Saturday, November 13, 2004 from 8:30 am to 12 noon. If you are interested in helping us support this non-profit organization that cares deeply about people who are in need, sign-up in the University Center, room 315. First come, first served – limited transportation.
Thank you to Julieth Hoayeck, Executive Director of Up ‘Til Dawn, and the entire executive board for putting the event together, Alex Louis, Assistant Director of Student Life & Leadership Development, for helping coordinate the event and all the teams who made this event a success.
Rhythmic Movements By Jen Rainho, Class of 2006 Several years ago during a trip to Brazil, Dr. Anthony Scelba, Director of the Affiliate Artist program, came upon the performance of an amazing theatrical piece, Cancion Simples, written by the composer Carlos Stasi. Upon returning to the states, Dr. Scelba shared his excitement for this piece with Professor Musto and they immediately began to look for the music from various sources. To their surprise, the music was impossible to find because it was not published in the United States. After a long and vigorous search, Professor Musto was able to obtain the music through a friend who is the Principal Percussionist in
the New York Philharmonic. With regained enthusiasm, Professor Musto eagerly began to prepare to bring this entertaining piece to Kean University. But, Professor Musto’s eagerness soon came to a halt when he was told that the composer believed his dead uncle had appeared to him in a dream and warned him to not allow the piece to be performed anymore. Uncertain of his sanity at this point, Professor Musto brought this to Dr. Scelba’s attention and with a chuckle, Dr. Scelba informed him that this same uncle appeared to himself in a dream and said that it was ok to play the piece again. So, on October 4, 2004, the Affiliate Artist Program brought this brilliant piece of art to Kean! A performance most of us will never forget, Professor Musto played a single instrument, the snare drum, on a stage lit with vibrant colors. The excitement was not that he played a single instrument, but rather it was how he played it. Full of unexpected surprises, Professor Musto’s performance included playing the drum with a 12 ft bamboo stick, wire brushes, rolling a
ping pong ball along the rim of the drum while playing with his hands, and blowing air through a hole in the drum in a musical manner. On top of this extraordinary composition, the psychedelic colors really brought character to Musto’s performance. “People would never think the snare drum could be such a complex instrument. I told my wife, I’ll either be a laughing stock or everyone is going to love it,” said Musto. He was right about one thing – we all loved it and found it intriguing to see so many different elements used on a simple instrument! The Affiliate Artist Program is a program started by Dr. Anthony Scelba made up of 10 Kean University Faculty members who have active performing careers and have been Nationally and Internationally honored. They are an extraordinary group of artists that put on remarkable performances. For more information about the Affiliate Artist Program or a schedule of upcoming events, call 908-737-4325.
For bonus news and information, visit our online edition at www.cougarsbyte.com
R E G I S T E R AT W W W. C O U G A R S B Y T E . C O M T O G ET T PASU Rap Meets Poetry By Scott Snowden, Class of 2006 On Tuesday night, October 27, 2004, the Pan-African Student Union (PASU), one of Student Organization’s 16 funded groups, hosted its first Rap Meets Poetry of the year. Over 225 Kean students packed the University Center Little Theatre filling every seat to see some of Kean’s most talented perform from playing the piano to reading poetry to freestyle rapping. This event not only entertains, but also educates all students about Pan-African culture. Aleasha Brooks, a junior PASU member, believes that Rap Meets Poetry is a huge success every semester because it allows students to discover hidden talent within them and allows them to express their creative ideas and different forms of art.
Science Isn’t Just For Men!
Women’s Circle Women's Circle, sponsored by the Office of Residence Life, is a group that welcomes all women of the Kean University community. We meet the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 9pm in the Whiteman Hall Lounge to discuss various issues that women face. Each year we begin with an annual goal and tailor activities/events to that particular topic. This year’s topic is “Self Recovery”. Women’s Circle, founded in the fall of 2000, has experienced yearly growth in membership, as well as in personal growth. Our Mission Statement is to empower, motivate, and uplift women through personal and selfdiscovery, and to create a sense of selfacceptance and appreciation over one's well being. If you have any questions regarding Women’s Circle or would like more information, please contact Waffiyah Saleem, Residence Hall Director, at (908) 737-6811.
By Jen Bissu, Graduate Student Breaking into the male-dominated field of science, Michele Powers feels empowered, not intimidated! “There aren’t many women in the science field, and that helps drive me,” she declares. And ‘driven’ she is! Michele has always loved earth sciences, especially astronomy. She chose to pursue meteorology as a career, however, because she knew she would have many more opportunities as a meteorologist than as an astronomer. “I find meteorology so fascinating…I like to find out why we have thunderstorms and hurricanes. Forecasting the weather is not an exact science, and I think that’s what I like about it,” she declares enthusiastically. Entering the private weather industry after earning a Bachelor Degree from Villanova in 1999, she came to realize that she would benefit from additional schooling. So, Michele starting looking at graduate programs and the choice was easy - Kean University. Michele says she chose to come to Kean because “Kean offers such a unique program, and it’s a small department, which is also appealing.” Besides, it’s in her blood. Both parents graduated from Kean in 1974 where her mother had Dr. Zois, who is currently one of Michele’s professors. “He’s a very brilliant man,” Michele says “and, he provides a lot of support.” And keeping the family tradition alive, her sister has also recently joined Kean as a freshman. During her studies, Michele landed a freelance job for News 12 New Jersey, where she travels to Connecticut, Long Island, and Westchester to fill in on air and report on the weather. “TV wasn’t something I set out to do — the opportunity fell into my lap and I took it,” she reflects. “I’m one of the shyest people, so this is a challenge for me.” Balancing her job along with her roles as a wife, full-time student, and member of the student chapter of the American Meteorological Society, Michele is certainly up to the challenge. When Michele finishes her post-baccalaureate degree, she plans to apply for an AMS seal, giving her the title of Certified Broadcast Meteorologist. However, it won’t come easy. She will have to take a test and submit videos of her own forecasts for a panel of judges to review. Although she plans to remain in television meteorology, Michele’s ultimate dream is to work for the government at the National Weather Service or in Aviation Weather.
United Negro College Fund, Inc. The United Negro College Fund operates its Corporate Scholars Program as an innovative and progressive strategy aimed at expanding the minority workforce of corporations throughout the US. UNCF arranges scholarships that include internships and mentorships for college juniors and seniors as well as graduate students in disciplines specifically requested by and tailored to the needs of participating corporate partners. Application deadline is February 28, 2005. For more information, visit http://www.uncf.org.
Kean Wins With A Full House A record number of high school juniors, seniors and their families attended the Kean University Admissions Open House on Sunday, October 24. During the event, prospective students were given tours of the residence halls and campus, introduced to the various colleges and programs through faculty presentations and received handouts from student services as they passed displays in the University Center Atrium. Kean appears to be a popular choice for students this year as the Admissions Office estimated that over 2,000 people attended the event!
H E L AT E S T N E W S S E N T D I R E C T LY T O Y O U R E M A I L . The Scoop On Financial Aid By Jen Bissu, Graduate Student Did you know that you might be paying more tuition than you have to? Many students at Kean are eligible for financial aid and don’t even know it. The only way to find out is to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Financial aid is available to anyone who exhibits financial need. Need-based funding includes the Tuition Aid Grant (TAG), Pell Grant, Stafford Loan, Perkins Loan and scholarships, as well as the federal workstudy program, which offers on-campus jobs to Kean students. In the work-study program students can work up to 20 hours per week while classes are in session, and up to 30
hours per week during winter, spring, and summer breaks. “Too few students take advantage of the work-study program and they are missing out on a great opportunity to earn competitive wages while gaining experience in their areas of interest,” says Sandra Bembry, Director of Financial Aid. It is highly recommended to complete the FAFSA form online (www.fafsa.ed.gov) because it is faster and easier, but you can also pick one up at the One Stop Service Center. “The main thing I would like to see students adhere to is early submission of the FAFSA,” said Bembry. “The priority deadline date is March 15, and some of the funding
Come learn the finer points of merengue at the “Let’s Dance Merengue” workshop sponsored by Sigma Lambda Beta and Sigma Lambda Gamma on Thursday, November 4, 2004 from 9 - 11 pm in the University Center, room 337.
I Stand By My Convictions Over a decade ago, Gwen Carter was happily living her life, working at Con Ed, raising her daughter and enjoying time with her husband, family and friends. Then the unthinkable happened. Within a year and a half, her husband, brother and a close friend died and her world came crashing down. As a result of this stressful trauma, Gwen suffered a stroke. Accustomed to being the family caretaker, Gwen was now at a loss. Relying on her strong spiritual beliefs, she asked God to help bring her back to where she once was. With the help of her cousin Lynn (a Kean graduate), her daughter (a 2004 Rutgers graduate) and her tireless faith, Gwen slowly began to recover. But, recovery wasn’t easy. Gwen had to endure more than two years of therapy to gain back the abilities she lost due to the stroke. And during this time, Lynn continually encouraged Gwen to return to school and follow her passion for helping others. Not only did Lynn enlist the help of Gwen’s daughter Monique, she even hand delivered the admissions application for Kean University. And, the rest is history.
Gwen is now in her senior year of the Social Work-Gerontology programs here at Kean and thanks to her daughter’s unselfish support in enabling her to continue to pursue her dreams; she is eagerly looking forward to immediately obtaining her MSW upon graduation in May. Although Gwen is also indebted to many professors here at Kean, she recognizes one in particular Dr. Nessof. “He recognized that the journey was a difficult one but he encouraged me to not deviate from my dreams and for that I am forever grateful.” In addition to excelling in her academics, Gwen is the Vice President of Phi Alpha, the Social Work Honor Society, Treasurer of the Bachelor of Social Work Club, and a Human Rights Commissioner of Elizabeth. Her accomplishments are a true testament of her devotion to herself, her family, her community, and most importantly, her faith. She has proven herself to be a true survivor and adds this bit of wisdom - “When life knocks you down, get back up,” proclaimed Gwen. “You can do anything in life, for it is God who will strengthen and sustain you through every lifelong battle if you truly believe.”
we control is awarded early. So the earlier students submit their forms, the better.” Because additional information is often requested after the student’s FAFSA is received, she stresses the importance of leaving enough time for any extra information to be submitted and processed. Keep in mind that financial aid is for the year, not just for one semester. So don’t miss the deadlines or you’ll be missing out on a whole year of financial aid! Graduate students are not eligible for traditional financial aid, although they may be eligible to receive scholarships, graduate assistantships, and loans.
YOU SPOKE. WE LISTENED. You’ve come to us with your needs, with your problems, and we’ve listened. The Cougar Club will continue to keep you up-to-date on the solutions that Kean’s administration has to offer. The Cougar Club will serve as the liaison between your concerns, the three student governments and the administration for this publication. Students can submit their questions and concerns about anything and everything related to student life at Kean University by calling a Cougar Club member at (908) 737-5170. Check out “Parking Problems Getting Attention” on page 4 for an update on the first, and most important, concern we have received.
Learning Disabilities Workshop The Office of Community and Disability Services is sponsoring a series of Disability Related Workshops, informational sessions on various disability issues facing our campus population, for faculty, staff and students. Dr. Arthur Shapiro, Professor of Special Education and Counseling and Roye Ann Hargrove-Wallace, MSW, LSW Director of Disability Services will moderate these sessions. Please join us for the next workshop, Learning Disabilities, presented by Dr. Marie Segal, Director of Project Excel, on November 11 in the University Center room 226A from 12:20–1:30 PM.
Parking Problems Getting Attention By Md. Maruf, Student Organization’s V.P. of Student Affairs Parking has become a serious issue on this campus, especially due to increased enrollment and new construction projects. During the first few weeks, people were waiting long periods of time to get a parking spot and fights were constantly breaking out. Although things seem to have calmed down a bit, parking still remains a major issue. While the administration and your student governments are totally aware of the situation, many ask - what is Kean doing to resolve this persistent problem? Due to a lack of space, the student leaders suggested a parking deck. However, after looking into the feasibility, the administration pointed out that this solution would increase tuition by a minimum of five hundred dollars ($500) per semester, and, not to mention, a
parking deck would not appear over night. It would involve more construction and take close to a year to construct, resulting in the further reduction of parking spaces on campus. So, on October 18, at the last TriCouncil Meeting, the administration announced steps they were taking to help alleviate the problem. Besides trying to purchase land in close proximity to the Main Campus, the administration is also working with NJ Transit so that any full-time undergraduate student can receive a 25% discount on monthly train tickets.
Graduate Student Government Association and Council for Part Time Students – abreast of any updates during monthly Tri-Council Meetings, sponsored by the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs. However, in the meantime, please have patience and understand that your student governments, and the administration, are working to resolve this problem.
Although these solutions may not take effect until the spring semester, they are a big step in the right direction. The administration will continue to keep the three student governments – Student Organization,
If you have questions or concerns, contact Md. Maruf, Student Organization’s V.P. of Student Affairs, at (908) 737-5190 or stop by the Student Organization office located in the University Center, room 321.
Becoming Part Of The Solution By Jen Rainho, Class of 2006 Unfortunately, many adults are facing literacy-related challenges like learning English as a Second Language (ESL) or getting help with the skills they need to succeed in life. The Office of Community and Disability Services, in an effort to help alleviate these challenges, has recently created the Literacy Volunteers of Kean University, a program that involves teaching reading and writing, as well as learning about people and their families. On September 8, International Literacy Day, Laura Pointon, a Psychology major and a member of the Established Leaders Program, walked by a Literacy Campaign display table in the University Center thinking it was a program geared towards education majors. Interested in the possibility of being able to teach people to read, Laura stopped to inquire what the program was about and how she could participate. She was surprised to learn that it was so simple to become involved and that the Literacy Volunteers of Union County offer training right here at Kean. Having always expressed an interest in reading, and astonished to learn that after only a few training sessions she would become certified to teach people to read, Laura instantly signed up to help. However, before Laura could become an official literacy trainer, she had to attend training sessions to learn how to help adult learners achieve their goals. “The program is easier than I thought,” said Laura. “I never thought I would be able to teach someone to read and write.” Having learned that many adults have fears and insecurities about their inabilities, Laura asserted “I am amazed at how much courage these individuals display when they come and seek our assistance. It’s truly a satisfying and rewarding experience for me to be able to help them work toward the goals that are relevant to their lives.” In addition to Laura’s participation, the Literacy Campaign has 8 Kean students and 3 individuals from off-campus. And, because there is a long waiting list of adults who need help, the Office of Community and Disability Services is looking for students who are ready to come out and help. In addition to this small step to promote literacy, the office is also looking to expand this program to include children and additional literacy programs. The Literacy Volunteer Campaign meet every Monday in the University Center, room 226B from 5:00pm–7:30pm. This is a great way to really help out your community and to better someone’s life. If you are interested, please call Joel Thomas at (908) 737-5150, email him at thomasj@kean.edu or see your local library.
Communicating With Tact and Finesse Dr. Rob Gilbert, a Motivational and Leadership Speaker, will help you discover the key to communicating successfully with all types of people during a light dinner on Friday, November 5, 2004 at 6pm in the University Center Greek Lounge. Say goodbye to misunderstandings and miscommunications that may have crippled past working and personal relationships! People who communicate diplomatically with tact and finesse - go farther and faster in their careers than those who don't.
CAREER DAY Career Services is holding a Career Day on Wednesday, November 10 from 12:00 to 3:00 pm in Downs Hall. This event is open to all academic majors; no pre-registration required. Please remember to bring plenty of quality resumes and be prepared to talk with representatives about your experiences and skills. It is recommended that you dress appropriately in interview attire such as suits and business dress. To find a complete listing of participating companies or for more information, visit www.kean.edu/~career/. If you need help with creating an impressive and well-written resume or learning techniques and preparing for interviews, call Career Services at (908) 737-5830 or stop by their office located on the East Campus Mezzanine area of the Main Building.
For bonus news and information, visit our online edition at www.cougarsbyte.com