VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 29
A STUDENT LIFE & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PUBLICATION FOR THE KEAN UNIVERSITY STUDENT COMMUNITY
APRIL 26, 2005
Kean’s Biggest Birthday Party Ever! By Jen Bissu, Senior Feature Editor
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Rich Lemonie | The Cougar’s Byte
Sharetta Harrington, junior Criminal Justice major, reads The Cougar’s Byte for its informative nature and the great pictures taken by
huge crowd converged in the new Center for Academic Success building on April 14th to celebrate Kean’s 150th Birthday! It was a spectacular sight—balloons in Kean’s colors adorned the great hall of the CAS, and a giant banner with the “Celebrating 150 Years” photo montage stretched vertically to the ceiling high above. One of the first things the guests noticed was the enormous cake in front of the stage and podium. It looked like a giant dollhouse in the shape of the historic Kean Hall building, and it was rumored to weigh as much as 350 pounds! That’s a LOT of cake! Reporters were in a frenzy, bustling to take advantage of the constant terrific photo op’s throughout the celebration. Students, faculty, alumni, and friends applauded as President Dawood Farahi stepped up
Rich Lemonie.
to the podium and shared uplifting anecdotes about our great university. A group of children from Kean’s very own Child Care Center came up on stage with “Happy Birthday” banners they had put together, comprised of birthday cards that they had made especially for Kean. Then President Farahi announced that he had a special treat for everyone—a group of volunteers clad in historic costumes that took us back to Kean’s early days a century and a half ago! They gathered on the podium and sang “Happy Birthday” to Kean, in rich harmony. It was lovely. A few guest speakers came up and offered their words and best wishes to the audience, including Kean’s own teaching celebrity alumnus Ruth Horowitz, who shared the moving story of Jen Bissu | The Cougar’s Byte her personal journey through President Dawood Farahi and respected alumnus Ruth Horowitz college, and the hardships wish Kean a very happy birthday—and many more! she faced to pursue a quality education. She reminded us of the importance of education: “Never stop being a student,” she declared. “Never stop learning, and you’ll never grow old.” After all the speakers had finished, President Farahi posed for some pictures with the giant sculptural birthday cake and then invited guests to help themselves to cake and punch. A beautiful ice sculpture featuring the 150 Years logo stood proudly beside the punch, which poured from table fountains. People milled about, socializing and mingling, talking and laughing and smiling. It was a beautiful celebration, and surely everyone there was filled with a sense of pride to be part of such a wonderful university! Happy Birthday, Kean! Jen Bissu | The Cougar’s Byte
Celebrating 150 years with nearly 350 pounds of Kean Hall cake. Rich Lemonie | The Cougar’s Byte
Crystal Crawley, junior Criminal Justice major, reads The Cougar’s Byte for information about the campus and because work can get boring. Get Caught Reading The Cougar’s Byte is geared to promote student involvement and enrichment at Kean University. The contest will run throughout the Spring Semester. So get caught reading The Cougar’s Byte – your picture will be prominently displayed on the front cover and you will receive a Cougar’s Byte t-shirt.
Deadline Dilemmas By Constance Thomas, Diversity Editor
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o you often find yourself with a million things due at the last minute? Are you lucky to remember what’s due for homework. Is organization or time management, one or both of your biggest problems? If so, you may be in a dilemma; a deadline dilemma. Now that school’s almost over, you can be sure that someone is graduating. All seniors can identify with the worries of having to turn in all graduation information and criteria before a certain date; or you just might miss the big day. Whether you’re graduating or not it’s already April so that means Finals. In order to get the grades you want, a couple of papers and possibly a final
exam stand between you and freedom. Financial aid applications have now become a major priority for a lot of students. Since we’re already college students we don’t really have to worry about whether or not we’ll be accepted but more about if we’ll get the classes we need for the upcoming year. If you’re planning on attending summer school there is also a deadline for that information. With all or most deadlines, comes some type of fee. Housing fees are probably one of the most annoying and stressful issues when in college. If you’ve lived on campus before or are currently living here, you often have to turn in some type of paper stating whether you’ll be living
WEATHER OUTLOOK TUESDAY
APRIL 26, 2005
HI: 61 LO: 48
WEDNESDAY APRIL 27, 2005
HI: 60 LO: 45
Jen Bissu, graduate Fine Art Education major, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
on campus next year and who you’d like your roommate(s) to be and the fee that reserves your room for next year. Medical information can also become a major stressor when certain insurance information is required or you have to have certain vaccines that you weren’t even aware existed or that you needed. In order to meet those deadlines your best option is self-control. With selfcontrol you might just adopt a few time management and organizational skills that will help get you through your deadline dilemmas. Constance Thomas, sophomore Social Work major minoring in Criminal Justice, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
For updated forecasts visit http://hurri.kean.edu/~keancast
THURSDAY APRIL 28, 2005
HI: 60 LO: 46
FRIDAY
APRIL 29, 2005
HI: 63 LO: 49
SATURDAY APRIL 30, 2005
HI: 64 LO: 45
SUNDAY MAY 1, 2005
HI: 60 LO: 45
MONDAY MAY 2, 2005
HI: 65 LO: 43
Kean University American Meteorological Society/National Weather Association
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The COUGAR’S Byte
April 26, 2005
Meeting Celebs And Living It Up In NYC! By Jen Bissu, Senior Feature Editor
The Cougar’s Byte
Kean University Office of Student Life & Leadership Development University Center, Room 215 1000 Morris Avenue Union, NJ 07083 (908) 737-5179 cbyte@kean.edu The Cougar’s Byte is a weekly Student Life & Leadership Development newsletter where you will find up to the minute information on all things related to student life at Kean University. Published Tuesdays during the regular academic year, 3000 copies are distributed free of charge at more than 15 campus locations. The content from the print-based weekly is combined with that of special content targeted for The Cougar’s Byte online edition at www.cougarsbyte.com. The Cougar’s Byte is available at the following campus locations: University Center Atrium; Student Life and Leadership Development Office, UC219; Center for Academic Success Atrium; Townsend Hall, 1st floor Reception Area; Bruce Hall 1st and 2nd floor Lounge Areas; Science Building, 1st floor Sitting Area; New Academic Building, 1st floor Lounge; Hutchinson Hall 1st, 2nd and 3rd floor Lobbies; Willis Hall 1st floor Lounge; Vaughn Eames Lobby; Wilkins Theatre Lobby; Whiteman Hall Lobby; Career Development and Advancement; Kean Counseling Center; Health Services. The Cougar’s Byte welcomes Letters to the Editor, calendar events, event news and information, articles, story ideas, artwork and digital photo submissions. To learn more about our publishing policy visit www.cougarsbyte.com. Associate Editor Scott Snowden Assistant Editor Laura Pointon Features Jen Bissu, Senior Editor Campus Rajul Punjabi, Editor Diversity Tiberah Tsehai, Senior Editor Constance Thomas, Editor Arts Rochelle Trotman, Editor Multimedia Editor Rich Lemonie Online Production Coordinator Tracy Pushko Circulation Manager Ryan Matthews Student Media Managing Editor Toni M. Cerbo
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raphic Design/ Advertising major Kevin Vancio (Class of 2006) learned that in the blink of an eye, all your dreams can come true! Kevin had wanted an internship, so he submitted applications, but didn’t have immediate success. He was turned down a few times. But instead of giving up and getting discouraged, he kept working at it. Before long, his perseverance paid off—he landed Design Works in the news department of NBC Studios! “This was such a great internship!” Kevin exclaims. “I had a chance to work with graphic artists and observe how TV is really made.” NBC gave Kevin the opportunity to contribute some graphic video and images for The Today Show, Dateline, and Nightly News. “You would think that internships are a nice chance to serve coffee or get supplies for your boss,” says Kevin, “but NBC was totally different. They allowed me to put images on air and research different pictorials to display on The Today Show.” Kevin was sad when the semester was ending and his internship was coming to a close. “Then my boss sat me down and asked me if I would like to work part time as a lead graphic artist researcher. I jumped off my seat and said yes! Now I’m currently working on the weekends at NBC and still getting a chance to put my photos and video on air, as well as
courtesy of Kevin Vancio Kevin couldn’t be happier about the opportunities his internship brought him!
getting to meet the celebrities that appear on Conan O’Brien and Saturday Night Live.” Kevin declares fervently that this internship is a dream come true. Yes, it does take perseverance and dedication, but if you really pursue an internship you could land one just as great as Kevin’s— and open doors to incredible opportunities in the future! “All students should strive for internships and never give up,” says Kevin. He adds that internships are a great way to gain knowledge about your field, they look good on your resume, and they can provide an opportunity to break
into your field—just like Kevin’s did for him! Jen Bissu, graduate Fine Art Education major, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
Epsilon Corps By Constance Thomas, Diversity Editor
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ith New Jersey now recognized as a national leader with regard to the cosmic number of pharmaceutical and technological industries located within its borders, Kean University has acknowledged the growing demand for college graduates with high-quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills and recently earned a highly competitive National Science Foundation (NSF) grant in the amount of over $960,000 Epsilon Corps is a program in the College of Natural, Applied, and Health Sciences, supported by the grant from the National Science Foundation for the next 5 years. The grant was written by faculty in the five departments of the College of NAHS. Dr. Yu of Biological Sciences is the Project Director, Dr. Dobosiewicz of Geology and Meteorology is a co-Principal Investigator & the Executive Program Director. The other co-PIs are Dr. Gao (Chemistry/Physics, Dr. Avirrapattu (Math/Comp Science) and Dr. Setoodehnia (Technology). Program support is provided by Veronica Jackson from Project Upward Bound, Lourdes Preito from the college of NAHS and Dr. Lisa Smith. The University Office of Research and Sponsored Programs provide oversight and management to assure compliance with the rigorous NSF’s nationwide Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) guidelines. Additionally, an Epsilon Student Association was formed in 2005. Officers are Thomas DiPaolo, serving as acting president, Lauren Reagan as treasurer and Rico Visperas as secretary. The grant was approved in the summer of 2004 and program implementation began the following fall. The official opening ceremony was held on January 26, 2005. The reason for pursuing this grant was “to systematically combat the nation-wide shortage in science, math, and technology through integrated and exciting
science activities and co-curricular support.” According to Dr. Dobosiewicz, Epsilon Corps is on the mission of attracting and engaging students in activities in the sciences (math, computers, and technology) that ensure that students majoring in the science continue to excel in their chosen fields and provide exploration opportunities for undecided majors to recruit more majors (and minors) in the College of NAHS. Epsilon Corps focuses on mentoring and tutoring activities across the departments in the College of NAHS, is working with the Center for Academic Success and the General Education Department, to provide the most meaningful and comprehensive education for our students. For students wondering “What does Epsilon Corps offer Kean University Students,” “Epsilon Corps mentors work with Kean faculty on innovative research & technology that will become part of activities used in a summer explorer institute and GE courses and are paid up to $10/hr,” said Dr. Dobosiewicz. Epsilon tutors are also paid and provide instruction with assessment in the main foundation courses in Chemistry, Calculus, Physics and Biology. Epsilon Scholars, participants in the tutoring program will be rewarded based on success levels with educational gifts such as calculators, books, gift cards for books, etc. Epsilon Explorers participate in a summer science institute and in cocurricular activities in the freshman and sophomore years and will also be rewarded. Epsilon Scholars include undecided and declared majors in the sciences. “Epsilon Corps is an excellent opportunity for Kean University to utilize its strategic location in one of the country’s technological hubs, and produce the highest quality STEM graduates in their respective fields of study,” said Dr. Yu. The Epsilon Corps Project intends to build a community of active learners amongst science and technology students and provide enhanced academic support, mentoring and leadership opportunities. It will also provide a model for similar institutions of higher education nationwide, and by the conclusion of its initial funding period, the project will benefit close to 900 participants throughout their years of study at Kean and a sustainable campus-wide science community will be established. Constance Thomas, sophomore Social Work major minoring in Criminal Justice, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
VISIT O U R O N L I N E E D I T I O N AT W W W. C O U G A R S B Y T E . C O M
April 26, 2005
The COUGAR’S Byte
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The Sounds Of Kean By Constance Thomas, Diversity Editor
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he Kean University Concert Band, directed by Dr. Thomas Connors, is one of the many music ensembles here at Kean. The Concert Band operates with three primary goals in mind. Those goals are to provide students with a venue for developing their individual music performance skills educate them with important wind band literature by composers of the past 400 years and provide an opportunity for the members of the ensemble to develop a conscious understanding of the skills required for effective ensemble performance. Dr. Thomas Connors, Assistant Professor; is the Director of Bands and Coordinator of Instrumental Music. Before joining the Kean music staff, Dr. Connors was the Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at Kent State University. He has several years of experience as an instrumental music teacher and band director at the middle and high school levels. He received his BM from Berklee College of Music with an extensive background as a jazz performer on drums. Dr. Connors also holds a MM from the New England Conservatory and his Ph.D. in Music Education from Florida State University. Dr. Connors joined the Kean faculty in 2000. In addition to conducting the University Concert Band he teaches courses in music education and conducts the orchestra for the Theatre Departments’ annual Musical Productions.
courtesy of Kappa Delta Pi Induction dinner on March 3, 2005 at the Westwood Inn, Garwood, NJ. The guest speaker was Ms. Peggy Stewart, New Jersey Teacher of the Year.
The University Concert Band consists of woodwinds (single and double reeds), brass and percussion instruments. The Band will host its annual spring semester concert Wednesday, April 27 in Wilkins Theatre at 8:00pm. Like all music programs here at Kean, the University Concert Band is fully accredited by the prestigious National Association of Schools of Music. The Music Department offers music as a major and minor, with a concentration in Music Education or Music Performance. You do not have to major or minor in music to become a member of the Concert Band. For those interested in joining or receiving more information on the Kean University Concert Band, information is available through the school website; you may also contact the music department at (908) 737-4327 or (908) 737-4330.
Constance Thomas, sophomore Social Work major minoring in Criminal Justice, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
CPTS Elections By Constance Thomas, Diversity Editor
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ell if you weren’t aware, you just missed the CPTS Elections. The election to fill graduating or vacant seats was held Friday, April 15 in the University Center on the 3rd floor. For those of you who don’t know, CPTS is the Council for Part-Time Students. The CPTS operates as one of three governments that function to serve the needs of part-time students here at Kean. CPTS is the student government for part-time students who are sometimes forgotten about or excluded from participation in certain programs because of the number of credits they take. The CPTS functions with the goal to represent undergraduate part-time students and address any concerns or issues that may hinder them as an organization and as students of this university. CPTS’ Executive Officers for the 2004-2005 school year were Donna Wenskoski, President; Michelle Martinez, Vice President; Eric Lamendola, Treasurer; Collette Kennedy, Secretary; Lori Reid, Assistant Secretary; Tara Higgins, Administrative Director and Bev Desch, Advisor. The new officers were chosen Friday are, President, Eric Lamendola; Vic-President, Manuel Donelson; Treasurer, Kathy LaPrete; Secretary, Gwynn Lassiter and Assistant Secretary, Dawn Worley. The newly elected officials will take office and begin their term April 22nd. Because the newly elected leaders haven’t taken office yet or had their first Executive Board meeting, ideas for the future are still in the making. “Some of the general ideas
that the CPTS focuses on are increasing awareness of campus activities to part-time students and finding ways to strengthen the Kean campus community,” replied the new President –Elect, Eric Lamendola. Because of CPTS, numerous services are provided that benefit undergraduate parttime students. CPTS sponsors scholarships, evening childcare, funding for the library, monthly coffee hours, Alpha Sigma Lambda (the national honor society for part-time students), and a number of other cultural events and activities. When asked what he most liked about CPTS Eric responded, “What I like most about the CPTS is its accessibility to the entire Kean community and its dedication to part-time students. Sometimes it is difficult to be a part-time student in a traditionally full-time world and it’s reassuring that there is an organization that understands the needs of the part-time student and provides much needed support.” As a member of CPTS you must be a part time student willing to meet just once a month on the appointed Friday evening at 7pm. Interested, undergraduate, part-time students are encouraged to join. The CPTS office is located on the third floor of the University Center, room 340. Constance Thomas, sophomore Social Work major minoring in Criminal Justice, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
FOR T H E K E A N U N I V E R S I T Y S T U D E N T C O M M U N I T Y
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The COUGAR’S Byte
April 26, 2005
Summer Anticipation By Constance Thomas, Diversity Editor
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very April it happens, Spring Fever! Yes, it has finally reached Kean. Have you been suffering from a slight case of skipping class, do you sometimes (if not always) find yourself waiting until the last minute to do a 15 page paper. You might as well admit it; you’ve got that good old Spring Fever. If you’re still a little skeptical about having it, just ask yourself; out of all the hours you spend in class how much of that time do you spend staring out the window, staring at someone else, daydreaming, sleeping or planning what you’re going to do this weekend. Now that you’re coming around, ask yourself “what else happens in the spring?” We all know that as college students, we could make lists upon lists of the things that go on when the weather gets a little warmer. You don’t have to be a detective to notice things like changes in attitudes, clothing, grades, work ethics and relationships. With the change in temperature also comes an increase in the number of parties on and off campus. When the weather changes so do the people! By now you must be convinced that Spring Fever is in the air. Now that you are, why not point out a few ways to stop it from
stopping you. We must remember that Spring Fever is a mindset and basically consists of our lack of patience to finish out the school year, our eagerness for better weather so that we can begin making plans for the summer. Yes, it’s true that as the temperature rises so do tempers. Here’s your heads up, just walk away or let it go. Are you already checking out your body and what it’ll look like in that outfit you just have to have, if so we still have time to hit the gym; summer’s not quite here yet. As a student the best tip that we could give anyone else or ourselves is to remember why we are here and that college goes by a lot faster than we think. If you find yourself suffering from Spring Fever when sitting in a boring class, opting to not go to class or putting off work for the television or radio, ask yourself a few questions. Why am I here, what do I want to achieve while in college, am I missing information that I’ll need for a test or exam, how many times have I missed this class and will I regret this in the future. If the above questions weren’t enough of a reality check for you then just think about the thousands of people out there in the world that will never get the opportunity that we have and are taking for granted.
We as students often forget that there are so many people less fortunate than us. For those students working two or more jobs, going to school full time and dealing with other issues just to go to school; take a second and recognize the progress you are making. For students dealing with issues you feel no one else can understand or even cares about, take the time to look at what you have accomplished and if you can think of nothing else, you still haven’t given up. You are still going and all the things you see as hindrances in your drive to success, use them as fuel. With about a month of school left, why not do the work and put in the effort that will keep you busier, bringing your summer vacation a little quicker and making it a lot better. Now that we have identified the diagnosis as Spring Fever and have prescribed what to do when suffering from a slight case, do what is needed to make the rest of your school year as prosperous and worry free as possible. If all else fails ask yourself “could you graduate with the grades you’ll have in May?
Constance Thomas, sophomore Social Work major minoring in Criminal Justice, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
Aprils Has No Fools Days And No Time For Play By Michael Yakubov, Junior Criminal Justice Major
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he month of April has been one filled with hope and frustration. Finals are rearing their ugly heads the library is packed and the sun is shining upon the campus life. Kean University turns 150 years old and a new baby Medrano is awarded a full scholarship. Early in the month elections bombarded the halls of the campus and events encompassed the early hours of day. Now we are in mid April and the chaos shows no sign of slowing down. The administration of the school is seemingly having events each day and students are flocking to the free food. So, nothing has changed but the pressure is now on more than ever to meet those deadlines. Instead of the free time to enjoy some sun and head to the gym papers and exams take their place. Rory Yelen, an Elementary Ed and Math major sees April “as a time of finals, a hustle to get organized and a task to stay involved, but its all well worth the time and effort” Pressure of April has brought upon much stress on the student body as we look to celebrating graduation of our seniors and Greek formals are a competition for a date. So what else can be thrown in the mix you ask? We have already
had scholarships awarded to new incoming freshman, went through the Who’s Who celebration and even brought in counselors from all high schools in New Jersey to take part in the campus awareness programs. But that’s not nearly the end of it; Roy Anne Hargrove had also presented the community service awards in Kean Hall and the office of student life and leadership development is completing another semester of the Leadership Institute. Now to top of the rest of the month keep your eyes pealed for more events such as the Psi Sigma Phi community service event in Downs Hall, the Greek banquet in Kean Hall, the Criminal Justice Awards dinner in Kean Hall, The Jewish Culture Clubs Passover Cedar in the UC and our Leading Ladies performances in the Little Theatre. Overall April bring memories of Kean to a new level and allows for nature to take it’s course as we register of ours in hopes of finding some time to lax in between. Michael Yakubov, junior Criminal Justice major, is a contributing writer to The Cougar’s Byte.
Burnin’ Up With Spring Fever By Rajul Punjabi, Campus Editor
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pring has hit Kean University in the head like a Louisville Slugger. The entire appearance of the University Center has changed and it is all because of the students. What many don’t realize is that Kean is actually made up of two different universities. When its wintertime and the icy wind is whipping your face, it’s a place where students come to class and go home with an unusual urgency. No one wants to be outdoors for more than the three minutes it takes to run from the dorms to class or from class to the car. But when the sun starts to show a little mercy and the temperature starts to rise, Kean looks like a completely different place. The natural reaction of a normal red-blooded college student to the beautiful weather is above all, to shed a few layers of insulation. The guys have finally put their Eskimo jackets away for the season and the
girls have gladly said goodbye to their sweatshirts, hats and gloves. Instead, they are strutting around campus in denim skirts and flirty off-the-shoulder tops which are causing their admirers to stop dead in their tracks just to watch them walk by. There’s no doubt that the concentration has shifted from keeping warm to keeping cool in front of the person you’re hopelessly flirting with; spring love is definitely in the air. All of a sudden, there’s absolutely no rush to get to class and more often than not, you’ll see kids waiting outside of the buildings before class instead of running inside so fast that the door slams in the next person’s face. Cars are driving by more slowly, and music is blaring through the rolled-down windows. Even the pace that people walk has slowed from a focused march to a casual, laid-back stroll as if the campus transformed into Central Park and the angry scowls that invaded
their faces has melted into a smile. And let’s not forgot what your elementary school science teacher always told you; sunshine raises the level of serotonin in your brain. This means the more sunshine you get, the more you’re going to want to smile! And if you walk into the cafeteria and it seems a little bare this time of year, it’s because students are taking their food to go and parking themselves outside on one of the benches to eat. Why all the drastic changes? Well, the students seem to be well aware that Union, New Jersey is hardly anything like Miami Beach so when we do get some great weather during the school year, they take full advantage of the situation. So if you’re wondering why Kean University is looking a lot different these days, just remember you can’t underestimate the power of springtime weather. Rajul Punjabi, junior English major, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
VISIT O U R O N L I N E E D I T I O N AT W W W. C O U G A R S B Y T E . C O M
April 26, 2005
The COUGAR’S Byte
Get Fit For Summer! By Jen Bissu, Senior Feature Editor
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kay everyone—it’s time for summer, and you know what that means: time to shed that winter flab and get your body fit for the beach, tank tops and shortshorts! Whether you want to lose weight or just need to firm up a bit, these tips will help get you looking and feeling hot in that swimsuit!
Here are some tips to help get you there: •
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In order to lose one pound each week (which is a healthy rate—you don’t want to lose too much too quickly) you need to cut out 3,500 calories per week (one pound of fat has about 3,500 calories). It sounds more difficult than it is—if you do the math that comes to just 500 calories that you must cut out each day. That could be as simple as skipping the fries you usually have with your burger, or laying off the soda! If you really want to maximize your weight loss you can go as high as losing two pounds per week (any more than that can be unhealthy, so don’t go too crazy). Although cutting calories is an important part of the slimming/ firming process, don’t get over-zealous and start taking in too few calories. The lowest recommended daily calorie intake for females is 1,200, and the lowest for males is 1,500. The only reason anyone should ever dip below this is if he or she is instructed to do so by a doctor for some medial reason. So keep an eye on your calorie intake—overdoing anything is never good! Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables! They’re good for you, they provide essential nutrients, and help you feel more energetic. Did you ever have cake and cookies and then feel really weighed down and sluggish? Well, eat fruit and vegetables instead—you’ll feel light and energized! Plan for half of your plate to be made up of vegetables (and no, French fries don’t count as potatoes!)—that way, you’ll reach your recommended amounts of veggie servings each day.
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Spring Cleaning For Relationships By Tiberah Tsehai, Senior Diversity Editor
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pring is a time to smell the roses and appreciate nature. It’s also a time to be hassle free, worry free, and just plain FREE! Lets face it, summer is around the corner and we all know that people get a little agitated quickly during the hot weather. For those of you that don’t know, we will give you some of the reasons why people not only clean out their closets, but also get rid of their significant other.
As temperatures rise, so do lies! Yeah he might be spending a lot of time at the gym, but why isn’t he cut yet? And oh yeah, she said she had to work late, but when did a 9 to 5 become a 9 to 5 in the morning? If you can’t keep the make-up on your face, then someone else will take ya’ place! Maybe you don’t want to put make-up on, which is understandable. If you are the type that can’t live without make-up, then go with other natural looking alternatives. Replacing lip-stick with lip-gloss works perfectly. Make-up melts under the sun, and so will your relationship. That is, if he can’t except you for the person you are in the inside. It’s too hot for LOVE, if its 90 and above! As romantic as it is to hug and be affectionate, sometimes it is just too hot to be around another body, especially when it is at a close proximity. When the heat can’t be beat, the ice-cream man will fill your seat! The ice-cream man is the epitome of a real man. He knows how to cool women off, bringing any flavor to her liking. Other men should be heavily cautioned, do not try to go against him as you will be so greatly disappointed.
Soda is REALLY BAD for you! It’s so high in sugar—the BAD sugar—that according to the revised American Dietetic Association guidelines, if you drink even just one can of soda, you’ve already reached your maximum sugar allowance for the day. So quit buying soda and start investing in some WATER—there’s nothing better for you to drink than good old H2O! Speaking of water, that’s a great way to fight off the urge to overeat or snack on unhealthy stuff. Fill yourself up with water, and you’ll be much more able to tell yourself that you don’t really feel like having cake right now!
Having an air-conditioner in your car will go far! Picture this, you’re in an old car, which is not bad, but it is not equipped with an air-conditioner, now that’s bad! Fanning yourself won’t work. You gotta’ keep the hair-due to keep him too! Because it’s hot out is no reason to leave a scarf over your hair and call it a day. There are many ways to style hair and keep cool at the same time. These are just some of the reasons why relationships turn sour during the summer season. If you do not want to get the news that it is not working out, then say see ya’ before he or she does!
Be sure to check out The Cougar’s Byte next week for more tips in Part 2 of the “Get Fit for Summer” special! Jen Bissu, graduate Fine Art Education major, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
Tiberah Tsehai, senior Communications major with a Broadcast emphasis, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
Making The Most Of Summer By Rochelle Trotman, Arts Editor
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ven though the weather is heating up, summer still seems to be in the very distant future. After all, before you can kick back and wait for your tan to set in, you still have to take finals. And before you can take those finals you’ll have to begin working on the term papers you’ve known about all semester but kept putting off, which means you need to start reading those texts books that until now have made colorful oversized paperweights. So if you’re stuck in “I’ll do it next week” mode— reality check, half time passed weeks ago. Although your procrastinating tendencies may have you in trouble this semester, don’t fall into the same trap for the summer. Tired of getting left behind? Then get prepared for the summer now. By getting prepared for the summer I don’t mean getting ready to go to the beach, so put your suntan lotion and beach chairs away. Now is the time to start looking for that summer job or internship you’ve kind-a-sortof been thinking about. Many companies and organizations that employ college students are already hiring. Don’t forget, the rest of the world is not waiting to take their finals. To begin your job search, here are several possibilities. Look in the “Classified” section of the newspaper for job leads. Local papers often have many more jobs relevant to your city. Make a trip to Kean’s Career Development and Advancement Center in Center for Academic Success (CAS) room 123, or visit their website at www.kean.edu/~career. Also, attend the Summer Job Fair which will be held Thursday, April 28th in Down’s Hall from 12-4 pm. You can locate more local job fairs at Workforce New Jersey’s website, http:// www.wnjpin.net/oscc/index.html, along with One Stop Career Center Locations. A Temp Agency may also be the way to go since these agencies are not looking to staff permanent employees.
Many of the summer jobs and internships you find appealing will have many student applicants. A way employers can separate the good candidates from the great is by reading their letters of recommendation. Professors, former employers, and field supervisors are generally more than happy to write recommendations as long as you give them plenty of notice. Avoid the traps of being too busy or too timid to ask, you may miss out on a great recommendation and consequently a good job. Starting your search for jobs and internships as soon as possible will give you the best chance of finding the one that suits you. Even though you may have less free time, if you find a job, you’ll have a way to finance some summer fun, and if you get an internship, as the old “proverb” goes…“It looks good on your résumé.” Rochelle Trotman, junior Psychology major, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
FOR T H E K E A N U N I V E R S I T Y S T U D E N T C O M M U N I T Y
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The COUGAR’S Byte
April 26, 2005
Impress With No Stress: The Perfect Résumé By Rajul Punjabi, Campus Editor
G
raduation is rolling around and the focus of the students is quickly shifting from never-ending classes to independence and a whole lot of partying. But reluctantly, we are all growing up and realizing that this summer is the right time to brush up on our career advancing techniques. This May, some of our best will be graduating and jumping into the real world with no bungee cord. Whether it is to earn enough money to move out of your closet-sized studio apartment or to jump start your career, this is the time in life to get that job of your dreams. First and foremost, when you are looking for a job and it seems hopeless, remember that the perfect job is looking for you too. As a student at Kean, you are exposed to the vast culture and the many academic opportunities that are available, so be aware of what you are capable of and what advantages you have here. The Career Advancement and Development department is located in the CAS building, Room 123; this is a great resource for getting direction and advice from experienced advisors. The topic that most people worry about first is creating the ideal résumé. Everybody knows that the résumé is the first step to obtaining a job and can often be the determining factor to whether or not you’re going to stand a chance. Use your years of undergraduate experience as the
foundation of what you can become in the future! So, this is where the incessant questioning in your head starts; will I have enough qualifications? How much job experience do I need in this field? Should I list all of my tasks at each job? Put that confusion to an end by putting everything in chronological order. Ask someone, whether it is an advisor, or an experienced friend, to help you decide what jobs and tasks are appropriate to put in your résumé. You can even use a template that your computer provides for résumés, as long as it is a recent program. Many Internet websites that list jobs offer to help write your résumé but beware of scams that can’t wait to get a hold of your credit card number. There’s easier ways to make your presence known by having a résumé that will catch an employer’s attention. Also, including a cover letter for certain positions can add a touch of your personality, which is a wonderful way to help an employer notice you. A wise thing for students to do if they are determined to have an outstanding résumé is to attend one of the Résumé Writing classes, which are held right here at Kean, in CAS. Room 123. There are just three classes left this semester, so take advantage of a great opportunity. The next one is to be held on Tuesday, April 19th at 1 p.m., and the other two will be held on Monday, April 27th at 2 and 5 p.m. In this workshop, you can learn the difference between a chronological and a skill analysis approach and you can develop a résumé that articulately showcases your skills and accomplishments. Keep in mind that this is your last chance to have these kinds of benefits right at your fingertips. So have no fear when comes to applying for an important position – with the right résumé, employers just might be fighting over who gets to have your talent in their workplace. Rajul Punjabi, junior English major, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
Director’s Workshop By Constance Thomas, Diversity Editor
A
re you into directing or participating in scripted plays? If so, April 25-28 the Theatre Department will be hosting four nights of student directed plays. Most of the directors are experiencing the challenges of directing for the first time. The four nights will consist of twelve ten minute plays. Each director’s production will perceive two performances; six shows will run Monday and Wednesday night, and the other six will run Tuesday and Thursday night.
Holly Logue. Professor Logue is the chair of the Theatre Department and director of the February musical, “Once Upon A Mattress;” which was performed in Wilkins Theatre.
The workshops are fully staged productions of the scripts and will be the directors’ final projects. The twelve directors are Casey Bell, Sky Bembury, Peter Brown, Annie Fletcher, Susan Halmi, Tariq Hamami, Cat Hardy, Helen Mc Ternan, Andre Penn, Adam Vadasz, Amar Waye and Joe Zehnder.
The process of directing was broken down into class assignments over the course of the semester. The cumulative result of the class work leads to the final presentation. The first assignment was to find a ten-minute play that they would like to direct, the second week scripts had been obtained and the study of directing began. The various areas of directing; such as conceptualizing and visualizing a performance, researching and analyzing the script, casting, staging, coaching/communicating with/ empowering actors, and coordination all of the assorted production elements (scenery, costumes, lighting, sound, props, publicity) were among the topics studied.
The entire workshop project is part of the Directing I class in the Theatre Department, taught by Professor
Auditions for actors to participate in the plays were held the 21st and 22nd of March. The following class periods
were focused on putting the shows into production. “The class now works as a production company with everyone taking a role. For example, I am the sound designer; two other students are the lighting designers, there are also costume designers, stage managers, prop managers and a publicist. Professor Logue now oversees our production process and guides us in bringing our shows to life,” said Tariq Hamami. “Because this is a class, and we are all first time directors and many of the actors are all first time actors, we are all living a theatrical experience and education together.” The directors are glad to be given this opportunity. “The class is exciting because it gives us this opportunity to direct before we try doing a full-length production; sort of dipping our foot in the water before we jump in,” says Tariq. Constance Thomas, sophomore Social Work major minoring in Criminal Justice, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
Kréyol Festival By Weslor Cadeau, Senior Graphic Communications Major
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our le Pays, Pour la Patrie, Pour les Aïeux, Pour nos Pères, et Pour le Drapeau. For Our country, for our forefathers, for our forebears, for our ancesters, and for our beloved flag. For all these reasons and many others reasons The Haitian Student Association (HSA) of Kean University felt compelled this year and for past 16 years to put on a show called Kréyol Festival. This year was no different than the past 16 years. This years Kréyol Festival was held on Thursday April 14,
Scott Snowden | The Cougar’s Byte Students particpated in the Haitian Fashion Show. The segment pictured above was entitled “Coming to America.”
2005 in Downs Hall. In light of all the situations that Haiti is currently going through we felt it was significant to choose a theme that would exemplify this. As a result, we chose “Haiti Jumping over the Flames” as this year’s theme. This theme was very symbolic of all the turmoils that Haiti is going through. The flames we spoke of in the theme was not actual flames, rather they were symbolic. The flames in the theme represented all the poverty, lack of education, Health issues, and political unrest that we hope that Haiti will leap over one day. I am very sure that many of you are probably wondering, what Kréyol Fest is. Well, simply put Kréyol Fest is a celebration. It’s a celebration of Haitian culture and most importantly, it is a celebration of being Haitian. The night of the 14th, boy did we celebrate. We celebrated through songs, poetry, dance, and a fashion show. And we had a great time doing it. The one thing that made Kréyol Fest more a celebration than anything else was not the food, the decorations, or the music. Rather it was the fact that it was an opportunity for Haitians and non-Haitians to come together and to share in the marvel that is Ayiti. In addition, “Kréyol fest is a way in which Haitians acknowledge their culture and inform others on exactly what it is and what it means to us, giving facts on Haitian history rather than what
Scott Snowden | The Cougar’s Byte Falose Andre reads her poem to the audience in Downs Hall.
the country is portrayed to be or how it is perceived and seen.” Nekita Thomas. Kréyol Fest was indeed a celebration and because it was a celebration it was also a huge success. We laughed, we cried, we danced, and we had fun, paying homage to our country, forefathers, forebears, ancestors, and to our beloved flag. And we hope that this year’s Kréyol fest brought us one step closer to our dream of “Haiti jumping over the Flames.” Weslor Cadeau, senior Graphic Communications major, is a contributing writer to The Cougar’s Byte.
VISIT O U R O N L I N E E D I T I O N AT W W W. C O U G A R S B Y T E . C O M
April 26, 2005
The COUGAR’S Byte
Page 7
WHAT’S HAPPENING? TUESDAY, APRIL 26 Blood Drive 1 in 3 of us will need blood, so donate blood in the University Center, room 228 from 10am - 4:30pm. People can’t live without it. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27 Model Seder Jewish Culture Club, and Jewish Faculty and Staff Association invite you to join us for a Model Seder in UC 337A from 3:30-5pm.
FRIDAY, APRIL 29
MONDAY, MAY 9
Senior Formal Enjoy an evening of dining and dancing at the Sheraton Tara Hotel in Parsippany, NJ at 8pm. SATURDAY, APRIL 30 Birthdays at the Zoo Celebrate Kean’s Mascot Sage’s first birthday and Kean’s 150th Birthday at Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, N.J. at 10am. For more information, please call Tara Higgins at (908) 737-5250.
THURSDAY, APRIL 28 K-Ball Tournament Come compete in the 1st Annual K-Ball Tournament hosted by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. and Residence Life at 11:00 am until then end of eliminations at the Basketball Courts adjacent to the University Center. Prizes! Bragging Rights! Fun! Sign up in Bartlett, Sozio, Rogers & Whiteman Community Centers. Rain Date: April 29, 2005
SUNDAY, MAY 1 19th Annual Black Heritage Graduation Ceremony Come enjoy awards, entertainment and refreshments at 3:00pm in Downs Hall as Concerned Black Personnel honor graduates of African Heritage. For more information contact Sheila Phiber at (908) 737-5200, Alex Louis at (908) 737-5170 or Cristina Damiao at (908) 737-0306.
Last Day of Spring Semester Congratulations to all students, the semester has ended. Enjoy your summer break and we look forward to keeping you up to date and informed about all the wonderful opportunities that Kean University has to offer. TUESDAY, MAY 10 Graduate Commencement Congradulations to the Class of 2005! Graduate Commencement will be held at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center at 7pm. For more information please visit www.kean.edu THURSDAY, MAY 12 Undergraduate Commencement Congradulations to the Class of 2005! Undergraduate Commencement will be held at the PNC Bank Arts Center at 9:30am. For more information please visit www.kean.edu.
All Kean University activities and events must comply with reservation guideline requirements. Email submissions to cbyte@kean.edu. The deadline for submissions is Thursday at 5 p.m. for publication one week from the following Tuesday (12 days prior to publication date).
University Center INFORMATION DESK P: (908) 737-5222 Monday-Thurs. 6 am - 12 am Friday 6 am - 10 pm Saturday 10 am - 8 pm Sunday 10 am - 11 pm COMPUTER LAB Monday-Thurs. Friday Saturday Sunday
9 am - 11 pm 9 am - 9 pm 10 am - 7 pm 10 am - 10 pm
DOUGALL COMPUTER LAB 24 Hour Lab GAME ROOM Monday-Thurs. Friday Saturday Sunday
11 am - 10 pm 11 am - 8 pm 12 pm - 7 pm 4pm - 9 pm
MARKETPLACE Monday-Thurs. Friday BOOKSTORE Monday-Tues. Wednesday Thursday Friday
9 am - 7 pm 9 am - 4 pm P: (908) 737-5230 9 am - 6 pm 9 am - 7 pm 9 am - 6 pm 9 am - 4 pm
CAFETERIA Monday-Thurs. Friday
7:30 am - 7 pm 7:30 am - 3 pm
SNACK BAR Monday-Thurs. Friday Saturday Sunday
11 am - 11 pm 11 am - 9 pm 8 am - 9 pm 11 am - 10 pm
COFFEEHOUSE Monday-Fri. 11:30 am - 3:30 pm Monday-Thurs. 5 pm - 10 pm
HOURS EXTENDED LIBRARY From Monday, April 25, until Monday, May 9, the Nancy Thompson Library, will have extended hours, as follows: Monday-Thurs: Friday: Saturday: Sunday:
$CHOLARSHIPS FRIENDS OF THE CRANFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE MAY 1, 2005 The Friends of the Cranford Public Library is offering a $1000 scholarship to any Cranford resident who intends to pursue an academic program in Library Science or related field. Award may be used for tuition, books, or other educational expenses. Applications available at the Cranford Public Library Reference Desk. Application deadline is May 1, 2005.
8 a.m. - 2 a.m. 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. 1 p.m. - Midnight
STUDENT TECHNOLOGY LAB To accommodate students’ technology needs in preparation for final exams and other end-of-the-semester requirements, the Student Technology Lab, located in the Nancy Thompson Library, Room 133, will have extended hours from Monday, April 25, through Monday, May 9, as follows: Monday-Thurs: Friday: Saturday: Sunday:
8 a.m. - 12 a.m. 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. 1 p.m. - Midnight
FOR T H E K E A N U N I V E R S I T Y S T U D E N T C O M M U N I T Y
SANDWICH SHOP Monday-Thurs. Friday Saturday Sunday
11 am - 11 pm 11 am - 9 pm 11 am - 9 pm 11 am - 10 pm
ICE CREAM PARLOR Monday-Friday 12 pm - 8 pm
East Campus Recreation Facilities POOL FITNESS & WEIGHT ROOM Monday-Thurs. 12:30 pm - 9:30 pm Friday 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm Saturday/Sunday 10 am - 2 pm LOWER GYM Monday-Friday Monday-Thurs. Saturday Sunday
12 pm - 1:45 pm 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm Closed 10 am - 2 pm
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The COUGAR’S Byte
April 26, 2005
Last Tid-bits For Graduation… By Tiberah Tsehai, Senior Diversity Editor
S
pring is finally here, the flowers are blossoming, the birds are singing, what could be better than going outside wearing short sleeve shirts and sneakers? GRADUATING!
As you sit in class, gazing at a singing bird, dear graduates, please remember you have work to do! Every one knows that all students PROCRASTINATE. You start letting work pile up until the last minute and before you know it, it’s the end of the semester! It might just be best to hand in all the work that is due a little earlier then usual, this will give you a little time to yourself, or to complete other assignments. We know you may not want to get any bad news that you might not graduate on time, so don’t slack off!! Not now anyway, your aunt Silvia is driving from Louisiana and your uncle Pete is flying from Boston. As mixed up as that sounds, hey they are still family! Graduation is such a momentous occasion in a person’s life, so here are some last important details that you should be concerned about as a graduate. If you have not worked on your resume, then now would be the time to do so. You can even make an appointment with Career Services and have a one-on-one session with a Career Counselor. The workers at Career Services will be glad to look over your resume and even assist in locating a job for you. Start taking advantage; hey that’s what they are here for! Career Services is located in The Center for Academic Success building, they can be reached at (908) 737-0320. You should also make it an obligation to be present at every job fair at Kean! To guarantee an on-time graduation, you should start
taking care of any bills that are due and make it a ritual to contact your advisors to make sure that everything is fine. You should also start thinking about picture taking. Do you want a professional to take your pictures or is aunt Silvia trustworthy? You decide, but be quick. As you get ready to leave out the door on graduation day, STAY CALM! Many people report becoming so nervous that they start to forget important things. Well dear graduates, that’s why we are writing this article! Don’t forget to bring your cap and gown! You might think that you won’t forget such a significant thing, but you can never be too sure. If you are not familiar on how to get to where graduation will be held, just search it online, print the directions, and take it with you. Remember to give yourself adequate time to travel traffic could be a pain! Just in case you think this will be too much to remember, just have everything laid out the night before. Have your cap and gown ready, have the cameras in place for you to see, if you require batteries, have that out also and just grab them before you leave. That would also be the place to have anything noteworthy out, for example, driver’s license, etc. Upon arriving graduation and before you and your family part ways, it is best to discuss where to meet up with them after the graduation. When you are at graduation, please remember to turn your cell-phones off! Cell-phones are a major distraction! You are also advised to listen to the directions of the marshals wearing blue robes. They are
courtesy of Tricia Decker
there to help you. When everything is said and done, dear graduates and you are waiting for your name to be called, don’t be nervous. Enjoy the moment! Congratulations graduates! Tiberah Tsehai, senior Communications major with a Broadcast emphasis, is a member of The Cougar’s Byte staff.
C O U G A R AT H L E T I C S MEN’S BASEBALL
Overall: 24 - 6 | NJAC: 6 - 3
MEN’S LACROSSE
Overall: 7 - 7 | Knickerbocker: 1 - 4
Fri. April 15
Montclair State University
W: 6 - 3
Fri. April 15
USMMA-Kings Point
L: 11 - 8
Sat. April 16
Rutgers-Camdem University
W: 9 - 3 L: 6 - 5
Wed. April 20
Manhattanville College
W: 20 - 14
Tue. April 19
DeSales University
W: 6 - 2
Sat. April 23
Stevens Institute of Tech.
1pm - Home
Thur. April 21
Rutgers-Newark University
3:30pm - Away
Wed. April 27
Knickerbocker Tournament
TBA
Fri. April 22
Ramapo College
3:30pm - Away
Thur. April 28
Farmingdale State Univ.
4pm - Away
Sat. April 23
Richard Stockton College
12pm - Home
Wed. April 27
College of Staten Island
3:30pm - Away
Sat. April 30
Knickerbocker Tournament
TBA
Thur. April 28
Manhattanville College
3:30pm - Home
Fri. April 29
Ramapo College
3:30pm - Home
Sat. April 30
Rowan University
12pm - Away
WOMEN’S SOFTBALL
Overall: 12 - 17 | NJAC: 4 - 8
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
Overall: 8 - 5 | Knickerbocker: 1 - 2
Thu. April 14
Gwynedd-Mercey College
W: 12 - 11
Sat. April 16
Montclair State University
L: 11 - 8
Tue. April 19
Wesley College
W: 13 - 5
Thur. April 14
New Jersey City University
W: 10 - 5 W: 11 - 2
Thur. April 21
FDU - Florham
4pm - Home
Sat. April 16
Rutgers-Camdem University
L: 5 - 2 L: 2 - 0
Sat. April 23
Centenary College
1pm - Away
Tue. April 19
Rutgers-Newark University
W: 6 - 0 W: 7 - 0
TRACK AND FIELD
Thu. April 21
DeSales University
3pm - Away
Thur. April 28
Baruch College
3:30pm - Home
Penn Relays @ University of Pennsylvania
TBA - Away
Fri. April 22 Sat. April 23
Ramapo College
1pm - Away
Fri. April 29
TBA - Away
Thur. April 28
FDU - Florham
3pm - Home
Penn Relays @ University of Pennsylvania
For more information please visit www.keanathletics.com
VISIT O U R O N L I N E E D I T I O N AT W W W. C O U G A R S B Y T E . C O M