DREAM BIG
Spring 2024
ISSUE 1 | VOL. 2
A Hike in the ADK
What Path Would You Choose?
Crash Courses
Costume Creation and Funding
Mentor Match
Harpur Fellows
Goal Setting Appointments
Valentina Epifanov “Untitled”
Civil Dialouge Project
Fleishman Career Center
Harpur Graduate Grant
Dear Reader,
This edition’s theme is “Dream Big.” In Harpur Edge, our faculty, alumni, and staff want to inspire you to dream big and be empowered to reach for your goals. Remember that you don’t have to do it alone. With the help of our resources, your peers, Harpur Edge, our alumni, faculty, and staff at the University, anything is possible. Some useful tools discussed include Harpur Edge’s crash courses, Harpur Edge 1-on-1 appointments, and even how to secure an internship this summer. New to this edition are student-made art and writing submissions, to foster a platform for Harpur students’ voices are amplified in this publication, to students, by students.
This magazine couldn’t be made possible however, without our generous University partners, and our advisors Erin Cody and Megan Konstantakos. Sit back, enjoy, and happy reading! Thank you!
All the best, Allison and Cece
Lead Editors
Allison Peteka
Cecelia Moriarty
Layout Editors
Rhea Da Costa
Marni Benson
Haley Keener
Jade Kirdahy
Contributions from
Logan Ellingson
Cover Art
Francene Olegario
Artwork
Emily McGee
Valentina Epifanov
Director
Erin Cody
Senior Assistant
Director
Megan Konstantakos
A MEETING OF SELVES
Artwork by: Valentina Epifanov
Graphite and Colored Pencils
I’m an artist who likes experimenting with different mediums and infuse deeper meanings into my work.
A HIKE IN THE ADK
Photos by: Emily McGee
I have always wanted to highlight the beauty in the aspects of life that some may not tend to look as closely into. When it comes to my writing, more recently I have found that my emotion plays a pivotal role, and that my idea of memory is the foundation of such. I chose these five pieces because of the way that they could all stand alone successfully, and how they in many ways can connect together.
WHAT PATH WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Poem by: Emily
McGee
Some endings are loud, Shooting blues and greens into the night sky, A finale.
But it’s 80 degrees and the lack of water in my system is preventing me from thought, So I’ll walk
Down the dirt path I have memorized since I was 5 years old.
Looking behind me to see the backs of people I once knew, I see now that some endings creep up to you
Lingering in the laughter of someone I used to love, In many ways, the beginning had always been the end And the sun is particularly unforgiving today, And the goodbyes are eliminated from everyone’s Breath
And I know now that these footsteps on this dirt path may be my Last
For a little while.
Illustration by: Jade Kirdahy
WHATDOWEOFFER?
HarpurEdgecrashcoursesallowyoutogainamicro-credentialinaskill invarioustopicssuchasinPublicSpeaking,Excel,codingandmore. Eachcrashcourseistaughtbyahighlyskilledinstructorwithexperience inthefield.Harpurstudentshavereportedmultiplebenefitstogoingtoa crashcourse,likePublicSpeaking.OneHarpurstudentsaid,“Everything wasveryinformative.Everythingtaughtwasnewtome.”Whenasked aboutaskilltheybuilt,aHarpurstudentsaid,“Theconfidencebuilding andcommunicationskillswerehuge.”
INTERVIEWONPUBLICSPEAKING:
JimMichalecistheinstructorofthepublicspeakingcrashcourse,he answeredthefollowingquestionsabouthiscrashcourse:.
Q: Describeyourbackgroundandwhyyouthinkteachingpublicspeakingisimportant.
A:I’matheatreguy,Ihaveseentherelationshipbetweentheatreand publicspeakingforalongtime;specifically,theyarebothperformance. Ihavetaughtmyverison[oftheatre]foryearsatSUNYBroome,where Ihaveattemptedtoperfectmyideaofwhyandhowstudentscanbest gainconfidenceand[the]toolsthatarerequiredforeffectivepublic speaking.
Q: Describe what your crash course is like.
A:TheformofpublicspeakingthatIteachiscalled“extemporaneous.” Wedonotmemorize,wedonotread,andwedonotactinan impromptumanner.Wespeakextemporaneously,whichmeanswe speakspontaneously,butfrompreparationindeliveryandinthematerial wearedelivering.
Q: Whataresomewaysstudentscanusepublicspeakingtogivethemacompetitiveedge?
A:demonstrateStudents,evenbytakingashort[course]likewhatIoffer,canahugedifferenceinhowtheycommunicateinformationin apublicform.Itisnotjustaboutusingthesetoolseffectively…butusing theminaclassroomsocritically[with]Powerpoint.
The Harpur Fellows Program provides Harpur College undergraduates an opportunity to receive up to $4,000 to design and conduct their own community service projects anywhere in the world each summer. This select program encourages students to dream big and partner with a community organization to work together to make a difference within a community of the student’s choice. Past projects have built libraries, tech hubs, and community gardens, created arts and technology skills programs, provided medical supplies and care, and collected oral histories.
Tips & Tricks
Applying
Create a vision Bonus points if you pick a country you have a connection to (be passionate about the country you pick)
Center the voices of the people you want to help
Be the bridge to give people the help and resources they need
Be as compelling as possible
THE PERSONAL, INTELLECTUAL & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HEDGEHOG!
BACKGROUND
In an effort to brighten the spirits and connect with the students of Harpur College, Harpur Edge introduced PIP during the Covid Pandemic lockdown. While Covid restrictions kept students in isolation, Harpur Edge knew the importance of bridging the gap and promoting a sense of community. Through a time of uncertainty, the Harpur Edge staff remained eager to continue helping students find their Personal, Intellectual and Professional edge. Student’s Evan Lau and Rosie Pearlstein did so by developing a mascot that embodied these beliefs and PIP emerged as a quill-covered beacon of hope. From the start, PIP was a hit, appearing on flyers, stickers and even the Harpur Edge Tik Tok account. The creation of PIP highlights everything that Harpur Edge does. It’s in their name: Personal, Intellectual and Professional.
This fall marked a significant milestone for Harpur Edge as Binghamton’s newest mascot began making live appearances in 3D. At this year’s UFest where students were seen shaking hands and taking pictures with PIP.
A MATCH MADE IN HARPUR
Theodore Watson Ley: Designer
In their final year at Binghamton University, while exploring opportunities to develop their skills as a costume designer, Theodore Watson Ley’23, who double-majored in English and Theatre, took on the exciting yet daunting task of bringing PIP to life. With guidance from Harpur Theater’s costume shop manager Ariel Thomke, Watson Ley built the PIP Mascot while staying true
MEET P. I .P. !
to their creative process. “While there was a loose plan to create the costume there were some days where as we worked, we found better ways to carry it out,” Watson Ley said. The winning combination of Watson Ley’s creativity and Thomke’s guidance was a match made in Harpur.
. DRESSED FOR SUCCESS
A central goal for Watson Ley when creating the PIP costume was inclusivity. “It was really important to us to make the costume size inclusive and flexible so that anyone would be able to wear it,” Watson Ley said. This unique experience provided Theo with the opportunity to work with something beyond the normal design project. In addition to size inclusivity, Watson Ley also designed a range of outfits representing the different majors offered by Harpur college. “Learning how to put together something unconventional like a mascot costume is a fantastic way to learn out-of-thebox techniques.” Watson Ley said. With these bespoke accessories, PIP can be customized into environmental studies PIP, sciences PIP, pre-law PIP, artist PIP and many other creative outfits. One glance at the Harpur college degree offerings and PIP has an outfit for it. PIP is always dressed for success. With funding from Harpur Edge, Watson Ley was able to build essential skills that are highly sought after in a costume design career. Since their graduation, Theo has gone on to work on designing, lighting, costumes and sets at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. Most recently, Theo is working for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as a costume assistant for the balloon handlers for the balloons in the parade. Theo found his Edge through Personal, Intellectual and Professional development. Come find yours today at Harpur Edge!
Elidenya Pena is dreaming big! With the help of Harpur Edge, the first-generation biological sciences Africana studies and global public health triple-major is making an impact.
Elidenya writes:
I was originally inspired to pursue epidemiology because cancer is highly prominent in the region of Honduras that my family is from. Growing up, I would visit Honduras every summer and witness the conditions of the hospitals and the lack of medical resources available to the people. I witnessed firsthand how difficult navigating the health care system can be when you’re unfamiliar with it. No matter a person’s background, a cancer diagnosis strikes fear in their heart. To a person who is unfamiliar with medical research, cancer is often seen as a death sentence.Miscommunication about medical treatment can cause unnecessary anxiety.
This became even more evident coming from an immigrant community. So many immigrants are disadvantaged because they can’t understand the language. During the Covid-19 Pandemic, I acted as a translator for my community, not only bridging the divide from English to Spanish but also by interpreting confusing medical terminology. These experiences helped me discover that
Now, my go-to for anything, whether it is emotional or academic, will always be Harpur Edge because I know I’m not seen as a
“
I wanted to work with minorities and immigrants in the United States. This became even more personal when my grandmother was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. To help her, I became more educated on thyroid cancer. I provided tips for my grandmother on how to manage the symptoms and helped her to ultimately understand what the treatment process was and why she is being treated that way.
When it was time for me to go to college, I wanted to continue my medical studies. I entered Binghamton University through Watson College of Engineering and Applied Sciences as a biomedical engineering major. During my first year at Binghamton, all my classes were via Zoom because of the pandemic. While I loved the medical aspect of biomedical engineering, I often found myself struggling to feel passionate about the work that I was doing. I also found that I was often either the only woman in class or the only person of color. It made me feel very self conscious about my Latina identity. Despite my concerns, I struggled with the idea of changing my major. That is when I went to Harpur Edge.
Q&A
In this interview, We asked Elidenya a few questions on what the transfer from Watson to Harpur was like and how appointments with Harpur Edge helped her develop personal, intellectual and professional skills.
Q: What was your first impression of Harpur Edge?
A: When I first went to Harpur Edge, the care was instant. They could tell if I was having a bad day or if I wasn’t feeling well. There are many development resources on Binghamton’s campus; however, personalized and tailored resources are hard to find. Now, my go-to for anything, whether it is emotional or academic, will always be Harpur Edge because I know I’m not seen as a number. Harpur Edge takes the time to really focus on a person individually and offer students assistance as they develop personally, intellectually and professionally.
Q: What were your meetings with Harpur Edge like?
A: My first appointment was with Megan Kontantakos. She made the process of changing majors 10,000 times easier. She understood why I struggled with changing my major and helped me realize that if something isn’t for you, you shouldn’t try to force it. I explained to Megan my feelings of identity loss. I had never really paid attention to my mental health. She helped me realize that mental health is just as important as physical health. Professionally, she helped me improve my summer research applications and interview skills. She also informed me about interesting opportunities that were happening on campus, which helped me make connections. By the end of each meeting, I would have a checklist of materials I needed for the application I was working on.
Q: What internship opportunities did you get from working with Harpur Edge?
A: Harpur Edge helped me find an amazing internship that gave me the opportunity to study the social and biological aspects of stem cell research. This experience assured me that I made the right decision in transferring to Harpur College. All three of my majors coincide with the social, clinical and biological aspects of epidemiology. Because of the assistance Harpur Edge provided me, I am now a biology, Africana Studies and global public health triple-major on the way toward bridging the gap between underrepresented populations and quality medical treatment.
Charting a Path to Legal Success: Insights and Inspirations from a Binghamton Alumnus
At the start of the fall 2023 semester, I started to feel behind on my professional development. I had spent the summer working and putting my end goals largely out of my mind. As the first semester of my junior year arrived, reality set in sooner than I expected, and I started to worry. Seeing that I had only one year before I could apply to law school, I explored some resources offered by Harpur Edge to settle my concerns. I discovered Mentor Match, a website connecting students with alumni pursuing similar educational paths. I discovered a wealth of Binghamton law alumni to connect with, each with impressive legal career trajectories following graduation.
One alumnus who particularly caught myattention was Wyatt Smith. Wyatt graduated from Binghamton in 2014 as a pre-law student. Following that, he pursued his education at Cornell Law School, earning his degree in 2017. Presently, Wyatt is a commercial litigation attorney at White & Case LLP., a renowned international law firm. In looking at his resume, I saw a great deal
By Logan Ellingson
of what I have strived to achieve in my educational career. Even though this person was a stranger, I decided to bite the bullet and reach out. Writing this now, at the end of the semester, I still think back to how warm and welcoming this alumnus was to me. Wyatt spoke to me about his path from Binghamton to a BigLaw firm and his experience at White & Case. I was able to receive first-hand guidance from someone who very well could resemble myself in the coming decade.
prioritize your interests and strengths before entering law school, as this approach will undoubtedly yield long-term benefits.
One point of emphasis was the LSAT exam, a standardized test for prospective law students. At the start of his LSAT studies, Wyatt professed he was scoring among very average test takers. Yet strict discipline and dedication to a study schedule allowed him to elevate his score to a much higher level. In applying to law school, Wyatt emphasized the importance of undergraduate GPA and LSAT scores, which are essentially the core of any application. He encourages aspiring lawyers to pursue courses aligned with their passions and where they naturally excel. In essence, his advice in a nutshell is this: prioritize your interests and strengths before entering law school, as this approach will undoubtedly yield long-term benefits. Having been at his firm for six years now, Wyatt has been elevated to a senior associate position and does less legal research and document review and much more drafting of legal arguments and overall writing. Wyatt admitted the intimidation and sense of overwhelm he initially felt, yet he reassured me that he could assimilate well with the environment. He noted how he has made some of his best friends at White & Case. Wyatt acknowledged that this is one of the largest challenges of a BigLaw career that practically all newly hired attorneys experience at BigLaw firms. His workload went through ebbs and flows, with some very busy weeks and then some weeks with less to do. In his personal experience, he emphasized being very protective and deliberate of your time and communicating your needs and bandwidth to your team members. Although these practices can make your life easier, BigLaw is a very demanding career. When discussing the most rewarding aspect of his tenure at a BigLaw firm, Wyatt emphasized the enriching diversity of his colleagues, hailing from various corners of the globe. On just a short walk through the office, you hear dozens of different spoken languages. Wyatt’s journey from a student at Binghamton to a senior associate at White & Case serves as a powerful testament to the value of hard work, strategic planning, and finding a balance between professional aspirations and personal well-being. I plan to continue using Mentor Match to connect with such friendly and informative individuals as Wyatt Smith, and I encourage any student here at Binghamton to do so as well. His advice stands as a beacon for aspiring law students, underscoring the importance of dedication, genuine interest, and the pursuit of excellence.
Match
Join a new student organization at the intersection of identity development, political expression, interpersonal communication and social-behavioral research.
Book Club:
The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt
Mondays, 7–8 p.m. in UU 133A
Our first book will explore the intersection of psychology, sociology and politics as it applies to our ever-divided culture.
Sit & Chat:
One-on-One Dialogues
Tuesday, Feb. 13, 8–9:30 p.m. in UU 133A
Dialogue with new people about meaningful topics and be heard.
Discourse on Democracy:
A Civil Dialogue Symposium
Tuesday, Feb. 27, 8–9:30 p.m. in UU 133A
Creating a space for open-minded students to express their voices in a Socratic seminar-style environment.
Middle Ground:
Group Dialogues
Thursday, Mar. 21, 7–8:30 p.m. in UU 133A
Jubilee-inspired conversations that bring two disagreeing groups together to navigate toward “middle ground.”
@civildialogueproject
*Food provided at all programs!
Unlock Funding Opportunities with the Harpur Dean’s Graduate Investment Initiative Fund.
Explore limitless possibilities with grant funds designed to ignite your research, creativity, and professional growth! The Harpur Dean’s Graduate Investment Initiative Fund is your gateway to fueling innovation and success in master’s and PhD programs at Harpur College. Calling All Harpur Graduate Students!
APPLICANTS CAN REQUEST UP TO $2,000!
Don’t miss out on your chance to shape your academic journey and secure funding for your aspirations!
In 2023 alone, 14 arts enthusiasts and 24 trailblazers from diverse programs seized the opportunity. Grants accelerated their projects, propelled research, and paved the way to dissertation and capstone triumphs!
APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 8, 2024 APPLY NOW AND LET YOUR AMBITIONS SOAR! www.binghamton.edu/harpur/student/graduate-research-grant.html
