Unity Newsletter 9/4

THE UNITY NEWSLETTER Keeping you updated on MSA, campus events, and much more!

The MSA Buzz!!!

www.miami.edu/msa Student Services Building 21-P multicultural.studentaffairs@miami.edu 305-284-2855 facebook.com/msa.diversity

UM_MSA

Hispanic Heritage Month 2012 Each year, the United States honors the contributions that Latinos have made to our country with a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration that runs from September 15 to October 15. This year the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and the Hispanic Heritage Month Committee is hosting its annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration. This years celebration will feature many exciting events such as photographer Jose Galvez, A Taste of Latino Culture, and Dorm Storm. Opening Ceremonies for Hispanic Heritage Month will be on the UC Rock on September 18, 2012 at 4:00PM. Make sure to stop by for great performances and light refreshments.

For a full list of events, please visit www.miami.edu/msa/hhm.

Student Success Series Mahoney Masters Apartment Sept. 6, 2012 at 5PM Join us Thursday for the Woodson-Williams-Marshall Association (WWMA) Faculty, Staff, and Student Mixer. Students will have the opportunity to meet and interact with WWMA faculty and staff. Light refreshments will be served.

For more information, please contact www.miami.edu/msa or call 305-284-2855.

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UNITY ROUNDTABLE UC 245 Sept. 5, 2012 at 6:00PM Are you interested in diversity, social justice, and collaborative multicultural programming? If so, the Unity Roundtable will be a great way to get involved. The Unity Roundtable is a group of students who work to bring diverse programming to the campus community. Last year, the Unity Roundtable planned events like “A Evening with Soledad O’Brien, Diversity Week, and many other exciting programs. Please join us this Wednesday!

College MENtality: UC Ballroom A Sept. 11, 2012 at 7:00PM The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and Brothers Overcoming Negativity and Destruction (BOND) will be collaborating to host a series of events centered around the African American male college experience, manhood, and masculinity. This series is titled “College MENtality.” On Tuesday, September 11, 2012, the first of the event of the series “Giving You the Game” will be at 7PM in UC Ballroom A. “Giving You the Game” will be an open discussion about being a African American male at UM.

The Urban Access Guide Goes Are you searching for a particular restaurant?

Have you been trying to find the perfect place to take care of your hair care needs? Do you want to know more about the greater Miami community? If so, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs is pleased to introduced the 2012-2013 Urban Access Guide. It can be accessed from any location via computer, iPod, iPad, or any mobile device. The Urban Access Guide is a resource that contains valuable information about the University and Miami community. It has everything from local restaurants, hair care locations, religion services locations, cultural student organizations, and many other resources. Please visit the MSA website at www.miami.edu/msa to view the Urban Access Guide. Print your personal copy today!

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Get Involved Fall Career Expo and Graduate School Fair Location: BankUnited Center Sept. 13 at 3:00PM Are you searching for a summer internship or a full-time opportunity? Or maybe you know you want to attend graduate school after graduation? Attend Career Expo to meet recruiters from a wide array of industries looking to hire ‘Canes to fill their positions as well as meet graduate school admission officers!

Career Expo is specially designed to expose University of Miami students to a broad spectrum of career paths and opportunities, as well as provide them with opportunities to network with employers to secure internships, full-time jobs and a variety of graduate school programs.

What do you need for Expo?

•Must be a University of Miami student or alumni

•Must be professionally dressed

•Have your CaneID

•Have copies of your resume

President’s 100 Applications Due: Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012.

Don’t just follow the group, LEAD IT! President’s 100 is currently accepting applications for new members. Become a student ambassador, give tours, and help with special events. To apply, please, visit www.miami.edu/p100.

Punt/Pass/Kick Competition To Register: Visit the Intramural Fields Sept. 9 - Sept. 15 after 7PM Do you have what it takes to be the best, all-around football player? Come find out at the Punt/Pass/Kick Competition taking place the week of September 9, 2012. Players can register on site and there is no cost to participate. For more information, call the intramural hotline at 305-284-8501 or e-mail tsoria@miami.edu.

BLS for Health Care Providers

Details and links to the list of employers and graduate schools attending can be found at www.miami.edu/careerexpo.

A World of Noodles Cooking Class Class: Sept. 17 from 6:30PM to 8:30PM How do you know which pasta noodle is your favorite if you haven’t tried them all? Chef Lori is offering a class dedicated to noodles. The menu features Arugula Caraway Pesto Pasta; Soba Noodles with Spring Vegetables; Pancit Bihon; and Turkish Bison Pasta. The cost of the class, which includes cooking instruction, food tasting, and recipes, is $20 for UM students and Wellness Center members.

The cost for non-members is $25. The class is Monday, September 17, 2012 from 6:30PM to 8:30PM. To register, please call 305-284-LIFE (5433) or visit the Wellness Enrichment Suite located on the second floor of the Herbert Wellness Center. Don’t forget to bring a container for leftovers!

31st Annual West Literature Conference The 31st Annual West Literature Conference Location: Newman Alumni Center Oct. 11-13 Keynote speakers, guest, and artist will include Kervans Barthelemy, Edward Baugh, Bridget Brereton, Earl Lovelace, Rachel Manley, Kei Miller, and Olive Senior.

Events for the 31st Annual West Indian Literature Conference are as follows:

· Film Screening: Kervans Barthelemy’s film Kaleb - Thursday, Oct.11 at

6:00PM

· Opening Night Reception - Thursday, Oct. 11 at 8:00PM

· Readings by authors Earl Lovelace and Olive Senior - Friday, Oct. 12 at

5:30PM

· Creative Writing and Publishing Workshops:

o Publishing in Caribbean Studies (Cathie Brettschneider; UVA

Press) - Friday, Oct. 12 at 10:00AM

o Creative Writing, Poetry, and Fiction (Fred D’Aguiar; Virginia

Tech) - Saturday, Oct. 13 at 9:00AM

o Publishing Caribbean Creative Writing ( Jeremy Poynting;

Peepal Tree Press) - Saturday, Oct. 13, at 2:00PM September 4

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To Register: Visit Wellness Enrichment Suite or call 305-284-LIFE (5433) Class: Sept. 10 from 1:00PM to 5:00PM The Basic Life Support class for healthcare providers covers core material such as adult and infant CPR (including two-rescuers scenario and use of the bag mask), foreign-body airway obstruction, and automated external defibrillation (AED). This course is for healthcare providers such as EMS personnel, physician assistants, doctors, dentists, nurses, and respiratory therapists who must have a card documenting successful completion of a CPR course. The cost is $60 for student members, $70 for non-student members, and $80 for non-members.

Laser Battle Location: Herbert Wellness Center Main Gym Sept. 14 from 7:30PM to 11:30PM This is nothing like the laser tag at your eighth birthday party. Take on your friend in our Laser Combat Zone! Join the late night festivities!

Volleyball Leagues Deadline: Sept. 18 Can you dig it? Then sign up for the intramural volleyball leagues! A $40 refundable deposit is due at the time of registration. Don’t have a team? No problem! Just sign up as a free agent on the roster. To sign up, go to room 210 of the Herbert Wellness Center. For more information, call the intramural hotline 305-284-8501or e-mail tsoria@miami.edu.

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Scholarships/Internships German Chancellor Fellowship Application Deadline: October 15, 2012 The German Chancellor Fellowship provides for a stay of one year in Germany for professional development, study, or research. Applicants design individual projects specific to Germany and decide at which institutions to pursue them. Scholars will have an academic advisor and a mentor for the duration of their stay. Successful candidates have gained full-time work experience and have already shown outstanding leadership potential in a career. Applicants have come from such fields as law, journalism, communications, management, finance, economics, architecture, public service, humanities, arts and environmental affairs. Applications from the natural sciences may be considered if the topic has a social or humanistic dimension.

Contact: Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation Website or by contacting campus representative Kefryn Reese in the Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships (prestigiousawards@miami.edu) or 305-284-5387.

Gates-Cambridge Scholarship for Graduate Study at the University of Cambridge Application Deadline for U.S. Citizens: October 16, 2012 Created by a donation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gates Cambridge Scholarships enable outstanding graduate students from outside the United Kingdom to study at the University of Cambridge. Citizens of any country outside the United Kingdom are eligible to apply. To be considered, applicants must apply simultaneously for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship and admission to the University of Cambridge. Applicants who wish to apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship for study in Fall 2013 should apply directly to a college of their choice for admission. Deadline dates vary for admission to the University of Cambridge, though most deadlines fall between October and November.

Additional information may be found at the Gates Cambridge Website or by contacting campus representative Kefryn Reese in the Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships (prestigiousawards@miami.edu) or 305-284-5387.

Paul and Dalsy Sorors Fellowship for New Americans Application Deadline: November 9, 2012 The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans provides opportunities for continuing generations of able and accomplished new Americans to achieve leadership in their chosen fields.

Amount Awarded: $25,000 and a tuition grant of one-half of the tuition cost at a U.S. graduate program (up to a maximum of $20,000 per academic year).

To be eligible, you must be:

•A New American (a green card holder or naturalized citizen if born abroad; a child of naturalized citizens if born in

this country)

•Not yet 31 years old, as of the application deadline

•A college senior or holder of a bachelor’s degree

•Not beyond your second year - if already enrolled - in the graduate degree program for which you request

support All application instructions and materials are available at the Paul and Daisy Soros Foundation website. Potential UM applicants are encouraged to notify the Kefryn Reese in the Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships (prestigiousawards@miami.edu) or 305-284-5387 no less than one month before the national deadline so that an advisor can provide application guidance and feedback.

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The Connection: With Dr. Patti R. Rose

Dr. Patti R. Rose is a faculty member in the Department of Anthropology and teaches courses in Africana, American and Women and Gender Studies. At Horizons 2012, Dr. Rose delivered a powerful keynote address and shared her insights on transitioning to college, academic success, creating possible relationships with professors, and tips for being a successful student: Below you will find her remarks.

Good Morning and first, I am delighted to be here. I know you all must be thrilled about being new students at the University of Miami. I am a faculty member for the Department of Anthropology and I teach courses in Africana, American and Women and Gender studies. I hope that there will be an opportunity for me to teach each of you and to meet each of you personally during your stay here.

So today, I have been asked to speak to you briefly about four topics and I am honored to do so. The topics are: 1.

Transitioning to College 2.

Academic Success

3.

Creating positive relationships with professors

4.

Tips for being a successful student

So, I will begin with Transitioning to College. My recommendations are few, but I think important. The first is to stay in touch with the outside world. Find some kind of news source (mainstream, alternative, internet, television, the newspaper, radio), whichever you prefer but vary it up, and be sure that you are in tune with reality inside and outside of your academic experience. Many students find themselves not knowing what is going on around them, outside of college, and use the excuse of being a college student for the lack of knowledge. When it is time to graduate, they don’t have a clue about reality outside of college which is often a shock to the system.

Next, seek out knowledge, while you are in college, regarding practical things such as how to write a check, how to rent an apartment, how interest on credit cards and other purchasing processes work and pay attention to your student loans so you don’t experience shock at the end. You will not learn these kind of practical things while in college, usually, so seek out that kind of detail on your own. You will need this insight if you don’t have it already and you have at least four years to acquire it.

You may be thinking this does not sound like transitioning to college, but out of college. Well, I guess what I am doing here is cautioning you against living in the college “bubble.” College is a fantastic time, but transitioning in knowing that this dynamic, wonderful experience is short-lived is important and you must make the most of it, in every way.

College is about being present for the experience!

So, also, I highly recommend that you get your required textbooks for all of your courses and actually read them. Whether you buy them, borrow them, get them for the library, read them on a kindle, nook, iPad, etc. just make sure you read them. Don’t rely exclusively on your professors to fill your mind with new information through powerpoints, lectures, and beyond through their lens of understanding only. Truly use this time in college to learn with the goal being to become smarter than or at least as intelligent as your professors so you can pass on the knowledge some day.

Another idea, which may sound kind of obvious is to go to class. Most professors do not take attendance and students may decide that class is not necessary. But usually, it is. Going to class will enable you to soak in information, meet your classmates, get to know your professors, and of course to take your own notes. When you are in class, be there! When you take all of that energy to get to class, why not be present when you get there? Why use that time to Facebook, Tweet, and do other things while you are there you could actually learn something. There is something to be said about getting information through your own brain and then writing or typing it with your own hands. It sticks better.

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Also, if at all possible, study another language. If you are already bilingual become trilingual. It will broaden your world. Permit me to speak briefly in another language.

Yo Hablo Ingles y Espanol pero mi Espanol no es perfecta. Ahora, yo tengo una Professora Espanol privado y practico cada dia.

Estudie Espanol cuando yo era una estudiante universitario, pero you no era serio sobre ello. Es muy importante ahora porque yo viajo mucho en el Mundo y vivo en Miami donde hay muchas personas que hablan Espanol. Otra idioma es importante para tu tambien.

Translation: I speak English and Spanish, but my Spanish is not perfect. Now, I have a private Spanish teacher and I practice each day. I studied Spanish when I was a university student, but I was not serious about it. It is very important now because I travel a lot, internationally, and I live in Miami, where there are many people that speak Spanish. Another language is important for you also.

Explore different cultures. You are fortunate that the University of Miami is very diverse, particularly in terms of the student body.

Try to get out of your cultural, race/ethnic, national comfort zone and meet different people. Talk with them, eat with them, ask them questions, and value their differences. You can transition into a global perspective during your college years, which is a wonderful opportunity!

Take classes outside of your major. Explore! This will enable you to have a broader understanding as you acquire knowledge. I studied biology, but was a Business Administration minor. I have a Masters in Public Health in Administration, but wrote my thesis on environmental health and I have a doctorate in Education and teach Africana, Women and Gender studies and American Studies as I mentioned earlier. It’s so rewarding to have such varied interests. It makes life interesting and exciting!

Do and be you! College is a wonderful time to truly find yourself. Avoid the herd mentality. Just because other people are doing things in certain way, or have joined a particular group, or are speaking or thinking in a particular way, does not mean that you have to do the same. Let the experiences of learning and acquiring new information and meeting new people (professors and students and beyond) help you to deepen your understanding of who you really are. You made it this far academically, so you know you have what it takes to achieve your dreams.

So we now head to topic number two although I touched on it a bit already. I hope you are still with me.

2. Academic Success Key advice: Put your whole self in!

Academic success is not only about grades, which is no doubt important, but it is about saying, when you look back at this University when it is time to leave, that you accomplished something very important, you met and came to know your professors, you encountered and met and valued other students and you prepared yourself for your next journey, whatever that may be. You are excellent coming in, surely that is the case since you are at the University of Miami, and you will be even better as you leave after 4 years or so.

Some other tips: Try and study abroad while you are a college student. Explore all options to do so from financial vantage point to geographic locations that may be of interest to you. With the right energy and zest to accomplish this, it can be done!

Exercise! You have a fantastic, I mean an absolutely fantastic wellness center at UM. Try and use it. You can rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit in that place and if you combine that with good healthy eating, your body, and your mind will thank you for it, surely leading to a better opportunity for academic success if you don’t pass this by.

Next Topic: Creating Positive Relationships with Your Professors Communication is Everything!

I will tell you what I have told both of my children who have now completed undergraduate and graduate schools and are successfully functioning in the world… So here goes… If each of your professors does not know you by your name, when you leave the classroom at the end of the semester, you have not done your job as a student.

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So, I recommend that you introduce yourself to your professors and go and visit them during their office hours. That is the main reason that professors have offices hours, to talk with you! They are people just like you, not to be afraid of or leery of but perhaps a mentor, a guide, and someone who can help you through the process of getting through college. You may not develop a rapport with every professor but there are some that you will connect with. Some will be more forthcoming than others, but that is normal. Perhaps one will in fact, become your mentor in your chosen field or even outside of it. Foster positive relationships with your professors so that you can learn from them, succeed in their classes and perhaps for those that you feel most comfortable with, you can ask them for recommendation letters at the right time , which you WILL need.

Professors are here to teach you. Learn from them and develop positive, successful communication with as many of them as you can. It’s not brown nosing to talk to your professors. It is taking the opportunity to make sure that you get the most of your education!

Lastly, the final tips that I have to offer you regarding your being a successful student. I am simply going to go over a quick list.

1.

Be on time for your classes. Being late just appears rude unless you have an unavoidable circumstance which will happen from time to time.

2.

Again, go to class and be present. Otherwise, it’s like buying a ticket for a movie and then deciding to go to sleep or blow it off by bringing your computer and facebooking/tweeting the whole time… literally a waste of money and a missed opportunity for a new experience.

3.

Take notes… even if there are powerpoints for every lecture. Grab the nuances of your professors points… the minutia, the detail… so you have the insight you need to study.

4.

Attend events on campus! Go to hear guest speakers, visit the Lowe Museum (I believe it’s free for students and one of the best things to see on this campus) and go to events offered by the university at large, departments, programs, etc. Seriously, why miss out? College is one of the rare opportunities to hear and see speakers of prominence for free (and other events) and they are here to talk to you! Why miss it?

5.

Join clubs, groups, and organizations that interest you on campus and beyond. It’s an opportunity to meet new people, learn about the community, and often provide opportunities to serve individuals less fortunate than yourselves.

6.

My absolute last piece of advice is to have fun. I must honestly say that college is probably the opportunity to have the most fun in your life. Be AWARE that you are here each day. Enjoy it to the fullest! I say this to you with all sincerity because you have just arrived and before you know it, with a blink of an eye, you will be in a cap and gown , ready to leave, and asking yourself, is college really over? Response to that MUST be thank goodness I made the most of it!

Thank you,

Upcoming Events 9/5 8:00PM ALAS General Body Mtg. UC 237 9/6 5:00PM MSA Student Success Series Mahoney Master’s Apt. 9/7 5:30PM OJU General Body Mtg. Mahoney Classroom 102 9/10 3:00PM First Year U Pool Party UC Pool 9/10 6:30PM FBCP General Body Mtg. School of Comm. 4027 9/11 7:00PM College MENtality Event UC Ballroom A 9/11 9:00PM 9/11 National Day of Service & Remembrance UC Rock 9/12 7:00PM UBS ULearn Stanford Master’s Apt. 9/14 5:00PM Hispanic Scholarship Chapter Mtg. Hecht Master’s Apartment 9/18 4:00PM HHM Opening Ceremonies UC Rock 9/20 4:30PM UBS Thumping Thursday UC Rock 9/21 5:30PM OJU General Body Mtg. Mahoney Classroom 102 9/26 5:00PM MSA Student Success Series Mahoney Master’s Apt. 10/3 6:00PM HHM Presents Jose Galvez Faculty Club For more information, please visit www.miami.edu/msa/calendar.

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