The Torch - May 2019

University Scholars Newsletter Cover Photo: Madison newton

May 2019

www.stonybrook.edu/uscholars

Greetings Scholars, This was another very exciting and productive academic year for University Scholars. A big thank you to all Scholars who helped make this a great year. We greatly appreciate all those who have helped the amazing committees (Academic, Outreach, Social, and the Torch), served as mentors in our PAL Program, and our current and forever Scholars Fellows, who have done an awesome job as TAs for our 101/102 classes, and helping with our events. Several University Scholars have been profiled on the SBU main web page where they were recognized for their outstanding achievements. We are very proud of all of you. It is also great that five Scholars were recently awarded the Provost's Award for Academic Excellence, four Scholars were winners of the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence (this is the highest award SUNY can present to an undergraduate student for academic excellence and leadership), and 18 University Scholars were recipients of the prestigious Undergraduate Recognition Awards.

Table of Contents -What’s inside this edition?

Congratulations to our graduating seniors!! We are proud of all your accomplishments. It was a pleasure to watch your professional growth from freshmen in our SCH101 classes to becoming leaders here at Stony Brook. Thank you for your contributions to the Scholars community and we wish you the best of luck in your future studies and career plans. We hope you keep in touch!

We wish everyone a fun, rewarding, and productive summer. We look forward to seeing all of the continuing students in August.

Warm regards, Brian Colle, Jeremy Marchese, and David Maynard

Torch Contributors Editor-in-chief

Jeremy Marchese

Lead Editor

Pavithra Venkataraman

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Social Events Outreach Events Academic Events Scholar Spotlight

Photographers

Pooja Madhanraj, Madison Newton, Francesca Conte Photo: Madison Newton

Writers

Donovan Bush, Ilona Kaydanov, Nicole Niemiec, Kaylagh Walsh, Francesca Conte, Jenny Wang, Scott Boyd, Maya Brown, Jazmyna Zapata

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The Torch Newsletter

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Social events

De-Stress Night Written by Scott Boyd

Social Committee made sure everyone had a moment to breathe earlier this April during their first “DIY De-Stress Night”. The committee, which is headed by Hrithika Paul and Scott Boyd, prepared an event before the dawn of finals so that Scholars could fulfill their event credit while also using their hands to make some fun crafts. The event took place on April 2nd in spirited H-Quad’s LDS Center.

During the event, Scholars had a choice among 4 different hands-on “do it yourself” craft stations. Included were stress balls, finger painting, slime, and coloring pages.

One of the co-chairs said that he wanted, “students to actually make something with their own hands. Even if it’s something dumb and you throw it out after five minutes, you get to just tune out, have fun with other people, and get a little messy”. This was a running vibe throughout the event. With the laid back instrumental beat music being played and the minimal instructions for each craft, Scholars were able to do whatever they wanted with their crafts. “We only wanted to give supplies. Everything that people were making was completely up to them. We encouraged people to get messy because we don’t really get to any other time.”

When students weren’t just enjoying the atmosphere or having some provided snacks and coffee, they were letting loose on their works of art. Some students were making puddles of multi-colored slime, some smearing painted hands on their DIY masterpieces, and other coloring outside of the lines of their Sailor Moon coloring pages.

Overall, the students left smiling a bit more than when they came, and some with balloon stress balls for later.

Photo: Francesca Conte

Social Committee says that they would love to hold this type of event again, and are working on some new ideas for next semester. If you would like to join they would love to have some more hands. Keep a lookout for meeting times for Fall 2019 at the start of the semester.

Photos by: Madison Newton

Scholars working on arts and crafts while listening to helpful tips

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SMASH! For body positivity

Written by Nicole Niemiec

Walking across campus to find students taking sledgehammers to dinner plates might have come across as both concerning and frightening to the Stony Brook University community. However, this is an event that Stony Brook University’s National Residence Hall Honorary organized with University Scholars in recognition of body positivity and mental health awareness. Students were encouraged to write down their negative thoughts with Sharpie markers on ceramic plates.

When they were satisfied with their thoughts, they were geared up with safety goggles and a sledgehammer and encouraged to smash the plate as many times as they pleased.

During the event, NRHH students and volunteers handed out various flyers and pieces of paper with helpful information. I found this particularly important as, for most of us, the last time we heard about CAPS and the various health organizations and programs provided for us on campus was during Orientation and our SCH 101 classes. The volunteers provided information regarding the following organizations on campus: -Long Island Association For AIDS Care (LIAAC): On Wednesdays from 12pm-4pm, students can go to the Campus Recreation Wellness Center for free and confidential testing for HIV, Hep. C, and STIs/STDs -Student Health, Wellness and Prevention Services: If you’re not feeling well, students are welcome to call the Medical Advice line at (631)-632-6740 and choose option 3 where a registered nurse can assist you during hours that the Student Health Center is closed -Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) -Center for Prevention and Outreach (CPO) -Peer Mental Health Alliance -Swallow This! (Provided by both CPO and the Department of Arts)

Scholars lining up to receive dinner plates and Sharpie markers on the Academic Mall

Photos by: Madison Newton

In addition to these informational flyers, NRHH volunteers also handed out little letters for students to address to themselves. These letters were letters of acceptance and determination that students participating were encouraged to fill out positive words of encouragement. For many individuals, including those with eating disorders and those without, it was very cathartic to take a sledgehammer to a plate decorated with negative thoughts and words. It was a safe way to cope with negative thoughts that one may be having. Often in college, it is hard for students to find healthy and positive ways to cope with their mental health issues and stress.

If you or a loved one are affected by an eating disorder, please reach out for help. There are various organizations on campus that are willing to help. You can also call the NEDA National Helpline at 1-(800)-931-2237, chat with a professional at www.myneda.org, or text NEDA to 741741. For more information, go to www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.

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The Torch Newsletter

Scholars smashing their dinner plates on the tarps provided

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outreach events

Atria Visit

Photos by: Francesca Conte

Written By Francesca Conte

Photo: Madison Newton

On Saturday, March 30th, a group of University Scholars volunteered their afternoon to visit the Atria in East Setauket. The Atria is an assisted living and retirement community. The residents of this vibrant community are able to live independently while having resources available to them to help with health and other needs.

The Atria gives opportunities for seniors to socialize and take part in events that cater to many interests.

The Scholars had a lovely time with the wise and worldly residents. The conversations with the residents not only helped brighten the day for the seniors but gave the Scholars an opportunity to forge friendships, obtain insightful advice and connect with common interests. Some of the time was spent conversing over board games and puzzles as well. The conversations held related to current events and families— topics that all shared common interests. The residents also explained the value of an education to the Scholars, often relating it to their own experience as students in the past and gave the Scholars advice, too. This advice had a central theme of success relating back to assiduous habits formed in school.

This intergenerational experience had a lasting positive impression on the Scholars that attended and the seniors at the Atria as well. The Scholars take a trip to the Atria each fall and spring semester, so we hope to have more opportunities to visit.

Scholars interacting with seniors at the Atria

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academic events

Community Dialogue: A divided government Written by Ilona Kaydonov

On Monday, February 25th, from 7:00PM to 9:30PM, the Center for Civic Justice hosted a community dialogue on the topic: a divided government. During this time of political unrest and division within communities, a discussion on ways we can identify the issues and propose solutions was much needed. This was my first community dialogue and I really enjoyed discussing the topic with my group. Even though I’m not really into politics, I still found that I had opinions on everything we discussed and was able to contribute to the group.

During every community dialogue according the Center for Civic Justice’s website, participants:

-Discuss three different options through which an issue can be addressed;

-Consider the benefits, drawbacks and trade-offs for each of the three different options; and

-Create public consensus and prioritize the different options based on community needs.

How the dialogue worked was that we were divided into groups of about five people and had a facilitator that helped guide our discussion by posing questions and making sure everyone in the group had equal time to talk. Most of the people in my group were fellow University Scholars so it was definitely interesting to meet Scholars that I hadn’t spoken to before. After introductions and a brief group discussion, each member of the group looked at the paper we were given with three options that served as solutions to the issue of a divided government. We each voted on which option we thought was the best solution. We then had about twenty minutes to discuss the pros and cons of each option and voice our own opinions on the subject. Our options were:

-Reduce dangerous, toxic talk

-Make fairer rules for politics and follow them

-Take control and make decisions closer to home In my group, we had several members agree with each option. However, after debating each option, the overall head facilitator, who, according to the Statesman, was Yark Beyan, a senior political science major at SBU, asked each group to choose just one option. Together as a group, we were able to agree with each other and come to a consensus. Each member of my group posed very inciting points, and it was interesting to see that, for the most part, our political thoughts aligned. Despite having a consensus on politics, we were still able to have a debate on the solutions/options presented since we had different opinions on the solutions. After the individual group discussion, groups were able to speak to everyone in the room about which option they thought was best and why. We were also asked how the dialogue could be improved.

According to their website, The Center for Civic Justice hosts two Community Dialogues during each fall and spring semester. If you’re interested in going to a community dialogue, the Center for Civic Justice posts them all on their website where you can look at the past dialogue topics as well as the future ones:

Photo: Madison Newton

https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/civicjustice/communities/community_dialogues

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The Game of Life

Written by Jenny Wang

Everyone is concerned about their lives after college, whether it be going to graduate school or finding the dream job. The Game of Life helped students visualize what their financial situation will be like in the years after their undergraduate studies have come to an end.

The setup was in SAC Ballroom A, complete with stations that outlined what life outside of college entailed.

Based on career choice, each student was given a packet of paper “money” and a general estimate of their salary. And thus, the game began.

There was a graduate school table for students who wanted to continue their education. Here, the approximate amount of student loans and such were calculated, and the student would continue to the life essentials of the game.

Healthcare, taxes, and student loan repayment came next, starting the rounds of deductions from students’ small packet of money. These essential elements of life show how money could be spent before it even reaches your pocket. Saving, investing, and insurance also fall into this category. The necessity of these things seems to be a given, but people often forget how much of one’s salary could be contributed to these important aspects of our lives.

Although healthcare, taxes, and other expenses such as these are very prominent in our lives, they are still more abstract than we would like to admit. After all, you could, in theory, forfeit a month of saving money for that new shirt you wanted to buy. But the next round of tables in the event covered much more tangible expenses.

Housing, transportation, food, and general living expenses such as heating and cable were presented to the students. We quickly found that money may run out while trying to pay for some of these things. Often, this is when one’s spending habits should be reconsidered to accommodate the amount of money they have. For example, you may shop for groceries more often instead of going out to eat. Small changes like this could help students utilize their money in better ways.

Throughout the game, many stations handed out helpful flyers and pamphlets, describing how to manage your spending, understand credit, and even cope with stress. Mental and emotional health is paramount to wellbeing, and this was emphasized at the end of the game. There were many resources that students could use to their advantage. Students also learned that in life, there may be some unplanned event that happens, which you would then need to pay for. The event doesn’t need to be big. It could be as simple as a friend’s birthday party, requiring you to buy a small gift. However, it is important to set aside a certain amount of money every time you get a paycheck. Even if it’s only a small birthday party this time, it could be something much more expensive next time.

Walking away from the event, students had a better sense of what they faced after graduation. They are ready to take what they learned at this event into consideration and make a better future for themselves by managing their finances and habits in a productive way.

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Astrofest

Written by Kaylagh Walsh On Thursday May 2nd, 2019, the Stony Brook Astronomy Club held its 9th annual AstroFest, an event designed to unite students of all backgrounds and majors for a fun night to celebrate science and astronomy.

The event was held in the lobby of the Earth Space and Science Building from 5-10pm, and had a variety of activities, games, science demos, and (of course) free food.

After signing in, everyone was handed out a sheet with all the activities offered. For each activity completed, you got a stamp, and for every three stamps you earned, you would receive a raffle ticket and be entered to win prizes. Some prizes included space-themed stickers, alien headbands, etc.

If you were walking around campus on Thursday May 2nd, you may have noticed chalk drawings of planets leading all the way from the fountain to the ESS building. This was part of the “solar system tour” that ran every 30 minutes, giving an in-depth explanation about everything from fun facts about planets (did you know that if the Sun was the size of a 4-foot beach ball, the Earth would only be the size of a grape?), to why Pluto is not considered a planet (its gravitational pull isn’t strong enough to pull surrounding objects into orbit).

Another fun station demonstrated how gravity causes orbits. A piece of lycra, or spandex, was stretched tight over a circular frame, with nothing underneath, and a large marble is placed in the middle, causing a dip in the material. Then, students were invited to take smaller marbles and attempt to roll them along the curve of the fabric. Once set into motion, the small marble moved in a circular motion, getting closer to the large marble with each rotation.

Throughout the lobby, there were other stations where club members explained the more scientific sides of astronomy, such as how Supernovas form and their impact, how astronomers develop technology that finds new solar systems, and how scientists are able to determine the probability of survival on other planets, among many others.

With over 300 participants, the AstroFest was hugely successful, and extremely enjoyable for everyone, no matter how much-- or how little- you know about astronomy.

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Medical School Alumni Panel Written by Jazmyna Zapata While dodging the April showers of spring, students funneled into the Center for Leadership and Service. On April 9th, the long-awaited event invited alumni to reflect on their undergraduate years and provide insightful advice to our pre-med Scholars. Although an intimidating process, the six medical students aimed to alleviate fear and offer realistic approaches to common obstacles.

To mark the beginning of the event, Dr. David Maynard introduced our distinguished panelists: Andrew Kumpfbeck (of NYU School of Medicine), Alisa Rybkin (of Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University), Parth Pancholi (of Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University), Bryan Szeglin (of Albert Einstein College of Medicine), Justin Bell (of Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University), and John Williams (of Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University). With success in college and medical school, they agreed to cover four bases: extracurriculars, how they prepared for the MCAT, the application process, and what medical school is actually like.

The foundation of any medical school application begins in undergrad. Rybkin emphasized the importance of finding your niche despite what may be trial and error. Dedication to a project is easier when it’s reinforced by passion. Under this principle, panelists recalled their involvement as Orientation Leaders, Student Ambassadors, Teaching Assistants, etc. Szeglin joked that the marching band is what landed him a spot in medical school. However, a common thread among all panelists was research. If a lab setting sparks little interest, Pancholi presented an alternate solution, “Being an academic associate is one of those hidden treasures.” The program encourages undergraduate students to collaborate with physicians and conduct clinical research. Pancholi thanked the program for allowing him to gain research opportunities while simultaneously earning patient-care contact. In a similar manner, Bell acknowledged how his work as an EMT separated him from other applicants and equipped him with valuable attributes—experience treating traumas under dire circumstances. In addition, it served as a valid form of patient-care hours. Despite the various requirements that must be met, Pancholi made one thing clear: “To a degree there’s a checklist but find the things that genuinely make you happy.”

The second major segment addressed the dreaded MCAT. In a collection of testimonies, many of the panelists praised the services of Dan Block, a renowned MCAT tutor. Bell spoke highly of the structure provided in Block’s courses and detailed the extent to which students are held accountable for their studying. This technique differs from the route sans instructor, one Andrew Kumpfbeck chose to follow. Kumpfbeck advocated this system as well as self-discipline. He suggested students split the cost of workbooks and online services with friends. In effect, students didn’t have to pay full price for study materials, and they were also guaranteed a study partner.

Furthermore, students should utilize practice tests to roughly estimate their scores. In doing so, they can determine whether they’re ready to take the exam. If worse comes to worst, every panelist promised it was better to postpone the exam than to take it underprepared; one should take the MCAT on their own terms.

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Medical School panel Cont.

Photos by: Pooja MadhanraJ

Shifting gears, Pancholi proposed a simple question: “What do you think is the hardest part of medical school?” Pancholi collected a series of responses including “rotations” and “time management”, but he anticipated one golden answer—“getting in”. Relevant to this idea, Rybkin declared that only the top three percent of applicants make it to medical school and of that faction, 97% end up passing. After stating this statistic, she defended the rigor of undergraduate prerequisites by stating “It’s not the pre-med curriculum because we want to weed people out, it’s the pre-med curriculum because it’s pre-med.” Williams, who participates in the admissions committee for Stony Brook’s M.D.-Ph.D. program, attested that acceptance is based on whether a portfolio can articulate and, in some respect, predict how well a candidate will perform in medical school. This decision is based on a holistic scale involving extracurriculars, research, MCAT scores, GPA, personal statement, and letters of recommendation. To feel comfortable with one’s submissions, the panelists continued to offer numerous tips.

An underlying theme was to start tasks early. Whether it is finding a mentor, beginning the committee letter process, or submitting the applications themselves, these are responsibilities that should be considered far in advance. Another element that is often overlooked is a course titled ADV 201: Preparing for Medical School. Rybkin vouched that the underrated class provided great resources and insight as to what a career in medicine entails.

Now at different phases in medical school, the panelists had the chance to compare progress. Despite differences in curriculum, all could confirm that the workload is both rewarding and arduous. However, stress is often soothed by the warmth that accompanies patient interaction. For all, waking up content is a huge indicator that they’ve made the right choice. It makes it seem as if every bump in the road was strategically placed.

On the contrary, there is often the misconception that every step towards medical school should be calculated. Like the panelists have expressed, this is rarely ever the case. Rybkin assures students that “you don’t need to have a clean narrative with a bow on top; you can admit to times where you were wrong.” With newly attained wisdom, current Scholars prepare to embark on their own paths to success. Within time, they’ll be seated at their own panels, recalling their college experiences to a group of students just as eager as they were.

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Scholars discussing questions with the panelists

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Scholars spotlight

Senior Spotlight Written By Maya Brown

Samar Syeda, a senior Anthropology and Human Evolutionary Biology double-major, has had a busy four years during her time at Stony Brook University (SBU).

Being a University Scholar, Syeda has worked as a photographer for The Torch, a Peer Assistant Leader (PAL) and a Scholars Fellow. Syeda described her time as a Scholars Fellow as beneficial. “In the beginning of being a Fellow, you get a small community that you can interact with and my first group of friends came from that experience,” she said.

When Syeda first arrived to Stony Brook University, she was first on the pre-med track. Growing up in Pakistan with tough parents and a strict way of living, Syeda was always on track to be a lawyer or a doctor. “My parents always wanted me to do something lucrative where I’ll earn so much money,” she said. Even though anthropology wasn’t in her plans, growing up in an environment with an ancient civilization, she has always been interested in history. “I love learning about the past and the history of existence,” she said. After she interviewed an archeologist for The Torch, she figured her career could be in archeology.

She became a Resident Assistant in her junior year, where she serves as a companion and friend, providing residents with support and advice, hosting programs and encouraging residents to get involved in the overall school community. Syeda said, “I gained a lot of personal growth and development by being an R.A. I was so shy before that I wouldn’t even have a full conversation with a person.”

She was a Teaching Assistant from August 2017 to Dec. 2017 for Computer Based Biostatistics, was a part of the E-board for the Undergraduate Anthropology Society at SBU for two and a half years and a commuter assistant at SBU. In terms of SBU, Syeda explained how she chose it on a whim. “The school wasn’t too far from Brooklyn and it worked out that it has one of the top anthropology programs in the country,” she said.

In the summer of 2018, Syeda studied abroad in Kenya with the Turkana Basin Field Institute, where she did archeological work. “It was a life changing experience and it was honestly so amazing,” she said. She explained how after taking the first step on the desert, she knew it would be an amazing experience. “I never felt drained or tired when I was there and that part was weird, because I loved it so much even though we worked all hours of the day,” he said.

She explained how at first she was scared of heights and not a huge animal lover, but her time abroad allowed her to conquer her fears by climbing up mountains and touching every single animal she saw. Every semester before this experience she was planning a different major, but she shared that traveling to Kenya cemented her choice to major in anthropology. “You’re going to get where you’re going if you do the work. I would go there every year if I could,” she said.

In terms of anthropology, Syeda wants to study human fossils and loves the biological aspect. Her goals include going back to Pakistan to do STEM education outreach, as she wants students to know that there are career opportunities other than in the field of medicine. “I eventually want to be an advocate for the education of women,” she said.

Photo: Madison Newton

Her plans after graduation include getting her master’s degree from the University of Kent in England, a one year program in biological anthropology. Explaining how the passion that you have can take you far, she said, “People have always told me I’m not going to earn enough money, but I didn’t listen to them because I know I’m going to work hard and go above and beyond.”

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Scholars In Action

Academic Deadlines

Fall 2019 Aug 23 Credit limit increase

Written by Donovon Bush

Few Scholars represent positive advancement and innovation quite like freshman Sydney Bell.

Studying Marine Vertebrate Biology, she has wanted to be a marine biologist since she was in third grade. She is strongly motivated by her love for the ocean and her desire to leave an effective impact on the world. “My main motivation is just trying to make a positive impact no matter how small or large on the ocean before our society makes effects that cannot be reversed. My dad has really given me the confidence to keep taking my brand and networking to the next level in order to have my voice heard. I’m so lucky to have friends and family who truly believe in me and my mission. Without their support, this wouldn’t have been possible.”

Aug 26 Aug 30 Sep 9 Oct 4 Oct 14-15 Oct 21

Involved in a lot on campus, Sydney started at the beginning of her first semester joining clubs and making a change on campus. She is involved in several clubs and organizations on campus. “On campus I am the President of the Marine Science Club, a University Scholars Fellow, a member of Outreach Committee, a member of The Torch Newsletter, a member of Environmental Club, and part of University Scholars Council.” Off campus she is involved in Friends of Letchworth State Park and enjoys scuba diving and paddle boarding.

Oct 25 Nov 27-Dec 1 Dec 9

At the beginning of this semester, Sydney founded the Marine Science Club, a club for students of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and lovers of the ocean. The club goes on trips around Long Island to locations such as local beaches and to the Southampton Marine lab. “We also give students opportunities to get involved in marine sciences through earning SCUBA diving certifications and bringing in lecturers to talk about research and internships.” In the coming fall the club will work on getting members certified to go on shark dives.

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Advising

Sydney is also a successful businesswoman. She is the founder of Tidal Tees Apparel, an ocean apparel company. She donates 100% of profits to ocean conservation nonprofits. She runs the company by herself and creates all of the designs herself. She founded the company when she was a senior in high school and sells everything from sweatshirts and hats, to phone cases and beach towels. “Tidal Tees has donated to Sea Shepherd, The Ocean Cleanup, The Cousteau Society, Pristine Seas, The Coral Restoration Foundation, Bimini Sharklab, Orca Conservancy, and The Black Fish.” She picks a new company each month and donates to it.

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All University Scholars are encouraged to make use of their Advisors. From academic planning to research to general advice, the University Scholars Advisors are an invaluable resource to students. Please feel free to contact any of your advisors by email.

-Brian Colle brian.colle@stonybrook.edu -Jeremy Marchese jeremy.marchese@stonybrook.edu -David Maynard david.maynard@stonybrook.edu Congratulations on another great year, and from the entire Torch staff, have a wonderful summer!

For the most up-to-date information please visit the Scholars Website at:

Photo: Francesca conte

She chose Stony Brook specifically because she loves the diverse marine life and ecosystems on Long Island. “This, along with having our marine lab so close to main campus, allows for so many unique opportunities in Marine Biology from shellfish restoration to shark tagging! I’m also interested specifically in sea turtles and sharks, both of which are offered as specific classes for Marine Vertebrate Biology majors.” After she obtains her degree, Sydney wants to become a researcher and be out on the ocean. She wants her research focus to aid with conservation and preservation of threatened species such as sharks and sea turtles.

First day of classes Major/minor changes end Add/drop/swap deadline Move-up/drown-down Fall break Major/minor changes begin for Spring 2020; G/P/NC deadline; Course withdrawal; section/credit change; Thanksgiving Break LOA/Term withdrawal; Last day of classes Reading day Finals begin

www.stonybrook.edu/uscholars

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