March 2011 Insight Magazine

INSIGHT U N R I N S I G H T. C O M

[THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO’S STUDENT MAGAZINE]

Post Grad Route Unpaid Internships

Dating a Coworker Joining the Work Force

MARCH 2011 VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 5

FIRST COPY FREE SECOND COPY $3.50

PHOTO BY SEBASTIAN DIAZ

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Contents

4 EDITOR LETTER

MARCH 2011

5 BEHIND INSIGHT

6 UNRinsight.com Check out Insight’s web content.

7 MONTH BY MONTH Interesting facts about the workforce including dirty former jobs of celebrities.

8 PACK PROFILE

Insight delves into the philosophy of a veteran art teacher.

10 WALK ON FOOTBALL PLAYER

The trials and successes of a walk-on athlete.

12 POST GRADUATION OPTIONS

The future may be bright for college graduates after all.

18 LANDING A JOB

How to get the job you want, told from a person who has learned the hard way.

20 LEGALITY OF UNPAID INTERNSHIPS Is it legal for you to be an unpaid intern?

24 DATING A COWORKER The peaks and valleys of getting cozy with those who you’re forced to see every day.

26 BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE Horror stories from students who work with the public.

28 CALENDAR Find out what’s going on in your area this month.

30 IN HINDSIGHT Insight looks back at Home Economics 2011 March | Insight | 3

LETTER {

FROM THE

} EDITOR

T

hroughout college, it is easy to blind yourself with the goal of finding a career. Internships, graduate school, industry clubs and fraternities are all great activities for increasing your knowledge, but school shouldn’t be about all that. And in this time of radical budget cuts, the talk is about whether certain programs are worth continuing to fund. This talk is not just from University administrators either; it is in passing from students and faculty. While some programs, like the arts or languages may have less traditional jobs available than say the business degrees or engineering, there is no less value. It is for practical reasons that these programs exist. Our society needs musicians and artists just as much as we need scientists or teachers.

We all groan and gripe about having to take classes outside our field. Core humanities classes are the usual suspect, but just as much as I hear writers complain about science, I hear budding scientists complain about fine arts. The University is about learning though, not about getting a job. Some of the best college experiences I have heard about are from people who enjoyed learning and enjoyed being involved in fun clubs or sports. That’s what it is all about—fun.

Katie Goodwin Editor-in-Chief Katie Goodwin - Editor-in-Chief editor@unrinsight.com

Michael Gjurich - Multimedia Editor mgjurich@unrinsight.com

Jay Brissenden - Online Managing Editor jay@unrinsight.com

Jessie Gray - Assistant Multimedia Editor jessie@unrinsight.com

Sam DiSalvo - Print Managing Editor sam@unrinsight.com

Rachel Wright - Story Editor rachel@unrinsight.com

Geoff Roseborough - Design Editor geoff@unrinsight.com

Tara Verderosa - Story Editor tara@unrinsight.com

Sebastian Diaz - Photo Editor sebastian@unrinsight.com

Jazzmine Hudson - Publicity Director jazzmine@unrinsight.com

Derek Jordan - Webmaster webmaster@unrinsight.com

Nikki Grey - Web Story Editor nikki@unrinsight.com

The opinions expressed in this publication and its associated Web site are not necessarily those of the University of Nevada, Reno or the student body.

COVER PHOTO BY SEBASTIAN DIAZ

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www.unrinsight.com

Contributors: John Byrne Fielding Cathcart Jessica Estepa Jena Greenburg Sara Kam Clarissa León Geoff McFarland Cambria Roth Vicki Tam Damian Tromerhauser Evynn Tyler Amy Vigen

CLARISSA LEÓN

JESSICA ESTEPA

photo: TOM WILLIAMS

“More likely than not, my journalistic future isn’t going to be in newspapers.”

- me, February 2010 issue of Insight Magazine I was so sure. And I was so wrong.

After finishing up last May, I moved to Washington, D.C. for an internship at Roll Call, a newspaper that covers Congress and Capitol Hill life. I thought it would be something to do until I figured out my life.

Three weeks in, a position opened up. Two interviews and a copy editing test later, I got a job offer (exactly one month after my first day). At a newspaper. Who woulda thunk?

My official title is “editorial assistant.” I write features and other news stories, help produce the paper and assist on updating the social media accounts.

I’ve reviewed Smithsonian exhibits, met the politicians elected in November, hung out in the Capitol during the State of the Union and sat in the Democratic dugout at Nationals Stadium during the annual congressional baseball game (yes, there is such a thing).

Cliche as it sounds, I’m living the dream. I have no idea what comes next. But I’m sure of one thing: I’ve never been happier to be wrong.

BEHIND [insight]: flashback

Clarissa León became Insight’s first Editor in Chief in May 2008. Twelve months later it was her turn to pass the torch on, and, to graduate. After graduating college with years of experience and memories to share, she headed to New York City to intern with The Nation magazine, the oldest political weekly in the U.S. It was there she could pursue a career focused on investigative, long-form, narrative journalism. She finished her internship in New York and instead of staying there she opted for the rainy, cloudy days in Seattle, Wash. Seeing as the first Insight issue revolved around food, it’s no wonder that Clarissa now works as a Research Assistant for the award-winning author and food journalist, Tracie McMillan and her first book on food access and labor issues, Foodless. She’s visited the Insight office only a few times since graduating and is amazed at how much transformation the magazine has already gone through.

Back then, all she wanted to prove was that journalistic writing could be more than an inverted pyramid or a sound bite. It could be creative, descriptive, illuminating, and of course, insightful.

2011 March | Insight | 5

Weekly Blogs: Monday: Woman Writes - Marysa Falk A bi-weekly dose of empowered feminist perspective.

Czech Please (written by Lucas Combos) - The travelogue of one Insight foreign correspondent’s studies abroad in the Czech Republic.

Tuesday: This Band is Ugly - Charlie Woodman Weekly musings on music from a man with a song in his heart.

Wednesday: Thinking Outside the Closet - Estefania Cervantes Aviles A fashonista’s worldview of style.

Thursday: Up and Coming - Evynn Tyler A guide for getting low.

Friday: The Ripple Effect - Kevin McPherson An insider’s perspective on the world of volunteerism.

The Political Machine - Eric Thornley A bi-weekly commentary on politics.

Saturday: Overheard at UNR - Sam DiSalvo Campus conversations have never been so sensational.

St. Crazy’s - AJ Scoble One nurse’s amusing accounts of work at a hospital.

Sunday:

Hollywood Briss (written by Jay Brissenden) - Movie reviews and analysis from a mega-movie geek.

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Join the team!

Interested in writing, photography or multimedia? Insight meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Port of Subs in the Joe Crowley Student Union. For more information contact Jay Brissenden at jay@ unrinsight.com.

Up and Coming Operation Oral WORDS BY EVYNN TYLER Whether you know it or not, it is a simple fact of life that oral sex is a universal blessing.

I realize that it is very easy to disagree with the above sentiment, and with sound reasoning. After all, is oral sex not but the prequel to the “real” thing—penetration, moaning, sweat and all? Perhaps some might think so, but I’m inclined to disagree for a number of reasons. That having been established, allow me to supply you with an analysis of oral sex, which may change your mind. Also, allow me to do so using everyone’s favorite article mechanism: the list.

1. Oral sex is only long, tedious, and boring if you aren’t particularly good at it.

He doesn’t quite have the positioning right, but at least he’s practicing. Photo courtesy of Matt Wright.

It’s true. The majority of people who have told me that they dislike giving oral sex are the people who, when asked why exactly, simply say that they can’t get into it for any number of reasons.

Read the rest online at www.unrinsight.com

Month by Month: The Working World RESUME DISASTERS

Although spicing up the looks of your resume may be aesthetically pleasing to you, it can actually lose you the job you’re applying for. According to LifeClever, there are the “seven deadly sins” of resume writing, number 1 being fancy resume paper. Instead of splurging on special paper that office supply stores guarantee will get you the job (while employers are sure to make your strawberry scented paper the butt of all jokes), buy crème colored paper that is a bit heavier than the typical copy paper. It adds a touch of class and style while still being professional. Any other than decorations, such as displaying your superb artistic ability to draw a giraffe in a “over the hill” birthday hat with a glass of Metamucil, should be eliminated. LifeClever suggests using color sparing if at all, and set your resume apart from others by setting your name in a slightly larger font than the rest of your resume. LifeClever also discourages the use of weird paper sizes (anything other than 8.5 X 11in.) and the temptation to use landscape format. Your resume should stand out because of its content and not the paper it was typed upon.

EARLY JOBS OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS

THE MYTH OF THE LUNCH BREAK

If you’ve got an hour long lunch break, consider yourself lucky.

In a survey done by KFC, 63 percent of workers consider the lunch break the biggest myth of the office lifestyle. Steelcase reports that 55 percent of workers surveyed say they receive a half hour or less for lunch at work. Some workers choose not to take one at all so they can leave early. Though this may seem beneficial for quality time with family and friends, it is shown to decrease your productivity at work because of the lack of energy and a heightened level of stress. In 2005, a $172 million lawsuit was filed against WalMart by over 100,000 employees saying they were illegally denied their lunch break, or told they needed to clock back in before their break was over. The California workers won that suit. Legally, anyone receiving an hourly wage is supposed to receive a 30-minute lunch break and regular breaks. These stipulations slightly vary by state. The Energy Project has a “Take Back Your Lunch” movement which strives to enlighten employers about how the lunch break can change the worker’s entire day. The site’s blog says that eating at your desk isn’t enough, as it leaves you hungry and irritable. To fully enjoy the lunch break, one must go somewhere away from the office and eat mindfully. The group has meetups all over the world. You can join the Take Back Your Lunch movement at www.theenergyproject.com.

College jobs can make it seem like entering the workforce was a huge mistake. Before you start considering of the idea of welfare for a 31st time, consider that some of today’s icons also had some pretty miserable professions as well. Before Rod Stewart was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he had a slew of jobs, one being a gravedigger in London. Before that, he was a paperboy, a career that P. Diddy also pursued before hitting the big time. Sylvester Stallone starred in porn as the “Italian Stallion,” but before that odd job, he spent some time as a lion cage cleaner. Between the two of these jobs, Stallone spent much of his early career completely filthy. If you were curious, the “hardcore” porn footage of Sly Stallone has been lost. Quentin Tarantino saw many adult films as an usher at an adult movie theater in southern California. Other former careers include Rush Limbaugh shining shoes and Jerry Seinfeld selling light bulbs over the phone. Donald Trump earned his first of many nickels collecting soda bottles and exchanging them for deposit money, which proves that big money can come from quite humble beginnings. Danny DeVito worked in his sister’s hair salon as a hairdresser so he could meet girls. Mariah Carey dropped out of beauty school and was also fired from her job as a hat checker. Johnny Depp used to perform in KISS, B-52 and Iggy Pop tribute bands, earning about $25 a night. Similarly to the paperboy career route, ice cream shop worker may be a promising place to start as well, as Lucille Ball, Robin Williams and Julia Roberts all shoveled ice cream at one time in their lives. Chin up, guys!

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PACK PROFILE WORDS BY JENA GREENBURG PHOTOS BY SEBASTIAN DIAZ

Howard Rosenberg

H

oward Rosenberg thinks serendipity is a wonderful thing. “Things are meant to happen, certain ways…sometimes it’s fun to relinquish the control and see what happens,” Rosenberg says. After a professor left on sabbatical, Rosenberg came to the University Nevada Reno on a whim to take his place. Fortyfive years later, Rosenberg still teaches, and, is the chairman of the art department for the seventh time.

R

osenberg teaches a variety of art courses including art history, drawing, and film. Ryan Roberts, an art history major, took two of Rosenberg’s art history courses. “I liked how enthused he was about the subjects, and he always made class entertaining,” Roberts said. Rosenberg also likes to be relatively tough on students because he believes if they can get past him they will make it in the real world, “Tough love to a certain extent is a very good thing,” Rosenberg says.

Rosenberg definitely knows a lot about the real world. His experiences are of a wide variety. As he told stories about interviewing as a movie critic, he threw out names including Audrey Hepburn, Oprah Winfrey, and Robert De Niro. He asked Sophia Loren to run away with him, drank tea with Bette Davis, and asked Robin Williams to be semi-serious for forty-five seconds. He believes that all of these experiences enrich his teaching. Despite being offered other oppor8 | Insight | March 2011

tunities beyond UNR, Rosenberg says he loves teaching the most and he wants to stay here as long as possible, “There is no Howard Rosenberg without the kids,” Rosenberg says.

Although Rosenberg has been teaching for so long, he embraces the ever-changing learning style of students. He knows that students learn differently now mostly because of technology. It has been a challenge for him to find ways to connect because of these changes, but Rosenberg wants to embrace them anyways. Last semester when his students weren’t connecting the information he was teaching, he asked them what he needed to do to help them learn. “I told them I would try four different approaches,” Rosenberg says, and they worked together to find the best one.

He believes that the university system will be drastically different in ten years, but he wants to be a part of that change. “Come back in ten years, I’ll still be here,” Rosenberg says.

HOWARD ROSENBERG has worked in the art department at UNR for over 40 years.

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Profile: Anthony Martinez WORDS BY DAMIAN TROMERHAUSER PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOHN BYRNE NEVADA MEDIA SERVICES

W

ith an icy chill hanging in the air over Mackay Stadium, fans stood and clambered over one another to watch as Nevada lined up to attempt a game-winning field goal in overtime against the Boise State Broncos. As the ball was snapped, the play began to develop in slow motion. Gradually, the ball rose above the desperate hands of the Boise State players grasping on to the last moments that they would remain perfect.

Cutting through the cold, the kick split the uprights right down the middle. The college football world had just been formally introduced to Anthony Martinez.

S

tepping onto the field, Martinez had every reason imaginable to be nervous and doubt himself. One of the best kickers in the nation, Kyle Brotzman, had just missed not one, but two regularly routine field goals that would have won the game for the third-ranked Broncos.

Now, all of the pressure shifted onto Martinez’s foot. In the most nerve-racking situation of his life, the red-shirt freshman calmly and collectedly went through his normal routine and put the finishing touches on the biggest victory in program history. Not once did he question that he would make the kick.

“I didn’t have any doubts,” Martinez says. “I just go out there and kick. Take three steps back, two to the left, take a deep breath, and just kick. As soon as I walked onto the field, I didn’t have any doubts at all.”

That is the type of player that Martinez is. He believes in himself, and that faith forces others around him to believe in him as well.

“I had all the confidence in the world that he was going to make that kick,” Jim Snelling, who was Martinez’s defensive coordinator in high school and is now the head coach at McQueen, says. “Whenever the pressure has been on Anthony, he has always stayed calm through it. So when the game came down to him, I absolutely knew that he would come through.”

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Snelling witnessed Martinez’s heroics first hand in high school when Martinez scored the game-winning touchdown of the State Championship game his senior season. Football wasn’t Martinez’s first sport though. Actually, he was not introduced to the sport until he was 12-years-old by a friend’s father asking Martinez to come try out for his Pop Warner team because he saw that Martinez was fast. Even then, though, the kicking duties were not his main job.

“I was a kicker in Pop Warner, but I was never really just the kicker alone,” Martinez says. “I came up playing soccer and baseball, but playing football I was a running back and a corner and on special teams.”

At McQueen, Martinez played the same positions that he did in Pop Warner. After high school, Martinez had to decide what route he wanted to take his football career in. Division I schools are the highest level of college sports, and are usually the first step towards professional sports. Division II and III schools sponsor a smaller number of sports teams and the level of playing skills varies.

“I had some other opportunities, but they were to Division II and Division III schools,” Martinez says. “UNR was the only D-I that offered me a walk-on spot, and I didn’t really want to go to a Division II or Division III school, so I just came to UNR. Plus it’s close to home.”

Even when faced with the challenge of walking on and battling for a spot on the team and playing time, those who know Martinez knew that he would take advantage if given the chance to play.

“I knew he could do it,” Snelling says. “I really believed that he would win the job, so when I saw that he had earned a shot, it wasn’t a surprise to me. There are guys all over the country who get missed, don’t get that opportunity, so I knew Anthony wouldn’t let it pass him by.”

It’s that determination and competitive drive in Martinez that led Nevada head coach Chris Ault to decide to give Martinez a chance to take over the kicking duties for the Wolf Pack.

“You can see, when he misses a kick in practice, he’s very competitive,” Ault says. “He wants to get right back on the horse and do it again. He wants to be perfect. He just gets in and gets his job done.”

Still, even after being given the shot to take over the kicking responsibilities for the Wolf Pack, Martinez still had a lot of work ahead of him.

“Really, if you knew where Anthony was when he first came here, he was not a very good kicker,” Ault says. “He had a strong leg, but he wasn’t quite there yet. He made some improvements, but not enough for us to say ‘Boy, that’s our

guy,’ and when he came back this season, it’s evident he worked hard through spring, through summer, to be the kicker he was (in the game against Boise). He’s a competitor. I think that’s his biggest attribute. He’s one of those guys who will continue to compete to get better.”

Now Martinez’s focus turns to next season and continuing to improve.

“This year was all about just playing,” Martinez says. “Next season, I set the goal for myself to try to be the best kicker in at least the WAC, and if anything after that, then to be the best kicker in the nation.”

It is this mindset that makes Coach Ault happy that Martinez is kicking for Nevada.

“Those are the kind of guys you want playing for you,” Ault says. “We need a guy like that, who’s comfortable and confident and will improve. The experience he got this year with the games we were in will just make him that much better next year. And I have a lot of confidence in him to do what it takes to get better. All I can say for everyone else is ‘Hang on!’”

With the determination and confidence that Martinez has, hanging on may be the only option that other teams have when he steps on the field to kick.

ANTHONY MARTINEZ kicks the winning fieldgoal against the Boise State Broncos last football season.

2011 March | Insight | 11

TIANA PIRTLE, CABNR’s 2010 recipient of the University’s Senior Scholar Award, is traveling to Mongolia to study the Przewalksi horse population in Hustai Nuruu National Park.

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Oh The Places You’ll Go!

WORDS BY GEOFF MCFARLAND PHOTO BY FIELDING CATHCART

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or the graduating student, those opening lines from Dr. Seuss are probably as familiar as mortarboard, as are his classic illustration of roads in all directions.

But how many UNR graduates are going to choose to take Seuss literally, to get up and go? How many students plan to travel following graduation?

Not many, according to the University‘s Office of Assessment. The office conducted a survey asking December 2010 University of Nevada, Reno graduating students to describe their plans following commencement. Thirty-five percent of expectant graduates intended to continue their studies in a graduate, professional or other educational program. Fifty-five percent anticipated finishing school and immediately entering the job market.

Only 4 percent expressed plans to travel.

Not only were UNR graduates overwhelmingly likely to settle rather than travel, a second survey by the same office found that graduates, once settled, were unlikely to move. Tracking UNR alumni graduating between August 2000 and May 2008, the survey found that among the 81 percent of graduates who had found work, 78 percent worked in Nevada. More than three fourths of these graduates hadn’t left Washoe County.

Now, it’s almost certainly a good thing that so many Nevada graduates stay in the state. But these numbers do beg the question: why do so few UNR students opt for travelling, whether it be in-country or abroad? And what kind of student

comprises the four percent who do plan to hazard beyond the backdrop of the Sierras? What compels them?

Tiana Pirtle laughs.

“I mean, it’s the chance to observe the last truly wild horse population remaining. In their native habitat. In Mongolia!”

Pirtle has just graduated with high distinction from the UNR College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources. She was CABNR’s 2010 recipient of the University’s Senior Scholar Award, distinguishing her as the top graduating senior in the college. But Pirtle is not looking for a job offer, or applying to graduate school; she’s packing.

Pirtle is traveling to Hustai Nuruu National Park, in central Mongolia, to work toward restoring wild Przewalksi horse populations. Almost hunted to extinction in 1969, the horses have been recently reintroduced to wild Mongolia.

Pirtle will run with and monitor the still little-studied harems of Przewalksi while living in a traditional wood and wool yurt type tent.

“Which is pretty basic,” she laughs, “but it means I’ll be able to interact with the locals and experience something of traditional nomadic Mongolian culture.”

Experience has always been the goal.

Still optimistic and ambitious about her education, Pirtle believes time to travel and think will help her refine her aspirations.

“Traveling abroad showed me what I wanted to do before,” she says, recalling a 2009 internship in Kenya. “Now

my ideal master’s thesis would involve African mammalian or reptilian conservation. I’m hoping this year off will help me focus, after which I’ll return to the States and start to apply graduate programs.”

“Still,” she admits, “I’ve been in school so long, it’ll be nice to finally have a breather.”

An assignment to chase wild horses on mountain steppe—and after 2 months in Mongolia, Pirtle has planned monthlong tours each through China and India. That’s a breather?

“Of course it is! It’ll be so freeing.

Learning something in a classroom can never compare to experiencing it firsthand,” she grins. “I advise any student to travel as much as they can.”

Why? “Because spending time among other groups gives you unique insight and appreciation for the beauty of human culture. We live in a global village, and we have to interact with people of dramatically different worldviews. And nothing could be more fun!”

Insights, worldviews and fun. And maybe, some time to think about what comes next. In that 2010 University survey, many graduates, when asked about their future plans, simply said “Unsure.”

Unsure—caught between work and school, that looming diploma and all that uncertainty, maybe we all should all consider taking a breather?

Who knows the places you’ll go?

2011 March | Insight | 13

F

or many students, the path from graduation to a full-time career is an easy and stress-free one. However, for others this journey is the complete opposite and they don’t know what is coming.

Nationally, 19.7 percent of those who earned a college diploma in 2009 found a job, compared with 51 percent in 2007, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. The process from four years at a university, to a full-time job isn’t always an easy one and if trends like these continue, it may make the transition even harder.

Cherie Eliot graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a degree in Neuroscience and is now a personal trainer at a gym. She believes that although the transition is not necessarily bad, it just doesn’t suit her.

“Its different because I’ve never had to work a full time job and I don’t really like it. I would rather be in school and that is a reason why i’m applying for medical schools,” Eliot says.

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eing a personal trainer and having her own business pushed her to build her clientele and learn skills she had never had to use before.

“The biggest thing for me is not getting paid for every hour I am working,” Eliot says. “I’ve also never worked in sales, so being put in a position where I had to sell was hard.”

Eliot does acknowledge the major difference in routine from college to living in the real world with a job and long hours.

“In college, I was in classes, studying in the library and hanging out with friends, but now I have to get up early for work, have a break in the middle of the day and then go back to work in the evening.” She says.

For others, post-graduation was more difficult and led to not only self realizations, but also career changes. Courtney Maddock graduated from UNR in 2008 with big hopes and dreams in the world of journalism.

She enjoyed her experience at UNR and throughout college she had a part time paid position at the Daily Sparks Tribune.

“When I graduated in may, I pursued other jobs with other media outlets and I was offered a job with the Reno-Gazette Journal,” Maddock says. “I reluctantly left the Sparks Tribune, but I felt like I needed to grow in my career and even though I didn’t see it as a risk at the time, it was a risk.”

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WORDS BY CAMBRIA ROTH

She began working at the RGJ in July 2008 and was accepted to attend the Fulbright Berlin Seminar and when she returned in November 2008, her supervisor told her that her position was being cut at the newspaper.

“I think being 23 years old at the time, I felt like things like lay-offs and the economy wouldn’t affect me,” Maddock says. “In my mind, I didn’t have enough capital or assets that would be affected by things like bail outs or a job loss.”

She received a reality check when she was forced to apply for unemployment in January 2009. She worked diligently to be rehired at the Daily Sparks Tribune in June 2010.

“I had to work hard because just like I took a risk in leaving, they took a risk in bringing me back because they knew my ambitions,” Maddock says. “It would be easy for my boss to feel that he was in a position that could backfire if they rehired me and I left because I found something better a week later.”

Maddock says she realized the difference between a job and a career, in that, a job is day to day and a career is what you do for your entire life.

While the financial shock wasn’t as severe in her transition from college to a job, the sense of failure did take a toll.

“I was shocked at how unprepared I was to admit to myself that my skills weren’t strong enough to find another job immediately,” Maddock says. “It was depressing and put a large strain on my relationships as I received rejection after rejection.”

She says the worst rejection line was, ‘Sorry, we went with someone who has more experience.’

“It started to make me feel like, well if no one is going to take a chance and give me an interview and see that i’m smart enough or will work hard enough, then i’ll never gain enough experience to be the person with experience,” Maddock says.

Being out of a job helped her to realize that she would like to pursue a different career field that is more reliable and she hopes to go to law school.

Both Maddock and Eliot stress the importance of doing something you love, because otherwise, you won’t enjoy it.

“Try to do something you like, I know a lot of people who get a degree in business and they hate their job,” Eliot says.

“If you don’t enjoy it, then you won’t enjoy going to your job everyday.”

While many graduates this May hope to begin their futures and careers as soon as they walk across that stage, it will take hard work and effort to make that diploma count.

“When you graduate, you feel like everything will be amazing and you get a chance to build this new life, but there is a disproportionate view of success in our country and true success takes time,” Maddock says.

M WORDS BY VICKI TAM IILLUSTRATION BY GEOFF ROSEBOROUGH

“I

f you really know what you want to do, … then it’s best that you just continue because that’s where your interests are (and if) you’re excited about that, you would continue,” says associate dean of UNR’s graduate school Marsha Read, PhD. “There’s a whole bunch of other people who come to graduate school after they have work experience and want to change their focus, or they want to increase their expertise in a particular area. So for them, it’s having had that experience and solidifying what it is they really want to do when they grow up or what they want to do with their lives.”

More than 3,000 currently attend graduate school at Nevada, according to the UNR graduate school’s website. Many undergraduate students who consider graduate school have an idea by their junior year to continue studying or not for an advanced degree at the master’s or doctoral level, Read says.

“You’ve probably done well as an undergraduate, so you know how to go to class,” Read says. “You know how to take notes.

You know how to take tests. You’re just going to do a little bit more of that. You will have more reading. You might have more requirements, where you’re going to have to participate, like at seminars and discussions.”

The cost per graduate level credit is $246.50, and UNR’s graduate program

en and women in black gowns gather together for their graduation ceremony with family and friends, smiling proudly at what they have achieved in the last few years.

They finally have a bachelor’s degree to show to future employers – something more than a high school diploma. Some will go out in the world to begin job searching, but others will stay behind to begin a journey of studying all over again – graduate school.

With an in-depth focus on over 70 programs at the University of Nevada, Reno’s graduate school, a student can continue to expand one’s passion for what he or she enjoys learning about. Graduate school is not just for recent graduates. In fact, international students and individuals who decide to go back to school also apply for graduate school. Some individuals decide that they would like to earn an advanced degree or they realize they want to continue learning about a certain field of study.

offers students graduate assistantships, which are state or grant funded positions.

Students will teach undergraduate classes, grade papers, and conduct research in laboratories.

As a recent civil engineering graduate, Mark Talavera, 22, believes money is a main issue for him not attending a graduate program. For now, he is searching for engineering-related jobs to save up some money to attend graduate school one day in the future. He’s thinking of obtaining a master’s degree and is currently looking into schools with an architecture program rather than engineering. Depending on where his options take him, he may decide to go to another university’s graduate school.

“I think a master’s would benefit me because right now, especially with the economy, even with a bachelor’s degree, the work field is very, very competitive,” Talavera says. “I really want a career I am very competent in and I think getting a master’s would help make you more knowledgeable in the work field.”

Twenty-five year old Corinne Jung, a first year UNR graduate student in the psychology department, came to Nevada’s graduate program to continue her studies in the cognitive and brain sciences research studies.

“I wanted to do things working in a research environment and all those types of jobs required an advanced degree,” Jung says. “I want my career to be very researchoriented. I have this great opportunity here.

I have the resources here. I have a great faculty and peers, so I might as well take advantage of that. It’s not just about the end goal and getting my degree and moving forward. I plan on enjoying everything I learn while I’m here, too.”

UNR’s graduate school provides a similar curriculum and programs to other institutions. It offers students a chance to get involved in research that relates to their respective study and to teach others about their results and discoveries through doing projects, writing thesis papers, and becoming a teacher assistant. The faculty also helps prepare students for their future goals by mentoring the students.

Because graduate school is both research and teaching based, Jung says it’s not so much as being a student who studies, but also becoming an active participant in doing her own work. The faculty members are there to provide guidance and extra assistants for her if she needs the help. Jung and her peers are trying to begin work on a study on Inter-hemispheric Communication and Long-range Connectivity in Autism.

“Faculty tells their students is to remember that when you get into graduate school, it’s important to be part of that graduate community,” Read says. “Make contact with faculty and associates in the program so that you have sort of a support system for when things are more difficult for you.

Sometimes, it helps to know that other people have been there (and) got through it.”

2011 March | Insight | 15

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2011 March | Insight | 17

Landing a Job the WORDS BY TARA VERDEROSA PHOTO BY GEOFF ROSEBOROUGH

Right Way

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was sixteen years old when I applied for my first job at Smith’s grocery store. I was eager to join the workforce and be considered an adult.

But most importantly, I ached to financially support my undying love for tween magazines and bad pop music. Having received a call back earlier that day, I rushed to the store, certain that my fantastic people skills would land me a job. In my everyday blue jeans and wrinkled polo shirt, I walked into Smith’s. I would be confident. I would be honest. I would be the perfect employee.

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en minutes later, my dreams of becoming a friendly cashier were beginning to plummet. Not only did employees have to begin as cart pushers (or what they deceivingly title “courtesy clerks”), but they expected me to give up my weekends of sleeping in and my holidays. But I stuck to my guns. Can I work holidays? No. Can I work weekends? Not before noon or after 7 p.m. Are you okay pushing carts? Not really. I was hoping to shine produce, or work the nifty meat cutter at the deli counter. I remembered always being told that “honesty” was the best policy, and was again reassured of my answers. No one sent me the memo that this did not hold true in job interviews.

To all of the Smith’s employees that I offended almost six years ago, I apologize. I am sorry for assuming I would easily take one of your future jobs as site manager. I’m sorry for wasting your time at an interview for a job I never truly wanted. But most importantly, I thank you. Thank you for denying me the privilege of pushing carts, in the sweltering Las Vegas sun. Thank you for teaching me that job interviews aren’t about confidence and honesty. They are about abandoning your sense of self, and telling people what they want to hear. But with my first, disastrous, interview came an epiphany. One that I hope will help everyone achieve their cart-pushing goals in the future.

18 | Insight | March 2011

THE HUNT

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“We’re always accepting applications.” he four dreaded words on a job hunt. Sure, they’re accepting, but no one mentioned they were using your wellthought-out application as a fire starter, or a dart board in the break room. First and foremost, do your homework.

If you’re applying for a job, make sure they’re hiring. And if you ask, you will know. If the sweet hostess tells you that they’re “always accepting applications,” she’s not lying. But it’s not flirting – its protocol. Because in all honesty, if a venue was hiring, you’d know about it. Signs would be posted, Craigslist would be imploding, and the employees would be screaming it from their rooftops – anything to avoid another seven day work week or 12 hour shift. Nobody likes being understaffed.

With that being said, check the Internet (sites like Craigslist or Monster are gold). Consider the season (this often indicates what types of businesses are hiring), and open your ears, because more often than not, the employee screaming from his rooftop will be your tip to an opening.

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THE APPLICATION

nce you’ve ascertained that your application will actually be reviewed, it’s best to consider what you actually put on it. Pro tip #1: day old barbecue sauce or a lemonade ring from last night’s dinner will not be helpful. Keep this in mind when and where you are filling out your application. If remnants of your last meal, weather marks, or your little brother’s footprints show up on your application, it’s best to fill out a new one. If your first obligation to a company is sloppy, why would they assume your later work would be any different? In terms of actually filling out the application, keep a couple things in mind. First and foremost, the “expected earnings” section is a trap. Unless you’re Mark Zuckerberg, it’s unlikely that you’ll be setting your price. As a matter of fact, the price is already set, and it was set years before you ever considered the job. This is the part of the game where you display your flexibility and modesty by penning the word “negotiable” into the box.

That may seem vague, but on a job application, less is always more.

Many applications may also ask why you left your place of employment. And while it’s incredibly tempting to reference your “crazy boss,” “perverted cubicle neighbor,” or “lack of excitement,” I’d save it for drunken holiday parties. Employers want to hear that you’re looking to move up in the world, that you wanted to do something better for yourself and the community, and that their job seems awesome. In laymen’s terms, they don’t want you to kick your previous employers in the ass, they just want you to kiss theirs.

Facebook. Consider it an extension of your application and your resume. While employers will certainly see your three years of management experience, they’ll also see you doing a kegstand with your “bros” if you aren’t intelligent about your Internet use. If you’re even remotely serious about getting a job, customize your account. We’re past the days when simply making your page private is enough. Employers want to see you have “personality,” just not the belligerent boozy kind. Unblock your grandma friendly content. Let employers see your previous work info, favorite quotations and volunteering pictures. Showing a bit of yourself isn’t bad. But keep your wall and tagged photos private. Just because you don’t post kegger pictures, doesn’t mean your best friend won’t tag you in them.

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THE INTERVIEW

job interview is a test of people skills and manipulation. Your ability to distract from your flaws and emphasize your value is essential. In many ways, it’s the coffee date or bar meeting of the professional world. You present yourself as you want to be seen, so dress appropriately. Consider the environment you will be working in, and dress one step more professional. While you may never wear slacks, or iron your polo again, it’s the thought that counts.

Always be polite and respectful of the interviewer. Remember that this is their court, not yours. They don’t owe you a job.

Remember that as the interviewee, you are formally pleading for someone to pay your bills. So grovel. Research the company so you can make valid compliments of the organization and reiterate why you want to work there. Be willing to agree to any hours.

Dinner dates, yoga sessions, Star Trek marathons and even classes can almost always be moved to a different time.

Most importantly, keep a positive attitude. Don’t criticize old employers or work experiences. Don’t dig too deep when they ask your greatest weakness, and don’t be discouraged if they mention a skill you aren’t familiar with. Most employers are not looking for someone to walk on the job all-knowing. Really, they are looking for someone with the right attitude and adaptability to learn the job quickly and efficiently.

2011 March | Insight | 19

WILL WORK FO R FREE EXPERIENCE WORDS BY KATIE GOODWIN PHOTOS BY SEBASTIAN DIAZ

20 | Insight | March 2011

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he unpaid internship—it is the bane of our existence. A slow economy and increased competition for entry level jobs combine: unpaid internships galore.

And so the students take them, sometimes with reluctance but more often with eagerness to learn and gain the coveted “in” that leads to so many real-world jobs. That “in” is no phantom. A recent study of employers reported that 44.6 percent of new hires came from internship programs, according to the 2010 Internship and Co-op Survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. The incentive is undeniable.

2011 March | Insight | 21

Regulated but not enforced Just because an employer offers an unpaid internship does not mean that company is in compliance with the law.

If the employer does not meet any of the six federal guidelines, the intern may be entitled to inclusion within the Fair Labor Standards Act. Layman’s terms: the internship should be paid.

Should your internship be paid?

Guidelines for students • If the training, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in a vocational school; • If the training is for the benefit of the trainee; • If the trainees do not displace regular employees, but work under close observation; • If the employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainees and, on occasion, the employer’s operations are actually impeded; • If the trainees are not necessarily entitled to employment at the completion of the training period; • If the employer and the trainees understand that the trainees are not entitled to wages for the time spent in training.

If the employer does not meet any of these six federal guidelines, then the intern should be considered an employee.

These are subject to interpretation.

Congress passed the FLSA in 1938.

This act defined the difference between an employee and a trainee while also creating a national minimum wage, guaranteeing overtime for certain jobs and setting limitations on child labor.

The guidelines became what is now the litmus test for determining whether an intern should be paid or unpaid.

Some states are cracking down on alleged abuses of these unpaid internships.

State departments of labor in Oregon and California have begun investigating companies that may be abusing student 22 | Insight | March 2011

MISHA RAY, a senior at UNR studying journalism, has completed six internships during the last year.

labor under the guise of unpaid internships, according to an article in the New York Times. According to Deanne Amaden, regional director of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Labor, complaints from interns after completing their assignment is not usually a problem.

In nearly every college at UNR there is an option to gain credit for an internship. Many of these programs formally require some sort of field work. One of the most time-intensive internship is student teaching which is required in order to become a licensed teacher.

UNR’s College of Education requires el-

ementary education students to complete the internship which is also a 12 credit class during their last semester.

UNR’s Reynolds School of Journalism is another program among many on campus that requires an internship.

Warren Lerude, professor of emeritus, has been involved in assigning journalism students internships for more than 30 years. He recalls that when he was a journalism student at UNR, internships were not allowed to be paid.

“It was rather goofy” says Lerude. At the time of his internship with a newspaper, he was working for the AP (Associated Press) and a Reno bureau.

The rule against paid internships has changed and now faculty prefer paid internships, as those employers tend to treat interns more professionally. Certain industries within journalism are less willing however, according to Lerude.

Broadcast internships rarely pay.

“I think it has to do with supply and demand,” says Lerude.

Despite industry, the common justification for working for free is the valuable experience that students receive. Misha Ray, a senior at UNR studying journalism, has completed six internships during the last year. She considers her experience a reason to continue taking internships.

Of her six internships, only one has been paid, an on-campus internship in media relations. Other organizations she has worked for include Planned Parenthood, Rory Reid’s campaign for governor, Washoe Democrats, Bureau of Land Management and Senator Harry Reid. Ray works currently for both media relations and Senator Harry Reid.

All but one position have been in public relations, the exception being for Harry Reid where she performs in administrative functions.

Throughout her experience, Ray says that she has had relatively the same amount of expectations, regardless of pay. She has had only one bad experience, with the Rory Reid campaign but she says that was due to the nature of the campaign, not due to her mentor.

“I didn’t have a lot to do,” says Ray. “There was a lack of structure.”

So, You Think You Should Be Paid?

Willy Franzen is the founder of OneDayOneInternship.com, a website that posts a new job or internship each day of the week. He hesitates to post unpaid internship offers.

“We feature the unpaid ones begrudgingly because we want to be sure that our readers get a broad view of what kind of internships are out there,” Franzen wrote in a 2008 blog post on his website. This sentiment still holds true.

“Technically by the letter of the law it’s illegal,” says Franzen. “Any for-profit

company should pay interns.” He acknowledges that non-profit organizations are a gray area because often they do not have the resources to do so.

He warns that one major downfall to unpaid internships is that students are not protected by labor laws including overtime or discrimination regulations.

Another negative consequence is that unpaid internships tend to favor wealthy students, says Franzen. Students who must work more traditional jobs such as retail or food service may not have the opportunity to add another work commitment for free, while a student who is not required to work has more opportunity to work for free.

“I completely disagree with that,” says Ray who has worked throughout college to pay for school and living expenses. She says it’s about the sacrifices students are willing to make.

The bottom line is that unpaid internships can have intangible benefits, if they are executed in a manner that will help students. Franzen says that as with many jobs, there is room for negotiation about pay.

“Don’t go in with guns laid, that won’t get you anywhere.” He says the intern should tell the employer that you will be valuable and to reconsider paid employment after a trial period of work.

Where to find internships?

At any given time, paid and unpaid internships are promoted on Career Navigator, a service provided for students and alum at the University of Nevada, Reno. The service is a relic of a once-

funded Career Development department.

Career Development was eliminated in 2009 due to higher education budget cuts. Individual departments are now responsible for providing career services to students.

Some of the most recommended ways to find internships is through industryrelated clubs. Ray found her paid internship with media relations through the campus-recognized Public Relations Student Society of America. Franzen recommends approaching the company that a student is interested in working for, even if they do not post any information regarding internships online.

Some advice before taking the unpaid or paid internship?

Franzen and Ray say to outline expectations before committing.

“Before you take that, ask questions,” says Amaden.

2011 March | Insight | 23

Dating in the Work Place WORDS BY SAM DISALVO PHOTO BY SEBASTIAN DIAZ

“It gets messy when the coworker you're dating is more into the relationship than you are and they choose to tell other coworkers— bosses included—the status of the relationship.”

24 | Insight | March 2011

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inding coworkers attractive and acting upon desires has been going on since Cleopatra and Julius Caesar had their tryst BC. Whether this happens because coworkers genuinely find each other worthy of dating or because they don’t really know anyone outside of the infernal region called the workplace, it goes on everyday. Of course, there’s the risk that dating someone at work could make one’s job worse than ever imagined, but that chance doesn’t seem to stop some coworkers from cohabiting.

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ccording to the BLR Human Resource Network, 39 percent of the people surveyed said they’d consider it and four in 10 people have already had a fling with a coworker. Although 25 percent of these relationships were simply flings, the same percentage ended in marriage, proving the office worker ogling might be worth taking to the next level. Lesley Beavers, a 21-year-old criminal justice and psychology major, met her boyfriend while working at Krispy Kreme three years ago. She has been with him ever since, but thinks a lot of this has to do with the fact that they had faith their relationship would last, and it wasn’t just a casual encounter in the workplace. She thinks her job served as just another place to meet people, and it is actually advantageous to date someone at work if you don’t have a lot of leisure time.

“Meeting people through work is simply convenient, so if you find yourself short on time to go out, it’s definitely an easy place to make a connection,” Beavers says.

Some other students, though, have not had the same positive experience Beavers had. Twenty-year-old Chelsea* said that the relationship may seem like the perfect idea at first, but can soon lead to awkward work situations and unwanted gossip. “(Dating a coworker) can be really cool because you think you’ve met this fantastic person who you’ll get to see everyday and get excited about,” Chelsea says. “It gets messy when the coworker you’re dating is more into the relationship than you are and they choose to tell other coworkers—bosses included— the status of the relationship.”

Chelsea’s work relationships, like 27 percent of all work relationships, failed. Chelsea blames gossip that clued all of her coworkers into her personal life. In turn, this affected her work performance. “Having that shadow cast over what you do at work taints your day and how you are viewed by the people you work with” Chelsea says.

Because of situations like Chelsea’s, some employers have prohibited romantic relationships between coworkers. The

Port of Subs in the Joe Crowley Student Union is one of these establishments that either splits up the people having a relationship so that they are on different shifts, or transfers one of the people to a different store. Store manager Rhonda Gray acknowledges that people often become comfortable with the people they work with, but romantic relationships can lead to an unprofessional work setting. “Personal relationships tend to cause misunderstandings and complaints of special treatment, which creates a negative work environment,” Gray says.

However, this idea of the forbidden relationship may add to the excitement. Beavers recalls having the same rule enforced at Krispy Kreme and finding her relationship with her boyfriend even more appealing because of it.

“The two of you share a secret, so it’s something that can bring you closer when you first start dating,” Beavers says.

Whether or not there are rules prohibiting coworkers having romantic relationships, many having them tend to keep them a secret anyway. Almost 47 percent of women and 36 percent of men are hesitant to engage in relationships with coworkers because it could hurt their job prospects or endanger their place at their current job. Of the women that do date a coworker, 41 percent of them kept it a secret for these reasons, rather than because their employer had a policy against it. Only 31 percent of men kept it a secret, which might explain why Chelsea had such a hard time at her job with her relationship. Despite her bad experiences with work romances, she says that they still can be successful if you consider exactly what you’re getting into.

“A professional setting, regardless of how informal it is, puts the spotlight on your personal business, and if you’re ready to accept that, go for it,” Chelsea says. “If not, there’s surely someone worth getting excited about after work, outside of work.”

*Source chose to only use their first name to protect their identity.

2011 March | Insight | 25

CUSTOMER SERVICE NIGHTMARES WORDS BY SARA KAM PHOTOS BY SEBASTIAN DIAZ

P

robably everyone at one point or another has gone into a store or a restaurant and ran into a rude salesperson or server. But what’s it like on the other side of the spectrum? Do we as customers contribute to the poor service we complain about? Working with a diverse array of customers on a daily basis can be a tricky business and according to some of University of Nevada Reno’s college workers it can be a long, long day at work.It seems that storming into the bookstore, throwing your book on the counter and demanding explanations is a common ploy that customers use in a bookstore.

Biology major Miguel Hernandez encountered a difficult customer recently at the ASUN bookstore.

“A woman came into the store and you could tell she was mad,” Hernandez says.

“She throws her book on the counter 26 | Insight | March 2011

and starts saying the f-bomb every two words.”

Apparently she had ordered the wrong book on Amazon and tried to make it seem like she bought it from the bookstore. Then she tried to blame it on the store when they didn’t even carry the book she had.

“I’ve never had a customer swear at me,” Hernandez says.

Hernandez apologized that there was nothing else he could do and the customer he was trying to help responded, “Don’t say sorry, that’s not in your vocabulary.”

Animal science major Kim Labuda has been in a similar situation at the bookstore.

“This person came in that bought the wrong book, throws it on counter, was very rude, didn’t want our help and the return date was overdue,” Labuda says.

Labuda adds that customers do not sympathize with student workers as much as they should.

“I hate when people throw me their schedule and say, ‘find these for me’,” Labuda says. “I will show you how to find them but not find all of them for you. Customers don’t have manners to ask for help. We’re on the same boat, looking for books and paying for them.”

She says that customers complain and yell at her because of high prices when she doesn’t have control over the cost.

A major pet peeve for Hernandez is when customers try to tell him how to do his job or don’t listen when he explains that the less expensive used books are put out for sale first so, there are none in the back. When looking for books, customers don’t realize that someone had to put them in order in the first place, not putting books back where they were

found slows down workers’ productivity.

Another common issue is customers who don’t read or don’t understand the return policies.

“A lady came in and tried to return her books,” Hernandez says. “She missed the deadline by a week and said she had the stomach flu and couldn’t come in. She was trying to work around the policy.

I think the customer is responsible to follow the rules when there is an attachment on the receipt.”

Interior design major Karmel Kwan works at a local sandwich shop and says it’s quite annoying when customers come in and tell her they have a problem with the company itself.

“One of the worst would probably be a customer who blatantly and shamelessly kept dissing our product and comparing us to a major competitor’s chain,” Kwan says. “The customer kept on suggesting

how he would do things better if it were up to him and was rude to everyone who was making his sandwich.”

Sociology major Kenny Smith works at a popular chain restaurant and wishes he got treated like an actual person rather than a machine.“I hate when people don’t let you introduce yourself,” Smith says. “They just want to order right away. We aren’t McDonalds and I’d like to be a bit more social with customers.” Suddenly, Smith started to stare into space, imitating a certain type of customer.“Or after you introduce yourself and they just stare at you. Even after I ask if they want water they just look at me. Emotionally dead customers are the worst,” he says.

He also says that customers change their mind about what they ordered and it is a waste of product and time for the restaurant.

“This one time I had to serve a big family,” Smith says. “They didn’t keep their kids under control. This five-yearold tore a menu in half. Another was literally crawling on top on the table.

There were kids under the table and the parents were just sitting there,” Smith says. Then laughing, he says “This ain’t Chuck E. Cheese.”

Since there are two sides to every customer/employee transaction, the next time you stop by your favorite store or go out to your favorite restaurant, remember that the people working there have had many other customers before you and are people just like you. Sometimes the customer is not always right.

2011 March | Insight | 27

MARCH EVENTS ALBUM RELEASES March 22 James Blake -- James Blake Soundgarden -- Live on I5 The Strokes -- Angles Yellowcard - When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes March 29 Bibio -- Mind Bokeh Florence + the Machine -The Mountain Goats -- All Eternals Deck Peter Bjorn & John - Gimme Some Doggumentary – Snoop Dogg Femme Fatale – Britney Spears

THEATRICAL RELEASES March 25 Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules Starring Devon Bostick, Robert Capron, Zachary Gordon Sucker Punch Starring Abbie Cornish, Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens

THEATRE March 25-26 The Fantasticks Good Luck Macbeth Theater, 322-3716; www.goodluckmacbeth.org

MUSIC/SHOWS March 21 Senses Fail at The Alley, 6:30 p.m., all ages 775-358-8891 $15

28 | Insight | March 2011

March 26 Taj Mahal at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe 7:30 p.m., all ages 800-427-7247 $40 March 29 Professor Gall at Studio on 4th, 8:00 p.m., all ages 775-786-6460 $5

COMMUNITY EVENTS

March 21 Rally for Education: Fight the Budget Cuts.

Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members from across the State will stand together at the State Legislature to oppose the drastic proposed budget cuts to education. Buses for the first 500 students will leave from the Joe Crowley Student Union Plaza at 8:45am for the 10 am Rally at the Legislature in Carson City 8:45 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Student Union Plaza / Legislature in Carson City March 22 The Protection of Cultural Diversity: Language Rights and Legal Pluralism This tenth annual conference of the Center for Basque Studies will bring together a select group of scholars from Europe, Oceania, Canada and the United States whose research broadly relates to the protection of cultural diversity: language rights and legal pluralism.

Center for Basque Studies- Knowledge Center 4:15 PM - Sat. March 26, 9:30 PM

March 23 Editing Shakespeare Dr. Eric Rasmussen, professor of English and 2010 F. Donald Tibbitts Distinguised Teacher Award, will discuss his extensive record of scholarship devoted to editing the works of Shakespeare.

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Ansari Business Building Room 109 March 25 Annual Black Student Organization Ball Join the Black Student Organization in their 24th Annual Ball. This year’s theme is “Honoring the Past; Stepping into the Future.”

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

JCSU Ballrooms B and C General Admission is $30.00 and for students $15.00 March 27 Graduate Recital featuring: Percussionist Trent Shuey This will be a great afternoon of new percussion and marimba music from the late twentieth century and early twentyfirst century.

3:00 p.m. = 5:00 p.m.

Nightingale Concert Hall, Church Fine Arts Building Free Second Annual Harp Plus Concert The Harp Plus Concert will feature University Harp Instructor Marina Roznitovsky performing solo and chamber music with colleagues and guest artists and culminate in a few pieces involving a large harp ensemble.

6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Nightingale Concert Hall, Church Fine Arts Building

APRIL EVENTS ALBUM RELEASES

MUSIC/SHOWS

April 5 Holy Ghost! - Holy Ghost!

Blood Pressures - The Kills

April 11 Bright Eyes at the Knitting Factory 7pm $26-$50 www.knittingfactory.com

April 12 Build a Rocket Boys! - Elbow C’mon - Low Tomboy - Panda Bear Share the Joy - Vivian Girls No Devolucion - Thursday April 19 Forever Today - I’m From Barcelona Hush - Clare May

THEATER April 8-9, 14-16, 21-23, 28-30 Mr. Beiderman & the Firebugs Bruka Theatre, 323-3221; www.bruka.org April 15, 16, 21-23, 28-30 A Midsummer Night’s Dream Redfield Proscenium Theater, 784-4278; www.unrschoolofthearts.org April 22-24 Fiddler on the Wolf Pioneer Center, 686-6600; www.pioneercenter.com April 1,2,8,9,15,16, 21-23 The Fantasticks Good Luck Macbeth Theater, 322-3716; www.goodluckmacbeth.org

April 13 Interpol at the Knitting Factory 7pm $27.50-$75 www.knittingfactory.com April 19 Gogol Bordello at the Knitting Factory 7pm $25-$60 www.knittingfactory.com April 20 Broken Social Scene at the Knitting Factory 7pm $25-$60 www.knittingfactory.com

April 28-May 11 Student Art Show Organized by the students of the Student Art Club and curated by an invited guest curator/juror, this exhibition is always a great hit and a fabulous opportunity to view the very best of the University of Nevada, Reno’s emerging artists.

Sheppard Fine Arts, McNamara and Front Door Galleries, Church Fine Arts Building Free April 29 University Spring Dance Concert The Spring Dance Concert will feature new dance works by University Dance Faculty and the choreography of guest artists Rob Schultz and Mabiba Baegne.

Nightingale Concert Hall, Church Fine Arts 8:00-9:00 $15 for general admission; $12 for students; $5 for University students

COMMUNITY EVENTS April 15 Night of All Nations The evening features over 50 country booths serving food and presenting their culture.

Lawlor Events Center 6:00-10:00 Free

2011 March | Insight | 29

In Hindsight

WORDS BY AMY VIGEN

Home Economics

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omen in the early 1900s experienced an immensely different lifestyle than women today. In those days, women learned sewing, cooking, baking and various other housewife-type roles in home economics classes that stressed the importance of these activities.

Old Artemisias from the 1940s contain faded black-and-white photos of University of Nevada, Reno home economics majors having cookouts for Homecoming day, making cookies for men in the service, and even sewing felt awards for various athletic and scholarly achievements.

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he Home Economics Club at UNR was created in 1921. The point of the club (llater called Eta Epsilon in 1955) was to help home economics students understand the various job opportunities available in this field and to create a bond between students and home economics workers of the state, as written in the 1922 Artemisia. Members--all women--participated in a six-week “good-grooming course” in 1945 and held a “candy cook” at the Reno army air base. They also held luncheons, had teas and participated in other community activities.

One hundred years ago, women typically had the job of “housewife” and took care of various duties around the house. Women can pursue the same types of careers as men, in fields such as engineering, math and mining. More mili30 | Insight | March 2011

tary careers have opened up for women as well. To get an idea of how gender roles and occupations have changed for women today, Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers showed a 186 percent increase in women holding careers in civil engineering from 1983 to 2002. The amount of women in professional and technical jobs also jumped from 21.6 percent in 1994 to 24.2 percent in 2000, according to BLS numbers. Home economics majors of the past may also be surprised to find that, today, many men are beginning to take on the housewife role of caring for the kids. According to the U.S. Census bureau, 98,000 men were stay-at-home dads in 2005. One could say that students from the home economics club 100 years ago would barely recognize the lifestyle of a modern woman. Now, being a housewife is just one, or one part, of women’s many options in life.

2011 March | Insight | 31

GEOFF ROSEBOROUGH

This publication is made possible by the Associated Students of the University of Nevada, Reno

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