College Life

Meet the Greek by Caroline Mosley

As a TORCH alumna, I never knew how much my experience in TORCH would affect my college years. The hands on experience and dynamic projects TORCH students work on led me to seek something more out of my experience at the University of Miami. At many colleges, you can find any club and organization you can imagine, but, in my personal experience, the best decision I made was to join Greek life at “The U” and become a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.

Being a member of a Greek organization exposes you to several facets of the professional world: marketing, recruitment, event planning, finance management, administrative duties, fundraising and networking. You can choose to be as involved as you want either by holding a position on the Executive Board or by participating as a general member. As a TORCH member, I visited several advertising agencies in New York, learned from many communications professionals and worked with high school students from different parts of the city. Those experiences helped build my confidence, and before I knew it I was applying to be on the Executive Board my first year in Alpha Delta Pi.

Each position taught me something different. I started off as Panhellenic Delegate, the liaison between Alpha Delta Pi and the rest of the sorority community at Miami. It is essential to network and collaborate with other sorority members in order to grow and learn different approaches to chapter operations. The following year brought new challenges. Recruitment Vice President dealt with marketing to several audiences in order to build a strong Alpha Delta Pi brand and ensure the successful recruitment of a new class. On the recruitment team is Philanthropy Chair, and as a Political Science major and Entrepreneurship minor I wanted to explore a field related to my career interest in social entrepreneurship. I had the opportunity, as Philanthropy Chair, to coordinate three fundraising initiatives and raise money for the families at Ronald McDonald House Charities.

In my Senior year I knew that there was still so much more I could learn from Alpha Delta Pi and Greek life. I applied to be a Leadership Consultant for Alpha Delta Pi and was jet setting around the United States a few months later. Leadership Consultants travel to Alpha Delta Pi collegiate chapters all across the U.S. and Canada helping them with officer training, chapter operations, and leadership development. Traveling from California to Mississippi has opened my eyes to a huge network of sisters I can not only support, but also learn from.

This network will stay with me for the rest of my life, and I realize now that so will the TORCH alumni network. It is important to stay connected to the organizations we become a part of, like TORCH, by staying up to date on how the organization is developing and building personal connections with other alumni. I look forward to learning from and sharing stories with many more TORCH alumni!

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram

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Student in the day, DJ Master at Night!

TORCH alum Kerim Joseph is currently in his final semester at South Carolina State University studying Mass Communications.

Even though he’s spent most of his college years working towards his B.A. in Communications he’s never let go of his first love, music.

Kerim is a member of his school’s Marching Band and has been the TORCH Music Fest DJ for the past 2 years. This past summer he interned at TORCH partnering companies, Crew Cuts & NSG/SWAT.

Visit his website at www.kerimthedj.com

See his latest DJ mixes below!

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram

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TORCH Alum Kayleen Garcia is off to Geneseo, NY to start her freshman year at SUNY Geneseo!

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram

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TORCH ALUMNI Over the World!

TORCH Alumni Jin Xiu Chen is currently studying abroad in Beijing. Check out the beautiful pictures she’s sent us from China!

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram

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Getting a head start to summer break plans

Many of you are still in winter break and don’t start your spring 2010 semester until the third week of January. So why start thinking of summer when spring hasn’t arrived yet?

Summer is going to be here faster than you think, so it’s important to start planning what you are going to do. Are you going on vacation? Or are you going to work in a summer job or summer internship? This is the first decision you will have to make; sometimes you can do both – vacation for a bit and work for the rest.

Summer breaks are the best time to experiment with what career you want once you graduate. Even if you are a current senior and will be graduating in May, internships are a great to have after graduating because they may lead to full-time jobs once September rolls around. There are several internship programs which offer you full-time employment for when you graduate, especially in large companies, like General Electric and Bertelsmann.

Below, find some important decisions you should start thinking about.

1 – Job, Internship or Trip? It’s important to decide how you want to spend you summer break. You don’t want to regret missing out on a job/internship opportunity but you also want to be able to enjoy some fun & leisure, especially after working hard academically for the last 9 months. Once you have made your decision on what you want to do and how much time you want to spend doing it, then you can make more narrow decisions.

2 – NYC or Somewhere Else? The great thing about living in NYC is that you have so many businesses that are based out of NYC, but this also means a lot more competition. Not just with people who already live in NYC but there are people who come stay in NYC for the summer just for an internship. So decide if you want to stay in NYC or try another city. Many internship programs will pay for your stay in another city. It’s all about doing the research.

3 – Monetary-Paid or Credit-Paid Internships? Of course a paid internship will be the primary choice but many internships don’t offer pay, but they will offer credit-based pay. This is another tough decision to make because during these times of economic turmoil, a little extra cash brings a smile to anyone’s face. So if a great internship comes along but they don’t offer monetary pay, think really hard on what benefits you will have if you take that internship.

These are 3 important decisions you should start making ASAP that way you can start planning a great summer 2010. Remember that whatever plans you make for your summer will impact you after the summer has ended.

And as always, if you need someone to check your resume or to pass along your resume, you can always rely on TORCH in giving you the best advice you will need to help in making life-and-career decisions.

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram

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Tips for Surviving finals week

1. 1. Take another look over your syllabi. It’s the end of the semester so it’s important to check what the final is worth in each course. It’s only one component of your grade but it can hinder it, keep it the same, or make a significant difference. From my own personal experience, thanks to maybe 4 final exams I was able to improve my grade significantly.
2. 2. Find an effective study method. It’s important to figure out what is your best study method, and sometimes you may have several depending on the courses you are taking.
3. 3. Don’t forget about resting/sleeping. Though you may want to and will be doing “all nighters”, remember to take a break and rest/sleep whenever you have the chance. This is important to keep yourself motivated and energized.
4. 4. Party at your own risk. If you go party the night before an exam, you run the risk of being very tired. REMEMBER: if you party, you will need to recover! Research has also shown that your cognitive skill may get affected.
5. 5. Arrive on time for the exam – get yourself a good seat. Remember to set your alarm at the right time the night before. If you wake up late, you’ll be late for the exam. Another good reason to be on time is to get yourself a good seat. It’s important to get yourself a comfortable seat when you are taking the exam.
6. 6. Be aware of the time. Don’t rush – when you feel you are done, leave. If there is a clock in the room, check it. Some professors put the time on the board or announce it. If not, bring a wrist watch – avoid looking at your cell phones.
7. 7. When the exam is over, let it go! The professor announces the exam is over – hand it in and forget about it. You can’t do anything about it so hope you did well and go rest or get ready for your next exam/paper.

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram

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All Nighters – if you have to do it, do it successfully

Most, if not all, college students have done at least one all nighter. These aren’t recommended because it’s important to get enough sleep when you are preparing for finals but sometimes it’s necessary to have them in order to be prepared for your finals. Below find some suggestions on how to successfully handle an all nighter.

1. 1. Time Management. Before you begin your journey, take the time to figure out exactly what you need to accomplish and how much time you have to do it. Make a list of everything you have due and prioritize them. It’s a good idea to study the most important early in the evening and the less important things later, in case you run out of stamina and fall asleep. And trust me, if you have been doing this for a few days, you’ll definitely get tired. Here is another suggestion, use the 45 minutes studying/15 minutes break formula – this gives you time to work hard and take a breather.
2. 2. Food and Drink. It’s important to keep yourself fuelled to help you stay awake and alert – but it’s important to eat and drink the right stuff.

• Limit caffeine. Though it may give you an immediate boost, your body will crash once it the caffeine is out of your system.
• Limit carbs, especially sugar. Like caffeine, it will give you an immediate energy boost followed by a crash.
• Eat protein rich snacks. Protein will give you a more consistent source of energy without the crash. Try snacking on nuts, cheese, a meaty sandwich or wrap with minimal bread, or a low-sugar protein bar.
• Drink water. Water will give your body stamina and it’s always good for your body.

1. 3. Work Space. Find yourself a good place to study – your room, a space in the library or another hole on campus. Also take into account it should be a place where there is no or limited distractions. Sometimes music will help with an all nighter. Some suggestions is Pandora or create your own pre-arrange list.
2. 4. Group or Solo Venture. Another thing to consider is if you are going to study in a group or solo. This all depends on you. If you don’t get distracted working in a group, a group can help you stay up. But if your group will distract you, best to study alone.

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram

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The call of JURY DUTY – I want to postpone it!

For the last for years, I’ve been received my call to perform my duty of Jury duty. Unfortunately (well more like fortunately) I’ve had to post pone it because I’ve been away in Syracuse for college and wasn’t going to be in my county the day I needed to appear.

If you have received a letter requesting your appearance for jury duty and want to postpone it, here are a few tips on what you should do. If you haven’t received this lovely calling I will suggest you still read the below tips as one day in the future you will be receiving this letter.

Tips for Jury Duty

1. “You are summoned for telephone stand-by juror for all courts in X county.”This statement will be on the document you receive in the mail. After this statement, you will have instructions of when you need to start calling. When you call you will hear further instructions.
   1. If you know you will not be in your county, because of school, call the information number and inform them of your situation. They will usually request for you to send proof of your student status with dates – this can be your schedule, a transcript or some sort of documentation from your school. I would suggest you do this as soon as you received this documentation.
   2. If you attend a school in your county – for example if you live in Manhattan and go to NYU – you may still be able to postpone or have your jury duty excused. Call the information number and inform them of your situation.
   3. Calling may be annoying because you may have to wait but remember, it’s better to lose a few minutes/hours calling than a few days in jury duty.
2. Don’t worry, nothing will happen to you if you postpone. I can’t say if this is true or not but I have heard that if you are a student, you will be excused. Education does come first so don’t jeopardize your education to do your civil duty.  Trust me; you’ll have another time to perform your duty – I’m writing this now as I’m waiting for my case to start.
3. If you do call and have to do your duty. I would suggest you bring either reading materials or your mp3/iPod. It can get boring waiting for your name to be called so bring stuff to do. If your county is wi-fi accessible, bring your laptop.

These are just some basic tips for jury duty. We all have to do it at some point or another.  And if you can’t do it because of school you’ll just have to wait to do it. It’s not fun but you do get some insight in the whole “law and order” and once you do it (either get chosen for a case or get dismissed) you won’t have to do it for another six years.

For more information on Jury Duty in NYC (Queens, King, Statan Island, Manhattan and Bronx counties), here is a link to the official website. http://www.nyjuror.gov

Have a great jury duty!!!!

(If you want to read on what to expect during jury duty, check the post “Responding to the call of JURYDUTY” in the Alum in the Workplace section

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram

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Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation offering scholarship in honor of Fred Rogers

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation, in association with Ernst & Young LLP, is offering three scholarships in honor of Fred Rogers, the creator and long-time host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The scholarships are intended to support and encourage aspiring undergraduate or graduate students to pursue careers in children’s media and further the values and principles of Fred Rogers’ work. Get details and applications here (http://www.emmys.tv/foundation/rogersscholar.php).

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation | 5220 Lankershim Blvd. | North Hollywood, CA 91601

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram

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KEEPING UP WITH YOUR NOTES

Not too long ago, I was sitting in a huge lecture hall trying to figure out how to grasp all the information the professor was giving us. Though I admit I wasn’t the best at taking notes, I have tried several different methods during my four years at SU. One of them being the Cornell Note-taking Method.

In the Cornell Note-taking Method, students divide the paper into two columns: the not-taking column (right) is twice the size of the key word column (left). Students should also leave five to six lines, or about two inches, at the bottom of the page. The right column is used for writing the notes in class, the left for writing down any questions you may have for further clarification. And the bottom section is used to write a brief summary of everything.

Below is a layout of the method and an example of how to use the Cornell Note-taking Method.

I wish everyone luck with their mid-terms and finals at the end of the year. Hopefully you have learned some new techniques to help you while studying.

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram

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TORCH Alum Meisha Cole finds excitement at Five Towns College

They say that college would be the best four years of your life so enjoy it. Well they were so right; my first week at FTC (Five Towns College) was very different from high school. But when the 2nd week came around I was already knowing people, finding my way around campus and most of all having fun.

The upper classmen students were very social, friendly, and very funny. I have made many friends on campus. The social life on campus is very open, nice and they are always talking about something different, the campus events, music and song writing, and also the famous topic of all us freshmen. There is always something going on campus either at the upbeat café or the downbeat café but mostly all the events happen in the downbeat café. I would have to say the best things about my campus is that some students will form into bands and some students will become artists even before they graduate from FTC, which they say is really great because they get the real world experience of the music business world.

MEISHA ON THE AIR!!!!

We also have a lot of shows that happen on campus like the S.T.A.G.E show. This show is something like American Idol- it’s one of our bigger shows. Also the clubs that are on campus are part of SGA (Student Government Association). Now SGA, in which I am a part of, takes a big role on campus. They plan out the campus events like the welcome back bbq and the social event party. There is also a very popular club, it’s the campus radio station WFTU 1570 AM Riverhead & Dix Hills. Here is the link to WFTU www.wftuRADIO.com or you can go on the school website (www.ftc.edu) and it would have the tab for the radio show.

I already have my own radio show it’s the Lady M.C. show which airs on Tuesdays at 4 to 5. My show talks about almost everything. I even have a radio segment called “oh H*** no” moment. This moment is about stories that I have been told from my friends that evoke them to say they’re basically not going to take that mess from anybody.

Over all my life at Five Towns College is going pretty well and I’m enjoying it very much.

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram

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Take control from the start!

Monday, August 29^th at 9:00AM…I was walking to my first class at Sims Hall in Syracuse University. I was confident that I was going to have no problems because I was so ORGANIZED and would always stay up to date with everything. Boy was I wrong.

I was enjoying all the liberties I had thanks to not living at home with my parents. If I wanted to go out at night with friends, no problem. If I wanted to go to a concert/dance/play/etc, no problem I didn’t have to ask anyone for permission. But all these activities with friends and joining the college scene were starting to get in the way of doing my academic work. Though I did pretty well my first year at SU, it wasn’t what I wanted.

Here are some suggestions I have for you if you want to enjoy joining the college scene without any worries of affecting your academic career.

1-      Academic/Graduation Requirements…KNOW THEM!!! Yea graduating will be in four years from now (for some five years) but that doesn’t mean you have to wait to worry about your requirements. Make a list (either chart or list) of the classes you must take. Make sure you take them when you need to and update it at the end of each semester. This will not only help you know the classes you have taken but also keep a list of the credits you need.

2-      Learn grading systems…Grading in higher ed isn’t the same as grading in hs. Become familiar with the grading system so you can easily keep track of your grades. Many, if not all, universities/colleges have an online grading system but stay in the know of your grades.

3-      Keep your grades in good standing…This connects with the previous one but it’s good to keep your grades in good standing, either because of a scholarship you currently have or a scholarship you can win. If you’re struggling in a class, speak with your professor on how you can improve. Professors hand out a syllabus which outline the grading system they have; as long as you make them aware that you know this and are truly trying to do well in their class, they will help. Trust me on that (Thanks Dr. Cromer!!!-Psy. Of Childhood Prof.)

4-      Know when enough is enough…You are going to want to join several organizations on campus but remember, you don’t have to be a member of everyone to enjoy their events/activities. Choose wisely and stick to the ones you truly care about. Many times students overwhelmed themselves and stress out. Remember that you can say “no”.

These are some of the main suggestions I have for those of you in college. Trust me, if I can go back, I wouldn’t be too confident and organize myself a bit more. But here I am, a graduate…if I can do it so can you.

Remember to have fun and to keep up-to-date with everything.

Here are some extra links I thought would be interesting:

100 Powerful Web Tools to Organize Your Thoughts and Ideas–http://www.online-college-blog.com/index.php/tips-and-tools/100-powerful-web-tools-to-organize-your-thoughts-and-ideas/

Time Management Tips for Students– http://studyskills.suite101.com/article.cfm/time_management_for_students

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram

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A little bit about Syracuse University’s Communications and Rhetorical Studies department

The great aspect about the college life is that there are so many majors one can choose from. I admit that I originally applied to Syracuse University’s Newhouse, Public Relations major. Unfortunately I didn’t get accepted but I did get accepted to my second choice, the School of Visual and Performing Arts’ Communication and Rhetorical Studies. At first I thought it was about the field of Communications (Marketing, PR, etc) but as I walked in to my first class (CRS 181- Concepts and Perspective of Communication Studies) I knew it wasn’t what I expected.

I like to call CRS the philosophy of communication. It goes more in-depth in human nature and human communication, from Aristotle’s rhetoric to interpersonal, group and organizational communication. Here is a small excerpt from the department’s website:

While the general public readily acknowledges the influence of media messages or the value of communication skills in presenting oneself as competent, few recognize how much our assumptions about the social and physical world are shaped by metaphors, language choices, and particular discourse practices. Our Vision is that as students and colleagues embrace this simple but profound insight, new worlds of possibility become apparent. Instead of simply representing social realities, communication becomes understood as the primary means of creating, sustaining, or altering those realities.

My favorite CRS classes were Communication in Organizations, Communication and Organizational Diversity, Organizational Simulation and Advances in Communication in Organizations.

I’m happy with having studied CRS because it has empowered me with the necessary communication skills needed to work, survive and enjoy the various cultures and social realities which exist on the beautiful planet of Earth.

Interested in learning more about the department, here is the website http://vpa.syr.edu/crs

***Reminder***

TORCH’s Tales From the Campus College Fair will be on Tuesday, July 21^st, a great opportunity to learn about different colleges and universities and the immense amount of possible courses of study one can experience in the years after high school.

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www.thetorchprogram.org                         www.twitter.com/TheTORCHPorgram