A Rutgers lecturer is saying Beyoncé’s name in a college course focused on the star and new mom. And this course is not just for the “single ladies” on campus.
In the class, “Politicizing Beyoncé,” Kevin Allred, a Ph.D. student in the school’s Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, uses Beyoncé’s status as a sex symbol, her racy performances, and her roles as a performer, designer, and wife to Jay-Z, as a way to discuss race, sexual, and gender politics with students.
Allred says in a story on Rutgers’ news site: “She certainly pushes boundaries. While other artists are simply releasing music, she’s creating a grand narrative around her life, her career, and her persona.”
Students in the class at the New Jersey school also read writings by other black women, such as Alice Walker.
Some folks have criticized Allred for choosing to focus on Beyoncé in this way, but to me it reflects something that is so cool about college. Professors and lecturers have the ability to create classes based on pop culture trends or to update their courses to bring in examples using celebrities and topics making headlines.
When planning your college schedule, look at the background of your professor or lecturer (not if they’re just an easy or tough grader). Allred’s interest is in Beyoncé is partly due to his background in music, as a singer/songwriter.
Other professors, lecturers, and graduate students across the country have a close connection with topics through their current and past experiences in fields ranging from politics to music to art. Learning from someone like that can make their classes seem more relevant when you’re in them.
So your professor may not be talking about Beyoncé, but if you find one who puts a fun spin on one of our core courses or a class in your major, it can help you be a “survivor” during your college experience.
With the New England Patriots and New York Giants facing off in Super Bowl XLVI next month, we wanted to see where they stacked up, in terms of colleges and universities. Neither town fumbles with its wide array of schools, which have turned both areas into hubs for higher education.
The Boston, Mass., area – home to the New England Patriots – boasts elite schools including Harvard University and MIT (both in nearby Cambridge), private and public two-year and four-year universities, community colleges, and technical schools. The team plays outside of Boston, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Here’s our Super Bowl-worthy lineup of historic and innovative colleges and universities in Boston.
Founded: 1839 (It actually began as a Methodist seminary in Vermont and moved to Boston in 1867.)
Majors: Boston University has more than 250 fields of study.
Cool fact: Boston University has seven Nobel Prize winners, including Martin Luther King Jr. (who earned his Ph.D. from the school in 1955), and 22 Pulitzer Prize winners among its faculty and alumni.
Majors: UMass Boston has eight colleges and graduate schools, with the top five bachelor’s degrees awarded in management, psychology, nursing, criminal justice, and English.
Cool fact: The University has been recognized for its advocacy of human and civil rights, and works to promote social justice worldwide.
Majors: The largest independent college of contemporary music in the world, offers majors in composition, contemporary writing and production, electronic production and design, film scoring, jazz composition, music business/management, music education, music production and engineering, music therapy, performance, professional music, and songwriting.
Cool fact: Berklee alumni earned 30 Grammy nominations in 2011.
If you go to or are applying to these or other schools in the Boston area, we would love to hear from you in the comments section below. Look for schools in the New York Giants area in our next blog post.
-Lori Johnston (additional reporting by Delaney Young)
Yes, the same network that made the phrase “It’s T-Shirt Time” famous, brings you a unique Facebook application called My College Dollars. The app scours the web for scholarships opportunities based on the information in your Facebook profile — genius! Using the app also qualifies you for a chance to win tickets to the VMAs and cash prizes.
What’s really cool about the app isn’t so much the information (which has always been available online), but that it’s geared toward users who might not otherwise be aware of all the college financial aid opportunities and information out there. My College Dollars was the brainchild of Devin Valencia, winner of the Get Schooled Affordability Challenge contest. Her winning entry gave her the opportunity to work with designers and a $100,000 budget to create this app. MTV worked in collaboration with The College Board, the Get Schooled campaign, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to launch the app yesterday.
In addition to the scholarship alerts, there’s also a FAFSA guideline, a deadline calendar, an “ask the expert” feature, and links to other resources. And, because MTV is involved, would you expect it to not be enhanced with super star power? The app is peppered with inspiring messages about the importance of education from music artists, actors, and athletes.
Check it out here, and let us know what you think of it.
When LSU and Alabama vie for the BCS National Championship tonight at New Orleans’ Superdome, we’ll see again how they match up on the field as football teams. LSU won when it played Alabama during the regular season, back in November, with a 9-6 victory. This football championship and other bowl games that have happened during the holidays are times that students, alumni, and fans look forward to so they can cheer on their schools.
As for LSU (ranked No. 1) and Alabama (ranked No. 2), both are in the Southeastern Conference and have a recent history of performing well in football (recently, LSU was national champion in 2007, Alabama in 2009). Here’s a look at how else the schools match up:
Famous alumni: Former President Hubert Humphrey, political strategist James Carville, basketball player Shaquille O’Neal, composer Bill Conti
If you’re watching a game, see what you think of the school’s commercials, or tell us if you’ve liked any other school commercials during the recent bowl games!
Comedians are known for finding humor in virtually everything, which is why it’s refreshing to see both “The Daily Show” and “Saturday Night Live” take the high road with the Penn State scandal.
Check out what Jon Stewart had to say about Penn State:
When you’re on a campus tour, be sure to check out for yourself all the spots where college students spend time studying. Some stake their claim in spots for hours, preparing for big tests or writing major papers, while others grab theirs for just a few minutes to cram before a test.
Here are 11 spots where you’ll find college students studying – and you may be joining them soon!
1. Outside on the quad
On sunny days, students gravitate outside to soak up some rays while hopefully also soaking up some knowledge. Nice grassy spots on campus, at your school’s intramural fields, or at local parks or nature trails help you make an afternoon of studying. Bring along a picnic and a Frisbee for (hopefully short) study breaks.
2. Bars
Before the music gets blaring at bars and clubs near campus, some students chill out midday with a textbook or their laptops. Some are 18 and up; others are 21 and up. Beverages and food are available, and some students of legal age choose to study with a beer or glass of wine, too.
3. Libraries
At your college, you’ll quickly learn which libraries are most conducive for studying and which ones are best for socializing. At some schools, even certain floors of a library have no-talking zones, while others are open to groups who need to discuss class notes or information for class projects. If you need to get some intense studying done, look for the libraries where graduate students hang out, like a school’s law library, and see if they allow undergraduate students in.
4. Gyms
Working out can be a great stress reliever, and it’s common to see students on treadmills and elliptical machines with reading materials or homemade flash cards in hand. If you’re into weights, reading a few pages also is a way to take a break between sets.
5. On the job
Some jobs in college offer environments where, when there’s no customer or work assigned by your employer, you can hit the books. Maybe it’s working at the library, a movie theater, or checking IDs at a dining hall.
6. Coffee shops
You may already be doing this as a high school student, but coffee shops remain one of the most popular spots for studying while in college. The java keeps flowing while you learn, and there’s often free wireless Internet access. But beware – it can be costly choice for endless lattes or frozen coffee drinks, so think about your budget. Also, seating can be limited, especially near all-important outlets for laptops.
7. Student centers
Although some student centers are tempting environments, with movie theaters, eateries, and video game and pool rooms, they also offer plenty of seating and big tables for studying, as well as rooms you and your study partners can reserve. Some student centers are open 24 hours a day, particularly during finals week.
Sometimes you just want to stay put. So close the dorm room door, get away from Facebook, don’t worry about finally cleaning or making the bed, and see how much you can get done. Your dorm also may have study rooms for you to get away, if your roommate is keeping you from focusing on school, but make sure it’s not a party scene in those rooms.
9. Vacant classrooms
Some buildings keep their classrooms open for studying, even after class is over. Just make sure you’re allowed to be in the rooms before setting up for studying.
10. Near your professor’s office
Especially a good idea if you need help on an assignment, park yourself outside your professor’s office or in a study room nearby, timed when the professor has office hours.
11. Memorial gardens
Some campuses have designated gardens, chapels, and cemeteries in memory of former students and faculty. Although it may seem morbid, the spaces are created for reflection. So the more quiet, reserved settings are spots where studying happens too, especially since there’s often benches or seating.
As you are planning college visits, you might have discovered that your mom’s or dad’s alma mater may be on the list. Or maybe it’s your uncle, aunt, a grandparent, or another family member who can’t wait to show off their school. Take it from Haley’s experience on ABC’s “Modern Family” – this can be an embarrassing experience!
In a recent episode, Haley and her dad visited his alma mater, where he acted as the tour guide, taking her to the school library, student union, and dorms. And yes, they even sat in on a class. Awkward Phil – still trying to be a cool dad and wearing a college sweatshirt – relived some of his college days by eating his favorite chicken wings, hustling students in a dart competition, and joining in with cheerleaders on campus. Sure, Haley tried to be the good daughter and hang out with him, but she really wanted to go to a campus party instead. Of course, it gets even more awkward with Phil tracking her down and discovering it’s not the rowdy frat party he imagined.
Enjoy this clip if you missed it:
Here are three things that episode shows about surviving the alma mater trip with your family members:
1. Expect embarrassment. Don’t live in denial. If your parents loved their college experience, visiting their alma mater will allow them to relive their college days. So expect moments where they come dressed in full school spirit gear. Or try to talk to the other students. Or even (heaven forbid) dance.
2. Plan out what you want to see and do.
You may be yawning as they take you to the millionth spot on campus where something funny happened 20 years ago. Or when they want to see their old dorm room. Or when they want to visit with old professors. Let them do it – with or without you – but also make sure your parents know what YOU want to see on campus, such as new buildings, the dining hall, or where the fraternity and sorority houses are located. Work out a plan so that if you are invited to be with other students visiting campus, you can do that. Be aware, however, that they’re intimately aware of the campus hangouts–and it would be reallllly awkward to run into them there.
3. Go ahead and bond.
This trip to their alma mater is not just about them; it’s about you leaving home. They hope you love college as much as they did, all while knowing how much they’re going to miss you. So go ahead and enjoy a moment with Mom or Dad like Haley did (grabbing a plastic cafeteria tray and sliding down a hill with her dad, another tradition). It will help your parents create new, even more meaningful, memories on their old campus – you hanging out with them.
You don’t have to look far on a college campus to see how Steve Jobs (ironically a college dropout himself) has helped revolutionize higher education.
During just two hours today at the University of Georgia, where I am an adjunct journalism professor, I saw many students serving as living reminders of Jobs’ creations:
• A female student jogging on the perimeter of campus, with an iPod attached to her arm under a T-shirt and those omnipresent white Apple earbuds sticking out of her ears.
• A group of students huddled in a classroom hallway watching a video on the small iPhone screen.
• Groups of students texting or reading Facebook or Twitter messages from their iPhones while waiting for campus buses outside the football stadium and student center.
• A guy sleeping in the student center with a MacBook Pro in his lap and iTunes piping music into his earphones.
• Students with MacBook screens open, finishing assignments or assigned reading from their laptops, able to squeeze in the work before class begins.
• Mac desktops lined up on workstations in classrooms, where students are learning video editing using Mac software, updating class blogs, working together on group projects and completing other assignments.
• Professors and students toting iPads loaded with apps, textbooks and assigned reading, often making it more affordable to buy the downloadable version instead of a traditional textbook.
The technology advancements that defined Jobs’ career help make the college learning experience more vibrant, in the moment, and even affordable. When I required my magazine writing students to subscribe to a magazine this semester, one iPad owner discovered the iPad subscription was cheaper.
Earlier this week, I sent a message to students about a class assignment, and within seconds, a student responded via iPhone. That accessibility is something that professors and students often appreciate, turning learning into a 24-7 experience.
Many students are bringing Apples to classes these days–and they’re just not giving them to the teachers.
One of the things we love about college is that when it comes to style, you can be yourself. But on college campuses this fall, some students are getting attention for their unstylish garb. It’s not just students’ gossiping, but enraged football fans complaining about some of these fashion faux pas. That’s because certain college football players are wearing new Nike and Under Armour uniforms with questionable color combinations and non-traditional designs.
In their defense, these players have no choice – it’s the decision of the school to have them wear the new jerseys, pants and helmets, sometimes for one game, but possibly throughout the entire season.
U-G-L-Y This ain't got no alibi. It's ugly!
The buzz about these college football uniforms is bringing even more attention to longtime college football powerhouses and nationally ranked teams. Boise State (a rare all-white look), Georgia (some said they looked like Power Rangers), and Oklahoma State (especially the all gray ensemble) are among the schools whose new uniforms caused negative comments from fans. Others, like Navy, Army, and LSU have avoided the same type of outrage.
Whether people love the uniforms or hate them for being so ugly, we love that the furor over football fashion is giving more attention to schools like Maryland, which isn’t known for their football programs. Some thought Maryland’s odd garb (see photo above), with the helmets and jerseys split down the middle to reflect the state flag, looked like the colorful attire of the knights at Medieval Times – the joust-filled dinner venue. The uniforms – seen during a nationally televised game in early September – was just one of 32 different combinations from Under Armour, and more than a few spectators got dizzy looking at them.
Of course, one would hope that you’re not going to choose a school based on a football uniform or even how fashionable students are on campus. But consider the fuss over football uniforms as just one more way to learn about more schools and college life.
What do you think? Offensively ugly or much ado about nothing?
One of the most burning questions college-bound students have before the start of freshman year is: Who’s gonna bring the TV? Whichever roommate has the biggest screen usually wins, and that means a lot of prime real estate will be reserved for it in a tiny dorm room.
Although you may still be planning on bringing a TV to school with you this fall, chances are you’ll be catching the latest episodes of your favorite show on your laptop or iPad, too. Because young adults like you are watching shows and movies online, it’s one of the reasons why the number of U.S. households with TV sets has dropped for the first time in 20 years, according to data by TV ratings company Nielsen. It declined just 98.9 percent to 96.7 percent, but considering how much our society loves TV, it’s a pretty big drop.
A common sight on college campuses today is students sitting around on campus or in their dorms with a laptop. Sure, they might be checking their email, but chances are they’re catching up with the latest antics of the “Jersey Shore” cast or laughing at a scene from a recently released comedy.
Rebecca Morrow, interim director of residential life at Albright College in Reading, Penn., writes in an e-mail: “In some cases yes, students opt not to have a TV in the room. I would say that for the most part students are still bringing a television (usually a flat screen) to campus. Generally, females bring smaller televisions and guys bring larger TVs for video games.”
Chad Quinones, who is on the residence life staff at Roanoke College in Salem, Va., says that students arrange their rooms around their flat screen HD TVs, which are brought in mostly to play video games.
Are you planning on bringing a TV to college? If so, will you watch TV or movies on it, or is it mostly for playing video games with friends?
Find out more about the popular Twitter chat, #CollegeBound, which can connect you with college respresentatives and others who have the same goals, struggles, and questions you have. Every Monday at 4 p.m. EST on Twitter. Get detailed info here.
Who We Are
Follow our smart and savvy CBN bloggers as they guide you through every step of your quest to find the right college. Whether it’s figuring out that FAFSA, making sense of the SAT, or simply dishing gossip about celebrity smarty pants, they’ve got you covered. But be warned—these bloggers are fully caffeinated and know how to use their social media powers for both good and evil! So, whaddya’ say — do they get an A+?
Yes, the same network that made the phrase “It’s T-Shirt Time” famous, brings you a unique Facebook application called My College Dollars. The app scours the web for scholarships opportunities based on the information in your Facebook profile — genius! Using the app also qualifies you for a chance to win tickets to the VMAs and cash prizes.
