Posts filed under 'Special Programs'
Part of the fun of going away to college is the opportunity to learn all about a new town or city. For many college graduates, even those who have moved away after they finished school, their college town will always hold a special place in their hearts.
One group of students that probably enjoys getting to know their new town more than most are those over at New York University, located in Greenwich Village, one of the hippest and trendiest neighborhoods in New York City. The university has, among many other world-renowned programs, an excellent journalism program. This program is about to get even better, considering the fact that the New York Times is giving some talented students a lucky break by hiring them to cover the local Village beat.
The Local East Village is a new website that features—you guessed it—hyper-local news that is happening right where NYU students live, study, and have fun. The site will launch this fall as a joint effort between the Times and the Arthur L. Carter Institute at NYU. Students will report and write on the daily happenings in the East Village. If you are an aspiring journalist, then you’ll know this is one cool byline to have on your resume.
In a time when newspapers and magazines have taken a direct hit in a flailing economy, there are some critics who say that the Times is not helping matters by using unpaid student labor to launch a new money-making initiative. I can certainly understand where this negative response is coming from, as I have sadly watched content at the newsstand diminish over the past several years. Still, I’m choosing to focus on the positive here, which is that these lucky NYU journalism majors are going to get a chance to be published writers well before they graduate.
–Barbara Bellesi
February 24th, 2010
The January 12 earthquake in Haiti has killed close to 200,000 people, and the utter devastation in this country has encouraged people all throughout the world to donate money to the relief efforts. Some people, like the group of Union College students that we wrote about last month, have actually visited Haiti to assist in the search and rescue efforts.
Justin Woods, a senior from Roseburg, Oregon, is an International Rescue and Relief/Pre-Med major at Union College who was part of the volunteer group in Haiti. He talked with CBN about his trip.
Tell us a little about the service program that you are part of at Union College.
I’m a part of Union College’s Disaster Response Team (DiRT), which is connected to my major, International Rescue and Relief. The major has quite a few different academic emphases such as pre-professional studies (like pre-med and pre-dental), project development, social work, business, and other majors.
What went through your mind when you first heard about the Haiti earthquake?
When I first heard about the quake, I started thinking about how bad it must have made things down there. My family and I lived in Haiti back in ‘98 while my dad was working for a NGO (non-governmental organization) doing relief work. When hearing about the earthquake and already knowing how bad things were down there to start with, I was really sad at the thought of what it must be like now. I also started thinking about how I could get a chance to go down there and help.
How were you able to go to Haiti?
I attended a meeting of people interested in traveling down to Haiti to do relief work on the Thursday after the quake. We had another meeting Friday afternoon with more information about when a group might leave and what they might do. At that point, the plan was for a group to leave in 10 days. That evening, I got a call asking if I’d be ready to head down to Haiti Sunday morning. I told them yes. Four of us were chosen, and we went with a staff member down to Florida on Sunday and then Haiti on Monday.
What was it like when you first arrived in Haiti?
We got in late Monday night. Our plane had to circle over Haiti and the Dominican Republic for about an hour and a half, waiting for clearance to land since there were so many planes going in and out. We spent the first night sleeping on the tarmac at the airport with toilet paper in our ears and cockroaches running over our mats. Having C-130s and C-17s taking off right in front of us made getting sleep somewhat challenging.
The next day, we drove to the Adventist Hospital, which was still standing and was where we would be based. We went out that morning to do search and rescue. We didn’t find anybody alive in the buildings we went to. We had a search dog with us that indicated that there were only dead bodies in the buildings. The following days we did medical work at the hospital. All of us were EMTs with some extra training, so they had us working as nurses–in some cases, doing all kinds of things.
How long were you there? Is there a moment that will remain with you the most?
We were there in Haiti for about five days. The moment that I think will stay with me the most is when we had to leave. We were planning on staying a couple more days, but then found out that we had to leave somewhat suddenly because it was when we could get a flight out. We didn’t get to say goodbye to all the people we had met, and there was so much more that we could have done that it was really hard to leave and come back to Nebraska. The only consolation is that we knew another group would be down from Union soon to keep helping.
What advice would you give to students in service programs?
I think that any students in service programs are doing something amazing. The best thing we can do in life is to help others. I’d suggest that anyone who can should become a part of an organization that helps out those in need even, if it is just in the United States.
Has life changed for you after the service trip?
This trip solidified my goals of becoming a doctor and then being a part of an organization that goes and responds to disasters around the world. Medical care is needed everywhere in the world, but seeing people with absolutely nothing being so thankful for the care we were giving, even when it was sometimes painful, that just really inspires me.
–The CollegeBound Network
February 1st, 2010
You may be willing to eat all the ramen noodles that you can, but skimping on food still might not allow you to save all the money you need to pay for college.
That’s why January is such an important month, because now is the time to turn in your application for financial aid. So we want to make sure you have all the details you need to be eligible for that money.
Add these five tips from Student Financial Aid Services, a California-based student aid preparation service, to your checklist, if you’re just getting started or are about to submit the crucial FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form:
1. Don’t miss the financial aid deadline.
The deadlines vary and some state deadlines are as early as Feb. 15.
2. Do your math.
Miscalculations can lower your aid. Also, make sure figures such as money taken from a retirement fund are being included correctly.
3. Job loss? Your gain.
A parent’s layoff could make you eligible for more money. See if you fit into the criteria for the dislocated worker question.
4. Leave off the house.
A home is a huge investment for your family, but a primary residence is not considered an asset on the FAFSA. In the New York Times’ Q&A about financial aid, Mark Kantrowitz, founder of FinAid.org, said the net home equity of the family’s primary residence is not reported as an asset, but if the home is sold, the proceeds from the sale are treated as an asset.
5. Avoid a mix-up
Read over your application to make sure you haven’t transposed your Social Security number or made some other simple mistake–like forgetting to sign the form.
–Lori Johnston
January 26th, 2010
I tried to enjoy my three-day weekend, but it was pretty difficult knowing that relief workers in Haiti have been working non-stop since that massive earthquake hit.
Generous people all over America have been supporting the effort through donations to places like the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. When Hurricane Katrina hit, we were able to collect supplies like clothes and food, but for the victims of the Haiti disaster, it’s very difficult to get supplies into a country where the infrastructure is virtually gone. And unless you’ve got the bank account of people like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, it’s hard for “normal” people to feel that their contributions can actually make a difference.
College students typically don’t have a lot of money either, which means that they must resort to interesting fundraising measures on campus. Or, in the case of my new heroes at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, you say goodbye to classes for a while and hop a plane to Haiti to pitch in with the effort first-hand.
The five Union College students and one administrator are all part of the school’s International Rescue and Relief program. They are trained to be an integral part of rescue operations and are responding directly to an invitation from Haiti Prime Minister, Jean-Max Bellerive. The group has been assigned to distribute supplies at a hospital clinic and orphanage right in the midst of the devastation. CORRECTION: There are four students and one administrator that went to Haiti. Shortly before they left, their assignment was changed to training rescue volunteers.
One of the many wonderful things about being a college student is the high level of energy with which you take on important tasks, like the one these Union College students have before them. There is no doubt that they will be seeing some truly horrendous sights once they land in the capital of Port-au-Prince, but their energy and determination will carry them through it.
The Haitians need all the help they can get, and their relief effort will soon be six people stronger. Join me in sending many positive thoughts and good wishes to the Union College students, and, of course, to Haiti as it struggles to rebuild.
–Barbara Bellesi
January 19th, 2010
We’ve long known that college campuses are a popular place for—um—herbal refreshments, but Med Grow Cannabis College in Michigan puts all the others to shame with their hemp-focused curriculum. But stop the car, Harold and Kumar—this college goes way beyond giving you the satisfaction of saying that you are in marijuana school.
According to its website, Med Grow Cannabis College offers “professional training for the medical cannabis industry.” In addition to whatever extracurricular fun people derive from marijuana, the plant has been proven to relieve or reduce a variety of medical ailments. Marijuana is still an illegal substance in the United States, but many cannabis proponents believe that it should be legalized at least for medical purposes. Some states, including Michigan, have legalized medical marijuana and are allowing “caregivers” to grow it for medicinal purposes.
Enroll in one of the six-week courses at Med Grow and you’ll run into your share of stoners, but you’ll also meet up with people who recognize the medical marijuana industry as a legitimate and lucrative business opportunity. The New York Times reports that one Med Grow student has never even smoked marijuana before, but he’s not letting his lack of experience get in the way of a new career.
I once tried to grow basil and parsley in my kitchen window and failed miserably. Although I’m sure that I could pick up a trick or two in one of MedGrow’s horticulture classes, I doubt my newfound knowledge would translate to using herbs in Italian cooking. Wait, I stand corrected: at Med Grow, there is a class called Cooking and Concentrates, in which I can learn over 200 recipes for meals that list cannabis as a main ingredient.
That would sure make for an interesting holiday meal with my family.
–Barbara Bellesi
November 30th, 2009
Today is the day that we honor our veterans, but truthfully, those brave men and women deserve our thanks every day of the year. Many of these individuals got their start in their branch of service because of their college’s ROTC program. If you want to serve the U.S., but also want to go to college, read on.
What is the ROTC? The ROTC stands for Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. It is a program offered by many colleges and universities across the country that prepares students to become commissioned officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marines after graduation. (The Coast Guard has its own academy plus an Officer Candidate School, but no ROTC). For those who are already enlisted, the ROTC offers opportunities to earn a college education and a commission as an officer during active or inactive duty.
Many individuals looking towards careers in the military opt for campuses with an active ROTC, because admission to the program ensures that most or all of their college expenses will be paid, in addition to a modest monthly stipend. In exchange for their scholarships, ROTC students must agree to serve their chosen military branch for a certain number of years, usually at least four.
If you are ready to search for colleges with ROTC programs, The CollegeBound Network can help. Check out our articles and directory of colleges that will help you make the very important decision to serve in the U.S. military.
–Barbara Bellesi
November 11th, 2009
