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The center for leadership and service (CLST2KT2KEspinal
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The center for leadership and service (CLST2KT2KEspinal
Kean University is encouraging students to learn more about the world and its diverse cultures and languages. STARTALK Hindi Program 2011 began on Monday, June 20 and will continue to Saturday, July 9, 2011. This will be the second year STARTALK has been held at Kean.
On Tuesday, April 12, 2011, Daniel Mendelsohn discussed his international best-selling memoir, The Lost: a Search for Six of the Six Million in the auditorium of the New Jersey Center for Science, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) building. This event was sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program in cooperation with the Holocaust Resource Center, the Human Rights Institute and the Master of Arts Degree Program in Holocaust and Genocide Studies.
Three years ago, the interdisciplinary course "The Holocaust, Genocide and Modern Humanity" (ID 1800), began at Kean University. ID1800 focuses on the human right tragedies that occurred worldwide and across time, including the Holocaust and modern-day genocides. Genocide is the premeditated attempt by the highest levels of government to exterminate an entire group of people. In the course, students will observe testimonies, documentaries and case studies on genocide in the Holocaust and within the 20th century scope, as well as in Asia, Africa and the United States.
Kean University is celebrating Earth Week from April 18 to April 21, 2011, to prepare for Earth Day on Friday, April 22. Earth Day is when the community spreads awareness about environmental issues, such as recycling, climate change, pollution and other issues to teach appreciation for environment.
The Nathan Weiss Graduate College is the graduate program affiliated with Kean University. The graduate school offers 26 master degree programs, two professional diplomas, 45 different program selections and two doctoral degrees. One of the two doctoral degrees is the Doctor of Education in urban leadership. This program emphasizes the importance of leadership within urban communities, specifically with the educational system.
On Monday, March 7, 2011, the Human Rights Institute and the Masters in Holocaust and Genocide Studies program at Kean University hosted a lecture entitled Investigation and Prosecution of Nazi Criminals and Other Human Rights Violators in the United States. Eli M. Rosenbaum, director of Human Rights Enforcement Strategy and Policy for the United States Department of Justice, served as the guest speaker for this event.
n Thursday, March 24, 2011, the opening reception of the Works on Paper and Furniture by Harry Bertoia took place in the Karl and Helen Burger Art Gallery in the Maxine and Jack Lane Center for Academic Success. These works are currently on loan from the Estate of Harry Bertoia, Seraphin Gallery and Knoll Inc..
Each Wednesday night, the Leadership 2011 program is held, led by Carlos Pereira, a graduate assistant for the Center of Leadership and Service and public administration major. Pereira, the program coordinator, leads weekly workshops to expand student's leadership potential and does numerous hands on activities with the students to enhance the material taught. There are 21 students in Leadership 2011 divided into four different groups. Pereira leads these students to complete a large community service project within their groups.
n Tuesday, March 8, 2011, Dr. Tamara Clark led the workshop ABC's of Becoming Successful in the University Center Little Theatre. Dr. Tamara Clark is a full-time college campus chair at the University of Phoenix for both undergraduate and graduate students. She also has her own businesses with non-profit organizations and is involved with human resources at afterschool tutorial programs.
n Friday, March 18 through Sunday, March 20, Kean University hosted the three-day 2011 Garden State GreenFest. GreenFest is New Jersey's leading environmental festival that occurs annually to spread awareness as well as promote a greener lifestyle. The mission statement of GreenFest is "information, inspiration, and action", which is exactly what took place through this educational experience. This event featured demonstrations, seminars, speakers and films on how society can lead environmentally cautious lifestyles at home, school and in the workplace.
Courtney Stewart, a junior majoring in interior design, has been interested in designing rooms and houses since she was a young child. "[Since I was a] little girl, I always rearranged my room; so I thought interior design would be a field that I would always keep me interested", commented Stewart. Stewart also states that she is very creative and hands on, hoping to put these valuable skills to good use. Stewart chose to attend Kean University because she wanted to stay in the state of New Jersey and stay close to home. Stewart has spent a great deal of time exploring the job options interior design has to offer. She discovered she wants to pursue a career in commercial design, but is unsure of the exact profession within the business. Commercial design is a type of design specialized for the public including office spaces. She hopes to find a job after completing her degree in interior design. If she feels as though she needs to better or gain her skills, Stewart said she will consider going back to school for more knowledge and experience. Stewart feels that she has had a good college experience with her interior design major and has enjoyed the classes offered, as well as faculty in the department. Stewart states that the professors are both encouraging and helpful. She adds, "The one professor that has always inspired me to work hard and overall succeed in the program would have to be Professor O'Shea. She is the one person that I can go to for design advice, and even future career advice." Stewart states that she was never a natural when it came to drawing. When she took her drawing for designer's class, she learned that drawing came more naturally to her than she thought. Stewart has taken many classes that have benefited her academically. She states, "For design I have taken Intro to Interior Design, Drawing for Designers, Photoshop, AutoCAD I & II, studio classes, and other fine arts classes like 3D and 2D design. [I have] also taken art history classes, which I have really come to enjoy." Stewart is currently an officer for American Society for Interior Designers (ASID), a small organization that is run by the Department of Interior Design. She states the main objectives of the group include: trying to get the students more involved within the program through promotional events, bake sales, and an annual soiree. The soiree is a dance that brings the interior design students and faculty together. Stewart is also passionate about music. When she is not in school, Stewart spends her time going to musical performances on the weekends. Stewart works in the summer as a camp counselor, which she has been doing for five years. This summer, her goal is to find an internship to gain work experience in the design world. Stewart adds "My major is very demanding and stressful at times, but I have never second guessed my major, I know I want to eventually say that I am a licensed interior designer!
When first heading out into the job market, it is important to have the right employment-shopping list and objective in mind. It is vital that graduating job applicants are prepared with resumes, cover letters and proper interviewing skills to help them impress employers and achieve the job they desire.When applying to jobs it is always important to have a resume. A resume should be one page long and include name, contact information, objective, educational history, skills, previous work experience, activities, volunteer work, honors/awards, and references. Many jobs also require a cover letter with the resume, a letter to the employer stating interest in the job, strengths and qualifications. Kean University offers students job advisement in the Maxine and Jack Lane Center for Academic Success (CAS). In the department of career development and advancement services with, resources that are offered that are aimed at helping students throughout their job searches. Some resources provided include individual career counseling, resume and cover letter critiquing, on-campus recruitment, mock interviews, and personality tests among other services. Students can also participate in resume writing workshops and drop-in resume clinics. If an employer is interested, they will respond with the contact information on the resume or application and schedule an interview to meet the potential employee in person. It is normal for students to feel nervous or apprehensive before an interview but there are many ways to prepare in advance to relieve that anxiety. Some examples include researching the position and the company, taking a test drive to the location to prevent getting lost the day of the interview and brainstorming possible interview questions and answers. Appearance and first-impressions make big differences for an interview so it is always important to dress appropriately and professionally to make a good impression. For ladies, slacks, skirts, presentable tops and dress shoes are suitable choices as well as the traditional women's suit. For men, slacks, a presentable button down dress shirt is appropriate with dress shoes and a tie. It is also best to wear conservative colors including navy, gray and black while avoiding extreme colors. Employers can tell if a potential employee is interested by the questions they ask. Before the interview, brainstorm for potential questions to ask the employer. It is important to ask job or position requirements and responsibilities as well as general questions about the company. If the employer is interested, they will discuss salaries and benefits with the applicant, however, an applicant should never ask questions regarding these topics beforehand. If the employer asks a difficult question, try to focus on one's strengths rather than weaknesses. For example, if the question regards conflicts with a past employer explain the situation and what was done to solve it rather than emphasizing on the dilemma. For punctuality, it is best to arrive five to ten minutes earlier before interview. This gives the applicant time to greet the receptionist, explore the company and ease nervousness. If the is one is running late due to traffic or any other possible scenario, a phone call should be made immediately to let the employer know what the situation is rather than showing up late with no explanation. For more information and advice on job searching, contact the office career development and advancement, located in the CAS room 123, call 908-737-0320 or email career@kean.edu.
Every year, more than 600,000 prospective graduate school applicants take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The GRE is a standardized test accepted by thousands of graduate school to evaluate how prepared students are for graduate level work. GRE scores are used by the admissions departments in addition to undergraduate records, recommendation letters and other requirements to determine who will be accepted into the graduate college. The test is comprised of four sections: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills. Scoring is based on answers for each section of the GRE.Verbal reasoning measures reading comprehension and verbal and analogical reasoning skills, which emphasize on the test taker's aptitude to analyze and evaluate written material. The verbal reasoning section has sentence completion questions, analogies, antonyms, and reading comprehension questions. The scores for verbal reasoning range from 200 to 800 points. Analytical writing measures critical thinking and analytical writing skills that express complex ideas effectively. This section has two essays; in one essay, writers must present their perspective on a prompted issue, and the other is to analyze an argument. Analytical writing scores range from one to six. Quantitative reasoning measures problem-solving ability, which focuses on arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis. The math questions on the GRE resemble high school level math, so it is important to brush up on math skills prior to taking the exam if one considers their math knowledge unpracticed. Quantitative reasoning scores range from 200 to 800 points. To prepare for the GRE, students can begin by taking a practice test to determine their strengths and weaknesses to learn what they need to work on. Many practice tests are offered online at www.princetonreview.com/GRE or at www.greguide.com/gre-practice-tests. Taking a practice test also allows students to manage their time because the three sections on the test are timed. Some facilities including Kaplan, offer GRE practice classes which help prospective graduate students prepare for the exam. It is very important to put time aside to study for the GRE to get the best score. There are GRE preparation books that can either be bought or borrowed from the library that have sample questions that resemble questions on the actual questions on the test and tips for success on the GRE. By reviewing these books, one can become comfortable with the test before they actually take it. To register for the GRE, log on to www.gre.org. On the website, local test sites will also be provided, when and where the test will be available. The GRE comes in two different types of test forms, paper or computer. The registration process and the test sites may differ depending on which form of the test chosen. The test costs approximately $150, which will need to be paid during the registration process. For more information, contact the Educational Testing Service at 800-GRE-CALL, 609-771-7670 or log on to www.gre.org.
The Cougar's Byte is making it a priority to make Kean University more environmentally friendly and aware of changes that can be made to contribute to the wellbeing of the earth. Starting this semester, there will be helpful recommendations on what the Kean community can do to make Kean a greener campus and how to contribute to the wellbeing of the society and its home. Transportation plays a very important role in the lives of workers and students. Cars are the most popular type of transportation and provide fast and reliable access. However, they are also the most detrimental form of transportation because of their environmental and health consequences. According to the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), cars in the United States emit about three hundred million tons of carbon dioxide as well as other harmful chemicals into the atmosphere each year. Driving a car releases pollution, toxic emissions, and harmful gases from the combustion system including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, and sulfur. Currently, automobiles are the leading cause to the air pollution problem in America. The Environmental Defense Fund also found that the vehicles in the United States contribute to about a third of the smog-producing air pollution in the country. These chemicals poison the air that humans breathe in affecting their respiratory systems, leading to asthma and other conditions as well as damaging the Earth's atmosphere. Although cars are a quick and convenient way to travel, the environment and the people of the Earth suffer the consequences. There are many alternatives that society can take part in to protect the environment. Instead of driving to school and work everyday, people could use mass transit, including trains and buses, which are better for the environment. Union Train Station is right next to Kean and NJTransit offers discounts to students on NJTransit.com. Students could also take turns carpooling with friends that are going to the same destination to save gas and money. If the destination is not too far, one can walk or ride a bicycle, which is also good exercise. To conserve energy and protect their environment, a new idling law has been enacted to the New Jersey Clean Air Act. Union and others municipalities throughout New Jersey are participating and the campaign "Idle Free New Jersey" is quickly dispersing throughout the state to spread awareness on the detrimental effects of idling. The new law states there is a three minute idling limit before one must move their car. Many students relax in their car when they are not in classes or people leave their car to idle when they do not think they will be waiting long. By leaving the car running, they are not only wasting energy, gas, and oil, but harming the engine and the environment due to the harmful pollutants are released. Students could park at further locations such as the train station or the east campus to avoid idling and then take the trolley over to the main campus. It is the responsibility of the citizens of the world to work harder to keep the atmosphere clean for the wellbeing of society and the surroundings occupied.
The Returning Older Students Association (ROSA) is a new non-funded student group at Kean University officially recognized for the spring 2011 semester. ROSA is a group for older, non-traditional students that returned to college; a major aim is to have members assist each other and other students by easing the transition back into the collegiate life. Jodie Handler, a senior psychology major, stated, "There are currently 3,000 part-time students over the age of 25. ROSA wants to give older, non-traditional students a voice. I feel we are not being heard." Handler is also a non-traditional student and the vice president of ROSA.
The Cougar's Byte is making it a priority to make Kean University more environmentally friendly and aware of changes that can be made to contribute to the wellbeing of the earth. Starting this semester, there will be helpful recommendations on what the Kean community can do to make Kean a greener campus and how to contribute to the wellbeing of society and its home. There are approximately one million homes in the United States alone and it is where people spent a vast amount of their time. At home, people use the most energy, water and create the most waste. According to "The Green Book," A New York Times Best Seller, Americans use twice as much water and energy per person as anyone else in the world. On average, a person creates up to 4.5 pounds of waste each day and for every other household member, more waste is contributed to the landfills. There are many simple choices Americans can make that will not affect everyday life significantly that can make immense differences for the environment. These choices are not only applied to home life but for the students who live in the residence halls. By taking shorter showers, a vast amount of water can be saved. According to "the Green Book," every two minutes saved on water can conserve more than ten gallons of water and that can add up drastically. When brushing teeth, it is also beneficial to turn off the tap until needed. Recycling items in the home can also make a momentous difference. If everyone in America separated the paper, plastic, glass and aluminum products from the trash, the landfill can be decreased by 75%.In the residence halls, there are blue recycling bins in each room and each trash room to promote recycling. Although some modifications seem small, they make a vast difference when it comes to the safety and wellbeing of the environment. Small changes include paying bills online, donating items to charity, reusing scrap paper, turning off the lights when out of room and opening the curtains for natural light instead of using lights during the day. There are many household materials that are made environmentally friendly from the company Energy Star. Energy Star is a joint program of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Energy to help society save money and protect the environment with energy efficient products. Some products that are part of Energy Star include dishwashers, refrigerators, televisions, computers, battery chargers among other items. These are products that take up a great deal of energy and are sold energy efficient to protect the environment by conserving energy. It is also important to practice and encourage recycling within peers, faculty and family members to spread awareness in households and residence halls to prevent further environmental problems and a greener home. It is the responsibility of the citizens of the world to work harder to keep the atmosphere clean for the wellbeing of society and the surroundings occupied.
All year round, recycling is stressed as an important and serious matter in the community. It is an advantageous procedure that not only greatly helps the environment, but saves many lives and non-reusable natural resources in the economy. By many, it is considered the responsibility of the population to keep the atmosphere, water and vegetation clean for the well-being of society and the environment. There are many detriments the environment and community suffer from when recycling is not done. Recycling can reduce landfill sites, which harm both the environment and wildlife. It also reduces pollution from manufacturing companies with carbon dioxide (CO2) and harmful gases that have negative impacts on the health of the community. These adverse impacts include climate change and with elimination of the pollutants, the air will be cleaner to breathe. By recycling, the amount of energy needed for new products is reduced greatly. Also, when paper is not recycled, more trees are chopped down, transported, and manufactured which takes a vast amount of energy and greatly reduces green-life on the planet. Conserving energy is important because it fights against climate change. When man-made materials are produced, raw materials, such as wood or metal are often needed to complete the product. These raw materials are natural resources and need to be gathered, which has many disadvantages, including deforestation. Deforestation is the permanent destruction of indigenous forests and woodlands. The forest has been used for its natural resources to provide paper and other objects. There are many ways society can recycle and contribute to the wellbeing of the environment. The "three R's" of recycling are "recycle", "reduce" and "reuse". These three actions can bring about a great deal of positive changes. "Recycling" is the process of reusing an intended item or producing a new item from the remains of a previous item. "Reducing" the use of un-needed items, like conserving the use of electrical appliances and reusing plastic plates and bottles instead of throwing them away, can hugely affect and help repair the environment. "Reusing" can be done by reusing items beyond intended use such as donating old clothes, saving shopping bags for other purposes, or using water bottles or plastic containers to store food. According to recyclingfacts.org, each person creates about 4.7 pounds of waste every single day. If the amount of waste each day can be reduced through recycling, reducing and reusing, then there would be less waste in landfills and incinerators. Reducing is another way to contribute by reducing the amount of toxicity and trash thrown away as well as limiting the amount of water used while showering, brushing teeth, or doing dishes. Many people choose not to recycle because they find it inconvenient or feel as though it is unavailable in their city. Other ways society can contribute to the environment include recycling bottles, cans, and newspapers and bringing them to the curb or facility, using reusable cups and containers, investing in reusable bags and printing on both sides of the paper. Some of the benefits of recycling include energy conservation, conservation of natural resources, less landfills and incinerations that cause pollution, decrease in greenhouse emissions that disperse chemicals that lead to climate change and global warming and a better and sustainable environment for future generations.
Article II, Section 3 of the United States Constitution states "He shall from time to time give to Congress information of the state of the union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." Every year the president of the United States is mandated by the Constitution to address the conditions of the country as well as upcoming plans. On Tuesday, January 25, 2011, President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union Address and New Jersey's 20th district legislators, Senator Raymond Lesniak, Assemblyman Joseph Cryan and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, hosted a viewing party in the University Center game room for Kean University and Union County College students. Before the State of the Union address, students were asked to share their views on the major issues surrounding the nation as well as why they decided to attend the viewing event. Raul Ramos, a sophomore international business major, attended the event to further his political knowledge. Ramos notes that he has become more active in politics both locally and nationally. "I follow [political] races other news to be knowledgeable," states Ramos. He further added that he concerned about the economic status of the country and what the tax payer's money is being used for. Lee Burrelli, a sophomore journalism major, stated that "It is important for the youth to be educated in the state of the country." He feels that in America, many people are on different paths in pursuit of different goals that lead them in different directions rather than working together. Michelle Aloquin, a senior psychology major, stated, "Before a degree guaranteed you a job, but now college students are confused about their future because of the bad economic state." Senator Lesniak and his fellow legislators emphasized the importance of a good education and a college degree, using their own experiences. Senator Lesniak stated "A good education, patience and hard work will lead you to your dreams." He explained if he did not serve in the United States Army and receive funding from the G.I. Bill he would not have been able to attend college or have the same career opportunities that have led to his political success. Assemblywoman Quijano explained how she was the first member of her family to pursue higher education. She watched how her family struggled as working class immigrants. Her mother was a single mother and a beautician at a salon, where Assemblywoman Quijano learned how to socialize with others and appreciate people's differences. Assemblywoman Quijano became a strong-willed and ambitious woman because she was taught she could do anything as a woman. In high school, she told her guidance counselor she wanted to become an attorney to work in favor of the wellbeing of others. Her guidance counselor did not take her seriously because she was female, the granddaughter of a farm worker and daughter of a single mother. Assemblywoman Quijano exclaimed "I could have done one out of two things that day. I could have agreed with him or I could have pursued my dream, which is what I did." Assemblyman Cryan, who also serves as Democratic majority leader in the New Jersey Assembly, added, "with such monumental challenges facing us as a nation right now, it's important that we encourage our young, emerging leaders to take an active role in understanding these issues and developing their own ideas on how they might play a part in defining their own future." After sharing their stories, Senator Lesniak, Assemblyman Cryan and Assemblywoman Quijano took the time to answer questions asked by students in the audience. Students asked questions about the conditions of the nation including immigration, the economy, higher education and the future. When one student asked about the cutbacks with colleges and universities throughout the United States and his distress, Assemblywoman Quijano replied "Your voice matters, share your opinions, write letters, call your governor and senator. You deserve to have an education you can afford." Senator Lesniak said that he believes that two of the most important issues in the United States currently is the job market and economic security. He added, "We hosted this party tonight to get more people involved in politics because the voices of the students are not being heard in Trenton or Washington D.C. The policies are not always in the best interest for the students and if the voices are heard, more changes can be made for tuition, financial resources and the job market" Lesniak also explained that he only expected to see 60 students at most at this event, but at the viewing party drew in at least 200, which he exclaimed was a great turn out. In President Obama's State of the Union Address, he reported on issues related to the economy, healthcare, energy, higher education, the accomplishments throughout his term and ways society can contribute to make the nation a better place. Stephanie Acosta, freshman biology major, said "Obama put a lot of emphasis on what we should do for the country using the example of the young girl with large ambitions from Tuscan and how her dreams are not much different than everyone else's." Stephanie Suarez, a freshman undecided major, states "I found it important that Obama is working hard to make the environment cleaner and safer and in 2035 there will be cleaner energy, which the country needs." She also found it important that Obama explained the importance of education that comes from the community and one's home. Petroula Jackson, a junior majoring in Early Childhood Education, stated "I agree with President Obama that everyone needs to be on one accord and try not to out do one another. We would get a lot done as a country if everyone came together and put their differences aside." If anyone is interested in playing a bigger role in their community, the 20th district legislative office provides internships for college students. The internships are unpaid and could be used for course credit in classes. Some of the benefits of an internship in a legislative office includes learning about the political process, office and professional skills, attending community outreach programs as well as volunteer work. Internships can lead to networking and further career opportunities. The New Jersey 20th Legislative District consists of Union Township, the City of Elizabeth, and the Boroughs of Kenilworth and Roselle. For more information, please contact the 20th legislative district office by calling (908) 624-0880, visiting the district office at 985 Stuyvesant Avenue in Union, NJ, or by visiting www.njcommunityfirst.com.