The student, half an hour late for her exam, approached the professor with wild concern and tears in her eyes, red-rimmed from crying and a lack of sleep. She had spent a long, scary night at the hospital, after a night of partying that got out of hand. No, the student had not been the one to party too hard, she’d been studying for her big test. In fact, she probably saved her friends’ lives by rushing them to the ER to get their stomachs pumped.
Unfortunately, the above story is true, and all too common. Colleges across the U.S. make every attempt to keep their campuses drug- and alcohol-free, but not all students heed the warnings. Stories like this are a sobering reminder of the dangers of alcohol abuse. Binge drinking is extremely dangerous, and alcohol poisoning can take your life in a matter of hours. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), binge drinking is considered to be when men consume 5 or more drinks, and when women consume 4 or more drinks, in about 2 hours.
How much did you have during your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations? It’s something to think about.
There is much to celebrate in life, and in college, and there are responsible ways to do so, many of which are alcohol-free. You don’t need alcohol to have fun, and quite honestly, most of the side of effects of alcohol are not fun at all. I don’t know anyone that enjoys puking. And, there are far worse things that can result from intoxication, including death. Alcohol kills people every day, whether it is the person that has battled addiction for years, or the person that made bad decisions in one crazy night of partying.
If you or someone you know is dealing with alcohol issues, please remember that there are resources on campus to assist you. You can contact the Counseling Center for anonymous and confidential help at 419-530-2426, or call UT Police for emergency situations at 419-530-2600. You can find links to additional information on the UT website.
The Tri Delta Sorority here at The University of Toledo is definitely making a difference. The Phi Alpha Chapter here at UT is sponsoring an annual golf outing in order to raise money for St. Jude Research Hospital. In 2006, Delta Delta Delta sorority pledged to raise 10 million dollars in 10 years, nationally. They are so close to completing their goal! They have currently raised $8,624,917. All proceeds to the golf outing will go to St. Jude patient care floor, and help them reach their goal of 10 million. The annual golf outing will be held at Valley Wood Golf Club in Swanton, Ohio on April 24. Tee time is at 7:00 a.m. Create your team of four! Cost is $100/person. Each golfer will receive 18 holes of golf, golf cart and lunch will be provided. The outing will end with a raffle at 2:00 p.m.!
The Tri Delta Sorority is committed to making a difference and has worked very hard to raise money and help reach their goal of 10 million for St. Jude.
“When joining Tri Delta sorority you work to create a stronger bond together, it is something that lasts more than your four years here at UT. You make a life- long commitment not only to your sorority sisters, but to St. Jude and helping their cause. All 75 members put 100% into their every day duties and commitment to Tri Delta and St. Jude” -Joelle Cooke Vice President Public Relations Tri Delta.
To register or donate towards this cause: please contact Ellie Richardson directly at: Ellen.richardson2@rockets.utoledo.edu.
In addition to my duties in the Office of Undergraduate Admission and Office of Equity and Diversity, I am also an ambassador for Rocket Pride.
The Utoledo Gear Team has some fun getting the St. Paddy's Day UT hat ready for the site
I am helping to launch a new stylish line of UT apparel, with UToledoGear.com. Our goal with this new Web site is to provide higher-end options for you to show off the UT colors and show Rocket Pride. We are constantly coming up with new product ideas, and having a good time getting them ready to showcase on the website.
Top o' the mornin' to ya!
With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, we have the perfect green UT Hat. Its 60% bamboo and environmentally friendly – Blue and Gold do make green, after all! So, if you are in need of one last green item to wear on St. Patrick’s Day so you don’t get pinched, visit Utoledogear.com to purchase yours for 17% off in honor of St. Patrick’s Day on March 17.
Also, if you haven’t already done so, you can become a fan of our UToledo Gear Facebook page at Facebook.com/utoledogear and get an additional 15% off your first order.
If you have any other ideas of what you would like to see on our new website, you can email utoledogear@utoledo.edu! GO ROCKETS!!
I have a confession to make. I hate the winter, but I love boots. And, I have every kind you can imagine; heels, flats, wedges, knee-high, Uggs, shooties (those are shoe-booties, by the way.) By the same token, the Shoe Carnival that is my closet is not necessarily appropriate for trekking across campus in a Northwest Ohio winter. The little boot that goes over a walking cast does not seem like a fashion foot forward to me.
So, I save the diva shoes for nights on the town, or vacuuming, if I don’t have anywhere to go. But seriously, it is worth considering trading some fashion sense for a little common sense. Our maintenance crews do a fantastic job of clearing snow and salting walkways, but I still do my part to prevent my own injuries!
I recently invested in a pair of black Reebok Step-Fits for the days I have to travel between multiple campus buildings. They blend nicely with black dress pants, plus they allegedly help tone you and correct your posture with every step! Well, I don’t know yet if they actually work, but at least I have not slipped on the ice and hurt myself, and their balance ball technology does feel good on my feet.
So, when you are choosing your shoes for the day, and you have to hoof it around campus, consider choosing the safe and comfy shoe this winter. Happy trails!
My father once told me, “Angie, if you find a career you enjoy that pays the bills consider it a hobby and not a job.” Cliché I know, but so true. Realistically, life is about change, growth, and ups and downs. However, it is our family and friends who can keep us optimistic through the adversity in life. This brings me to sharing the appreciation I have for working on an amazing university campus with outstanding individuals. Fortunately, I am lucky enough to have crossed paths with some special individuals I like to call “true friends.”
My friend Carlos once pointed out, as we all sat around a hibachi grill during dinner, that if we were to go around the table each one of us represented an area of higher education at the University of Toledo. My friends work in Admissions, Orientation, Student Services, Student Activities, Institutional Advancement, and for the UT Alumni Association. From time to time when we go out as a group we find ourselves proudly talking about the University of Toledo to other people. We all have a common experience that brings us together, and this experience has provided a foundation for true friendship. We listen to each other, exchange ideas, and share personal stories; but most importantly, we learn from each other. A university experience helps us to grow professionally, personally, and socially.
The University of Toledo provides many opportunities to a diverse range of individuals: employees, students, and community. Once an undergraduate student, who commuted, I was not an advocate of group work or study groups. It was not until my graduate experience at The University of Toledo that I began to value the significance of study groups. I learned more and discovered different areas of lecture topics I missed. With this appreciation and self discovery I realized the need to share this experience with my advisees. I encourage all students to step out of their comfort zone to find new ways of interacting for the purpose of learning and living. One of my close friends in the Office of New Student Orientation Programs, once stated:
“UT has become more than just a place of employment. It’s a welcoming atmosphere where I continue to learn and grow as an individual, both personally and professionally.” Whitney B. Walker, M.Ed.
As University of Toledo employees we are given the opportunity to be life-long learners, and to help others reach their fullest potential: “Education is the best gift you can give yourself. I want to be a model for the students I work with, showing them I am always continuing my Education.” Amelia Acuna
If it was not for the University I often wonder if our paths would have crossed. Collaborating across campus has brought all of us together, and working with different departments on campus makes the University a stronger entity. I think the following sums up what it is like to work, socialize, and learn at the University of Toledo:
“UT has helped me realize that I am a life-long learner. I love being challenged in the classroom by my professors, peers, and the materials. Taking classes helps me stay more connected to the University and to the students that I advise” Emily T. Creamer, M.Ed
They are oftentimes the first smiling face seen by prospective students and parents visiting the University of Toledo. They warmly greet families each day and welcome them to campus. They ensure that each family is properly checked in for the daily admission presentations. They take tour groups all around showing off our beautiful campus, all while walking backwards for a majority of the trip. They are on the phones calling prospective students each night of the week to answer any questions, congratulate them on their acceptance to UT, encourage them to sign up for a UT Experience Day, remind them of important dates and programs, and to receive feedback on our service as an office. They provide assistance to us each day so that we can get accomplish our daily goals and ultimately our enrollment goals. They assist in the process of preparing files for application review. They assist with data entry and with mailings to prospective students. They arrive early and some stay late. Some work weekends while others can only work a few weekdays. Who are “they”? “They” are the outstanding student workers in the Office of Undergraduate Admission. I am so proud of the young men and women that work hard each day to make sure our prospective students are not just a number, but valued students that we want to be a part of the Rocket Family. They are oftentimes the highlight of a visit to campus and provide valuable information about their UT experience. It is this interaction that really helps to recruit students to UT. What better way to convey what UT has to offer than through the eyes and mouths of current students already living the experience!
So to any of our student workers that may be reading this, THANK YOU for all that you do and know that you are a big part of UT’s success!
The Office of Undergraduate Admission is hosting their UT Experience Day programs this spring for admitted students. Students are invited by their admitted college to meet the faculty, staff and current students within that college. The morning program is with their admitted college, and the afternoon program is held in the Student Union where students have the opportunity to take a tour of our campus, set up their UTAD account, or speak with representatives from the Office of Undergraduate Admission, Residence Life and Financial Aid. There is also a Honors Program dessert reception for anyone interested in Honors, and a session in the Field House on help filing the FAFSA. These programs are held on Saturday’s this spring- we still have Saturday February 27, Saturday March 13 and Saturday March 27 (March 27 is for the College of Arts and Science only) for these events. We are still taking reservations for the program. Admitted students can register at: http://www.utoledo.edu/admission/experience/
If students are not admitted, but would still like to attend an open house program, we are offering Discover UT Days. Our first Discover UT Day will take place tomorrow Thursday February 18 in the Student Union Ingman Room. The following Discover UT Days will take place on Fridays: Friday March 5, Friday March 19, and Friday April 2. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and listen to a student panel, get admitted on the spot, tour campus and have a free lunch on us! Many offices on campus will also be on hand on these days for students to ask questions about residence life, Honors, Financial Aid, Career Services and Admissions. Students who are not Admitted, and would like to attend these programs can register at: http://www.utoledo.edu/admission/discoverut/
The University of Toledo President’s Lecture Series on Diversity will host their next event on Wednesday March 3, 2010 in Nitschke Hall Auditorium at 7:00 p.m. The event is titled, “Strategies for Success in the Workplace”. Alumni from The University of Toledo will give advice and suggestions on interviewing techniques, negotiation skills, and share ideas on landing a job- and development and growth within a current job. We are very fortunate to have successful alumni such as: Michele Boose, M.D., Breck Davis, Mui-Ling Dong, Birdel Jackson and Anita Lopez. We encourage the community, students, staff, and recent graduates to attend the event. The evening will feature a question and answer session with the panel, so come prepared with questions! We are looking forward to a very successful event, and feel very fortunate to have our UT alumni back for the evening! This event is free and open to the public. Hope to see you on March 3!
Last night, Thursday January 28, 2010-a reception was held for all current students that have the Blue and Gold scholarship. The event was from 6-8 p.m. in the student union Auditorium. We had a great turnout, and the event was a success! We were fortunate enough to have President Jacobs welcome the group, followed by Mayor Bell, Greg Braylock, and James Jackson. All speakers were very motivating and encouraging. The evening included a buffet dinner, many prizes were raffled off including 3 IPOD Touch’s, and we had DJ OneTyme perform; the students all left in good spirits! Our Blue and Gold Scholar students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA, participate in the Rocket 2 Rocket peer mentorship program and eventually become a peer mentor as they continue here at UT. The IPOD’s, and many small gifts were awarded to students who have been contacting their mentors, keeping their GPA up, become involved in the Rocket 2 Rocket program and visited the mentorship center on a weekly basis. The reception was to welcome back our blue and gold students to their 2nd semester here at UT, congratulate them on this prestigious award, and remind them how many resources they have here at UT. We want every student to know that they have a mentor, and we want each of them to succeed.
I thank everyone who came out to support our scholars, and everyone who has put time and effort into helping our Rocket 2 Rocket program grow. I hope we can continue to have small receptions through the Rocket 2 Rocket program. I feel it helps bring all the scholars together so they can spend time with their mentors, ask questions, feel connected and be rewarded for hard work. Blue and Gold Scholars- we are proud of you! Continue to work hard and know that we have mentors that are here to help you reach your goals!
The first week back and we already have a three day weekend! I must admit, this three day weekend has more meaning as I have a deeper connection to the reason behind this national holiday. With Martin Luther King Jr. Day coming up Monday, I want to encourage the UT community to not think of it as a day to catch up on homework, emails, and laundry. Nor is it an extra day to sleep in, but a day to remember and celebrate unity. Instead, attend a program and get involved. As the University’s mission is “to improve the human condition,” we can all learn something from many civil rights activists as we strive to accomplish our personal goals and make in impact on the world in which we live. If anything, the devastation in Haiti and the response of world agencies, including these United States, as they spring in action to aid those in need should be enough to move you to action on Monday.
Where will I be on Monday, January 18th?
I’m glad you asked! As part of my Graduate Practicum, I am assisting Deb Driscoll and her team in the Office of Special Events in the planning of the Annual MLK Unity Celebration. The event will begin in Savage Arena promptly at 9:30am. Thousands of guests are expected to attend the event including elected officials, local business owners, community organizations, and educational representatives. I’m most excited to hear the Central Catholic Glee Club and Toledo Interfaith Mass Choir. Did I mention this will be my first time hearing Mayor Elect, Michael P. Bell speak?
Education and Community Agency services will be available
A free community lunch follows the program.
For More Information, Call the City of Toledo’s Board of Community Relations at 419-245-1565
In the event you can’t make to this event, discover your own personal way of celebrating the memory and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. even if it is forwarding the announcement below:
The Office of Multicultural Services Art Gallery
If anyone is in possession of or has knowledge of anyone who has art work available for display, please consider having the art work displayed during Black History Month in the Office of Multicultural Student Services gallery. Anyone interested please contact Assoc. Director, Sabina Serratos at (419) 530-2992 or Sabina.Serratos@UToledo.Edu for more information.
