Month: February 2011

Categories
News

January graduation option popular

By Ava Ginsberg

Contributing Writer

For many seniors, the stress of May graduation has been relieved, and their lives in the real world have begun.

According to Dennis Hopple, Associate Registrar, three percent of the expected 2011 graduates have completed their studies one semester early. From this three percent, 13 different majors were represented, with the three most popular being psychology, economics and biology.

“Depending upon the industry, graduating early or being available for employment/programs at a time when the majority of undergraduates are not can be of benefit because there is not as much competition from other applicants,” said Alison Ordonez, assistant director of Alumni Relations and Career Services and director of Internship Program Services at the Career Development Center. “However, there are cycles to hiring and time frames of when training programs begin.”

These time frames are industry-specific. Another factor in the job search is the economic climate, which currently is a challenge for many graduates.

“Over the past 10 years, we have seen a trend of approximately 60-70 percent of the graduating class pursuing employment while about 20-25 percent enter graduate or professional school directly upon graduation,” while a smaller percentage travel, Ordonez said.

For the early graduates of the class of 2009, 59 percent entered the workforce, 23 percent went to graduate school, four percent were both employed and in graduate school and six percent volunteered, traveled or did both.

Graduating early also means missing out on one semester of college, parties and friends. Arin Mossovitz ’11, a political science major and American literature minor, decided to stay on campus after her early graduation.

“I didn’t want to miss out on the last part of my college experience,” she said. “I live downtown, and because I am going to law school in the fall, I couldn’t really get a full time job even if I moved home for the semester. Instead, to keep myself productive, I am auditing a Spanish class at Bucknell and working part time at Sunflower Daycare as a preschool teacher.”

Many students graduate early in order to save a semester’s worth of tuition, to study for upcoming graduate school admissions tests like the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), or to begin pursing job opportunities before most of their peers.

Brittany Mastin ’11, a pre-med biology major, graduated early in order to study for the MCAT.

“My intention was to graduate early so that I could take some ‘breathing time’ before entering medical school. I am now using my extra semester without school to focus on studying for the MCAT,” she said. While studying, Mastin is also volunteering at the Venice Family Clinic.

Although Mastin had planned to graduate early from the start of her academic career, Mossovitz had a different experience. “Graduating early was not my plan all along, but it just so happened that when I was choosing classes my junior year, I realized that I had enough credits to graduate early,” she said.

Annie Olszewski ’11, a French and economics major and an international relations minor, said that she realized during her sophomore year that she would have enough credits to graduate early and decided to pursue that option.

“I am still living in my house here off campus, and I am working in the mailroom and at Zelda’s, as well as auditing a French course and [taking] an independent study,” she said. “I am also looking into grad school stuff because I want to go after a year or two to a school that has a combined JD/MBA program.”

Most early graduates seem pleased with their decision to complete college one semester early.  “I am very happy with my decision. I feel a lot less pressure, and I have more time to figure out what I want to do. I am really enjoying everything I am doing now,” Olszweski said.

Categories
News

Students feed community through program in Milton

By Olivia Seecof

Writer

On Monday nights, volunteers from the University and the local community come together as a group called Community Harvest to serve a nutritious meal to Milton community members.

Every week around 2:00 p.m., students set up tables and chairs, make the meal and put out the desserts, transforming the gym of St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church into a massive dining hall for a dinner to be served at 5 p.m.

“My favorite thing about Community Harvest is that I get to leave the ‘Bucknell Bubble,’ and I realize the hardships that America really is facing with hunger, poverty, etc,” student coordinator Carly Chafey ’13 said. “These problems are happening right near us at school, and many students have no idea.”

With the recent downturn in the economy, more Americans struggle with hunger and lack of food. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, one out of eight Americans struggles with hunger each year. Community Harvest is an opportunity to help those in need.

This problem not only affects urban areas but also rural and suburban populations like those surrounding the University.

“I love all the people I get to meet through this experience. I have gotten to know all of the patrons and they are so friendly, and it’s fun meeting a new group of Bucknell students each week,” Chafey said.

The organization serves approximately 200 individuals every week, and all people are welcome to attend, regardless of age, income or religious affiliation.

“They [the people who receive the meals] are all different ages and each one appreciates the meal that is served,” Sam Lara ’13 said.

The average weekly cost of a meal to feed all patrons at Community Harvest is about $300, which breaks down to about $2 per person.

Support for Community Harvest comes from the University, Parkhurst Dining Services, St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church, Weis Markets in Lewisburg and private donations.

There are three main ways to get involved with Community Harvest. One is to volunteer for the organization.

“[Community Harvest] is a great way for students to interact with local people in the community, and they love to tell stories of their lives and more,” Lara said.

A second way to get involved is through cooking. Cooking over 200 meals can be a large undertaking, so at Community Harvest there are never too many cooks in the kitchen.

The organization is also accepting  any donations and is happy to advertise its sponsors on its website and to participants.

Categories
News

Community ‘plunges’ into Susquehanna

By Katherine Schotz

Contributing Writer

The cold weather and icy conditions did not deter over 200 people from participating in the sixth annual Polar Bear Plunge on Feb. 5 at the St. George Street landing. This fundraiser, part of the Heart of Lewisburg Ice Festival, raised about $1,500 for the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership.

Although an e-mail was sent concerning the possibility of a cancellation, the fundraiser went on as planned.

“It was freezing but definitely worth it,” Rebecca Becker ’11 said. “The energy was great and I would do it again.”

In order to participate, each participant pays a registration fee that benefits the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership, which in turn helps the Arts and Ice Festivals in Lewisburg.

The University’s Office of Civic Engagement runs this event every year. This year, over 200 people participated by plunging into the Susquehanna River, up from about 100 people last year.

According to Lynn Pierson, Assistant Director of Community Service at the University, more people showed up the day of the event to take part in the Polar Bear Plunge, even though they had not registered beforehand.

Pierson commented

Students enjoy running into the freezing Susquehanna River to raise money for the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership.

that the official total of money raised was still being calculated as of Monday. It was clear, however, that enough money had been raised to make a sizable contribution to the community.

“As a senior, I’m glad that I can give something back to Lewisburg,” Becker said.  “The Plunge was a really fun and easy way to do that, even though I almost slipped.”

There were two fire department officials in the river as well as other personnel standing by for safety purposes in case anyone needed help, but there were no emergencies and the EMT staff were able to enjoy the fun.

People were dressed up in fun costumes and bright colors. Some groups chanted and jumped up and down to keep warm before being given the go-ahead to start, but most of the participants managed to emerge from the river with a smile.

“I’m surprised that so many people come and actually go in the water,” Sarah Tallett ’11 said. “I think it’s really great that there is such a mix of people here from Bucknell and from Lewisburg.”

The continued success of the Polar Bear Plunge has guaranteed that the event will be back for a seventh year, Pierson said.

Categories
Editorial Opinion

Editorial

Last week it was announced to the senior class that 100 Nights, an event that had previously brought seniors together to celebrate their time at the University, would be canceled due to problems stemming from excessive drinking and vandalism in previous years. The Office of Alumni Relations and the Career Development Center, which had hosted the event along with a student planning committee, are planning to replace it with a new event that will “provide [seniors] with a setting to enjoy each other’s company and reconnect with … first year hallmates as well as reinforce the mission of why we are all here: to educate and prepare you for a lifetime of discovery, fulfillment, critical thinking and imagination,” according to an e-mail sent to seniors.

Despite the plans for the creation of a new tradition, many students are disappointed about the discontinuation of 100 Nights. This was an event that students had looked forward to for a long time, and excitement was building as it approached. It is understandable that students are upset about its abrupt cancellation.

The problems that led to the cancellation of the event are not surprising. Widespread alcohol consumption, often to levels that can be described as “excessive,” takes place every weekend at the University. Removing or re-shaping a popular event will not eliminate irresponsible behavior from unruly seniors that night. If anything, events such as 100 Nights protect students by encouraging them to consume alcohol in a controlled environment. Even in the case of vandalism, the fairness of punishing current students for the failures of past classes is questionable. There should certainly be repercussions for students who act inappropriately, but the actions of a few should not be allowed to ruin the experiences of future students. Compared to other large-scale spring semester events like House Party Weekend, 100 Nights seems tame.

It is clear that 100 Nights was intended to be much more than just a giant party with a nostalgia theme, but many students did not seem to realize this. Few students knew that the event was organized by Alumni Relations and the CDC; many assumed that it was an official University tradition such as First Night and Orientation, except with alcohol. There seems to have been a widespread misunderstanding among students about what the event was intended to accomplish. Many students envisioned it as a drunken celebration, while the planning committee evidently wanted it to be a reflective and thoughtful experience.

The change to a new event is certainly the product of good intentions, and the planning committee has expressed every desire to create a new tradition that will be even better than 100 Nights. Still, in order to be successful, the new tradition cannot merely encourage seniors to “reflect,” “think” and “prepare.” It must also allow them to celebrate and have fun. The organizers of the event should not scale back the celebration aspect just because they fear a few participants might become too rowdy.

Students should give the new event a fair chance and realize that they can still have fun and bond together without the presence of alcohol. They need to take the the event’s thought-provoking intentions seriously or it will simply meet the same fate as 100 Nights in a few years.

This could be the start of a memorable new tradition at the University. An event created in a framework that integrates both thoughtful reflection and celebration potentially will have a much more powerful impact upon the graduating senior class than 100 Nights did in the past.

Categories
Opinion

Tuscon tragedy shouldn’t affect gun control policy

By Amanda Ayers

Contributing Writer

During this past January, gunman Jared Loughner unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Arizona’s democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford in Tucson, Ariz. This debacle sparked debate about gun-control laws in the United States, as many who advocate for stricter legislature

One of the major arguments for people in favor of added gun-control legislation is that the second amendment was only meant to guarantee states the right to operate militias. The number of militias and their effectiveness has diminished since the 18th century, which leads many to the conclusion that the amendment is now moot.

If you read some of the writings of our founding fathers in addition to the second amendment, there were ulterior and perhaps more significant motives for protecting the American peoples’ right to bear arms. Thomas Jefferson said, “the strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” These leaders founded our nation on the principle that if a government infringes on our rights, it is the duty and right of the governed to stand up to it.

I do not think that this event will change the gun-control debate since there is no proof to suggest that more gun control would have prevented this shooting.

Gun-control advocates were quick to criticize the second amendment, the Tea Party and the right wing for Loughner’s actions. Loughner was rejected from enlisting in the Army in 2008 due to drug use and asked to withdraw from his community college because the administration saw him as a mentally unstable security threat.

It was not the weapon or lenient firearms laws in Arizona that killed six people. It was this deranged young man’s actions. Measures are already in place to block criminals and mentally unstable people from purchasing firearms. Further restrictions will only prevent law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves, as framed by the second amendment and in writings of the founding fathers.

Thomas Jefferson said, “Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.”

The fact of the matter is that if more gun control is put into place, there are more chances that law-abiding citizens will be victims. These precautions will not stop criminals from obtaining guns, as there will always be a thriving black market for trade of guns and firearms.

An example of this can be seen in Washington, D.C. where for 32 years gun owners were not legally permitted to own or carry a handgun within the district’s territory. Crime rates actually increased, showing that these strict gun laws did not alleviate the problem.

In June 2008, the Supreme Court ruled five to four that the district’s law was unconstitutional. Writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia observed that regardless of whether violent crime is a problem, “the enshrinement of constitutional rights necessarily takes certain policy choices off the table … Whatever the reason, handguns are the most popular weapon chosen by Americans for self-defense in the home and a complete prohibition of their use is invalid.”

Gun control will not prevent gun violence anyway, so we should not allow fear to get in the way of our second amendment rights.

Categories
Opinion

New student lounge provides place to relax

By Leah Rogers

Contributing Writer

For the entire first semester, students wandered downstairs to the Bison Café and mailroom, walking by the temporary walls put up for construction and wondering what lay beyond them. The student-painted murals added some temporary flare to the downstairs Elaine Langone Center (ELC), but students were awaiting the final product. Well, as many of you have already seen, the construction is finally complete and the new student lounge is finally open. The new lounge is a great addition to the ELC and will benefit students for many years to come.

The lounge includes a variety of comfortable seating, from couches and comfy chairs to swivel chairs and tables. Students can go to the lounge to hang out with friends and watch TV on the nice flat-screen. They can sit and do homework in the student lounge for a change of scenery from the library and their dorm room. They can even eat there, with its convenient location right across from the Bison Café, students can bring food over and eat in a more comfortable setting.

“The lounge is that much-needed halfway home for all students to hang out, take a nap, study or send out mail!” Hannah Bohr ’14 said.

The new hang out spot is also home to the campus post office. The mailroom is right next door, so students no longer have to check their mail in one place and then make the trek over to Marts Hall to get stamps or send mail. The new location is much more fitting. Also finding its new home in the student lounge is the Campus Activities and Programs (CAP) center, formerly located on the third floor of the ELC. For many lazy students, walking up three flights of stairs could be quite the hike, so having the CAP center on the first floor is much more convenient.

Students can now more easily purchase tickets and sign up for events on campus on their way to check their mail or after eating at the Bison.

Students have been waiting for the lounge for a long time. The ELC holds the Bostwick Marketplace and the Bison Café, but there was no real place for students to just hang out and relax with friends. The new lounge gives students a place to do this.

“It’s very bright and inviting for anyone looking to rest and relax,” Joe Pagliaro ’14 said.

Students can kick back and enjoy free time they have between or after classes and on weekends while still being close to all of their necessities.

Categories
Opinion

Disconnection necessary in a technological world

By Erin Kircher

Contributing Writer

Several times in the past few weeks I have been called out for my speedy texting abilities. “Wow, you have some of the fastest thumbs I’ve ever seen” has become my most frequently received compliment. The first few times I heard this I just laughed it off, but the more I heard it, the more my embarrassment grew. It occurred to me that this skill of mine was just a testament to how outrageously addicted I was to my cell phone.

We are so overloaded today with new and exciting technological devices that often it seems almost painful to pull our attention away from them.

Todd Gitlin, author of “Media Unlimited,” notes that “for growing numbers of people, the world is a multiplex, chock-full of electronics: an arcade of amusements.” Whether it be the seemingly urgent, endless text messages of a friend or the new Facebook friend request from that cute boy or girl you met at last night’s party, technology constantly entertains us with new information.

Of course, this steady stimulation does have its downsides. “The freedom to be incidentally connected is not uncomplicated,” Gitlin says. “It goes with being incidentally accessible, which amounts to being on-call and interruptible everywhere.”

Being accessible anywhere at any time can be exhausting. Our hectic lives are already packed with the demands of schoolwork and extracurricular activities. Add to this the responsibility of answering texts, phone calls, e-mails, Facebook chat messages or wall posts and updating your Twitter. It’s no wonder many of us depend on multiple cups of coffee a day. We are expected to always be alert, available and reachable. This can really wear us down.

I’m not suggesting that you completely retreat from all technological temptations. In many ways, technology has greatly added to society’s progress and being so connected does have its benefits. What I am suggesting is that you find some time for yourself, even if it is for just 20 minutes. People are not built for this overstimulation and therefore should take an occasional break in order to stay balanced.

A quick session of meditation might be particularly beneficial in relieving stress. A recent study at Massachusetts General Hospital showed that mindfulness meditation causes structural changes in one’s brain. The press release stated: “Participant-reported reductions in stress also were correlated with decreased grey-matter density in the amygdala, which is known to play an important role in anxiety and stress.”

Meditation can also help people to be more aware of their surroundings. The distractions technology can cause may lead us to neglect what is happening around us. For instance, on your way to class, you might be texting rather than observing the new fallen snow blanketing the campus or waving hello to your friend passing by. Practicing meditation can train us to return our thoughts to the present moment.

The first time I tried meditating, I found myself fidgeting and ruminating on how much time had passed. What seemed like 15 minutes of silence turned out to be four minutes.

Hesitantly, I had turned off my phone and any background music playing on my iTunes, determined to disconnect myself and experience true serenity. I must admit, this silence lead to some anxiety at first. What if someone was trying to reach me? Even more distressing was the fact that I was completely alone with my thoughts which kept circling around the worries and stressors I had pushed to the back of my mind.

Once I persevered through this initial discomfort, I found myself looking forward to meditation. I could really see an impact that it had on my outlook from day to day. If I ever became overwhelmed, I reminded myself to return my focus to my breath, as I did in those quiet moments meditating. I’m pretty sure all that work on my amygdala really paid off.

In this fast-paced society, it is important to take the time to stop, relax and appreciate life’s fleeting moments. Maybe you can follow my lead and turn off your cell phone for a little while, sit cross-legged in your room and repeatedly chant “om” until you experience a peaceful state. Maybe you can go on a run and clear your head. You might even just want to try going to a party and dancing your heart out to Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite.” Whatever your style, try to occasionally pull yourself away from technology and enjoy the present moment.

While I still might be spotted around campus occasionally texting at a furious speed, I do hope to stop the comments about my fast thumbs. I want my life to consist of real, authentic moments, rather than an overload of brief, abbreviated conversations via text.