Dima Nimri, graduating with a Bachelor’s in Computer Science wishes to, “Go on a road trip all around the United States and camp in the desert in Bahrain (an island in the Middle East).”Thulani Ngazimbi who was named the Commencement Student Speaker is graduating with a Masters in Energy Management has a goal as well. “ I want to drive down the entire pacific coast highway, visit an expansive Native American reservation,visit Charleston, New Orleans, Nashville (especially Austin), Paris (live on a budget) and Aix En Provence (not live on a budget). I also want to learn how to speak Danish and Spanish, drive across America (again), meet more Americans, photograph them transcontinetally and put them on my blog, thekewrayter.blogspot.com and drive at speeds that far exceeds the legal limits in a legal setting.”

Shanice Doyle, graduating with a Bachelor’s in Biomedical Engineering said, “This summer, during the entire month of June. I will be in New Orleans at NSBE’s (National Society of Black Engineers) Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) where I would be serving as the Assistant Site Director. Secondly I’d like to go back home to Trinidad and Tobago to spend time with my friends and family and also be a part of another program that is very close to my heart the NIHERST Caribbean Youth Science Forum where I will spend one week supervising and mentoring pre-collegiate level STEM major students from all over Caribbean as they come together at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus.”

Michael Harris, graduating with a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering will be, “Traveling to different cities within a few hours of NYC every other weekend just to get out of town for a few days. Spend a lot of time at the gym working off the last few years in college. Take a refresher course on my NYS Bartender’s Certification, start taking martial art classes again (Krav Maga or kickboxing), get my first tattoo done and finally finish decorating my room in my apartment (been living there for almost a year).”

Cindy Gue, graduating with a Bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentration in Health, Behavioral and Political Science said, “I’m going to Oakland, California to serve as External Relations Coordinator in the NSBE’s SEEK Academy. I might be going to Haiti to coordinate a SEEK Academy at an orphanage called the Center of Hope. Find an investor to kick start my business. I’m starting a business venture, an education reform center that develops curriculum to enhance play and exploration in STEM concepts, specific to schools in Haiti, grades K-12.

Graduating from college is a major milestone. So what’s next for you after college? What does the future hold? Some students see college as a major goal, when in reality it is simply a stepping stone to other future life achievements. Part of the adventure is really figuring out who you are and what you value. It’s a mind-boggling experience that is full of ups and downs, trials and tribulations and unexpected surprises are the results of great triumph.

In today’s job market,there are constant reports of the high unemployment rate, the latest big company layoff, the poor economic state of our country, and the increasingly competitive job market. Finding a job as a fresh graduate is no walk in the park. Students at NYIT are taught to put themselves out there to employers, diversify their resumes, and do something that sets them apart from the competition. Networking is one of the single most important factors in landing a position for a college senior. There are an abundance of opportunities out there, but the key is to network.Specifically, constant conversation, attending job fairs, like the annual NYIT job fair held this past April, and building relationships with those around you. These relationships can lead to possible opportunities to landing the entry level position you have dreamed of.

A lot of hard work, drive, and determination go into creating an employer ready resume and preparing for job interviews. The task can be extremely stressful, as the pressure mounts to land a position as graduation draws closer there is an abundance of help and knowledge available to students on campus for the job hunt. NYIT’s own office of Career Services on campus offers an array of tools to help students with networking to potential employers. Students can sit down with a career services representative, who will evaluate their resume, and offer suggestions and tips on how to network, grow, and prosper in today’s competitive job market. The office of Career Services is located in Salten Hall, down the stairs and across the hall from both the bookstore and the student cafe. Some of NYIT’s graduating seniors weigh in on what’s ahead for them in the future. “The job market is still recovering, but the unemployment rate is slowly declining and that gives me a positive outlook for landing a position once I graduate. I am still undecided if I will continue on for my masters or not,” says Garrett Kemp, a senior finance major who will be graduating this fall. Another senior finance major, Khalil Khalfan, shares his future plans, “Upon graduating I have landed a position as a broker/analyst for an investment company. I plan to go back for my masters in the future, but right now I am excited, and ready to start my new position.” Khalil is graduating in just a few short weeks.

With the help from career services, there is still much to learn and master if a senior on campus wants to become successful with his or her job search. One of the most important aspects of finding a job after graduation is standing out in the interview process. Career expert Paul Friberger explains interviewers need to be ready for any questions thrown at them, not just the typical interview questions, like “What are you strengths and weaknesses?” Friberger elaborates on the importance of answering the “soft” questions during an interview, “Don’t confuse soft questions with meaningless talk, the kind of introductory chit-chat that really is innocuous 90 percent of the time. The real questions ask about things that are personal and, though superficially irrelevant, revealing. That, at least, is the interviewer’s hope.” More tips on interviewing can be found in Paul Friberger’s new book, “When Can You Start?”

The importance of landing a position in your desired field upon graduation is taxing on a senior, on top of finishing those last projects and papers, studying for finals, and planning graduation parties. Today’s job market poses an array of different obstacles seniors will be faced with. Employers are looking for well rounded individuals, who will not only complete the expectations of the job, but exceed them, and drive their business to the next level. Employers are looking for a well-rounded individual who can bring their knowledge, skill set, and personality to the office and excel their business to new levels of growth and success. By networking, attending job fairs, posting your resume on job sites like monster and CareerBuilder, as well as searching for jobs on the internet and in the local newspaper, that dream position will become available. Finding a job today takes perseverance, determination, and a vision of success. Seniors have many obstacles in their path, and face many negative factors leading up the pinnacle of their college careers.

Graduation day is fast approaching, but with encouragement, support, and simply putting yourself out there, finding the position you want is closer than you know. For more information on job search tips visit NYIT’s office of career services, or visitwww.nyit.edu/careerservices. For more helpful tips which cover everything from life after college, finances, and the interview process, copies of both “Life after school. Explained.” by the Cap & Compass writing team, and When Can You Start,” by Paul Friberger can be found in the Wisser library.

Congratulations and good luck to the class of 2013, may your future endeavors be propelled by your past success!

Tickets

• Each graduate will receive a maximum of four guest tickets. Students who have been approved to graduate will be able to go online and order their tickets.
• The graduate does not need a ticket. All guests that require a seat will need a ticket, including children. All guests must present their ticket at the gate to gain admittance.
• Seating in the main tent is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once the seating of the main tent is filled, all ticketed guests will be seated at the overflow tents for viewing.
• All students who plan to attend Commencement can order and reserve tickets online. Students will have until Friday, May 10 2013 to do so.
• Once you reserve your tickets online, you will select one of the several ticket pick up dates. If you are unable to attend the date that you have selected, you can attend any of the dates that follow.
• When picking up your tickets, you will be able to have a portrait taken, order a class ring and order a commencement DVD.
• For dates on when to pick up tickets, visit:http://www.nyit.edu/commencement/tickets

Gown Purchase

• All participating graduates must wear the academic regalia (cap and gown) during the ceremony, which can be ordered online at http://www.nyit.edu/commencement/regalia.
• Cap and gowns will be distributed through Saturday, May 18 in the NYIT Bookstore. Be sure to have your order confirmation with you when you pick up your regalia.
• Commencement morning: The Old Westbury campus Bookstore will distribute regalia from a tent in the tennis courts, adjacent to the Main Tent (if you haven’t done so already).

Schedule for The Day                

8 a.m.                                      Parking lots open and shuttle service begins

- Main tent opens for seating

- Graduates line-up on President’s Field

8:30 a.m.                                 Main tent opens for seating

9 a.m.                          Web cast link activated at nyit.edu/commencement

9:15 a.m.                     All guests seated

9:30 a.m.                                 Commencement ceremony begins

11:15 a.m.                              Commencement ceremony ends

11:30 a.m.                              School Graduation ceremonies begin

1:30 p.m.                                School Graduation ceremonies end

Parking

• On the day of Commencement, on-campus parking will be limited and normal traffic patterns will not apply. Upon arrival to campus, directions of the Old Brookville police and the parking staff should be followed.
• On campus parking will be closed shortly after the ceremony begins. Guests who arrive after the campus parking lots are full will be directed to the Long Island University’s C.W. Post campus, and will be transported by a shuttle bus to the main tent.
• Please allow yourself extra time for traffic delays and parking.

Arrival

• Graduates should arrive on campus fully roped by 8:00am and report to President’s Field for assembly. Graduates will be escorted into the Main Tent at 8:30 a.m. and will sit together via school.
• Anyone who arrives past 8:30 a.m. needs to report straight to the back of the main tent.
• Upon completion of the university-wide main commencement, graduates and guests will immediately proceed to school graduation tents for school line-up and processional.

The School Graduations take place in separate tents. Graduates should look for the large color banners on each tent for your specific school.

College of Arts and Science (Main tent)

School of Architecture and Design (Purple banner)

School of Education (Riland Auditorium)

School of Engineering and Computing Science (Orange banner)

School of Health Professions (Green banner)

School of Management (Yellow banner)

Student Speaker

Thulani Ngazimbi, M.S. in energy management and serves as graduate director of the Community Service Center at NYIT-Old Westbury.

Student Marshals

• Shanice Doyle, B.S. in biomedical engineering
• Iro Pantazi-Mytarelli, M.S. in computer science

National Anthem Singer

Jillian Scambia, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine

Honorary Degree Recipients

• Ernie Anastos- New York Emmy Award-Winning TV News Anchor, currently employed at WNYW, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • ·         Otis Webb Brawley, M.D., FACP- Chief Medical/Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President, American Cancer Society and Professor, Emory University
    Doctor of Science
  • ·         Peter A. Ferentinos- CEO, Qualco Inc. Doctor of Commercial Science
  • Yang Zhen, Ph.D.- Professor and President, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (NUPT) Doctor of Science

For all other information in regards to graduation and graduation day, visit: http://www.nyit.edu/commencement

A Diverse Staff: Reporting from various majors

The upcoming staff at The Campus Slate is one example of the biggest changes the Slate has been continuously undergoing in recent years: diversity! Students from all majors, all parts of NYIT, are staffing the Campus Slate. The editorial staff contains a Life Sciences major, Communication Arts majors, and even an Engineering student! What’s more, these students will be able to cover stories from the different niches at NYIT and even be able to interact with parts of NYIT they might not otherwise have been able to. What’s in it for our readers? It will be a fresh look at NYIT’s different programs, events, and activities outside of your own major.

Quality control: Helping our readers get the best news

Perhaps the biggest emphasis that the new staff of the Slate plans on making is about quality: quality reporting and writing is something the upcoming Editorial Staff is already making a key priority in order to help our readers learn about the real issues at NYIT both locally and globally. With our new Campus Slate App on the Android and Windows platforms, our readers can get the latest new from NYIT on their phones and other devices.

A new layout: A fresh start

The recently released layout of The Campus Slate is perhaps the most obvious change the paper has seen this semester and will be continued into the next year. With the more portable, eco-friendly, and even more fiscally feasible layout the Campus Slate staff has high hopes for this new format. In addition to the new size of the Slate, the staff plans on putting an emphasis on quality reporting. We want to cover the most prominent news worthy stories that the NYIT community needs to hear about. New improvements in the paper are coming: so keep reading!

On behalf of myself and the new Editorial Staff at The Cmapus Slate, we thank you for reading and hope for our reader’s continued support!

Hiba Khanzada- Editor in Chief

Erica Brandt- Managing Editor

Anthony McMahon- Website Editor

Lauren Sharkey- Layout Editor

Pranav Krishnamurthy- App Manager

Miasha Lee- Senior Writer

The day was September 8, 2009; the start of a new journey in my life; my very first day of classes at NYIT as a Communication Arts major. From that day forward I have been part of a place that has meant so much to me in many ways with a lot of memories and moments to always remember. Of everything I have done in my college studies, I am most proud of is the role I have held for the past two years here at The Campus Slate serving as your Editor in Chief. My time at this position has concluded as I prepare for graduation and the next journey in my life.

The road to the editor’s chair came a long way, it wasn’t until my junior year in high school where I really got interested in writing for a newspaper and I credit an old teacher along with one of my very close friends who is like me another up and coming journalist that at the time talked me into joining my high school paper. I took that offer and without that experience, I wouldn’t have been able to share and develop my journalism skills here with the NYIT community over the time I’ve been part of The Campus Slate.

I joined the publication in the spring of 2011 working as a staff writer under Professor John Hanc and previous editor Amanda Beekharry. Through their teachings and leadership, I learned a lot and wanted to be more involved and I was honored when Professor Hanc had asked me to take over as Editor in Chief following Amanda’s graduation that May. I’ll admit, at first I was scared at the challenge since I only worked a semester with the staff and if I was ready to fill a big job with little experience. Without the guidance of Professor Hanc and my other experienced editors, the transition wouldn’t have been as easy as they made it for me.

My time here was a great learning experience, being part of important changes such as developing our current monthly publication and our website www.campusslate.com to what they both have become today was a major piece in our success over the past two years. Another recent development I am proud of is the Pocket Campus Slate app that many of you now have after attending our event a few weeks ago. As the world of journalism is changing, apps and social media has become a big part of our operation as we are also seen on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as many of you know.

I would like to thank Professor Hanc for giving me this opportunity of a lifetime as part of my college education. This is a position I will always look back on wherever I go next after I leave NYIT.  You have helped me become the journalist I am today and every piece I wrote, there was something I learned from it through your guidance and I am a better journalist today because of your teaching and guidance. Our success as a staff isn’t done without the great support of the NYIT community and alumni around the world who read, view, and support the publication daily.

There are many individuals who have spent time working on the Slate with me over the past two years and I want to thank each one of you for your hard work and contribution each week to make our publication what it has become today. I’ve met some amazing people along the way, many who I consider to be my lifelong friends and also part of some great NYIT memories. You should all be proud of what you have done here as it has helped each one of us grow to become better at something we are good at.

I leave The Campus Slate in good hands going forward as it will continue to grow, develop and create more history with the future of the NYIT student body.  That future starts now with your new Editor in Chief Hiba Khanzada who will take over the position starting in the fall to kickoff a new era for the publication. This month I will be walking at Graduation receiving my B.F.A. in Communication Arts, but unlike some of my fellow classmates, I will not say goodbye to NYIT for good just yet. This fall I begin to pursue a Masters Degree in Communication Arts.

To all my fellow members of the Class of 2013, congratulations on graduation and much success going forward. Keep reading The Campus Slate and stay connected with us through the app, social media, and of course our website www.campusslate.com.

Best of luck to all!!!

John Santamaria

Editor in Chief

Once all of the acceptance letters have arrived, the hard part begins. It’s time for the soon-to-be high school graduates to make the first major decision of their lives. When it comes to choosing one school over the other, certain factors must be considered. A dire concern for most families is cost; how much is the tuition and is it worth the investment? Financial aid helps pay those costly tuition bills and is a giant plus on a school’s pros and cons list—which we all create as we’re making our decisions. Matt received a merit scholarship of $13,000 from NYIT. When asked if the money contributed to his decision to enroll, he answered, “Yes it did because it gave me another reason to attend NYIT and will also help financially.”

A majority of applicants choose schools that offer their area of interest. Offering over 90 degree programs and 50 fields of study, you are sure to find something that interests you at NYIT. “I was attracted to NYIT specifically because of the communication arts program,” says Erin Burdan, an incoming freshman. “I couldn’t find a program quite like it at any other university I looked at, and it was exactly what I wanted. I also loved the location of the school—who wouldn’t want to study communication arts in New York City?”

NYIT also offers small class sizes, with an average of 25 students per class. Steven Finn, an incoming freshman says, “ The small class sizes will be useful in getting to know other students and my professors.” Steven will be studying architectural technology at the Manhattan campus.

Among many things, Erin Burdan was also impressed by the small class sizes—marking a giant check mark in her pros list for NYIT. “I loved everything the school had to offer,” Erin explains. “…The academics, tutoring help, small class sizes, individual attention from teachers and staff, countless clubs and activities to participate in, and the career services in place. I’m excited to be an NYIT student this fall!” NYIT is certainly getting many high school seniors excited for the next phase of their lives, making it evident that NYIT is doing a good job of offering what upcoming college students want in their college education.

So why should NYIT students come see the play? “Multiple reasons!” says Adjunct English Professor Scott E. Jarvis, who is the director of the play. “First, it’s a student production; they may know members of the company. Next, it’s a great way to participate in the cultural life of the school. Finally, it’s a great night out for the same price as a movie, but it’s LIVE!” This year there is an extremely dedicated cast that deserves recognition. “We have spent so much time into being the characters, when they take the stage you’ll love it,” says Chan Bavishi, one of the leading actors.

The Winter’s Tale is about King Leontes, played by Chan Bavishi, who begs his childhood friend, King Polixenes, played by Dennis Gilham, to come visit him. Leontes pregnant wife Hermione, played by Brittany Vessio, pleads with him and he relents and agrees to stay a little longer. Leontes becomes infused with jealousy and claims that Polixenes and Hermione are lovers. Wondering what happens next? Be sure to check out the play! What makes this play unique compared to the previous plays at NYIT? “It’s Shakespeare and not one that most American audiences are familiar with. The play deals with most of the universal themes of human experience; life, birth, death, love, friendship, jealousy, loyalty, betrayal, justice, guilt, loss suffering, forgiveness, and redemption. Parts of the play are tragically sad and others are extremely funny. And there’s a bear!” says Professor Jarvis.

“I really hope NYIT students come and support the play, the effort and preparation that has gone into it truly is remarkable,” says Rachel Udkow, the stage manager. “My job as director is 4-fold.  I help them to understand the text, so they can help the audience follow it. I stage the characters movements throughout each scene. I help them understand characterization, and what motivates each character to say or do those things she or he says and does, so that the audience can follow the story, and relate and react as if these were actually people. Lastly, I get out of their way, so they can make choices and discoveries on their own, and bring that character to life the way they want to,” says Jarvis. WOW!  NYIT students certainly have added their own special touch to this play. By allowing the students to use their own creativity, Jarvis has created a fantastic atmosphere and canvas for the students to truly express themselves through Shakespeare.

The Winter’s Tale is not a play to miss out on! Be sure to attend either the May 2nd, 3rd or 4th performances! The NYIT student cast and Professor Scott E. Jarvis should all be highly commended for their effort and dedication to this Shakespeare play.

According to the MTA website, the MTA’s proposed budget was passed for 2013, and in order to avoid a budget deficit, includes price hikes for the LIRR, where on average, most commuter train tickets will increase by 8.19% and 9.31%. The subway system fares are also up from $2.25 to $2.50, where a $1 fee will also be imposed with each new metro card you wish to purchase. The cost of bus transportation is also up, from $5.50 to $6.00, and MTA bridges and tunnel fares have also increased. The increase in fares will take effect March 1^st and is estimated to generate over $330 million in cash flow by 2016. This will further insure the MTA’s four year financial plan, and its2013 budget.

What does this mean for students?  Increased stress on one’s wallet. NYIT students weigh in on the situation: “I use the subway and busses to basically get everywhere in the city,” says Eric Newman, a senior Communication Arts major, who attends the Manhattan NYIT campus. “With the increase in fares it’s going to make me second guess going places and doing things, because I need to have enough money to get to and from class, I have also noticed that with the increase in fares, there has not been an increase in service.”

“As a student who takes the bus back to the dorms at SUNY Old Westbury, it’s hard to take in the increase on fares,” says Sina Windmueller, a senior Finance major at the Old Westbury Campus. “It makes it harder for me to do things for myself, as well as doing certain things during my downtime because I now have less money to enjoy.” Students aren’t the only members of the NYIT community affected by the rate hike, Dr. Diamando Afxentiou, Associate Dean of the School of Management, talks about her frustrations and concerns with the fare hikes, “I teach Monday and Wednesday in Manhattan, and Tuesday and Thursday in Old Westbury, I travel a lot between the campuses and use public transportation to do that. The subway price hike has increased from $2.25 to $2.50, and the increase in fares has just led to more of a stress for not only me, but the students, as the expense of using the subway or busses are now another thing to worry about on top of their studies and personal life.”

Newsday weighs in on the situation by saying, “Like it or not, fare hikes in 2013, and projected in 2015, are probably justified if the MTA is to provide the services for millions of New Yorkers daily.” Students who ride public transportation will now have to budget for the increased fare hikes, and in some cases for those who use public transportation almost every day of the week, they will need to make changes in their spending due to the increased amount of money needed to ride public transportation. Here are some tips on saving money through the MTA’s increased fares:

• Carpool: Find a friend to drive with and save money. If you do not drive, ask your classmates if they live near you, and if you can drive together to class.
• If your destination is within a reasonable distance, try walking or riding a bicycle, with the change of the seasons to spring, it will only become nicer out. By doing this, it will not only save you money, but increase your overall health and well-being.
• Mathematically, it is cheaper to purchase an unlimited ride metro card under the new fare increases, which is the equivalent to 48 rides now, compared to the old 50.
• Plan accordingly, before leaving the house on your ventures, plan ahead if using public transportation and identify how many times you will need to use it, this will not only save you money, but help you allocate a budget for your daily expenses and the expenseof travel.

For more information on the MTA fare hikes, increases, and what it means to you, visit www.mta.info. For tips on budgeting, visithttp://www.citizensbank.com/student-loans/budgeting.aspx

ASME is also on campus here at NYIT. The ASME Student Section has grown to become an exceptionally active club with over 30 members.  Every Thursday during free hour, ASME holds meetings in Harry J. Schure Hall room #125.  During our meetings we usually discuss current engineering topics, watch short films about engineering, and hold impromptu design competitions.

When we aren’t holding a meeting or in class, we can be found in the engineering shop in room B20.  We have numerous projects we are working on, and welcome any new ideas for future projects.  With NYIT’s recent acquisition of a 3D printer, we have been able to prototype new parts designed through the use of computer aided drafting software such as AutoCAD.

Not only does ASME encourage academic achievement and professional development, but ASME also finds time to give back to the community.  ASME has participated in youth engineering forums at the United Nations, aimed to address current issues with encouraging youth to become engineers.  Last year, NYIT’s ASME club attended the International Day of Human Space Flight, also at the United Nations to commemorate space exploration and to motivate youth engineers into astronautics.

Some of the benefits to becoming a member of our organization include access to a vast technical engineering library and endless networking opportunities.  Even more, student members have access to professional development resources including a job board, mentoring services, financial aid, scholarships, and a subscription to Mechanical Engineering magazine.

As Colin Vinson, our Vice President explains, “ASME has provided me with many opportunities that were otherwise unavailable to me through the school alone.  As the student section vice-chair I have been able to hone my experience in project management and group dynamics.  Through the various projects we have been involved in I have had the opportunity to put into application the theoretical knowledge gained through my academics; creating innovative solutions to real world problems.  The professional experience and connections obtained through the numerous student leadership seminars and professional development hour lectures has been priceless. ASME very much serves as a bridge-way between our academic life and the professional world we will inevitably enter.  I cannot emphasize enough just how valuable ASME can be for students pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.”   The value of becoming involved in a professional society is priceless, and can be instrumental in taking the next step in your career.  Student members continually network with the Long Island Professional Section of ASME and regularly attend their monthly Professional Development Seminars.  These seminars are continuing education for the Long Island section to maintain licenses as Professional Engineers in New York State.  Generally a speaker will give a technical presentation of current work they are involved with in their profession.

Due to the increased involvement of ASME on campus, NYIT was chosen to host the Student Professional Development Conference (SPDC) on April 27^th in Harry J. Schure Hall Room 130 and Salten Hall SC1 and SC2.

The SPDC is a regional conference, where student members of ASME from various different universities in the northeast compete against each other in different competitions.  Students will also have the opportunity to ask professional engineers career advice and questions as part of an engineering panel.  We will have an oral presentation competition, technical poster competition, and student design competition.  This year’s design competition is to build an inspection robot that will be driven using wireless video feed from a remote location.  The competition is designed to simulate a remote inspection of a nuclear fallout zone similar to the tragedy at the Fukushima nuclear facility after the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

My first thought was, “What happened now?”

There is so much hatred towards the U.S that it’s starting to look like the list of countries that actually like us would be a lot shorter than the list of the ones that hate us.

Fear, panic, and frustration are some of the feelings that I get when I know there are people out there who want to kill because they dislike some of the acts and decisions that United States has done.

One of the attacks that many Americans remember is September 11. It was a day that I will never forget.

The school year just started and I was excited knowing that I was going to be graduating from elementary school. It was a beautiful day and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It seemed like any other school day, but something was off; I just couldn’t guess what it was. Every teacher had the expression of sadness and fear. I could sense that they were hiding something from us. I will never forget the words my fifth grade teacher said when we were lined up at the classroom door waiting for the clock to strike three. “Prepare yourself” was that only thing she said and then she turned around so we wouldn’t see her cry.

When I got off the bus and I saw that my dad was home early from work, I knew something was up. I walked through the front door and saw my parents’ eyes glued to the television and the horrific scene of the World Trade Center collapsing to nothing; I knew everything was going to change from that moment on.

I was in shock. I didn’t know how to take it. I wanted to cry and scream at the people who did this. I never saw anything like it before. I didn’t know what the meaning of terrorism was or what made someone a terrorist. What surprised me the most was I didn’t know that there were people out there who hated the U.S.

I didn’t see things the same anymore. The world became a place that scared me. I was scared to go to New York City or go on a plane. I didn’t like living in fear and I knew that things could never go back to the way they were.

The War on Terror was starting to become something that I was use to when I started college. I didn’t think much of it, until the Boston Marathon Bombing.

When I got home from work on April 15^th, I saw my parents doing the same thing that they did about 12 years ago. Their eyes were glued to the television and they didn’t even move a muscle when I walked through the front door.

All the feelings that I got when September 11 occurred came rushing back. The only difference this time was that I was angry. Angry, that for half my life my country has been fighting the War on Terror and had to be on high alert.

I’m older now and not as naïve. I know that the U.S. is not this perfect place and I know that there are a lot of people who don’t like us, but ending an innocent life just to try to prove a point isn’t going to solve anything. The only thing that it does is get more people caught up in the revenge and more deaths of innocent people.

I know that I will never be able to see the world the way I use to twelve years ago and that really is a shame.

Mankind needs to get off the path of hate and killing and start heading towards peace before we put our on species in extinction.

Enough is enough people. STOP!

On the unfortunate day of April 15^th when I first heard about the Boston Marathon bombings, almost reflexively a myriad of questions swarmed my heart and mind. All of which were like ricochets of bullets fired decades ago and repeatedly ever since.

When are civilians going to stop being the biggest casualty of almost every political, religious and territorial skirmish? Why is it that the ends these devastating measures are endeavoring to achieve have nothing to do with the actual victims? How come today politics and religion have risen higher above humanity and become “the greater good”?

Hailing from a country like India, which is “secular” on paper I still see it battling its internal conflicts both political and religious since it procured its freedom

Hindus, Muslims, Silkhs, Christians—India is a land of cultures and faiths and yet there are bombings and attacks that have absolutely nothing to do with the Muslim man who died the very same moment as a Hindu two-year old toddler in the mass bombing of 2008 in Bombay.

Whom does one implore to? Who does one bow before? Is there any meaning left to mankind when ruthless acts of terrorism and savage violence incur on the society the greatest suffering known to earth, all under the veil of political and religious fabric?

To a cynic’s eye like mine, every political action appears to be either mercenary or militant by default. I have never construed the answers that politicians proffer in the aftermath of national disasters such as the recent one in Boston.

The perpetrators, one still a minor, didn’t make me feel threatened when I looked at their pictures in the newspaper. I didn’t feel a chill run down my spine or the hairs at the back of my neck stand up. All I saw was a pair of young men looking into the camera just like the umpteen times I may have in my life.

But they were more dangerous than the bombs they detonated. They were bearers of fate, fate of a hundred and eighty people who were severely injured, and fate of those three individuals who lost their lives.

What irks me the most is the fact that almost instantaneously the government makes this a cockfight between the Republicans and the Administration over why the older perpetrator wasn’t kept tabs on for the last two years.

In the face of a catastrophe, how does political stance and religious preference hold any significance? Is life only as long as a political career or as influential as a faith? Is there no other connotation of life?

I am aware of the fact that religion and politics form the matrix of the modern society, but maybe for a skeptic like me, they are also those viruses that are making human beings social invalids who either need to be conformists or revolutionists in order to sustain.

Every nation weathers a blow as harsh as this one through its own way and in its own time. India is like a multicultural caravan that stops for nothing and doesn’t break between its song even for a breath of air. Every predicament, disaster and tragedy, no matter how grave, is met with a staunch wall of “Unity in Diversity” which is one aspect of India that I am proud of.

I hope even here, my second home, people find the courage within themselves to hold each other’s hand and construct a protective wall that shields us from pernicious attempts of wrong-doers to infiltrate this wall of unity and trust. There’s no bigger solace than solidarity.

Leading 3-0 after doubles play, NYIT (14-8) headed into singles action looking for two more points. The fourth point of the match came at the No. 6 spot where sophomore Pedro Peixoto (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) defeated Simon Bratke 6-3, 6-0.

NYIT was leading at three singles spots but only needed one more point to earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Division II East Regional. The final point came at fifth singles where Jubera compiled a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Carlos Quiroga.

The Bears will find out their postseason fate on Tuesday, April 23 at 8 p.m. with the airing of the 2013 NCAA Selection Show on NCAA.com.

http://www.nyit.edu/index.php/athletics/news/jubera_clinches_bears_win_first_ecc_championship/

i.      Make sure that all the device owners have an account on the respective platforms (Microsoft, Google)

1. Windows 8 and Windows Phone
   1. For Windows 8 – From the start screen navigate to the Windows 8 Store

i.      Open the Store

ii.      Move the mouse to the top right corner of the screen to open the charms menu and move mouse down and click on the magnifying lens to search

iii.      Type in “Pocket Campus Slate”

iv.      Arrive at this point

v.      Click on “Pocket Campus Slate”, and then you’ll be taken to a screen which should have images of the Pocket Campus Slate Windows 8 app

vi.      In the left hand pane there should be a button that reads “Install”.  Click on that button, and you’re set with the Windows 8 app

1. Windows Phone – If you have Windows Phone 7.8, please navigate to the Windows Phone store, if you have Windows Phone 7.5, navigate the Windows Phone marketplace

i.      Find at the bottom a button that has an image of a magnifying lens.

ii.      Tap the lens at the bottom and in the Search box which appears type “Pocket Campus Slate” and tap the “enter” button which is right below the delete button

iii.      You should then see the Pocket Campus Slate, tap on the app, and at the bottom of the app screen, you should see a button that reads “install”.  Tap that button and you have Pocket Campus Slate WP; the Pocket Campus Slate app for Windows Phone.

1. Android devices

i.      Open up the Google Play store

ii.      Navigate to the “News and Magazines” category on the Google Play store

iii.      Search “NYIT Pocket Slate”

iv.      Install the app

v.      Verify that the app is installed by navigating through the app

Today April 23, 2013 is an historic day in the history of The Campus Slate. You are holding in your hands our newly designed print edition and will have access to an exciting new feature of the publication known as “Pocket Campus Slate.”

Pocket Campus Slate is our new app designed by students of both The Campus Slate staff and the IEEE chapter of NYIT Old Westbury. This app is now available for the Windows Phone, Windows 8 and Android platforms. More platforms will have access to the app over the next year as this new development continues to grow. This is another way to connect and stay updated with the publication along with our website www.campusslate.com and our various platforms of social media.

Apps have become a major part of journalism as it leads to another way of easy access to stay connected with us even if you’re not on campus. You can now be informed with the latest news, sports, entertainment, and much more with just one click on your cell phone, kindle, and much more that is detailed inside this month’s issue. Access to each print issue is also available digitally as well.

This project couldn’t have happened without Pranav Krishnamurthy who pitched the idea to us in September. When I realized how big this can become, I knew it was a great thing to have and how many people can get connected to our publication. As I learn in my courses, media is changing constantly for the better and this development of the app and our new designed print issue is here for the long run and for the better of journalism.

We have a great issue this month including everything you need to know about the app and getting it connected to your devices. Don’t forget to also visit our website and check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram all by searching NYIT Campus Slate.

Enjoy reading and clicking through our publication!

John Santamaria

Editor in Chief

“We have taken a gene from the worm Caenorhabditis elegans that codes for a certain type of kinase protein called Kinase Protein C. This protein is responsible for regulating much of what goes on in a cell, but we do not yet have a full picture of what proteins it works with or how it does. We think that issues with this protein are associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and while we aren’t close to determining the link it has to Alzheimer’s, we are finding out how the protein works piece by piece. Basically, we are genetically modifying the protein to see how it works so we can ultimatelydiscover how this would benefit or simplify certain diseases.”Chan worked under the mentorship of Dr. Marianne Land and his team members: Parini Patel, Nicole Thomas, Yuliya Zamota, Rayan Sarfaraz, Binju Bose, Hamza Khalid, Bestin Kuriakose, Saad Kamal, and Alex Angus.

This year will mark the tenth anniversary of Source. 153 students in total submitted their abstracts and presentations this year. Every student who submits their work is expected to present their projects either in a group or on their own. Following the event, there will be a ceremony in which each person will receive a certificate commemorating their participation and dedication to the program. This year’s guest speaker will be Dr. Stuart Firestein of Columbia University.  Some of the more popular areas that work were submitted included fine arts and physician assistant studies. Source will be held this year on April 26th between 10 and 4PM. There are so many creative projects being presented that no matter what your area of interest is, you’ll find one you like. If there’s one thing for certain, the ingenuity and creativity of these students is bound to create new innovations that generations will utilize in the future.

One of the clients that works with The Carleton Group is Cohen Children’s Medical Center (formerly Schneider Children’s Hospital) in New Hyde Park, N.Y. Cohen is one of the top children’s hospitals in the United States and part of the North Shore – Long Island Jewish Health System. The hospital has been working with The Carleton Group since September 2011. Neil Curcio is the current projects account executive that designed the hospital’s official 30th anniversary logo, which appears on its Facebook page, letterhead, website, and all other promotional and fundraising materials that the hospital used. “Social media is critical to our ability to stay in touch with patient alumni, family, and friends when they leave the hospital,” says Kevin Carracciothe Vice President of Development. “The Carleton Group helped set us on a path to stay on the cutting edge of engagement tools and strategies.”

Neil’s design was selected from among various ideas proposed by NYIT students when the project began last year. “I think I speak for everyone in my group when I say that whenever a client uses your work you just feel amazing,” says Curcio. “It’s a great sense of accomplishment when your work is chosen and it also lets you know that you can compete with major companies.” Kevin made note that there would be no 30^th anniversary logo without the work of Neil and his team that he planned this project a year before it was needed. “We loved the concept at first and didn’t make a single change to it…milestones like this one do not happen every day and we are proud to celebrate with our very elegant logo designed by The Carleton Group.”

Neil references the history of the hospital in his design by drawing inspiration from an earlier logo designed in the 1980s by artist Keith Haring. “I simply wanted to join the two worlds together by creating an interesting new looking logo using the hospitals trade mark colors red, yellow, and blue while also incorporate the Keith Haring art work, which is an image that has been synonymous with Cohen for years.”The work done by Neil and his team wasintegral for Cohen’ssince without The Carleton Groupthe task of putting together a logo would’ve had limited resources and time due to the limited budget of a non-profit organization. “Our financial priorities are to recruit and retain the best doctors, nurses, and other staffand to maintain our modern facilities and equipment,” says Carraccio. “The projects that The Carleton Group has worked on are critically important to our mission, but wouldn’t have moved forward if we were dependent on our own internal resources.”

Cohen Hospital has given many of the Communication Arts and Advertising students on campus a chance to share its creative ideas on important tasks that the client needs for various projects such as wish lists, logos, brochures, web pages, and fundraising material. “The work of the Carleton Group is important for many reasons,” says Carraccio. “Each Carleton Group project over the past 4 semesters has been put to immediate use and much of the work we do is with our patients, their siblings and their parents that is done before they get here.  We work with them to ensure that they understand exactly who they will be seeing, what will be happening and what to expect.  This helps to alleviate the stress and emotional trauma that could come as a result of a hospitalization if this preparatory work wasn’t done.”

Communication Arts Department chair Professor Don Fizzinoglia is proud of the work being done and how this agency has represented the NYIT students. “The Carleton Group provides the opportunity for our students to share their creativity and shine while also representing NYIT so well.” In just two years as a client, Cohen has made a positive impact on many NYIT students including Neil who feels this experience will be beneficial after graduation. “Working with Cohen’s and The Carleton Group has given me the determination, confidence and real world experience that I will need when I graduate. The Carleton Group is a wonderful program here at NYIT and no other class will ever prepare you for the work field then this.” Another Advertising student, senior Chloe Johnson has worked with multiple clients of the agency but will always remember her experience working with Cohen. “It was very inspirational to see how lucky each of us are and how much we can do to help others. Cohen is very dedicated to making each and every one of their patients’ visits as comfortable as possible.”

Cohen Hospital will continue to work with The Carleton Group in future semesters as the agency has expanded its reach with those involved at the hospital and a lot of the work will continue in an ongoing way for years to come. “There are programs throughout the hospital lined up at my door every semester because of the credibility and quality of the work of the Carleton Group.” As many college students learn throughout their studies, anything can be achieved if the dedication and commitment is put in to a task. It may not always lead to short term success, but an experience like The Carleton Group can lead to long term career success. As the students Neil and Chloe both state, “If you are looking for a way to jump start your career and get ahead of everyone else then take this class. You are able to do a lot of networking and really see what the industry is about.”

On March 30^th, the 2003 team returned to NYIT for an “Alumni Day” game in which the current Bears took on Chestnut Hill.  This year marked the 10^th anniversary for the 2003 National Championship team, and what better way to honor the team then by having a special day set aside for them at President’s Stadium.

During halftime of the game, all players and coaches in attendance from the 2003 team were recognized at midfield by Director of Athletics, Clyde Doughty, not only for their accomplishments but for how important and memorable each of them is to NYIT Athletics.  In attendance from the notable team were Hall of Fame Head Coach Jack Kaley, Graduate Assistant Coach Frank Santodonato, three-time All-American Brian Boyle, three-time All-American and Midfield of the Year Tom Zummo, three-time All-American Matt Hunter, and three-time All-American Matt Miller.

After being introduced one by one to the crowd, the ceremony came to a close with the players and coaches taking a photo with Clyde Doughty. “It means a lot to me.”, says Coach Kaley, “We started the program from scratch in 93′ and finished the first season 8-3 with just 14 players. 03′ was by far the best year, being the only undefeated team at NYIT, and for me the highlight of NYIT Lacrosse.” Similar to this year’s NYIT Lacrosse Team, the 2003 team was led by a phenomenal defensive unit which included Defensive Player of the Year Chris Vertucci, Frank D’Agostino, Jared Cullin, and Matt Hunter who was the National Player of the Year as a goalie. To add to the thundering defense was Attackman of the Year Brian Boyle, who is the all-time assists leader at NYIT.

After the game, a cocktail hour was set up in the Hall of Fame Lobby for the 2003 team and other alumni who wanted to continue the celebration. “It’s a great thing to come back and see everyone and talk to everyone”, said Hunter. He also added, in regard to the reunion, “I’m glad they did it.”Although only a handful of the guys from the team were there to celebrate the anniversary, every single player on that team remembers that season and how special it was to be a part of perhaps the greatest team of athletes that NYIT has ever had.

All of the work conducted on the site is original content, showcasing student’s current work along with their alumni counterpart, such as designs for a new, energy efficient building to techniques for a healthier body.  There are plans for Globesville to develop an application for smartphones in the near future. “It would give us a sizeable advantage in order to get content out there.” saysProfessor Fizzinoglia. “We can easily update content on a regular basis for everyone to see.”

Professor Fizzinoglia, along with new adjunct professor George Weiner, eventually hope to produce sufficient content to enable Globesville to stream on a 24/7 basis, with a wide arrange of topics from sports to politics. “We have over 1,700 minutes of content uploaded currently on the site and is watched among 1,600 students, faculty, and alumni in the past few months,” said Professor Weiner. “The way we obtain information has changed dramatically and Globesville reflects that universal change.” 

The concept of Globesville doesn’t just apply to Communication Arts majors; in fact, it incorporates all aspects of business, marketing, design, and engineering. “Globesville, in a sense, allows you to prepare for the real world,” Professor Weiner said when asked about Globesville reach outside Communication Arts. “It allows for real world experience to be applied and that in turn causes an increase in your job marketability.  Without those extra skill sets, especially in this day of age, most people would be looked past when applying for a job,” he adds.  The location of the class, which is in Education Hall’s LI News Tonight- the nightly student-produced TV newscast that was part of NYIT for over 25 years- serves as a fitting reminder to Professor Weiner. “It allows you to see how the old model of media failed and why the new one has been so successful,” he says.

About 35 students are involved in Globesville this semester, including senior Vinny Caccavale. He and a few other students are planning to release a sports orientated show on the Globesville website within the next few weeks. When asked about the prospects the program can provide for students interested in the media and communication field, he had this to say: “Education with real world stuff,” he says, “I treat it as a job as Professor Fizzinoglia expects us to do and it gives us an opportunity to work on a sports show, something I want to do in the future.”

The re-launch of Globesville will happen on April 25^th in the Athletics Hall of Fame Lobby during free hour, with free food and live entertainment to showcase the work students have done for the program.  To view more content, visit their website at www.Globesville.com and see all the work done by NYIT  students and alumni.

Despite losing in the tournaments opening round, what will never be forgotten was the history and memories that the team created this season. Coming off the program’s first winning season in history, the Bears were predicted to finish 6^th in the ECC and continue to keep building the foundation developed by Head Coach Anthony Crocitto. Entering the season, the girls were ready for any challenge as they wanted to reach their season goal of making the NCAA Tournament and winning the East Coast Conference. “We certainly raised the bar as the season went along. We enjoyed all the success but only took it in stride – one game at a time,” said Coach Croccito. “Our players were certainly aware of an undefeated streak but never succumbed or showed signs of weakness based on the streak or pressures that came along with it.”

The season began with excitement as the team began the year winning their first 15 games and earning national rankings. Their play took the ECC and Division II basketball to a whole new level as one of the surprises in the country this season. Rebecca Lynch, a senior point guard,feels that there have been many reasons for their success. “We’ve worked together both on and off the court and seem to have a team that works well when under pressure,” said the Interdisciplinary Studies major. “That and improving readily in practice has helped us achieve and be where we are in the ECC.”Lynch was second on the team in scoring averaging 12.2 points a game this season. The team started the season undefeated through the end of January winning their first 15 games. Their 10-0 run through December was the best two month start in program history. On January 8^th, the team was ranked in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Top 25 for the first time in program history. They earned a No. 25 ranking when they tied the school record for most wins in a single season, 16, which was set last year. A February win over Mercy College produced the program’s first 20-win season. “Twenty wins is great for NYIT and very special to us,” said Coach Crocitto. “With everyone playing and being involved, this win was very special to me as a coach.” The Bears finished the season with a record of 23-6 including a 14-4 record in conference play.

Despite an early exit in the NCAA Tournament, this group will always be remembered for the historic moments they achieved and will always be in history books of NYIT Athletics. “Wins and losses aside, I am very proud of the character of every member of the program,” said Athletic Director Clyde Doughty. “Student-athletes and coaches did an outstanding job representing NYIT with class, dignity, and poise during their chase for athletic excellence.”As the collegiate careers for some of these players came to a conclusion, whatever happens next in their lives, this group will always have the memories of this team that will always be looked at as special by the NYIT community. “This was one of the most amazing seasons I have ever been a part of and not many people could say that they have been on a team that was 23-6,” says senior Chloe Johnson. “Being ranked amongst the Top 25 teams in the nation and making it to the NCAA regional tournament is by far one of the greatest experiences of my life. I am so blessed that I was able to become so close with my teammates and I can guarantee that some of these friendships will last a lifetime.”

The Bears conclude their record season with number of firsts for the program that will always be remembered which includedthe first 20-win season in the 30 year history, a second place finish in the East Coast Conference with a 14-4 overall mark, and receiving the program’s first national ranking from the USA Today/Women’s Basketball Association (WBCA). “The most amazing part of this season and experience was that we were the first women’s basketball team in to make it that far and that we will finally have our own banner hanging in the gymnasium with all the other teams,” said Johnson.

With the many memorable moments accomplished this season, the focus now for the Women’s Basketball program is to keep building the program as strong as it has become in the 4 years Coach Crocitto has been at NYIT. “We are excited to have built a strong program and have now set expectations and with expectations come responsibilities. With all that said: we certainly believe we have what it takes to make a run at the ECC title next year and the NCAA’s as well.”

Since there really isn’t any Texting Etiquette classes you can take, and no real standard for texting etiquette, we asked those who know best about texting: students! And based on their responses we’ve come up with 4 Golden Rules of Texting Etiquette:

Rule #1: Text only when more than one other person is present

When sending a text, NYIT student Palavi Khanna, a senior studying Life Sciences says that it is important to be observant of where you are and who you are with. She says, “I hate when I’m out at a restaurant with someone and they start texting, it’s not ok when there’s only you and one other person but it is ok [to text] when more than two people are in your party.” Anyone sending text messages has to therefore be vigilant whether or not the person they are with will be offended by their attention to their phone rather than the person in front of them. Often times, texting while you are with someone else can be interpreted as a lack of interest in the person you are with, and thus can affect your relationship or friendship with that person negatively.

Rule #2: Response times depend on your relationship with the text recipient

So once you send a text, after carefully making sure that you aren’t neglecting anyone in the process, the first question that may pop into your mind may be, “When do I get a reply?” Several NYIT students agreed that the answer to this question depends on who the text is being sent to, the subject of the text, and what time of the day the text was sent. Melissa Marin, a sophomore Communication Arts film production major, says, “It depends on how close I am with the person, so the time frame of replies can range from one hour to one week.” Usually, people cite that the person they are texting will usually know the time frame they have to reply in, if it’s a text for school or work. Socially, the time frame is more blurred.

Rule #3: Never feel compelled to reply to annoying texts

So what about those text messages you get from people you don’t want to talk to? Palavi Khanna says that when you’re receiving texts from someone you don’t want to text, simply don’t reply. People who are sending annoying texts may not even be aware that they are being annoying, and they may actually infer that they are just being friendly or conversational. In such cases, it is necessary to not text the person back but to rather explain to the individual, face to face, that you can’t text them so often. Using this technique, you are not being mean via text but are rather explaining that you don’t want unwanted text messages from said person. If a face to face conversation isn’t possible, a phone call is also a good way to talk to the person.

Rule #4: To text or not to text? When that is the question, here’s the rule

The issues that make text messaging a hassle can be avoided if you use text messages as add-ons to face to face interactions, not substitutes. If you are texting a friend, conversations shouldn’t always be via text, but should only be continued using text messaging if necessary. Real life interactions are what build professional and social relationships, thus texting should always be used minimally in order to have lasting and less confusing conversations. But if texting is necessary, make sure you do it with regard to your surroundings as well as with regard to the person you are texting so as to mind your texting manners.

A big part of the VEX competition is designing a robot that can be programmed to maneuver through an autonomous period, where the robot must work on its own without human input to decide how to score the best points. This year’s competition involves placing colored “sacs” into team-color coordinated “trays” to score points. Points are allotted based on the color of the sacs and the height of the platforms they are placed on. To tackle this objective, the IEEE designed their robot like a miniature, collapsible bulldozer. It’s relatively fast, with a big tray to be able to hold many sacs at a time while also being able to raise the tray to reach the higher platform.

For the autonomous part of the competition, the robot is equipped with a camera and the required programing to distinguish between the colors of the sacs and the trays as well as their location (which is really cool to see at work).

Aside from the complicated robotics competitions, IEEE gives back to the community by building beautiful LED signs for Relay for Life and assisting pre-college robotics teams by giving input to the pre-college teams regarding setups and ideas. James’ description of the IEEE was, “We are a relatively large organization and our teammates are so talented and smart. We try and do things to benefit not just NYIT, but the community as well”.  The IEEE’s latest project, a far cry from the robot they have building, has been the creation of the Campus Slate cell phone application, called Pocket Slate for the Windows 8, Windows Phone, and Android platforms.

It’s thus safe to say that the IEEE is a club that takes on many mind blowing engineering endeavors, and we just can’t wait to see what’s next! Want a taste of what they’ve done? Download the Android and Windows Phone Pockets Campus Slate App!

The history of Relay for Life began in 1985 when Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon in Tacoma, Washington wanted to enhance the income of his local American Cancer Society office. He decided to personally raise money for the fight against cancer by doing what he enjoyed- doing marathons. Dr. Klatt walked and ran for 24 hours around the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma for more than 83 miles. Ultimately raising $27,000 towards the ACS’s fight against the nation’s biggest health threat- cancer.  While he circled the track those 24 hours, he thought about how others could take part, so he envisioned a 24 hour relay event that could raise money to fight cancer. That vision is now a global phenomenon in more than 5,200 communities and 20 countries. Each year, more than four million people across the globe join the Relay for Life movement.

Relay for Life has been a part of NYIT for five years. Michael Scarpa-Burnett, the Dean of Campus Life said, “Relay was established at NYIT by a member of the Student Government. SGA was very invested and passionate about Relay and being their advisor I was involved with it from the beginning, but it has grown into a campus wide tradition now.” The event is on April 19^th-20^th from 7p.m to 7a.m. Each team take turns walking or running around the track. Kara Kurtz, the chairperson of Relay for Life said, “The track is on the lacrosse field next to the student activities center. The laps vary in length, it all depends,and they are usually 10 minutes because they are walked.” There’s a Survivor lap, Luminary lap, and Care giver lap. “The first three laps are the most exciting,” Kara commented. “Because you get to cheer the survivors on and applaud them for their fight. The second lap you honor the caregivers and then the third is when everyone joins in.” There’ll be food, games, and activities as well as entertainment and a luminary ceremony to honor those who are survivors and remember those who lost their battle to cancer. There’s also Relay for Life t-shirts selling on campus on Thursdays from 12:30-1:50 p.m. in Harry Schure Hall through the event date. Anyone who would like to donate their hair on the day of the relay will get a free haircut from one of the top notch hair salons. Dean Burnett added, “Each year is different in so many ways. It’s an emotional event but a rewarding one as well. Manhattan campus is very involved in the event this year and we look forward to that collaboration being wonderful.”

The journey to end cancer starts with one single step. When you walk to end cancer at a Relay event, it’s your opportunity to not only honor cancer survivors and remember loved ones lost it’s also to raise awareness about what we can do to stay well from cancer and raise money to help put an end to this epidemic.“I relay because it gives me a sense of hope that one day we will find a cure for cancer,” replied Kara. “I have had many friends and close relatives survive and pass away from cancer and there isn’t much you can do for them except be supportive and participate in relay for life. I know that I can make a difference if I am proactive and help raise awareness about relay and get people to donate.” “I have lost way too many peoplein my life to cancer,” said Dean Burnett. “And have a lot of close friends and family members who are survivors. I do it in honor and memory of them all.” It’s not too late for you to join the event and be a part of a worthy cause. For more information on Relay for Life go to www.relayforlife.org/nyit for details about joining and making donations. “Being able to come together as a community to help battle this horrible disease is amazing,” concluded Dean Burnett. “Knowing that in some way we here at NYIT have helped to get to this point is amazing. It makes us all want to keep doing Relay for Life until they find a cure for cancer.”

But does this grim look at our history lend an excuse for the all-consuming violence that prevails today? Is this what the unabashed criminals, who propagate evil while wielding a gun, tell themselves before pressing the trigger?  I hope not, because then even the residue of waning belief in goodness which lies at the bottom of the crime-ridden world we live in presently, would collapse.

The hushed corridors of the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, the sable nooks of the Century Movie Theatre in Colorado or even the tainted walls of the Sikh temple in Wisconsin all cry for action, not sympathy. Then why is it that there is an on-going debate on whether any appropriate action should be taken or not?

Why are there parties that tergiversate on the subject of gun control and advocate possession of guns? Should there even be an argument? The answer is both yes and no. Yes because through the magnifying glass of an emotional mind, these crimes point directly to only one perpetrator: the shooter. And what is the catalyst if not the gun.

Now coming to the more complex delineation – the answer no.

According to some, in fact, a wide margin of people, gun possession doesn’t always translate into deadly intent. People purchase firearms for a range of reasons (no pun intended). The most ubiquitous one being self-protection. Yes, he who holds the gun has the last word, but not if you have one of your own. However, while this is a potent reason, it also serves as an excellent front for anyone who is harboring a more pernicious purpose.

The most unintelligible reason of buying guns, at least to me, is “interest in firearms”.  Renowned Indian actor, Sanjay Dutt has been battling against the Supreme Court of India due to illegal possession of arms and suspected alliance with terrorism associations and the underworld for over two decades. And he is losing. His close friends and family claim that he’d always had odd proclivity for guns and bought them just to feed his interest. This, however, doesn’t make him a terrorist or a crime lord. His only crime is having uncanny hobbies.

This makes us question the political prohibitions on gun possession. Are they austere or altruistic?  Does this gun control also apply to the soldiers of the force who are constantly carrying? If not, wouldn’t that consign the “control” in the term “gun control” completely to the government?

I know this blog has been fraught with questions, questions that nobody in the true sense has an unequivocal answer for, but it does make one think and reflect on the unpublished poem “Revolver” by Carl Sandburg that says at the very end:

And nothing in human philosophy persists more strangely than the old belief that God is always on the side of those who have the most revolvers.

POP. POP. POP. The sirens wail. And there is silence again-although tomorrow, residents will find a visual trace of what happened, bloodstains on the street.

This is Newark in 1994. My home until I was six. These were the sounds of my childhood.

I remember the first time the sound of gunfire woke me up. I was four years old, and had no idea what the sound was.

I checked every room of the small two bedroom apartment to see if the noise was coming from inside, but nothing. I rushed to my parent’s bedroom, they were sound asleep and not bothered at all by the loud mysterious noise. “Where is that noise coming from?” I continued to wonder.

I don’t dare look outside; scared of what might be lurking, but yet very tempted. My mother always told me to only move the blinds just enough for you to see, but to where the outside world can’t tell. I took that warning into consideration and peeked with one eye through the blinds into the dark streets.

POP. POP. POP. There it is again. I don’t waste any time and run back into my small room where my three year old sister is sound asleep.

I cry in frustration of not knowing where the dreadful noise is coming from. The crying turns to screaming for my mother to make it stop, so I can go back to sleep without worrying about  it.

When my mother finally reaches my room, I explain to her with tears coming down my cheeks about the mysterious noise that won’t let me sleep. That night I learned the harm of what a gun can do and why I can’t go out at night in my own city. My mother told me that a gun can take someone’s life and that many use them as a weapon to hurt and gain control, instead of using it as protection.

As the streets become quiet again, I slowly go back to sleep; never knowing what happened or who the victim was.

Newark in my eyes was no longer a place where I wanted to grow up. It was a place that brought me fear once I stepped off the stoop and onto the sidewalk. It’s a city that will always have a high number of homicides due to gun violence. A parent can’t take their child to a parade on Ferry Street without fearing that violence might occur.

By the time my parents decided that it was best for us to leave Newark and go live in a quiet family oriented suburb on Long Island; Newark already boasted the title of “most dangerous city in the nation” according to Time magazine.

Newark was a city of violence and death, and to this day it hasn’t changed much. Back in 1994, 394 people were killed. By 2011, the number of homicides hasn’t dropped, with a total of 380.

The city of Newark will never change. It will always be a city of blood and pain. To this day, I thank my parents for moving us to Long Island. Who knows what else I would have witnessed if I had stayed there all these years.

It’s been a dangerous city for decades, so when is the gun violence going to end?

It is natural to be curious about life and often wonder about religion. When we ask questions about it we’re told it’s already written, believe it and ask no questions because we say so. “I need to know when, what and why,” said Dr. Sago. “I feel it necessary to investigate every possible avenue leading to a final opinion.” Paul Sago served fifty-two years under the broad of organized religion. He was a pastor of four churches, vice-president for three church-related colleges and president of two universities. In his book, Holy Hodgepodge: Have You Thought about Your Religion Lately? Sago examines several key concepts of various religions with a critical eye. Through a unique blend of personal and theological reflection, he provides a refreshing view of God and religion. “This was to have people think,” replied Dr.Sago. “It wasn’t to change anybody’s mind about anything. It was just simply to have people think about what they say they believe.”

Holy Hodgepodge is distinctive in its standpoint and thought provoking in its content, encouraging readers to think for themselves with each chapter an eye-opening experience. If you ever wondered why, how or if our lives relate to this world or question the hows and whys of organized religion then read this book. “I hope that it gives an opportunity to see God in a different light,” said Sago. “And to know that you don’t have to necessarily belong to a church to be spiritual. I think the younger generation of college-age students are very thoughtful and I think they’re very confused over things and stuff being very important to them; they’re living in a world that’s confusing.” With as much curiosity we have about religion, it’s not easy to express those particular thoughts to our families and especially if they’re churchgoers. “I’m sad that young people find it difficult to have conversations these days,” responded Sago.”Because they’re always working with computers and they’re not talking enough intelligently from one person to another. It’s a difficult world we’re creating.  By saying if you’re thinking your doubting and doubting is sin. They actually work to keep people from thinking seriously by using guilt.”

No matter what church we go to, what denomination we are or what section of the world we’re from, it is important to truly know why you believe in order for us to understand who we are. It is through the expression of those beliefs that we discover our purpose in life. With Holy week and Passover approaching, millions of believers will be faced with the task of either affirm or re-affirm what we believe before we get lost again in this hectic hustle called life. “Logical belief is a powerful force,” added Dr. Sago. “To believe is critical to being. To know what we believe and to have our beliefs be our own, and at the same time, to love and cooperate with others who may worship differently, brings peace and comfort that is only equaled by appreciation and praise.”

Cake Greenburger is a senior at John F. Kennedy High School, who admits to joining the trend. However, his name is not, “Cake Greenburger,” it is actually “Jake Greenberg.” “It was actually a good time to think of a senior name and the more ridiculous you make it the more fun it is,” says Greenberg. Well, this one definitely takes the cake!If this is all fun and games, what’s the problem?  There are actually several problems. Well, for starters, Facebook passed new regulation rules as of 2013 and once you change your name you may not be able to change it back. They may ask friends to fill out a survey asking if this is your real name. Next, colleges actually are checking! In a recent survey from the University of Massachusetts, one in five colleges admit to researching students through social media sites.

How does NYIT feel about their students with social media accounts? Those participating in social media must realize that you are representing NYIT. The internet is a way the NYIT community, communicates, educates, and presents itself to the world. Don’t make a fake identity. Be yourself, and represent the college to your fullest potential.

Major companies are increasingly turning to social media sites to screen potential employees. You can be denied a job, even with a flawless resume and interview for the inappropriate things you have on a social media site. Students should use social media to their advantage. By showing pictures of volunteering and community service this will only benefit you. So keep in mind, what you put on the internet today may affect your future.

Take an Organic Chemistry course with Laura Friedland. That’s right, organic chemistry: one of the toughest classes in any curriculum. But Prof. Friedland has found a way to help her students manage the anxiety and tension associated with not only her class, but their busy, overscheduled lives. And it’s something that can help you, too, even if you have no intention of ever grappling with organic chemistry. Recently, she started doing something no other professor has thought of here at NYIT; incorporating yoga exercise into her curriculum. It might sound crazy, but the brain absorbs twice as much information when the body is free from anxiety and distressing thoughts.

Laura decided that every few weeks she was going to take the first twenty minutes of her course and bring it a certified yoga instructor to guide the class through some releasing stretches and meditation. Lenora Gim, a friend of Prof. Friedland led the class through a wonderfully relaxing meditation sequence that involved walking through a forest. While the class is in deep meditation, Laura walks around the class with various essential oils that both relax the students and place them in a wonderful forest environment that goes along with the meditation. “I wanted to give the students a place and time to relax,” she explains, especially with a class like this the material is so difficult.’

The classroom is transformed into a tranquil, candle lit, wide open studio, and green tea is served at the end Laura was incredibly sweet and very welcoming to me when I asked to sit in on her class. She cares about the well-being of her students and she is adamant that they succeed. When students were surveyed about her class they had nothing but good things to say. “I can honestly say that she was by far my favorite teacher this semester. She made sure to be available to students for help especially around test time. I would highly recommend her!” “I completely loved the yoga and candy  they give out occasionally. It keeps the class involved.”

It’s a wonderful thing to see a professor dedicated to improving the mental clarity of their students. Sometimes we place too much emphasis on the rate information is absorbed and processed and not enough on the organ we use to cultivate this extraordinary amount of work. It is without a doubt that Laura’s practice has improved the mindset of her students. I believe that her practice should be implemented throughout the school.

Lenora Gim’s Guide to Relaxation:

• Deep Breathing. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth while making a slight hissing noise in the back of your throat. This relaxes the muscles and calms the nervous.
• Posture is important. Sit cross legged with your spine elongated and straight up as if someone was pulling a string on top of your head. Aligning the spine allows the body to breathe properly and aids in things such as digestion and muscle tension
• Meditation. Pick a serene place you want to visit in your mind, remind yourself that you can revisit that place anytime you want and you will always feel protected there. This helps with all kinds of anxiety.

Makenzie, who joined the Bears last season after transferring from Pena Community College, said that she was excited for the start of the new season. “I’m excited to have the same roster we did last year. A lot of the girls are excited as well and they want to make sure they do well this season.” Lead by Steve Christianson in his 8th season as head coach, the Bears are poised for a breakout year, especially with their starting rotation. “This year’s pitching in my opinion has improved tremendously over last year. “Coach Christianson said. “We have the playmakers to make it happen; all we need is a bit more confidence in ourselves during games to start and end strong.” For the Lady Bears, he hopes this is crucial since the team plays a majority of its first twenty games on the road, including a stretch of ten doubleheaders in Florida during spring break.  “It’s going to be a brutal stretch, but I’m confident that we can do well down there.” coach Christianson said. “A lot of our players are from the Southwest and West coast and for them, playing in warm weather gives us an advantage.”

One of the main focus points of last season, according to Christianson, was injuries that plagued the team throughout the season. “That’s what killed us last year. If we can stay healthy during the season, then we should be successful. No doubt about it at all.” For Makenzie, the senior mechanical engineering major is looking forward to a few key matchups, including a double header with St. Thomas Aquanis on Senior Day. “Looking back, I’m actually quite happy for my time here both on the team and at NYIT,” she said when asked about her career. “Different playing styles and bonding with others was a worthwhile experience here and I’m hoping to go out on top, especially over [LIU] Post.”

The Bears play their next door neighbor LIU Post twice this season, with the first game being at home on April the 11th.  As for Senior Day, The Bears play host to St. Thomas on the 27th at noon.

The team is led by upperclassmen Mircea Dimofte and Filip Van Eylen who play number one and number two singles respectively for the Bears.  Although both are playing some good tennis as of late, it is being overlooked due to outstanding and consistent play from Niko Jubera and Jaime Salvador.  Jubera is undefeated this season with a 3-0 singles record.  His most impressive win came at the number six singles match against a very tough opponent from Merrimack who took him to a third set which Jubera ultimately won 11-9.  Salvador holds a respected 3-2 singles record to start his rookie season playing at the number four singles position for the Bears. His best win also came in the Merrimack match where he won a three set nail biter.

With both players having early success playing singles, Coach Frusci was not hesitant in pairing the spaniards up for doubles in the second spot. “Both Niko and Jaime are very talented players and continue to work hard at practice trying to improve every day. Hopefully they will continue their success in doubles as it’s helping our team tremendously, says Frusci.”  Both players were recently recognized by the ECC for their play; Jubera earning Player of the Week and Salvador earning Rookie of the Week accolades. After losing two great tennis players in Dustin Wenchel and Voja Pecikoza, Coach Frusci did an excellent job bringing in some quality players to fill their shoes and it’s showing in both practices and matches.  “Niko, Tomas, and Jaime have raised the level of practices and have lifted me to my best tennis since arriving at NYIT three years ago, says Van Eylen.  I’ve never been the most talented player but I try to do my part by sharing my experience with the young guys.”

With a mix of young talent and seasoned upperclassmen, look out for the NYIT Men’s Tennis Team to make noise in the national rankings this season and in the years to come.

Lia Matz is a Pitcher for the Softball team. A newcomer to NYIT as a freshman from Upstate New York, Matz is excited to be a member of the Bears. At Deleware Valley High School, she was a three year varsity pitcher where she won the league MVP twice and also receiving numerous awards for her play.

“This level of play is a big difference with more of a commitment and I look to improve on many of my abilities to compete at this level,” says Matz. “I love our team, we want to win, and I can’t wait for everyone to see the hard work we’ve put in when the season starts.”

Sam Gallagher plays Centerfield and is a Captain for the Softball team.  Last season she appeared in 23 games with a .299 Batting Average. Her defense was also sharp as she committed only one error with a .976 fielding percentage. In her last year of eligibility, she is looking to improve her numbers after an injury plaque season in 2012 and is excited to get on the field.

“As a team we want to win and we know what to expect and we need to be aggressive as a group,” says Gallagher. “As a captain I look forward to leading our new players and helping this team build from here on out.”

Mircea Dimofte is a member of the Men’s Tennis team. He is a first year Bear who transferred from the University of Toledo. A native of Focsani in Romania, Dimofte has been playing tennis since he was 6 years old is excited to be a member of this team and looks to earn rankings in both singles and doubles play. This past fall semester he also earned a 4.0 GPA.

“I’m excited for this new chapter at NYIT and I want to help this team win conference and regional,” says Dimofte.

Pedro Peixoto, a native of Belo Horizonte, Brazil is a member of the Men’s Tennis team. He is the defending East Coast Conference Rookie of the Year.  Entering the spring portion of the Men’s Tennis season, he has a record of 3-2 in singles play and a 4-1 record in doubles play with his partner Julian Marcon. He is looking to improve on his individual game this season but more important in ways to help his team win the conference and to reach the NCAA Regional.

“We can’t lose focus as a team and show everyone all the hard work we put in everyday,” says Peixoto. “The competition keeps improving and we always want to keep up with the competition to reach our goals of winning the conference.”

Joe Daru is a sophomore who recently transferred to NYIT from Sierra College last fall and is excited to start his first colligate season as a member of the Bears baseball program. During the offseason, Joe had the distinction of playing on Thailand’s World Baseball Classic team alongside the likes of Johnny Damon. Joe also feels that being in the World Baseball Classic has allowed him   Joe is also excited for his first semester here in the North East, in which he feels will gain another perspective into how to play in all types of environments.

“We have a good young group of players, as well as the freshman class that we can build around along with the sophomore’s that were around last year that want to stay here and want the chance to prove that we’re a good team.”

Ali Rodriguez was one of the superstar players for the Bears last season batting .349 in 31 games, and stealing 25 bases in 28 attempts last season.  Going into his senior year, Ali hopes to create a foundation for the younger players this year, especially with a new coaching staff and new regiment under Head Coach Bob Malvagna. He hopes also to erase last year’s season, in which the Bears underperformed and him spraining his ankle halfway through the year.

“The main difference between this year and last year has been how effective we’ve been in practice. Coach [Malvagna] has given us the ability to practice hard every day and learn his system, which seems to be paying off for us. We just have to stay focus and not be complacent throughout the season in order to succeed.”

Pat Fleming is a Goalkeeper for the Lacrosse team. As a three-time all Suffolk County player in high school, Pat looks to make an immediate impact in goal for the Bears this season.  Filling the shoes of All-American goalie Billy McGee won’t be easy, but Fleming definitely has the right attitude and work ethic to do so.

“I am working as hard as I can and hopefully I am able to contribute as a freshman this upcoming season,” says Fleming.

Danny McDermott a Defender for the Lacrosse team, was an All-American selection in 2012 along with All-ECC First Team honors, finished the season with 29 ground balls and 28 caused turnovers.  As a captain of the team, he hopes to repeat as a college All-American this season while leading the defensive unit along with the rest of the Bears to an NCAA tournament appearance. He was selected by the East Coast Conference as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

“Our team chemistry is at a level higher than that in which I have experienced in my previous two seasons at NYIT. We are going to need to utilize this chemistry on all aspects of the field in order to win our first championship since 2008,” says McDermott.

The midway point of the semester is here with Spring Break around the corner. Before you leave campus for a week, one thing to check off your list of items to do is reading this month’s issue.

Inside our March issue is our cover story of the month St. Patrick’s Day. This holiday has become very popular in America not just for those who are Irish but do you know all the history of this traditional holiday? If you say no, you will find this piece very informative as you get ready to plan your celebration. Also inside the issue we take a look at some changes on campus that you may all not be aware of. Earlier this year, NYIT President Edward Guiliano approved for smoke free zones to be added on campus. Food Services/Campus Dining also has had some new additions which are discussed this month.

An event happening in a few weeks on campus is one that could benefit your future with the annual Job Fair taking place and we help you prepare for that event this month. A recent nightclub fire in Brazil killed 233 people and we have coverage on this story and what you may not know about what happened that day. We also have an interesting piece involving a former cast member of The Sopranos. In sports we preview the upcoming season for Men’s Lacrosse and Baseball in addition to our annual Bears to Watch section which profiles the student athletes you should keep an eye out for in play this spring.

Don’t forget to read the blog “That What She Said” on our website www.campusslate.com in addition to checking out “Pocket Campus Slate” section for progress on the App being developed this semester. Follow The Campus Slate on Twitter @nyitcampusslate and add us on Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr by searching NYIT Campus Slate.

I wish everyone a safe and healthy spring break and we will see you all after the week off.

Enjoy Reading!!!

John Santamaria

Editor in Chief

“We have to get off to a good start in the early part of the season. Every game counts with many top ranked teams in that part of our schedule.” says Coach Dunn.  Opening the season with number seven ranked Seton Hill followed by three road games against tough out of conference opponents including St. Anselm, who the Bears lost to last season, and renewed rivals Adelphi, the Bears must have their “A-game” from the get go. “Considering this year’s team is a lot smaller in numbers than previous years, we must rely on both strong efforts from everyone during practices as well as leadership from the captains,” says McDermott. The Bears open East Coast Conference play on the road against Northern Boulevard rivals LIU Post who is always a tough opponent.  Other key ECC match-ups include Chestnut Hill and reigning National Champions Dowling, which will be NYIT’s final regular season game and Senior Day to be played on Saturday May 4, 2013.

The Bears come into the 2013 season with a deserved number six national ranking according to Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Yearbook, attributed to the outstanding play of All-American defenseman Danny McDermott, sophomore attackman Luke Miller who led the Bears with 27 assists and 45 points last season, and junior attackman Cory Triola who finished second in scoring last season with 21 goals. Coach Dunn believes it is crucial for leadership out of the senior group which includes A.P. Nist, Joe Fallon, Jake Ryan, and Mike Ross. On the other hand, Coach Dunn also says the freshman class will be put to the test immediately.  “Shawn Murphy has looked good with Miller and Triola on attack. At midfield Tom Hughes, Eric Talbot and Andrew Schweigert will be in the mix and Pat Fleming and Ryan Gaspari will be in wings if Fallon falters. We tell our freshmen that they have to play like sophomores, they were college ready when they got here, now live up to the billing,” says Coach Dunn.  He also adds that transfer Nick Pelella and freshman Steve Hartnett will battle it out at the face-off position, which is a crucial part of the game according to Dunn.

Along with the talent that Coach Dunn has on his roster, he believes it’s imperative to have luck on their side as well if the Bears are to make a deep run into the NCAA Tournament.  “Back in 2008, we won five one goal games including wins over Mercyhurst and CW Post. At times it is better to be lucky than good! That was our last time making the NCAA playoffs and our last championship,” says Coach Dunn.

With a little luck and a lot of good play from the entire squad, perhaps this year will mark a return to the post-season stage for the Bears Lacrosse team.

Photo Credit: NYIT Athlectics

Police officials arrested two club owners and two members of the band after the incident. Rescue workers had to tear down the once lively club walls to reach the survivors and get to the bodies. A Brazilian government official quoted in CNN said nightclub Kiss failed to abide by public safety rules and regulations, turning an emergency situation into a deadly tragedy. When the fire began, security guards were preventing people from exiting the overcrowded club—under the assumption the guests had not yet paid their tabs.

Brazil may be over four thousand miles away, but college-age students here in the U.S are rethinking their weekend plans after hearing about the fire. “I usually go to bars on Saturday nights. I never really thought about the possibility of a fire starting there,” says Emily Asher, Architecture student at NYIT. “I’m definitely going to be more cautious now. If it gets too crowded, I’ll get my friends to leave with me and go somewhere else.”

Robert Solomon, National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) division manager of Building & Life Safety Codessays, “If it feels too crowded, then it is, and you should avoid it…Don’t try to put out the fire. Get out and leave the emergency response to the crowd managers on staff.”

The answer to this tragedy is not necessarily to stop clubbing. There are ways to protect yourself in the event of a public fire. The NY Fire Safety Institute (NYFSI) is an accredited organization that teaches Fire Safety Director and Emergency Action Plan Director courses. Michael Dugan, Instructor for NYFSI offers helpful tips to staying safe in emergency situations:

• When going to an unfamiliar restaurant, always look around at how you came in and where all the exits are. Reaching for an alternative exit could save your life; everyone scrambles to the nearest exit, which ultimately leads to chaos. Protect yourself by breaking away from the crowd.
• Keep your body low in the event of a fire; temperatures near the floor could be up to 1,000 degrees cooler—which will buy you more time.
• Look up for sprinkler heads and be cautious if there aren’t any.

Whether going to the clubs on a Saturday night or simply out to dinner, always be aware of your surroundings. You never know when disaster will strike, but take notice of the nearest exits and leave if the place is overcrowded—it could save your life.

Pipkin is recognized for his long career in the world of books, television and film. Appearing on shows such as Friday Night Lights, the Alamo and the recurring character Aaron Arkaway in HBO’s The Sopranos. Most recently he’s known for his humanitarian service as the founder of the Nobelity Project, a non-profit organization based in Austin, Texas where the principal goals are education and bettering the lives of children across the globe. “The Nobelity Project reaches back to my wife and I,” Pipkin responds in an interview with the Slate. “Not long after 9/11 we were looking for a way to use our skills as filmmakers to be a little more engaged with the world and the problems and solutions that are happening.” Along with his wife Christy, Pipkin traveled five continents and 20 countries filming documentaries on global issues like climate change, hunger, education, health care and environment. He’s already filmed two documentaries Nobelity and One Peace at a Time, now he’s promoting his third installment Building Hope.

Building Hope tells the story of the Nobelity Project’s partnership with a rural community in Kenya to build the area’s first high school including classroom building, science and computer labs, and a library. Through drought, flood and fundraising challenges, Building Hope chronicles the construction of Mahiga Hope High and the connection between a thousand people in the U.S. and an African community working to create a better future for their children.  “When I get to some of the more remote areas it’s a very different experience for just one person” said Pipkin. “I’m able to interact with the community on a more personal basis I think than a full camera crew can. It’s kind of an ideal situation for seeing their lives the way they see their lives as oppose to just coming in and looking for images.”The way technology is constantly revolving gives filmmakers a smooth transition in filmmaking. “Cameras are smaller, lighter” replied Pipkin. “Fifteen years ago you needed a full crew, big audio and lightening to go out and shoot a documentary. Now you can go to very remote places in the world and you can shoot footage that was very difficult to get before.”

In the end, after all the hard work and dedication the end result is priceless. “You can’t beat seeing kids come into a library for the first time and look at giant walls full of books and just dig in like they’re starving to read.” Have there been other documentaries about global issues? Yes, but somehow this one stands out from the pack. “No one’s really gone in and documented a really inspiring story like Building Hope” Pipkin said. “It’s a very inspiring story. You see these kids and their families and their staff and teachers at the school and you realize how much they wanted it. How hard they’re willing to work and that’s a great story to tell.” So to the future filmmakers of this generation take note from Turk Pipkin create long-lasting films that impact the world without any compromise. “Any department you work in you’re learning part of the idea the way film works and the way storytelling works” replied Pipkin. “It’s really is a life- long learning. Making film is a long living process.”

The original color associated with St. Patrick’s Day used to be blue. The color green, as seen in green ribbons and shamrocks,was worn in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day as early as the middle seventeenth century. Saint Patrick was said to have used a shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, and the wearing and display of the shamrock has become a staple of the holiday ever since. The holiday was a strict religious holiday until the youth of Ireland and Irish-Americans started generating the partying persona and drinking associated with Saint Patrick’s Day. The first St. Patrick’s Day festival was held on March 17^th, 1996. The annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City attracts close to 675,000 people each year. Even those who aren’t Irish take part in the parade and festivities.

The holiday also has a reputation for a very heavy emphasis on alcohol consumption. Although not an official US holiday, is still widely celebrated by people across the country. Khalil Khalfan, a senior finance major, explains how he celebrates St. Patrick’s Day, “I love the holiday, it a time where me and my long time friends always get together, and attend the big parade in the city. It’s a fun day filled with celebrating Irish heritage and drinking.” Garret Kemp, a junior finance major on campus also elaborates on the holiday, “St. Patrick’s Day is always one of my favorite holidays to celebrate, itbrings my friends together and achance to celebrate everything that’s Irish.” The annual NYC parade attracts loads of young adults looking to celebrate Irish heritage, both with pride by wearing all green, and by alcohol consumption. While drinking may be the most popular way to celebrate the holiday, there are also plenty of ways to celebrate the holiday responsibly. Attending a Saint Patrick’s Day event or parade, eating traditional Irish food, playing some Irish music, learning to Irish dance, or simply staying home away from the bar scene are safe, responsible ways to enjoy the day.

This Saint Patrick’s Day, everyone is encouraged to be responsible and act accordingly. There is an array of events supporting the holiday that one can attend alternatively without overdoing drinking on the holiday. Events like luncheons, dinners, meetings, and local parades are just a few. The big, annual New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on March 16^th this year and will start on Fifth Avenue and 44^th street. For more information on the parade and the parade route visit:www.nyc.go.com/event/st-patrick’s-day-parade.

Saint Patrick’s Day is a deeply religious and historical holiday, important to American and Irish culture alike, bringing together a celebration of all things Irish, its deep heritage, and the holiness of the holiday.

First order of business: Remove all hot food units from every cafeteria and replace them with fresh deli counters. The fresh deli counters were the newest addition to the cafeterias, designed to give eating healthy a personalized feeling. You can still get your favorite fried foods, but only on specific days in the hot buffet. In September, the Deli Station at Salten Hall was established. The deli features low sodium deli meats and gluten free bread options as well as a bread selection of sliced white or wheat breads, wraps, heroes or Kaiser Rolls. For breakfast, egg whites were introduced asa breakfast option, and ham as an alternative to bacon. They also use Zero Trans Fat in all of the cooking oils. And for those vegetarians out there, each cafeteria also offers veggie options such as veggie burgers and sandwiches.

The Student Activities Center also was granted a makeover with a new Gourmet Burger Station. Students can choose from beef, turkey, chicken, or veggie and dress it with whatever they want! And don’t forget about the vending machines! Aside from remaking the cafeterias, NYIT has also gone high tech with new state of the art computerized vending machines. While you may still find cheese doodles in these machines, the new system now holds healthy fresh treats like Chobani Greek Yogurt and fresh vegetable packs. Overall, the new change has received rave reviews from the students who, surprisingly enough, prefer the healthier alternative to its junk food counterpart. Melissa Marin, a senior and frequent eater at Salten Hall says, “Eating at Salten is so much better now, I love the food they serve and it’s actually good for you.” Liam Waddy, a sophomore who usually eats over at the Student Activies Center, sayshe enjoys that he can” eat healthy at any place on campus” and how beneficial… [the change] has been for everyone.

So the next time you find yourself at Salten Hall or any other campus dining location, pick up a delicious sandwich and a fresh iced tea to go.

The Bears last season suffered one of their worst seasons in school history, compiling a 5-43 record and going only 2-22 against Great West Conference opponents.  Bob Malvagna and his new coaching staff hope to turn a corner and compete in both conference and Division I play. “We’re just need to mentally focus throughout the year,” says Malvagna. “This team has a lot of good elements that were shown last year, but not executed well. If we can stay healthy and focused, then we can strive to compete out there every single day.” Coach Malvagna is a former Division I baseball player, having graduated and played for the St.John’s Red Storm team back in the late 1970′s and has had experience at Adelphi University and Queensborough Community College where captured the 2012 CUNY Championship as a member of their coaching staff.

While there are many familiar faces returning to the lineup, there are also many new selection of players recruited to play for Malvagna this season. When asked about his roster, coach Malvagna stated. “We’re glad to see some new faces and a lot of the sophomore’s returning this year.” I think we have a balanced blend of experience and youth that should help us compete in every game this season.”  Malvagna has also recruited students from other colleges, including Joe Daru and Christopher Rula, who have had success at their former schools and other baseball ventures.

The Bears start their season in Cincinnati on March 1st with a four game series with the Bearcats of the Big East Conference and continue on the road until the first home game on April 5th against their Great West Conference opponents, the UT-Pan Americans.

Together, over 70 NYIT students from the Old Westbury and Manhattan campuses helped during Sandy relief by providing care packages and helping with clean up. We engaged rapidly in aiding families during the first days after the Super Storm Sandy hit by providing information on warming centers, shelters, and food pantries. NYIT clubs, organizations, teams, offices and individuals on both campuses contributed to relief efforts.

After Sandy hit, the Community Service Center managed a blood drive with the New York Blood Center to address the shortage in blood reserves. On December 14^th 40 NYIT donors participated in the most successful blood drive in NYIT’s history donating enough blood to help 120 people! On April 16^th we are hosting another blood drive with the New York Blood Center, Face AIDS, the Red Cross Club and GIVE – contact us if you wish to volunteer or donate.

CSC Spring Semester plans are to keep advocating for civic engagement at every level here at NYIT. We plan to do this by being more present, available and active among the various student organizations and clubs. Upcoming events include our second consecutive year of the NYIT 31 Women of March, which recognizes inspirational women within the NYIT community. Find out more on the NYIT CSC Facebook page. We are also partnering with the Civility Committee Campaign, Global Awareness Task Force, Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development to present the panel on “Women’s body image” on March 28^th.

On March 14^th during free hour with the International Student Association we are hosting our first discussion panel in a series with a focus on world economics. If you would like to hear various student perspectives and ideas on respective economic conditions in their countries, join us in Harry Shure room 130. Professor Luis Navia will be moderating the discussion.

To learn more about the Community Service Center, volunteering or how to take action to make change in your community contact us at cscow@nyit.edu, 516-686-4025 or stop by our office in Career Services, Salten Hall, room 3.

While everyone was turning off their phones, so the plane can take off, I was sneaking some texts to my mom and boyfriend until the flight attendant personally told me to turn off my phone. My nerves were shooting through the roof once I lost contact with my mom. I will be spending the entire month of August in the beautiful small country called, Portugal.

I decided that it was time for me to go visit my grandparents that I haven’t seen in over seven years. I knew that my parents wouldn’t be able to come with me this time because they went in March and my dad was in the middle of a big job for his construction company, so I was a loner.

There were a lot of obstacles that I had to overcome during my trip. For starters, Europeans think that Americans aren’t the brightest human beings on the planet and that we are pretty snobby so, you can only imagine the amount of unpleasant looks I got when I spoke English instead of Spanish or Portuguese.

Choice of language wasn’t the only thing that got me unwanted attention. I got nasty looks when I didn’t even open my mouth. As odd as it might seem, my choice of clothing got me the same looks that I got for speaking English. While I’m walking the streets with my Michael Kors bag in my hand and my Coach sunglasses on, the women from there are using Chanel and Burberry bags and Louis Vuitton sunglasses. I was definitely standing out now.

Things got worse when I had to take care of my parent’s vacation home, while I was staying there. This means I had to vacuum and mop a three story house that has cherry wood floors and marble tile. Now don’t start thinking that I can’t handle some cleaning; my mom taught me how to keep a tidy house, but having to clean for twelve hours straight on my hands and knees was torture.  The twelve hour cleaning process had to done at least once a week because of the amount of dust that comes from the rocky roads and the farms surrounding the house.

When I wasn’t cleaning like a mad woman, I was out exploring the village of Acros de Valdevez. The beautiful old architecture, the huge water fountains, the festivals at night, the little cafes on the corners that are open ‘til two in the morning; these were things that I rarely see back in the US. Even though all of this may seem like something beautiful to look at, the village actually looks like it’s a ghost town during lunch and dinner time. Shocking at it may be; everything is closed for at least an hour at noon and for another hour around five. In Europe, everyone goes home during their break to eat. They don’t think it is necessary to go grab a quick bite at a fast food restaurant (something that is only located in the big cities). I didn’t know about these “breaks” until I decided to go shopping around noon and everything was closed. So not only did I look like the dumb American, I walked to the village in the dreadful humidity.

I started counting down the days until my flight back home once I got sick. Yes, I got sick during my vacation. Knowing that I was going in the summer, I thought that that there wasn’t a need to pack too many sweaters and jeans; boy was I wrong. During the day it was hot and humid, but once the sun started going down, the temperature dropped drastically. I wasn’t surprised when I got an ear infection and a sore throat because of the cold nights. Getting sick was the last straw and I was ready to go back to the States.

Although, it was an interesting experience and not all of it was too bad and I was able to enjoy the time that I spent with my grandparents. I was more than ready to head back to the USA and enjoy a bacon cheeseburger from Five Guys.

-Robert Louis Stevenson

Stevenson’s phrase harkens back to the times I told my parents on a trip to Malaysia, Africa or Europe, that I didn’t want to be a tourist but a traveler. Very few of us actually discern the difference between the two…

Snapping pictures of oneself in every possible pose with the pyramids in the background or kissing one’s spouse in front of the Eiffel tower may fall under tourism but certainly  don’t define travelling for me. Walking down the cobblestoned lanes of provincial areas of Louvre or sitting by the water in Venice and taking in the sights of the architecture, or interacting with the tribes in South Africa on the other hand is in the true sense of the word, travel.

On a sojourn in New Zealand I once met a carpenter who carved miniatures of people on wood for just a few dollars on the street of the Ponsonby in Auckland. I couldn’t resist speaking to him about his art and why he did what he did for such a miniscule monetary compensation. His answer amazed me to such an extent that it’s etched in my memory to this date. He said, “I am an Irishman in New Zealand who gets to meet new people every day and learn so much about them while honing my talents of woodcarving. I travel more sitting here than a person who flies thousands of miles across the world.”

The synergy of cultural exchange and social encounters irrespective of geographical trail is what traveling is. And I would say to anybody who has an avid interest in expanding their knowledge of the world at large, to save up and invest in travel.

Because an investment, is what it really is. Its profits are more cerebral than commercial, but they are still profits. I have been lucky to have travelled as much as I have and this is one gift that I would perhaps like to bestow to my children as well. There is no education more profound, and no experience more momentous than being able to find ones way in a foreign land amongst foreign people who speak a foreign tongue and come to realize that there is a common thread that joins all societies around the world: Curiosity about each other.

Just pick a place fly out there, or drive or even set sail! Get carried away by the festive rigmarole of the locals, or lose yourself in the redolent cuisine and resounding music. If for no other reason, taking a trip can be the perfect alleviation for the drudgery of daily life.

Get away from yours, start packing!

While the groom is looking at his bride walking towards him, he realizes that once he says “I do” his freedom will be gone.

Yes it’s true, some men believe that they will lose their freedom to do whatever they want once they are married. Now, not all men think like that. Some of them are happy that they will be marrying the girl of their dreams and all they had to do was show up and say two simple words.

Nowadays, women take control of all the wedding planning. They want everything to be perfect. The flowers have to be freshly picked, the dress has to sparkle and be a work of art that compliments her body, and her groom has to look like a prince that just came out of a fairytale.

In the past, planning a wedding was a lot easier than it is today. Things weren’t as expensive, the reception and the ceremony weren’t suppose to be something to wow the guest, but to show the couple’s love. Some women try to make their wedding day the most amazing event that their guests will ever attend. They may take it too far and become a bridezilla. Run for your life, if you have to deal with one of those. Everything has to be their way and if it isn’t, be prepared to deal with a screaming monster.

For this magical day to happen there is a need of a good amount of money to make it come together. A budget is usually decided before the planning starts, but it always seems a lot easier to go over it then actually stay on it. Brides will sometimes spend over five thousand dollars on just the dress; that doesn’t include a veil, jewelry, and shoes. The dress of course, is just one of the important aspects of the wedding. You still need to order invitations, pick a place for the reception, a DJ, flowers, and of course a cake. Fifty thousand dollars for a wedding is considered an ok budget now, but if you want a wedding to remember, be prepared to spend over sixty thousand dollars. With that kind of money, it could be a down payment on a house.

The budget isn’t the only thing that has changed. There are so many choices on where the ceremony can be held. If you want to keep it traditional or if you’re very religious; like my family, have it at a church or a temple. Now if you want to think out of the box, there is always the destination wedding. If you don’t want anyone at your wedding and want to shock everyone, elope and go to Las Vegas.

Like many other women, I have thought about what my wedding day will be. I picture a beautiful church that has been decorated with fresh red roses and my family waiting for the doors to swing up. My father will escort me down the aisle. I will be wearing a beautiful ball gown dress with a five foot long lace trimmed veil. Once the vows have been said and they were sealed with a kiss; a reception will be held to celebrate, with music and good food. This all may seem simple, but every little detail that will go into this day will start to add up quickly.

Until then, my wedding day will stay as a dream. If I am lucky my parents will think that the brides’ parents need to help pay for their daughter’s wedding. That sure is a tradition that I hope won’t change when it comes to planning my big day.

But just like Indian cuisine, it may not go easy on the stomach! The music can turn into noise and all the vivid colors can start to look like a kaleidoscope. Before you know it, you’re sitting with your head down trying to overcome the dizziness, and they haven’t even uncapped the liquor yet!

Well, it’s not all that bad either! The thing with Indian weddings is that they are EXORBITANT!!!! Whether its food, or clothing or the set or even the guest list. In juxtaposition to an average church wedding in America, Indian weddings are exceedingly plush and require a lot more financial investment. It is more of a family affair than just a special day for the bride and the groom. It can be a platform for the aunts to scour out matches for their nieces and nephews. Or just an opportunity for that distant uncle to reunite with the rest of the family that he missed all the way in Nagpur!

Unlike June, which is considered the wedding month here in the United States, the winter months of December, January and February fall into the wedding season time in India as the cold is still better than the sultry dog days of the summer!

Speaking of Indian weddings, one of our own was in India getting married over the winter break, (yes, it’s Bhaswar) and I can already imagine him being the center of everyone’s attention, eyes darting everywhere, just seeking a quiet corner where he can hear himself think! Although im positive, he relished every second of it.

There’s another wedding in the cards, but a very different one! It’s our favorite administrative assistant, Christine Parker! Unlike Bhaswar, she plans on passing the drama and going for a modest church wedding.

With the wedding bells chiming all around the vicinity, one can’t help but think of getting married. I’ve always envisaged mine in Ireland. For some reason, I found it to be one of the most romantic places and Irish weddings have always fascinated me.

Until then, I guess it’s only a sweet reverie that I can store in a scrapbook…

In spite of the fact that football and baseball are eminent in India, and hockey is our national game, we Indians, won’t get half as riled up in any of those games, as we would in a cricket match! The super bowl, thus, doesn’t have a monumental following there. Having said that, hard core football fans would go to extreme lengths to locate the matches online or pay a hefty price to the few satellite stations that do air them.

What amazed me, however, was the fact that seven Chinese television stations are carrying Super Bowl XLVII in china apart from streaming that has more than a million viewers. Not just this, but even last year, around 22 million Chinese fans saw the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots in the NFL’s championship game on television.

I think their impetus for football is an unknown element to their urban culture. In fact not a lot of other countries even know that they play sundry domestic football games within the regional realms. Now that’s something I’d like to watch!

In spite of my tepid interest in the superbowl, I can’t help but get carried away by this whirlwind of enthusiasm and all the cheering. Watching the super bowl ads has become a guilty pleasure! My favorite is the taco bell ad with the geriatric group letting loose!

I know that the spirit of the game and the mirth it fills the country with even in the wake of the catastrophic sandy can’t just be a sport. It is culture, camaraderie, conviviality and above all patriotism.

Even I, a foreigner, unaware and oblivious to this festivity that takes the entire nation by storm, feel like I’ve joined the caravan inadvertently. Watching the games with my friends over drinks, it occurs to me that they’re wrong when they say; adjusting to a whole new environment isn’t fu and games. Because it sure feels like it is!

I am talking about football… the All American pastime. Men love it because of the aggressive tackling, the greasy food, the beer, and the male bonding that they can share with their buddies. But women can also enjoy watching football. We don’t mind watching big musclular men tackle each other while wearing tight pants. And we also enjoy the greasy food and drinking a refreshing beer while screaming at the television when a player drops the football because they have butterfingers.

The Super bowl has always been one of my favorite things to watch. You get to throw a party just to watch a football game, which can be seen as an odd reason for some people to have a party for, but I think it’s brilliant. You are able to have a reason to pig out for one day without making others think you haven’t eaten in days. Who wouldn’t enjoy eating Buffalo wings, cheesy pizza, and Tostitos chips with salsa and finish it off with a nice cold beer?

And don’t forget the commercials that are given. I know I’m not the only one that won’t get off the couch to take a bathroom break, even when you need to because the commercials are always something to talk about. My favorite ones to watch are the M&Ms and the Doritos commercial. I never get tired of seeing the red M&M trying to escape being eaten. The food commercials aren’t the only ones that I enjoy to watch. During the Super bowl there are always commercials that show some of the movies that will be coming out later in the year. This year, they showed the trailer of the new Fast and Furious movie that will be coming out in May and the new Iron Man movie that will also be coming out in May.

The commercials, food, and the party aren’t the only things that make the Super bowl something enjoyable. The game of course, is the main reason why it’s all done. I always find myself rooting for a team even when the New York Giants aren’t in it. This year I was rooting for the Ravens and no I am not just saying that because they won the XLVII Super bowl. Considering that the Ravens are from the East Coast and I live on the East Coast, why not root for them.

I was very surprised in the first and second quarter when the Ravens were destroying the 49ers. They just kept getting touchdown after touchdown; I started feeling bad for the 49ers. But something that really shocked me was the thirty-five minute black out that occurred in the third quarter. The blackout actually helped the 49ers because they were able to get back in the game in four minutes. It became a really close game in the end with the Ravens winning 34 to31. But don’t worry San Francisco, you will be able to enjoy the free Jell-O while Baltimore has their parade (I didn’t believe it either when I saw the commercial, but it’s true, look it up if you still have doubts).

Your probably wondering why I haven’t brought up the halftime show and in my opinion, I have seen better performances. Sorry Beyoncé fans, but I think she did more dancing then singing, but you can disagree with me, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Now that the football season is over, it’s time to get ready to watch players hit homeruns instead of scoring touchdowns. Hopefully, the Yankees have a better season then the Giants did.

Speaking of apps (applications), many people who are non-technical majors here ask me these questions all the time: “How do you make apps?” “What does it take to make one?”  This one I really like though, “Is there a way to make money?”  I’ll answer the money question right away; yes you can make money.  For example, I made a paid app last spring on the Windows Phone™ platform.  Windows Phone is a Microsoft technology, and for developers (people who create apps) that created paid apps, Microsoft has a deal.  The deal is such that for every confirmed app purchase that is made, Microsoft will take 30% of the total proceeds leaving the developer with 70%!  Now, let’s say you made an app that is priced at $0.99 (almost $1.00).  For every confirmed download, Microsoft keeps $0.30 to cover taxes, and gives you the developer $0.70; tell me that is not an awesome deal!  So I digress; however, there is a possibility to make money, but the only catch I would say is that as a developer you need to keep thinking of ideas.  Now, I will tell you how something goes from an idea to code (just as the title says).

Creating, or coding applications as mentioned before, you need an idea.  There has to be a reason or a purpose for which the app that is being developed must fulfill.  For example, I created a Windows Phone 7 app called Java Jam Session, which fulfilled the need for the necessity of a quick reference guide for both experienced and inexperienced Java programmers.  Therefore, as people say, “necessity is the mother of invention.”  Now you may ask where is the need to make an app?  My answer is look around you.  With me, I had heard many students who had Windows Phones (which are now gaining in popularity), that there should be a Java Programming for Dummies app, and in the Spring Semester 2012, I got together with a few of my Computer Science colleagues to create Java Jam Session which as of late has broken the cumulative mark of 6,000 confirmed downloads all over the world.

If your app that you want to make involves working in a team, get your team together.  Make sure that you can be honest with your fellow team members.  Without honesty, there will be many communication gaps along the way.  Now, pick your target; what type of app are you going to make?  Is it an iOS app, an Android app, etc…  In industry, iOS; Android; and so on are called platforms.  Choose the platform that you know enough about so that you can be able to make an app, and refine your app after it is released.  You have your team, you know what platform to make the app for, you need deadlines, and a design.  After that, you are ready to work.

Deadlines are the difference between success and failure.  Just as the Campus Slate has monthly deadlines for each issue, app developers must have deadlines to adhere to for the app to be developed completely, and for the app to fulfill the intended purpose which I mentioned earlier.  Designs are just as important as deadlines because designs give you a starting point.  For newspapers, stories are needed otherwise there would not be any news to report, and people would think that life is just the same every day.  So designing an app requires attention to details!  A major component of an app is the User Interface (UI).  Having a User Interface which is consistent throughout the app is important for two reasons. One reason is that a consistent UI shows you have been committed to the overall app design from the time you have started development.  Second reason is that if you are graduating from college and your potential employer may want to take a look at the app you made because you wrote on your resume that while in college, you worked in a team and made a mobile app.

Now, I have a team that consists of Elsaid Salem, junior BS/DO major, a staff writer from the Campus Slate; Nicholas Passaro sophomore Computer Science major, Luie Umbarila freshman Electrical and Computer Engineering major, Jeffrey Silva freshman Electrical and Computer Engineering major, and Elieser Duran freshman Computer Science major.  Nicholas is the treasurer of the IEEE Student Chapter at NYIT Old Westbury.  The IEEE at NYIT Old Westbury is an engineering club that works on many projects.  For more information about the IEEE, refer to my article entitled Introducing the IEEE.  Over the next few weeks, the individuals mentioned and I will be working hard to develop apps for the Campus Slate on the Android, Windows Phone, and Windows 8 platforms.

Developing apps I find is a rewarding experience because you have the opportunity to really see the fruits of your labor.  You have the chance to see your work in action as well.  Of course, there is an opportunity to make money; however, the caveat is that you need to be committed in all aspects.  While developing you will encounter obstacles at times, but do not give up.  Stay with it, and you will see that apps are manifestation of your ideas.

To find out more about the development of the Campus Slate app, go to the Campus Slate website at www.campusslate.com and look for the Pocket Campus Slate section where this article and updates about the development will be posted.  Also, be sure to be on the lookout for the launch event coming later this spring!

Dominic Scurry says, “He’s been one of the reasons for our success. He’s one of the main pieces that we have going for us…  As well as Phil [ Izevbehai} and Azel {Prather], who’s rebounding a lot and that has kept us in some tight games.” Some of these tight games have been decided by 10 points or fewer, including games against Mercy and LIU Post, two top teams in the ECC this year.

Scurry also cited the team’s defense as a key area that needs improvement. “Coach [Lagano] emphasizes defense and there have been moments where we’ve given up a large amount of points,” Scurry said, “We just need to stay consistent and play hard every game.”

The Bears have plenty of opportunities to make the Division II tournament this year, in part thanks to their overall conference record. However, the Bears have tough competition coming up, with games against Molloy and their senior day matchup with St. Thomas Aquanis to round out the year.

The old woman’s rheumy eyes hinted at the many events they’d witnessed and places they’d seen, the etched lines wrinkling across her forehead showed years of experience and even though her lips were painted a scarlet shade, they were set in a thin slit just below her nose. From the moment she’d grabbed my arm, I knew I was a captive. She had a tale to tell, and deemed me the most befitting listener. On an assignment from Lonely Planet, a UK Magazine, I was in search of a story about the enamoring red light areas of Hong Kong. My wandering steps took me deep into the narrow lanes of the much larger Mongkok market.

The China I’d read about in Pearl S. Buck novels and encyclopedias was a far cry from the modern technological and cultural hub that it’s become today. Hong Kong was also just a subjugated island in those books and what I saw myself encompassed by was a city! A city perhaps more modernized than some parts of my own country, India. The scintillating semblance of the women who waited for customers, or just stood nonchalantly in a group chattering was more akin to the western world than I’d thought they’d be. Their glittery apparel was not very different from the city’s lights and they merged like a well-crafted painting.

“Fire, only fire everywhere,” she began in her somewhat comprehensible English. From there on, her tale was slow, rickety and yet fascinating. Do keep in mind; this woman wasn’t as articulate as she could have been had she been using her own tongue to.. I had to strain my hearing as well as inference in order to comprehend her scarce speech. However, she spoke better English than the average locals of my generation.

She’d lived in the Kap Shek Mi area of New Kowloon where one of the greatest catastrophes ever endured by this country occurred in 1953. It was a fire, a fire so pervasive and so deadly that it left more than fifty-three thousand people homeless, some orphaned and nine dead.

This much was true, I  was aware of the ill-fated day of 25^th January 1953 when an extensive fire had broken out in one of the major residential areas of Kowloon district of Hong Kong, I also knew who Governor Alexander Grantham was from whatever I’d read on the history of Hong Kong. In fact I’d even been there on my visit but it showed no trace of the suffrage it had witnessed decades ago. “Governor Alexander Grantham, good man! Make cheap apartments for us. We only immigrants, you know.” I completely understood what she meant when she said “only” immigrants. Drifters from mainland China who settled in the British colonized Hong Kong were a foreign to their surroundings as a citizen of another country, yet they treaded water, buoyant in the chaotic streets of British Hong Kong.

“He live in apartment 12 in my building. Very young, we like each other a lot,” she continued as she stared into space as if almost remembering every event that she recounted. It was in a neighboring apartment of her building where she’d met him for the first time. Him, I supposed at the time, must have been the love of her life. She went on to explain to me that in an inexorable way, they’d felt drawn to each other. I saw her expression soften, the red lips curved ever so slightly to form the faintest hint of a smile. “His name, Hao, Hao Wang,” the old woman continued, as if she had been rehearsing this story for years, in anticipation of my arrival.

Hao believed himself to be a writer but all she every saw him do was read. Although she admitted she did quite enjoy the smell of old books in his room and the sound of his voice when he read something to her. She shrugged in a matter-of-fact way and said something to the effect of, “I won’t bore you with details that you can very well imagine, or even experience, seeing as you’re quite young yourself—” I smiled at her and poured some tea into a cup for me. “I always remember, he come one day…”

Hao came home one evening and announced to her that he had been offered a government job. He would be chauffeuring Governor Alexander’s wife Maurine! The well-travelled, sophisticated Maurine Samson, whom, almost every young girl in Hong Kong admired and covertly hoped to be in the shoes of. She was more than thrilled and on the day he received his first wage, they got themselves married in a near-by temple. Hao didn’t believe in marital laws or signing papers, all he needed was god as a witness to their love and commitment.

As I sat there across from her sipping my tea, endeavoring to read her face, I couldn’t really judge if this was all senseless banter coming from senility or an actual account of a life that was one among millions in this over populated city and yet so uniquely interesting that I found myself longing for her to continue. In any case, it would be feckless to make an attempt of interrupting this story now, I thought to myself.

Her shop showed no signs of a man, which confirmed she was alone. The culture in Hong Kong, or even China, I have observed in my travels, is for a couple to run a store together. Husbands and wives work together on their joint business rather than having two different jobs. I now saw a wave of sepulchral melancholy wash over her face as I took a sip of the offered tea gingerly. It being the Chinese New Year’s Eve, I heard all kinds of cacophonous noises in the market as people got ready to welcome the New Year with lights, food and music. But all I wanted to hear was this old woman’s narrative which had my complete attention now. “What happened?” I whispered. “Two years, we so happy. No children. But still happy…but,” she shook her head lightly and circled the rim of her cup.

It was their second anniversary, he’d asked her to dress up. They were going to catch the ferry to go to Macau for a weekend and their visas would be taken care of. She had a bright orange dress on and her hair done up with a beautiful hair pin embellished with stones. She had a myriad of thoughts swirling in the depths of her mind, thoughts of starting a family, thoughts of refurnishing their home with the little money she’d been saving, but when she heard a knock on her door, she knew it wasn’t him. Something in her told her she I wasn’t going to like whatever was on the other side of the door.

She wetted her lips and I motioned towards the tea which she refused by shaking her head. Her voice trembled as she continued, “They tall men. Wear uniform and hat. So serious!”

They asked where Hao was and she told them she’d been waiting for him to return from work and the next thing she felt was a piercing pain across her left cheek and in moments she was staring at the floor, hunched and still shaking from the slap. Her tone became bitter and her expression revealed a vehemence that didn’t need volume or gesturing to convey its force. “Hao not writer, not driver. He Jiàndié!”

I immediately rummaged through my bag for my Chinese dictionary and asked her to point out the word she’d used. When I saw the meaning my heart leapt and I thought, for what was the first time, that this had been perhaps one of the luckiest days for me as a writer, for I had stumbled across a real-life true espionage love story! I sat back in my chair, partly questioning the verity of this account and partly so riveted that I was transfixed by this old frail woman’s words.

You see, Hao was no writer, reader, or chauffeur. He was a spy, a bug, implanted by the Japanese. He was to ingratiate himself with the governor’s guards and other security in order to find the right time for them to strike. The job wasn’t offered to him out of the blue, it was all pre-ordained. He had been so adroit at his job that even his wife, knew nothing of this part of his life.

All of a sudden, she paused and looked straight into my eyes; her stabbing gaze sought my very soul. And then said something (slightly incomprehensible, thus paraphrased), that made me more sympathetic to something that she must have gone through decades ago, than I’d be to a present feeling. “Have you ever wished for something so badly that you were ready to barter for it with your life?” She had. All she’d wanted was for him to emerge out of nowhere and hold her and reassure her that everything would be all right. I felt tears sting the back of my eyes and I stifled a sniffle.

The torture she had to go through for next few months was not fractionally as painful as the fact that he’d abandoned her; left her at their hands to save his skin. She felt like she was a pawn in his game, a minor fragment of a larger more consequential piece. She incessantly pled but nobody believed her. A spy’s wife was automatically a spy.

“Then what happened?” I croaked.

It was the seventh month of her imprisonment when someone came to her cell and announced that the governor himself had summoned her. She wondered what kind of infernal punishment was in store for her. In the governor’s office, she felt like a lamb in a slaughter house shivering in anticipation of that final lethal blow.

However, all he did was reveal to her that Hao’s dead body had been found and on his person was nothing but a post-card and few documents. It read – “I will have passed the gates of heaven or hell when you read this, but all I want to say is that my wife did not partake in any of my affairs. She is completely and utterly innocent. Please place this post-card in her possession and keep the rest of the documents for yourselves. Hao Wang’.

These words do keep in mind; have been used from Collins dictionary which I used to translate the actual pinyin Chinese symbols on the post card.  Known for his benignity towards women and children, the Governor had kept her alive, even if imprisoned, and against the wishes of almost all officials, decided to free her. She sucked in a deep breath, fatigued from all the talking and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. And then like a magic trick she pulled a post-card out of thin air and placed it on the little table she sat behind, across from me.

My eyes widened in fascination and I realized it must have been the same post-card Hao had left her. She rubbed her thumb across it and looked at it endearingly. “All items here, I sell. This no sale.” I smiled at her and took the post card from her hands. It was yellowy and old. But the Chinese writing unfurled a profound message. I started translating with her help and my excitement mounted with each translated word.

Hao hadn’t betrayed her after all. He may have taken his time, but he did release her from her suffering. Why he had disappeared without a trace, she still didn’t know. But at least she didn’t have the image of a heartless cheat in her mind when she thought of her one most true love.

The post card also represented the most painful of all facts. Hao had committed suicide. Fearing what the Japanese would do if they realized he’d smuggled information to the British. I fished out a few bills from my bag and put them on one of the ornate corner tables and took her leave wordlessly, a suddenly I found myself tongue-tied. Back in the effulgent and noisy streets of main Mongkok market, I headed towards Tsim Sha Tsui junction where my cab awaited. My gaze fell on a postcard stand near the subway and the vendor asked which one I wanted.

I shook my head and moved on, only to stop a few steps away. I turned, walked back to the stand, picked one out and asked for a pen. Hastily scrawling the words down, I paid the vendor and rushed back to the old antique shop, maneuvering my way through the throngs of crowd. The old lady’s chair was unoccupied and the post-card was no longer on the table. I quietly placed on it the one I’d just bought and rushed back to my cab.

My post-card read—“Yours and Hao’s story will not remain in this old antique shop. It’s my promise.”

According to a report from the Institute for College Access & Success’ Project on Student Debt, roughly two-thirds of the national college class of 2011 graduated college with loan debt, owing on average $26,600. That’s a lot of dough-and it’s going to take a long time for most college students to pay it off. This may explain why recent college graduates are often more than happy to spend the remainder of their twenties living at home; in fact, the idea of being kicked out after reaching a certain age is often frightening to those facing large amounts of debt. “If what we found continues to hold true, we may have more elderly people with substantial financial problems in the future,” says Lucia Dunn, co-author of a study done on credit card debt amongst today’s generation. “Our projections are that the typical credit card holder among younger Americans who keeps a balance will die still in debt to credit card companies.”

She’s talking about our funeral—and we haven’t even graduated college yet! But despite such grim projections, and even with graduation just around the corner for seniors, there’s no need to panic over college debt. Financial aid specialist Kim Clark offers some helpful tips on how to manage your debt:

- Check out your future salary: See how much you can reasonably afford to put toward debt payments once you graduate. If there’s a good chance your payments will leave you with very little to live on, you should rethink your plans by looking for less expensive schools or better financial aid.

- Investigate the growing number of loan repayment or forgiveness programs: Certain graduate schools, employers, and professional organizations offer these programs. Look into what they have to offer, and take it into consideration when making your decision.

- Consolidate your federal student loans: Apply for Income-Based Repayment. This new program allows debtors to cap monthly payments that are below 15 percent of their income.

Student loans often have very low interest rates, paying those off as soon as possible is the smartest thing you can do in order to avoid paying the loans back with high interest rates later on. Dunn feels paying more than the monthly minimum is a wise choice. “Raising the minimum payoff rate can have a powerful effect on how people actually pay off their credit card debt, much more so than you might expect,” she says. “They may see the increase in their minimum payment and start feeling uncertain about their future ability to pay off their debt; that may encourage them to pay off even more than they have to, in order to bring their debt level down.” Getting your student loans paid off, and out of your way is the best thing you can do when it comes to managing credit card debt.

The fact of the matter is that debt from student loans can often be unavoidable; a college degree is the best chance you have at obtaining your desired career in the future. Although the debt from loans can seem overbearing, it is a small price to pay for gaining a career you will love someday—although it seems like a large price to pay right now.

Happy New Year and welcome back to campus as the spring 2013 semester is underway and we at the Slate are very excited to be back as well. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and a productive winter break.

We enter the year 2013 with what is going to be a very exciting year for us at the Slate and it all begins with the first issue of the new calendar year. This semester, Professor Hanc and I are joined by a familiar group of individuals as many of them were with us in the fall and I want to welcome them all back along with our new members joining us this semester for the first time. We also have two new editors to our staff; Hiba Khanzada is our Managing Editor and Erica Brandt is our Associate Editor and I would like to welcome them to their new roles.

This semester in addition to our monthly publications that you read all semester, we are also in the process of a new addition to The Campus Slate. A mobile application is in development as many of you may recall from our coverage in the fall. This semester we are expecting the App to be ready for operation and you will be updated on the progress all semester long via our website www.campusslate.com. Pranav Krishnamurthy is our leading developer and will be working with our friends at the NYIT Student Chapter of the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE). All information can be found on our website and inside the issue.

Inside our February issue we have a great variety of coverage including some news you might have missed that happened on campus while you were away during the break. NYIT Athletics didn’t take a winter break as Men’s and Women’s Basketball was in action. Our Spring sports season begins shortly and we look forward to starting that coverage next month.

Don’t forget to LIKE our Facebook page NYIT Campus Slate, follow us on Twitter @nyitcampusslate, Instagram and Tumblr by searching NYIT Campus Slate. The blog “That’s What She Said” is back this semester on our website and I encourage everyone to check it out.

I am really looking forward to the semester ahead as this will be my final one as the Slate’s Editor in Chief.

Enjoy Reading!!!

John Santamaria

Editor in Chief

]]> http://www.campusslate.com/editorials/2013/02/10/editors-letter/feed/ 0 http://www.campusslate.com/thats-what-she-said/2013/02/05/bring-it-on-2013/ http://www.campusslate.com/thats-what-she-said/2013/02/05/bring-it-on-2013/#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2013 17:58:49 +0000 adviser http://www.campusslate.com/?p=2797 While I rushed to get ready for the New Year’s Eve party I was going to attend, I had more on my mind then which one of my mom’s shoes I was going to steal for the night: What have I accomplished during the year? What are some things that need to change? What will be the new goals that I will try to achieve in 2013?

From the time that I started putting on my one sleeve lace dress that I bought two months before the party, till I put on my white long coat to walk out into the cold winter night; I kept wondering about how much I have done in the year of 2012 and what was coming my way in 2013. I realized that I have done things that I never thought I would be able to do. I traveled to Portugal and lived on my own for a month, without having any anxiety or fear that I wouldn’t know what to do. I already completed half of my senior year, even though it drove me bananas sometimes. And I realized that my life was on the right path, that I would be able to take on whatever comes my way.

By seven-thirty, I was curling the last strain of hair when more questions were buzzing through my mind. The biggest one that got me worried was; how much harder are things going to be? I realized that I would be accomplishing some big life changing events in 2013 and I wasn’t sure, if I was fully prepared.

I was going to become the first person in my family to graduate from college, try to find a good paying job in this jobless economy; while going to graduate school, and maybe reach the point of living on my own. Of course, I don’t have any pressure on me now to try to get my life together. Yeah right, I’m going to look like a chicken with no head trying to accomplish all of these life changing goals. The fear of not being able to accomplish my goals for 2013 is always going to be there, if I like it or not. It’s going to be like riding a bike. I’m going to fall the first couple of times, but eventually I will get the hang of it and it’s the same way with life.

By eight o’clock, I arrived at the party and it was time for me to try to let the questions and fear disappear, so that I can enjoy the last four hours of 2012. So while everyone is making their goal to try to lose weight and eat right, and if you’re a student, get better grades; mine are a lot more life changing.

With my life to do list set and ready to be tackled, and only a couple of seconds left to spare of 2012; I was ready to grab a cup of champagne and watch the famous ball from Time Square drop.

Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Bring it on 2013!

As India is a culturally diverse country, it’s home to not one but numerous forms of New Year’s celebrations. There are, in theory, over fifteen different ways that this holiday is spent, across a hundred cultures and sub-cultures.

Gudi Padwa, Baisakhi and Ugadi and Eid-al-fitr are three most popular festivals because of their resplendent aura and upbeat music. Each festival, however, commences with a humble ritual of bestowing any form of offering like food or flowers to God, irrespective of the religion. And then ensues, a bountiful display of merry-making amidst myriad hues of celebration.

I, personally, prefer spending time with my family, or travelling.

Speaking of which, holidaying in Hong Kong, and witnessing the country’s fervor for the Chinese new year celebrations was riveting! The festive verve and enthusiasm with which the entire nation anticipated the New Year, was psychedelic! A plush buffet of food, encompassing music, and nothing to say of the illuminated city of Tsim Sha Tsui! Every dark nook was radiant with lights emanating from fireworks, the annual light show on avenue of stars and of course the kindled flame of elation that every face expressed.

Just as holiday lighting, tree decoration and stockings at Christmas, Chinese New Year in Hong Kong has a pre-ordained series of traditions and customs followed across the country. Many of the traditions have a analogous flavor to those during Christmas, such as visiting family and exchanging Lai See gifts.

I was fascinated by the tirelessness of the flower market vendors who never for a second showed parsimony when it came to smiling, even though they worked double the time and harder than usual during this season..

There are sundry twenty-four hour temples and heaving flower markets that open especially during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Hong Kong.

However, the show stopper to the celebratory pandemonium is the International Chinese New Year Parade that goes through the cities and is truly breath-taking.

I welcomed the new year of 2013, or the year of the snake, as the Chinese may call it, the best way I could, in the presence of my family and surrounded by a kaleidoscope of cultures.

I’m no augur, and I can’t really confer on what 2013 may bring, but I most certainly couldn’t have asked for a better start.

College students today are facing a world of tough economic times, uncertainty, and a job market where the unemployment rate hasn’t improved much within the last four years. Looking ahead, students feel the need to ensure their future economic stability and a job that can deliver such stability.  “A financially stable job is something I think about almost every day leading up to graduation,” says Hemant Varshney, a senior finance major at the Old Westbury campus. Varshney will be graduating with his Bachelor’s of Finance degree in December. He says, “The job market hasn’t shown much improvement, and it is scary to think you may not find a job after graduation.” Along with the uncertainty expressed, there is an array of professions that students pursue in which money is not the main concern.  Kimberly Jimenez, a Communication Arts major explains the passion she holds for her targeted profession. “This is something I’ve been interested in since my sophomore year of high school; it’s something I’ve wanted to pursue regardless of the paycheck. At the end of the day, money is a factor, but it’s just an added bonus to working in a field that I have pursued for so long.” While it is still very much relevant, Kimberley’s passion for her major outshines the necessity of the paycheck, an opinion which many students can relate to.

Students pursue their majors for a variety of different reasons. A few anonymous students in the BS/DO (Bachelor’s of Science and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) program admitted to being pressured by their families to “follow in the footsteps of their relatives”, and pursue the BS/DO certification. This was solely because their parents wanted them to become doctors, not because that is necessarily what they, the students, truly want to study. In this situation, students have pursued their studies because of the wants of family members. Neither the money, nor the profession is truly in their line of sight.

Finally, there are students who pursue their majors because of both the interest they hold and the financial stability it offers. Joseph Dadabo, a senior studying Construction Management explains why he has chosen his major. He says, “Construction management has a bright future, there is money to be made, and I enjoy the type of work expected of me once I graduate.” Joseph’s principles follow guidelines which many students can relate to. This includes an interest in what they’re studying and a rewarding salary to boot. “I enjoy my major, am confident in the career path I chose, and I feel my major offers a good pay scale and a secure job market.”

Hemant, Kimberley, and Joseph represent three different reasons students pursue their majors for specific professional fields. With the difficult economy that our country has faced, as of late, these issues are being brought into the discussion more and more when high school seniors and juniors start looking at colleges to attend and where exactly they want their career path to follow. Many prospective students now ask the popular question, “Should I choose my major because it’s something I enjoy doing, or for the pay check attached to it?” This can lead to the question many students ask themselves, “Should I choose my career path because I enjoy the work I’m doing, or for the financial stability behind it?”

What exactly are these majors, you ask? Good question. Bioengineering and Health Analytics involves engineering principles and methods to understand, define, and solve problems in medicine, physiology, and biology. IT and Cyber Security includes manufacturers of computers and electronic equipment and components, wholesale trade (including business-to-business electronic market), retail trade, and Internet and software publishing. It also includes the process of learning ways to electronically protect and secure the Internet and software from any hackers. Energy and Clean Technologies involve courses and programs to prepare students to lead businesses that address market, policy, and technological challenges in the energy industry. The School of Engineering and Computing Sciences at NYIT will benefit and expand because of these new majors.

Why three new majors- and why now? The Long Island Regional Economic Development Council announced last summer that NYIT would create a new Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center (ETIC) to encourage economic growth and energize students and faculty. According to an article on NYIT.edu, thanks to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Regional Council initiative, NYIT has had the privilege of being awarded $400,000 in order to help fund and create this center. With the entrepreneurial standards, technological advances, and innovative techniques, this center will help thousands of students gain more experience and provide better employment opportunities.

In an interview with Dr. Nada Marie Anid, Dean of NYIT’s School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, she explained the center’s purpose, “The ETIC will enable faculty and students to work hand in hand with industry experts on innovative projects and real world problems provided by our industrial partners thus infusing innovation into our teaching. Faculty and student research will be funded and enabled by the Center. Entrepreneurship will be also taught and students and faculty teams will be encouraged to bring their ideas to market.” Not only will this 5,300 square foot facility help our students, but ETIC also has the potential to create and retain 800 jobs while paying over $4 million in payroll over the next five years. The total project cost is nearly $1.7 million.

Stuart Rabinowitz, President of Hofstra University and Regional Council co-chair, said, “The Regional Council has made a smart investment to foster public-private partnerships that will help strengthen our regional economy. The high-tech focus of the ETIC is just what we need to grow today’s ideas into the businesses and workforce of tomorrow. I look forward continuing the Council’s efforts to make our economy more competitive and create the jobs we need in our communities.”

This center is a huge stepping-stone for our school and community, and has enabled our region to help our economy, create growth, and high-paying jobs. Although we can’t save the whole world all at once, we can start by helping one city at a time.

Men’s Basketball

Women’s Basketball

• East Coast Conference Games

It is hard to believe that we are in December and publishing for the final time as we get ready to conclude the fall 2012 semester. This semester was filled with a lot of excitement with more still to come and also some major news stories that were a major part of our lives.

We witnessed a Presidential Election in November and seeing Barack Obama earning a second term in the White House. The entire Metropolitan area was another subject of major news this semester after Hurricane Sandy hit in late October and has made a major impact on many of our lives. Here at NYIT, we all got through the difficulties together that many of us faced during the storm and helped out all those who needed it and who will still continue to need some help or support going forward this holiday season.

Going forward with The Campus Slate, I want to thank everyone on campus for another great semester of support for our publication. I also want to recognize the great dedication and work of my staff this semester and I am very excited to be working with many of you next semester. We as a staff will continue to make this publication what the NYIT community sees when they open each issue which is excitement and informing of interesting but also sometimes important news that relates to each of us in many ways.

As we conclude this semester, I encourage all of you to keep up with our website www.campusslate.com during the Winter Break and also our Social Media outlets on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. Don’t forget to check out the blog “That’s What She Said” on our website as well, this is another item of our publication that will return next semester. Our next publication after this issue will be in February when we begin the Spring 2013 semester which will be my last one as the Editor in Chief.

The Campus Slate wants to wish everyone the best of luck to everyone on Final Exams and to also have a happy and safe holiday season and winter break.

Enjoy Reading!!!

John Santamaria

Editor in Chief

This year many stores are having a higher sale percentage than the previous years. Kohl’s, Victoria’s Secret, Target, and Dell (just to name a few) are having sales you cannot beat. It is so worth it to get your holiday gifts on this day. Visit websites such as, www.blackfriday.com or www.theblackfriday.com to find out which stores are worth waiting on those crazy lines and which are a waste of time!

Cyber Monday was created as a marketing term for the Monday after Black Friday. It was created by companies to encourage people to shop online. Similar to the insanity of Black Friday, Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day of the year. Most stores extend their discounts online and offer additional new sales and savings. Cyber Monday is such a hit because almost everyone who is shopping on Black Friday gets discouraged; the item they were looking for was sold out. Cyber Monday is a jovial alternative that provides buyers to get a second-chance at last minute discounted items. To check out great online deals and savings go to www.cybermonday2012.com or www.cybermonday.com.

One of the few things that are pushing the girls to work harderis their ability to double the amount of games won each year. Three years ago they won four games, the follow year it was eight, and last year they won a total of sixteen. Even though, the girls are predicting that they will win more games this year; Coach Anthony Crocitto isn’t ready to jump the gun yet. “I do not like to speculate wins; we have doubled wins each of the last three years. We expect to compete in each game, while holding on to a high seat in the post season ECC tournament.”

The team features a mix of veteran players and new players and this variety will certainly be a plus in achieving the season’s goals. “Nikki Jo Rotolo can be explosive while Demitra Apergis, Rebecca Lynch and Charlene Riddick are a threat for 20 points on any given night. Look for some special things out of rookie, Dina Ragab”, said Coach Crocitto.

Junior Guard Demitra Apergis, one of the veterans; believes that the mixture of veteran and new players has made the team “more focused, motivated, and competitive and has a higher level of intensity.” She also sees the new players making the opponents more “cautious” this season. Center Charlene Riddick, a graduate student and one of the new additions to the team; has played on a Division I team and she sees the team as being a “family and very focused” when it comes to accomplishing their goals.

The players aren’t the only thing that changed for the team this year. They are also trying to bring a change on how they handle the ball during the game. “Our coaching staff expects this team to run the floor better and share the ball more on offense. We should be balanced in scoring, led by our veterans”, said Coach Crocitto. Coach also wants the team to score better and strengthen the team’s defense. “We need to shot the free throws better, commit less unforced turnovers and play better team defense. We need to become a total team operation to be taken seriously.”

Even though, some of the players may be seen as a threat; there are still going to look at what the opponents may be bringing and which one might be a bit of a challenge for them. “Every team is a challenge. University of DC, St. Thomas Aquinas, Dowling, CW Post are well coached, prepared and talents. Our non-conference foe includes a solid Caldwell program. We shall be tested also with our scrimmage and exhibition schedule”, said Coach Crocitto.

The team feels confident as they hope to accomplish their goals while Coach Crocitto wants the team to make NYIT history this year. “Yes, we are balanced and more talented year to year. The hard work of my first team here helped change the culture of the program and we have very little history here for the women’s basketball. We need to keep working to create history while enhancing our women’s basketball culture. That being said, we have a lot of work to do.”

Basketball season at NYIT is officially underway and the Women’s team next takes the court on Sunday November 25^th at home for an ECC matchup against LeMoyne. All information for the team can be found on the NYIT website following the link www.nyit.edu/athletics.

This year’s Bears squad presents with eight upperclassmen that include four seniors. One of those seniors, Azel Prather of Glenard Maryland, was adamant in stressing the importance of that fact “Twan (Antoine Brown), Kay (Kayvon Roberts, Dom (Dominic Scurry) and I met after last season…we wanted to take a leadership role, we didn’t want to have that feeling again.” The feeling Prather refers to was that of the Bears 11-15 overall record last year, a mark that he says was a result of “mental mistakes and injuries” He believes this year will be different “We’re going to lead by example, you can only say so much…you have to show your working hard.”

The official pre-season poll from the East Coast Conference head coaches had the Bears finishing fifth, this was no deterrent for the confidence Mr. Prather has in himself and his teammates “Coach (Sal Lagano) is on board with what we’re doing…if we play like we should we can win the conference.” The entire team executes that confidence and that can’t be overstated.

Though we aren’t dealing with forty year-old men hitting the court against those twenty and twenty-two years old, the same principles apply. This team has seen it all; blowouts, close games, hard games, easy games, playoffs, you name it, and this is the year where that experience culminates. As the season plays on, these seniors want to go out on a good note and each time they hit the court I’ll be thinking of the last thing Azel said to me when we spoke “No one can stop us but us”.

Tues, Nov. 20             MBB    at Caldwell                  Caldwell, NJ                                                     7pm

Sun, Nov. 25   MBB     St. Michaels                         Old Westbury, NY                                        Noon

Sun, Nov. 25 WBB   LeMoyne                    Old Westbury, NY                                        2pm

Wed, Nov. 28   MBB     at Chestnut Hill          Philadelphia, PA                                           5:30pm

Sat, Dec. 1      MBB   Molloy*                      Old Westbury, NY                                        Noon

Sat, Dec. 1      MBB   Molloy*                      Old Westbury, NY                                        2pm

Home Games in Bold

*East Coast Conference Games

Dr. Hadjiargyrou (had-jee-ar-geh-rue) started out as an undergraduate in City University of New York where he studied biology and philosophy. From there, Dr. Hadjiargyrou then went on to do research at Rockefeller University and New York University’s medical school and got his masters and PhD from City University of New York in molecular and cell biology. Afterwards, he undertook a postdoctoral fellowship at California Institute of Technology in molecular and cellular neuroscience. From there, Dr. Hadjiargyrou moved to Stony brook and was in the department of orthopedics from where he felt that the university would benefit from a department of biomedical engineering, and went on to start that department with other faculty.

Imparting Passion and Independence

Now, as a member of the NYIT community, Dr. Hadjiargyrou hopes to instill the same passion for learning in his students; and a willingness to embrace change and the future,. “Be passionate about what you’re doing, have a thirst for knowledge, and always be trying to change yourself,” he says. “Human beings are not static entities, they are very dynamic creatures and with that dynamism comes change. You should embrace change and not be afraid of change. It doesn’t matter if you have to butt the system to do it or disagree with your parents, it’s ok because that’s how you grow as a human being.”

To do that, requires greater autonomy; and to that end, Dr. Hadjiargyrou is ready to issue his own Declaraton of Indpendence.  “One of my goals here is to make students a lot more independent,” he says. “I don’t want students to come and ask me what courses they should take. I want students to tell me what they want to take.”

An Emphasis on Research

When asked why he came to NYIT,  Dr. Hadjiargyrou says, “ I came for an opportunity to transform the department of Life Sciences, and to help the Provost reach his vision of increasing the research output of the university.. Yes, teaching is very important, service to the university is important, but of course research is something that we lack here… We want to see a lot more research activity on the main campus.”   Dr. Hadjiargyrou also wants younger faculty to  become research scientist and professors who are able to use this knowledge not only for their own enrichment but also to help their students. He wants more professors to publish papers, write grant proposals, and perform more experiments

Changing the Department Inside and Out

The current plethora of options for majors at the Life Sciences department will now be changed to three degree options: biology, chemistry, and biotechnology. These changes have to be approved by the New York Board of Education and internally in NYIT, but are expected to be in place by Fall of 2013.

In order to further his research oriented goals, Dr. Hadjiargyrou has planned the addition of a laboratory in Theobald Hall. (Similar plans are slated for the Manhattan Campus). These renovations aim to expand the available space for research at NYIT and avoid dependence on laboratories at other universities.  “If we are to take our university to the next level, we need to have the appropriate infrastructure,” Dr. Hadjiargyrou says, “We also need the administration’s help to get the proper funding and build the labs for us so we can do the rest of the job.”

Dr. Hadjiargyrou adds that an important change to the department is an addition of a culture of active advising and mentoring of students by professors. “What I’m trying to do this semester is…assign a certain number of students to each professor, who will serve as an advisor and mentor. I want the students to feel comfortable to know that there is someone who cares about them, someone they can talk to no matter when.”

If you think this means trying to schedule office time with busy professors, think again. Much of this advisement, Dr. Hadjiargyrou says, can be done online.The system, previously used with BS/DO students, will now be expanded to all of the students because it’s so expeditious. This semester will be the first time this e-advising system will be available to all Life Sciences students.

While he is a researcher, Dr. Hadjiargyrou cares about the quality of teaching. He says he wants to weed out adjucnt professors that are not committed to their post and reward those that put effort into their students.  To help improve teaching, Dr. Hadjiargyrou  plans on going into the lectures of every professor and observing them, in order to give constructive criticism.

Starting an End to Cheating

Dr. Hadjiargyrou believes that students are best served in an environment in which knowledge and good grades are earned, not stolen. He is actively trying to put an end to cheating, in part by enforcing a new policy on academic integrity in the Life Sciences department that goes beyond university policies, and having more proctors during examinations. “ If you cheat through university, you’re going to cheat through your job, you’re going to cheat through your marriage,” he says. “It’s not the right kind of behavior to fall into. At some point someone is going to catch you and you will be held accountable. Are you going to cheat through medical, dental and graduate school too? To me, that’s just wrong.”

He also stresses that the problem is the result of both student and faculty carelessness regarding the seriousness of cheating. “We have some professors who are more vigilant than other. We have professors that administer a test and then sit in the front of a classroom. That’s just wrong, especially when they know that cheating happens and it’s brought to the attention of the professor by students who have witnessed cheating. I believe cheaters should automatically receive an F for the class, no questions asked.” Thus, in order to combat the situation, he and other administrators have started the Task Force of Academic Quality and Assessment. This task force encompasses the Manhattan Campus, Old Westbury Campus, and even NYCOM. Its first job is to evaluate academic integrity at all these locations. The committee that heads this task force consists of Administrators, Chairs, Faculty, the Provost, and Assistant Provost at NYIT.

More research, energized classrooms, empowered, independent students and a crackdown on cheaters. It’s an ambitious agenda and Dr. Hadjiargyrou realizes that he has his work cut out for him, “I know all these changes are going to take time,” he says. It starts, he says, with communication.  “My door is always open because I strongly believe in always being available to students.” In his final message to students, he wants students to come and talk to him anytime, “I love students, that’s one of the reasons I became a professor. I want to talk to students. I want feedback from them because ultimately the strength of our university is the strength of our students.”

In retrospect, it’s amazing that I even remembered him. As Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said, “The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.”

He’s right: We seldom take notice of certain things that seem infinitesimally trivial but could be of grave importance.  Like that one person who seems out of place in the campus, but could be just anybody. Or that car that is pulled up in a derelict corner and even though arouses suspicion, doesn’t seem important enough to report. Crime lurks behind seconds of time waiting to happen, it ensnares you with no warning and offers very few or no choices.

Even though I recounted what I’d seen to a few of my friends, I didn’t take it seriously enough…well, at least not till I saw him again. The very same man, in the same clothes, only in another part of the woods. This time without a shadow of a doubt I knew he didn’t belong here and was up to no good. The things that convinced me of this were the facts that he didn’t look like a student, staff member or security. Secondly, he looked nervous and projected an anxious disposition. Lastly, the woods is a strange place for a person to walk around all day for no reason.

I spent the next two days in deep thinking, trying to be punctiliously accurate about every little detail that I could remember about his physical appearance and ruling out any possibility of him being a part of the campus or even a guest.

And then I knew what I had to do. I approached the SUNY campus security immediately and delineated everything. To my astonishment, similar sightings had been reported prior to my visit!  Officer on duty assured me that they were on a look out for this reported prowler who had been spotted by several SUNY students on different occasions. The investigation on this matter had been going on for a while now and the SUNY CPD informed me of the posters that were being put up all over the premises to create a vigil against this prowler who nobody could seem to recognize as being a part of the school or dorms.

One dorming NYIT student reports, “It was really creepy to hear from the SUNY students about this stranger who cruises around in his rusty old pick-up truck and offers rides to random female students. I have started walking only in groups after dark ever since.”

Knowing that this strange man had been sighted by several SUNY students, I went scouring for some information. I have to admit, it wasn’t easy to ingratiate myself in the student crowd, being an International student. Many students were hesitant while others were reticent, but when I met Leticia, a sophomore business student, she divulged information that had me dumbfounded.

“He was a shabbily dressed man, with long dirty hair. He drives an old pick-up truck and when he asked me if I wanted a ride, I noticed he had a very odd accent. It was his eyes that creeped me out. They were dark and nervous, like he was always looking for something or someone. When he persistently tried to talk to me, I rushed into the Campus Center building from where I saw him drive away.”

Now I knew for sure that what I’d seen wasn’t just an apparition or the trick of my mind. This man was real! And if anything was certain, it was his malicious intent. After this incident, however, I couldn’t help but ponder over the threats that we face as students on and off campus and how nonchalant we are to the subject.

Campus security is not just the campus’s responsibility but also the students’. It is our duty before anybody else’s to keep ourselves safe. So instead of doling out advice on the same, I reckoned it would be better if it came straight from the horse’s mouth. Officer Michael Yanella who is the Chief of Campus Police at SUNY old Westbury, says, “The safety of our students is our primary concern, which is why we ran a comprehensive investigation on the matter of the reported prowler and I’m glad to announce that this issue has been resolved. Also, we at SUNY expect our students to keep an eye out for any such situation”. Being a distrustful journalist myself, I needed corroboration to his claims. Hence only when some students stated that they’d seen a search party sent by the campus police in the woods and other cloistered areas of the campus, did I breathe a sigh of relief.

I also had the fortune of meeting with the Director of Security at NYIT, Denis McGuckin, who, when asked what should NYIT students be wary of, exclaimed, “Strangers! Watch out for strangers! Someone who doesn’t belong! That’s why we give out stickers for the cars and register cars with us here at the security building. So we know if someone is out of place or from around here.” Does only a total stranger pose the threat of assault? What if it’s a fellow student you rubbed the wrong way? A vindictive ex-boyfriend/girlfriend?  Or even a close friend you recently fell out with?

The Director opines, “More often than not, an altercation between two known parties can get aggravated. It is a rare occasion when a stranger is involved. Thus, it is precautionary to use the escort service if you’re alone at late hours. The students should familiarize themselves with what we do here at the Security department. We have informative brochures for the same which can be collected here at the security office.”

But an assault is not the only threat to a student’s safety. It could also be a bad driver on campus. As McGuckin states, bad driving or not adhering to on-campus traffic rules can be one of the biggest dangers to the students at large. So what are those bright illuminated red signs that warn us of an impending danger?  There are none. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that we can’t put our common sense to use.

For the students who dorm, Housing and Residential Life office and its staff members are a pillar support when it comes to the matters of safety and well-being. I sought the opportunity to speak to the head Residential Assistant, Nazneen Shaikh about the most ubiquitously reported incidents and she pointed out that irrespective of the magnitude of the crisis, each predicament is handled the same way.

“As an HRL staff member and HRA, the communication between the UPD and NYIT in my knowledge is pretty clear. When something needs to be brought to our attention, we have the necessary channels of communication to reach out to each and every NYIT dorming resident. However, if a student faces a situation that forges a threat to their safety, they can immediately approach any one of the HRL, as they will be safe in trained and capable hands of one of the staff members.”

As for students on the NYIT campus, we have to remember that this isn’t a gated campus. It is a conviction of the board, that a gate wouldn’t send out a good message to the locality of Old Westbury that we live in. however, this also increases the chances of someone who doesn’t belong to intrude our circle of community. So be vigilant of anyone who looks out of place. And take care of your belongings. At a campus as big as NYIT, things are bound to get lost from time to time, it is our responsibility to take care of them the best way we can.

One moment of negligence and someone can cadge your laptop or phone right from under your nose. So to be on guard is better than the consequential quetching and blaming.

To conclude, I’d like to send out a message to all my fellow students at NYIT for their safety, in the words of someone not many of you may know, “It is better to prevent and prepare, than repent and repair!

“As for that prowler, he was never found or arrested. Some speculate that he scurried away from the premises in fear of being caught by the cops looking for him while others say he may still be in the vicinity of SUNY in wait of an opportunity.

And I…well, I will never look at the woods the same way again.

A lot has changed in our area since we last published to you last month. For some of you, the month of November might have been a difficult time due to Hurricane Sandy.

This hurricane was projected in the forecast just days after our October publication was put on campus and it has created amount of change in each of our lives. Many of us here on Long Island went days without electricity among other usual everyday items that each one of us had to fight to get through that time without whether it was with a generator, flashlights, or by spending more time with your loved ones to get through this difficult battle together.

The hurricane did a lot of damage to the Tri State Area and as members of the media stated, this was our version of Hurricane Katrina. For me it was sad to see photos of damaged beaches here on Long Island that I grew up going to or even sites that we know from television such as Seaside Heights on the Jersey Shore. Through these next few months, everyone who was affected whether it was small as days with no electricity or crucial damages all have one thing in common which is to rebuild New York to what we all know it as. As Frank Sinatra once said, “this is the city that never sleeps” and it is what will help lead everyone to recovery and be as strong as ever especially as many families will come together this holiday season.

This month was also highlighted by a Presidential Election with Barack Obama being reelected for a 2^nd term in the White House. We also have other campus news inside this month’s issue along with our sports section. I would also like to thank everyone who attended our Information Session Event and we hope you were more informed about our publication. The blog “That’s What She Said” is up and running every week on our website www.campusslate.com and I encourage everyone to go check it out.

Don’t forget to LIKE NYIT Campus Slate on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @nyitcampusslate, Instagram and Tumblr by searching NYIT Campus Slate.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and Enjoy Reading!!!

John Santamaria

Editor in Chief

I am someone that doesn’t like to participate in class or follow the way someone else is trying to teach me the material I need. That’s why I prefer online classes. I like the idea of being able to make my bedroom the classroom and not having to worry about driving for about a half hour (with no traffic) to get to school. Online classes can give the feeling of freedom and it can teach someone to be more responsible.

For starters, the instructor isn’t going to be reminding you every week that a research paper is due soon or a test is coming up. The professor will usually have all the assignments posted already, so all you have to do is remember the due date and make sure it’s done before the clock strikes midnight on the day that it’s due. You might lose points if you don’t or even worse, not get any credit for it. Test and quizzes are done a little different. They usually post it a week or so before the actual test date, but the midnight rule counts towards that too.

The beauty about the assignments is that most of the time they are the same format for each class, so once you are able to get the hang of it for one class, it’s a piece of cake for the rest of them. The assignments are usually to read the assigned text and answer a couple of questions. You might also have to respond to other student’s answers, but all you have to do is give your opinion about what they wrote.

Now, this may seem easy, but don’t let it fool you. I can say that I have a lot of experience with online classes, considering I have been taking at least two per semester since my sophomore year, but I sometimes still have trouble with it.

One thing I can’t stand is the actual day of the week the professors will choose to have the assignments done. Usually due dates land on a Thursday, Friday or Sunday. For most college students our weekend starts Thursday, so staying home and trying to race the clock (remember midnight it’s due) isn’t the most delightful way to spend the evening. I procrastinate with a lot of my assignments, so I won’t start it until the actual due date.  I usually will wait until 11 pm to start answering the questions; thinking I have enough time (an hour sometimes isn’t enough), which leads to me typing at the speed of light and my hands cramping by the time I’m done.

Don’t even get me started on taking test online. If you have a question about the test while taking it, you can’t just raise your hand and the professor will come to you. You have to figure out the answer to your question on your own, the professor won’t magically appear. Sometimes the test will be timed and if it’s not done when time is up, it will still submit your test.

Some of you might be reading this and never want to try an online class. Online classes are not for everyone, but the main reason why I started taking classes online is because I would sometimes have to come home after a lecture class and reteach myself the lesson. I just wasn’t able to get the material with how some professors would to teach it. I may sometimes spend more than six hours per online class a week, which isn’t good for my vision considering that I’m staring at a bright screen the entire time, but at least I’m getting the material the first time I look at it.

After all, NYIT is a technology school; why not embrace the idea of technology being the gate way to your classroom. Take the risk; you might actually end up liking it.

Just as an International student barely gets settled into the accommodations (mostly dorms), the first primary concern he/she has, is the class schedule and format. The class scheduling format isn’t the same in every country. For instance, in India, a fixed number of students from one batch attend all the same classes while here every student has an individual choice of courses they can take and so don’t really have a selective group of classmates.

I still remember my first class got cancelled and I felt so deflated that I was on the brink of attending ANY class just to feel like my school year had begun! Speaking of cancellations, it is one of those things that can be a benefit or blight depending on circumstances.  When you’re all revved up for a class and find out it’s cancelled, it can be extremely disappointing! However, if you’re late on your assignment or overslept, it’s music to the ears!

What can be irksome, though, are the late evening classes! Especially when the sable night is at its darkest, the school is at its quietest, the temperature is at its lowest and you’re have buses to catch just so you can go back to the warmth of your dorm. “There are times when I have to wait over an hour for the bus at the bus stop in the cold night hours with practically nobody else but me,” kvetches Monica, a dorming international student from China.

I imagine there isn’t a student on campus that hasn’t gone through this scenario one semester or the other. So for all my college mates who have late classes in or around the quad, grab dinner to go from the SAC on your way to the class so that you aren’t famished by the time you’re out with nothing to chew on except maybe your nails (it’s a desperate times, desperate measures thing).  Also, carry something warm as the nights are getting chillier by the day, even on the days when its relatively pleasant before dusk.  So if it’s a little nippy while you wait for the bus or walk back, you’re sheathed and safe!

Moving on from all the maternal advice, if you plan on dropping a class, don’t hem and haw and lose out on time! Personally, I didn’t really ever have the urge to drop out of a class, but even if I did, I won’t give myself the luxury of time and make a quick decision.

As a student, I know classes aren’t anyone’s favorite part of school, but they definitely are imperative. But don’t get lost in the stress and take out time to let loose sometimes!

Because classes may dictate your weeks, but on weekends nobody can bridle that party spirit!

After the amount of reading and sifting through I’ve done on this subject all of last week, i think I have a good handle on what can be classified as fall fashion and further slotted as fall fashion for campus wear (pat on my back)!!

Ahem…moving on from exultation, fall brings with it a spectrum of colors even though it isn’t considered as resplendent as spring or even summer. The vermillion sky and the ochre leaves rustling in the spate of autumn breeze, the verdant grass that shows its sufferance of the season in its golden-brown patches. So how do we embrace fall in all its splendor??

The paramount concern while dressing for college is comfort and that shouldn’t be compromised irrespective of what you’re wearing. So think wisely before you choose your apparel for the day. Secondly in the autumn weather not all colors flatter one’s skin tone, or body type, hence, make sure you put together an ensemble that shows equilibrium in its colors and doesn’t look like a jarring kaleidoscope.

Also, while it can be chilly in fall, it isn’t necessary it’s going to be cold enough for winter wear and heaving out those weighty winter coats. A light cardigan or a warm jacket would suffice and look au courant too. Some sweatshirts if paired with the right things look voguish and comfortable as well. As for jackets, they are an excellent way of adding some color to your outfit. For example, dark denims and a white t shirt can be paired with a mustard yellow jacket which brightens up the whole look. A palette of pastel colors is most befitting for this time too, so don’t think twice before donning that powder pink dress of yours!

But which student has the extra mullah for squandering on clothes and shoes? Relax! Achieving a fashionable look is well within the reach of your pocket as the fall sale is at its crest. Also going for basic colors in boots and bags is the most economic choice if you don’t want to pony up the dough for a different bag and shoes for every outfit.

For a grey autumn morning, you don’t want to wear anything discordant and peculiar, but colors that subtly fall into place with the rest of the outfit.

And if it’s a little chilly, throw on a muffler that brightens up your look, you could also don a hat!

Colored pants seem to be a huge trend wave these days and makes for a dapper look even with dark accessories.

And if you have a presentation in class or a day planned for field research, semi formal blazers and jackets of autumn colors over denims make for a chic ensemble that says: I’m stylishly smart

The dampness that the overcast weather brings with it in fall can be a nuisance for the shoes, that’s why I suggest, go canvas! You can co-ordinate your all-stars with your outfit and look all the rage while saying, “Muddy puddles? No match for these!”

The boys can take advantage of this season and look dark and mysterious! A black leather jacket with checked shirt of rusty brown color is not only befitting to this season but also gives an enigmatic aura to the person.

Uncomplicated colors like grey can add to your personality and style. Simplicity never fails!

Having said that, colors don’t make you look like a clown either! In fact bold colors can look strikingly fashionable and eye-catchy.

A combination of darkness and color is the perfect blend of mystery and vibrancy. Top it off with a contrastive jacket and you’re looking like a million bucks!

So, give that closet a good rummage and figure out your own individual style for this fall, because remember, with every little minim of fashion that you bring on campus, you add to its style statement!

In the fashion world, the Fall season brings a lot of warm colors to be worn. A few trendy popular colors are, dark red velvet, pumpkin orange, and smoky grey. That’s just a few of the rich dark tone colors that the season has to offer. Not only are the colors fun to play with, but the shoes; if I do say so myself, are drop dead gorgeous. I love the idea of wearing chestnut color riding boots and not having to worry so much about it not matching the tone of denim jeans or the top.

Being a New Yorker, you know that it’s very important to always look your best and to be wearing the hottest trend. Some of us spend a lot of time and money just to keep up with what’s on the runways. But not everyone has an eye for fashion. If you’re someone who wouldn’t know a cardigan from a Kardashian, here are some simple tips:

• Wear clothes that actually compliment your body type and fits you correctly. Pants should hit the back edge of your feet (with no shoes) and long sleeve shirts are meant to end right at the wrist. It never looks good, if parts of the body that should be covered are showing, it just makes the person look cheap. Wear pants that actually fit you because it’s not flattering when love handles are coming out from the sides. You should always try on jeans before you buy them, different jean styles don’t fit the same.

• (Men can read the next one, this is just for ladies) Always match the shoes with the bag. I will admit; I don’t follow that rule for many reasons. For starters I don’t have the time to switch my Coach brown tone bag to my black Michael Kors quilt tote bag. To make it easier for myself I like to buy my shoes and bags in neutral colors (black, brown, grey, etc.).

• Don’t wear white after Labor Day. That an old fashion rule that people are starting to break, but you have to do it correctly. A white coat with gold or black buttons always looks good during a cold Fall night; just don’t wear too much white because you will end up looking like a snowman. For a classic look, pair a white cashmere cardigan sweater with brown leather boots and jeans.

Now you can’t buy clothes, without the dough. A few popular retail stores that have inexpensive clothing are H&M and Forever21. These stores sell clothing that start at ten dollars and sometimes not even reach fifty dollars. There is also American Eagle, which is a retail store that is known for selling comfortable jeans for a reasonable price. Many of the stores have reward cards that can really help in the feature. Special coupons are given and sometimes customers can get free items. My favorite place to go to is the Tanger Outlets. The Outlets is just a giant mall with name brand stores, like Coach, Michael Kors, Burberry, Uggs, etc., for a lot less. You will be buying items that were from last season, but who wouldn’t want to take advantage of a good bargain. I got a medium size Coach bag with matching wallet for just three hundred dollars when regular price would have been over five hundred.

Following the trend for each season can become difficult. The best thing to do is figure out what style you like and that matches your personality. I like a more classic chic look. I stick to colors that aren’t loud and not too many patterns because I don’t like having the attention on me. I also like outfits too show a bit of elegance and a sophisticated look.

Once the Fall season is over, it’s back to hitting the mall and looking for the hottest trend for the Winter. Fashion is always going to be something that is constantly changing. Thank Heavens, there is Vogue magazine and fashion shows to help me out when I don’t know what’s in style.

Americans are so use to always being on the run, that they don’t have time to sit and enjoy a nice cooked meal. A lot of people actually enjoy eating fast food on a daily bases and would probably prefer fast food over a home cooked meal. I, on the other hand, can’t stand fast food. I have eaten so much of it over the course of my life; I just get sick from the smell.

Ok, I will admit that I use to enjoy going to McDonalds and getting the ten piece Chicken McNuggets, but I look at the food differently than how I use to when I was younger.

I only started getting sick of fast food a year ago, due to the location of where I work. I am an associate at the retail stores, Victoria’s Secret PINK and American Eagle Aerie. Both of the locations of these stores are at the Roosevelt Field Mall and in almost every mall you go to, there will be a food court that includes a variety of fast food restaurants. To make my life easier during my 30 minute break I would just pick a random place to eat. I have had plenty of 30 minute breaks in my 2 years of working at the mall and believe me, I ran out of different options to choose from.

Choosing a quick meal during my break all changed when I actually looked at what I was eating and how it was prepared. I already knew that the food wasn’t fresh and that it came frozen and was dropped in oil, that has been sitting there for hours, but that didn’t stop me from eating it. What did make me stop was when I started getting food that was cold. Who knows how long it’s been sitting there or if it was meant to be given to another customer, but something went wrong with the transaction.

Even though, I wanted to stop eating fast food my mom would come home from work and get my sister and I something to eat. Trying to be the good daughter that I am, I would forc myself to eat it. But when I was eating I kept looking at what I was putting in my body. One things for sure, that so called chicken and meat really isn’t the real thing. Last time I checked when I bite into a real cooked chicken, it looks smooth and white, not like someone was poking holes in it and a greyish color. Don’t even get me started on the fries. I’ve had homemade French fries and when I hold them they don’t bend on their own like the ones from fast food restaurants. And then there are some fries that look moldy and probably came from bad potatoes, just thinking about it is making my stomach turn.

The way fast food looks and is prepared isn’t even some of the bad things about it. I took the time to look at how much calories fast food has and it’s an insanely high number. The amount of calories that the Chicken McNuggests from McDonalds has is 460 and that’s a serving of 5 3/5 oz. You do the math of how many calories it would be to eat all ten.

When it comes to the choice of having food from a fast food restaurant or a nice, warm, home cooked meal, I think I’ll have to pass on the fast food. Like the old saying goes nothing beats a home cooked meal.

Dan Lyons, whose two-out throwing error allowed Lancaster to tie the score in the top of the ninth inning, got some redemption after his walk-off bunt single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth gave the Ducks a 5-4 win and their second Atlantic League title Sunday night at Bethpage Ballpark.

The Ducks, who are in their 13th season and also won the league title in 2004, trailed the best-of-five series 2-1 before winning two straight at home.”It was beautiful,” said Lyons, who was named series MVP. “I knew that we should have won the game on that play. I rushed my throw. I was down on myself and my teammates picked me up. It’s a feeling that’s indescribable.”

Added Ray Navarrete, the longest tenured Duck: “I’ve been trying to do this for seven years. It means everything to me. You got to go through some bumps in the road, but I wouldn’t change anything. This is the greatest place in the world to play baseball.” Lee Cruz and Matt Esquivel both walked against Joe Bateman with one out in the ninth and advanced to second and third on Josh Dew’s wild pitch during Lyons’ at-bat. On the 1-and-1 pitch to Lyons, he squared up and bunted down the third-base line and beat the throw to first to win the game. “I looked and I saw the third baseman was playing back and thought, ‘Now is as good a time as any,’ ” Lyons said about his decision to bunt. “Luckily, it was a good one.”

Travis Denker‘s solo home run off Ducks closer Leo Rosales to lead off the top of the ninth cut the Ducks’ lead to 4-3. Emerson Frostad then walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, to third on a wild pitch and scored on shortstop Lyons’ throwing error on what should have been the final out. Esquivel’s RBI double in the fifth drove in Brandon Sing to give the Ducks a 4-2 lead. Ducks starter Bobby Blevins, who also started Game 5 of the division series, was magnificent, allowing only two runs on homers by Tommy Everidge and Matt Harvey. He had five strikeouts and no walks. Ducks leadoff man Kraig Binick went 3-for-4 with a run, and finished the series 11-for-22 with four RBIs and four runs. Joash Brodin was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run.

Back-to-back singles by Binick and Brodin to lead off the first put runners on the corners for Navarrete, who drove in a run for the third straight game with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 1-0. Centerfielder Adam Godwin’s throw hit Binick as he slid in, allowing Brodin to move to second on the play.Two batters later, Bryant Nelson singled under second baseman Gilberto Mejia’s glove to score Brodin and give the Ducks a 2-0 lead. It was Nelson’s fifth RBI of the series.

Binick and Brodin were at it again in the second. Mitch Canham, who was 11-for-23 in the playoffs, blooped a single to center before Binick and Brodin each singled to right, the latter to score Canham and make it 3-1. It was Brodin’s fourth RBI of the series. Still, Lyons had a feeling it would be decided in the ninth.”With the way this season was going, I knew it was going to come down to the wire,” Lyons said. “It’s a great team championship.”

NYIT was also involved with the 2012 Long Island Ducks as students in the campus advertising agency The Carleton Group worked with the organization on a number of projects during the spring 2012 semester. The Ducks will once again be involved with The Carleton Group in the upcoming spring 2013 semester leading up to the start of next season.

On September 24^th, two of the team’s newest players, freshman Kate Brock and Junior transfer Katarina Sretenovic of Serbia were named ECC player and rookie of the week.  Both of these women are looking to assist the team and get them towards the ECC championship. “We work together and pick each other up. We have an awesome coach, she pulls the team together,” says Sretenovic. On September 25^th the Bears beat Molly 3-0. “This was when the team really clicked. It was the most exciting game; there was great energy from everyone. We really showed them what we are made of,” says Brock.

The Bears have an overall record of 11-4, and an outstanding 4-1 conference record through mid-October.  Only Bridgeport is above the NYIT Women’s Volleyball team in the ECC rankings with two weeks to go in the regular season. “Bridgeport is definitely the hardest team in the conference,” Brock later added. They are the Bears toughest competition as they were the preseason favorites to win the ECC.

So what separates this year’s team from last year? Part of the team’s improvement this year, comes from their motivation to be significantly better than last year’s team.  “Our inspiration comes from last year’s team, we want to be better and see better scores,” says Sretenovic. In her 27^th season, Coach Wasmus, feels that there are so many key players this year. “Shelby Cable, Kate Brock, Katarina Sretenovic, Marija Jovanovic, and Savannah Donarski are all key players,” says Wasmus. She also feels that height, experience and maturity are also major differences to this years squad.

With an outstanding team and coach, the odds are with them to make a run to the ECC finals and Coach Wasmus has made sure to keep the team focused on reaching this achievement along with reaching the NCAA Tournament. This year, the players all have good knowledge and skills. These women know how to fit both knowledge and skills into the court. “Coach says play an A+ game,” says Katarina Sretenovic. This team is highly skilled and knows how to work together, they are striving for victory.

The NYIT Women’s Volleyball team looks to continue its success this season and make a run at the ECC playoffs. The remaining conference schedule includes the annual Dig Pink game at home on October 23^rd against Molloy, two matches with rival Bridgeport, and Senior Day at home on Saturday November 10^th against Mercy College. Visit the Sports Calendar Page for all dates of remaining matches.

The team’s number one, French-born student athlete Nelly Ciolkowski was a large part of this season’s successes. Before the tournament, Ciolkowski expressed that the team was confident from the start “We knew we had the potential to be one of the best in the region…our players train hard”. Ciolkowski, whose modest manner rarely exposes just how excellent and competitive she is out on the court showed a bit of that when she explained that the team’s mentality coming in was “Anything but a win is a disappointment.”

As the players looked forward to the ECC Tournament it was more as if they were looking back. In a perfect world, this season’s final would be a rematch of our NYIT Bears against the Knights of Queens College, the one and only match the team lost this year, and we got our wish. Through the collusion of hard work and luck, both programs made it to the conference final. That match, a 5-4 win by our Lady Bears was a great team reaping the benefits of hard work.And as I’m sure celebration is a big theme for the team coming off the win, they mustn’t lose sight of what lies ahead.

The tennis season is one of idiosyncrasy, concluding now with the ECC Tournament in the fall but then reemerging in the spring like a bear from hibernation (excuse the pun) in mid March. In other words, it’s rare that a sport has two ‘seasons’ crammed into one, the second half of the season consists of the Division II NCAA Tournament.

So what exactly does a great team of great players do during an intermission so lengthy? Well, once again Ciolkowski has your answers “There are still team practices…people play individual tournaments.” she said. Largely it seems though that this break serves as time to test the resolve of those returning in March “It is a long wait, so we will be very motivated for competition to start.” said Ciolkowski in response to any insinuation that the time off might somehow dilute her or her teams championship form.

And so commences the waiting game, with us tipping our hats to the Women’s Tennis team for their triumphs thus far, the greatest of which is their first ever ECC Tournament title and cheering them on in hope of triumphs to come. They have shown their ability to play at a high level, dominating at times, to the point that we came to expect it. The true test of great teams though is whether they can continue that play we expect of them into the NCAA’s.

His summer was an experience to remember as he toured 4 states within one month. “I went to Block Island, Rhode Island with my dad, Conway, New Hampshire with my mom, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with my best friends, and then Ft. Lauderdale, Florida with my girlfriend.” He loves to travel and thought this would be a fun experience.

“It was an expensive summer with great memories and great people. Between free diving for clams, zip lining, waterfalls, Philly cheese steaks, hiking and jet skiing, this was definitely the best summer of my life so far.” Next summer he plans on doing a different kind of trip with more memories to be made.

According To Understanding Environmental Pollution by Marquita Hill, “Humans are massively changing the earth.” On average, every American produces around 4.5 pounds of trash daily and uses twice the amount of energy necessary to live. Waste keeps accumulating on local landfills; consequently, society is starting to have to deal with environmental problems never challenged in the past. Landfills are ticking time bombs producing a generous amount of unknown gases and chemicals that are damaging nature.

Almost every substance, synthetic or natural, can pollute. Her book also states, “The amount of synthetic and other industrial chemicals thrown into nature are increasing at an unreasonable rate, and therefore, polluting the earth extremely.” By transforming natural lands into landfills, the population is destroying natural. The ecosystem it’s changing as new toxic gases and waste is duped into it. All of this unnatural substances adhered to nature is known as pollution.

Recycling helps to reduce landfill space, disposal cost, and reduces pollution. According to The Green Book by Rogers & Kostiger, “If every American simply separated the paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum products before trashing them the amount of waste would decrees by 75%.” To save our ending natural resources from running out society must recycle as it is becoming tremendously indispensable.

Unfortunately, most of the raw materials and energy that we consume are not usable as they appear in nature; men must collet, clean, concentrate, and convert those natural materials and energy for them to become consumable. Trashing the Planet by Ray & Guzzo states that to do this man devours a lot of energy and resources to transform the materials that we use. An example would be a tree, a natural resource that must be manipulated down to create furniture, paper, structures, ships…etc., when we recycle all of those, we decrease the amount of trees needed to be cut down.

The worse of it all is that if people were aware of how to be more conscious of their waste, not only they could help protect the planet, but also save money globally. To recommend our society to change their unbearable consuming behavior would be unreasonable as people always want to own the latest technologies, cars, clothes…etc. Nevertheless, asking people to recycle, re-use, donate, and reduce it’s a much enhanced request. Even though all of these options do not completely prevent the world from filling up with waste, they do highly reduce the amount of waste, and more importantly, they reduce the time it would take to totally eliminate this waste.

Recycling is vital for a healthy and caring community. Re-suing reduces the amount of waste and helps us save money and time. Donating is a form of recycling as it allows other people to still give a use to things that might have being consider waste to other people. Reducing consumption saves money and helps people live an austerely life and not only care about superficial materials.

In conclusion, Recycle-Reuse-Reduce and Donate!

I am planning to retire at the end of this current semester after completing 31 years at Tech and 45 total years of teaching. It has been a very difficult, life changing decision for me. For those of you who know me well, you know how much I love to teach and how much my students mean to me. That is the primary reason why it has taken me so long to reach this decision. However, I realize that it’s finally time to say goodbye to my incredible career.

How fortuitous for me that teaching has been both my avocation and my vocation. Over the years, I have established some wonderful friendships with my colleagues and will always value them. I have also developed special relationships with many of the thousands of students who I have had the pleasure of working with during my tenure at Tech, not just in my classes, but with the GOLD Program, Edu-Plus, HEOP, the Writing Center, as a Bear Mentor and attending as many athletic events as possible. All of them have enriched my life and inspired me in immeasurable ways.

Several years ago, I started to write a book entitled, Connections to My Heart which was basically a love story between me and some of the exceptional young people I have either taught or with whom I have had the honor of befriending on a non-academic level. The book revealed my deep passion for teaching and how these young men and women have provided me with a source of strength, love and personal validation. Their essays were so honest and poignant and often moved me to tears. I followed their journeys through their young lives through both their written words and their personal conversations with me and we began to connect due to mutual trust and respect. Hopefully, our connections led to their success and belief in themselves. Many of their heart stories revealed so much pain, emotional damage, and personal loss. Hopefully, writing about these experiences helped them cope with, and eventually overcome these deeply personal obstacles. I never finished my book or tried to have it published. Perhaps now I will have the time to complete it.

So, it is a bittersweet decision for me to retire, but absolutely necessary for both my emotional and physical well- being. I shall miss all of you very much. Good bye from Ziggy, Zig, Feinzig, Feinzy or Professor. Thank you for keeping the flame of purpose and dedication alive in my both my spirit and heart. I shall always treasure my time at NYIT. Please stay in touch. I will never forget you.

With gratitude and affection,

Gail Feinzig

Well this particular professor is Gail Feinzig of the English Department, and as her students will tell you, she’s been bringing a certain kind of magic and sparkle to the otherwise deadly dull business of learning grammar and composition for 32 years. Sadly, the show is coming to an end. In December, Professor Feinzig-certainly one of the most honored and beloved adjuncts in the history of NYIT will retire.

Professor Feinzig has been teaching for 45 years, 31 of which have been at NYIT. “One of the best teachers that I have ever had” says Matt Fitz, a former student (2012 graduate, criminal justice). “She is a real sweet women who looks to help out in anyway that she can. Not only is she a great teacher, but she becomes someone who you can turn to for advice.” This seemed to be the trend when asking current and former students of how they felt about the retirement. Endless stories of how she’s helped each and every student. How many students gained an appreciation for a course that at times could get boring. “I never had to dread or fear going to class. It was actually fun.” Fitz said.

Teaching has always been the dream of Professor Feinzig. “I have known since I was about five years old that I wanted to be a teacher just like my mom, she maid me realize that teaching was an honorable profession. She was my first professional role model/mentor. I guess it was in my blood!” says Professor Feinzig. After graduating with a BS in Childhood Education from the University of Connecticut, she followed it up by attending New York University to receive her MA. In 1964 she began her teaching career at the second grade level at the Nathan Hale Elementary School in New Haven, Connecticut. It was there that she stayed until taking the same position is New Rochelle at the Stevenson School.

After a few years in the elementary level, she was offered a terrific position as a remedial reading specialist at NYU’s Reading Institute. This program was for students who were underprivileged and needed the proper attention they might not have received in a normal classroom setting. It was there, in a very challenging situation that Feinzig believes she matured into the teacher she always hoped she would be. “The students were tough, uncooperative, and intimidating,” she said. “This was their last hope for academic success.” Unlike most classrooms, these students were grouped not by age, but by skill level. “I had 8 year olds mixed with 17 year olds. This was not a good environment for learning. In order for me to survive this challenge, I had to give them tough love and win their trust.” Feinzig said, after her experience in the Reading Institute, she taught at Brooklyn College in their Open Admissions/Seek program. This program was not like the one she had done at the Reading Institute. It was teaching at-risk college level students basic study and reading/ writing skills.

In 1981, after a seven-year hiatus from teaching to raise her son Aaron with her husband Mike, Professor Feinzig returned to teaching. While catching up with an old college friend, they had spoke of job opportunities at both New York Institute of Technology and CW Post. She applied to both school and got the positions. After five years the heavy workload became too much. She left CW Post and kept NYIT as her home ever since. Her expertise was not just limited to teaching the basic rewarding and writing course, composition 1 and 2, and technical writing, she also taught in the Higher Educational Opportunity (HEOP) summer institute for ten years, tutored learning disabled students in the Greater Opportunities for the Learning Disabled (GOLD) program and in the EDU-plus (which was a spinoff of the GOLD Program), became a Bear mentor for athletes as well as a tutor for the writing center.

Her work with NYIT student-athletes was where she had some of her greatest impact. Clyde Doughty has known Professor Feinzig for close to 30 years. He is no stranger to the relationship that she has had with the student-athletes over the years. “Professor Feinzig has dedicated her time and effort to the development of our student athletes,” he said. “The student-athletes simply adore her dedication and devotion to their overall welfare.” Many as a motherly figure who not only can you learn from, but also can learn on when times get rough viewed her. “Being away from home and trying to mature on your own gets stressful, having someone like Mrs. Feinzig in your corner is huge,” says Stefanie Russotto a former student-athlete from the Women’s soccer team and soon to be teacher herself. “She’s an inspirational teacher with a huge heart, dedicated to her job and even more her students. If I am lucky one day I could be half the teacher she is.”

After 45 years in the education field, how could a teacher continue to keep the motivation, love and passion that she had from the start? “I think that the basic motivation force which has driven me is my love of the students and the relationships which have developed over all these years,” says Feinzig. Her keys to success were simple, she put less emphasis on grammar and correctness and encouraged them to dig deep into their hearts and write about their feelings and emotions. The fewer the corrections she left on their drafts, the more willing they were to revise, reflect and expand on their essays. Feinzig threw away her red pen and only made constructive comments/suggestions. “Eventually, they overcame the basic errors with a quick lesson once they knew that they had so much freedom to express themselves and not be penalized for errors. I stressed content not grammar. It worked!” she said. As time went on “work” was no longer considered “work” it began to become pleasure.

Over the years Professor Feinzig has gained some high honors in the teaching ranks. In September 2005 she became the recipient of the Presidential Excellence Award for Adjunct Teaching. In April 2008 the SGA Outstanding faculty Member of the year. In 2008 the NYIT Athletic Department awarded her with a Faculty Appreciation Award, and in May 2012 gained the ECC Faculty Appreciation Award.

As her days to retirement draw closer, Professor Feinzig looks back to a career where she has left so many lasting impressions on student’s lives. The magic that was in the classroom had nothing to do with card tricks or bunnies being pulled from a hat, it had to do with the way she made you feel. The mindset that she empowered you with to believe that you could accomplish the most challenging tasks. This is the true definition of a great teacher; not just one can conquer a student’s mind, but also win over their hearts.

It is amazing that we have now reached the midway point of the semester. I hope everyone is enjoying NYIT and we at The Campus Slate thank everyone for their kind words and support for our production of the first issue of the year. This month in addition to the print issue you will always be reading, we have an announcement about an upcoming addition to our publication.

Inside our October issue we continue our semester long coverage of the 2012 Presidential Election as we are now two weeks away from Election Day and the candidates have headed to debates. One of those debates took place here on Long Island last week at Hofstra University. Congratulations to everyone at NYIT for helping earn two prestigious recognitions through U.S. News and you can read more about the recognitions inside the issue.

October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we have an article covering this month long awareness both on and off campus. In the College of Arts and Sciences, this month we are looking back at the career of English adjunct Professor Gail Feinzig who recently announced her retirement from teaching. This month we also have an article on Recycling Awareness and I thank senior Victoria Torres for contributing this informative piece to us.

The Sports section this month features history by the Women’s Tennis team as we congratulate them on winning their first East Coast Conference Title. We also visited with Women’s Volleyball and have an update on their season currently in progress. The Barclays Center in Brooklyn officially opened its doors this month and I give you an inside look at the newest arena in the Metropolitan area. The Long Island Ducks, a minor league baseball team located in Central Islip, down the road from NYIT are Atlantic League Champions and they are featured in our issue this month for their exciting victory.

The Campus Slate will also be holding an information session event on October 30^th during free hour. We hope you all attend and find out more about our publication especially if you are interested in joining. Please visit our website www.campusslate.com and our Social Media pages for more details on the event. We would like to congratulate Thomas Alicanti, the winner of our 3^rd annual Summer Vacation Contest. I thank everyone who submitted entries to the contest and to be on the lookout for more contests throughout the year.

The blog “That’s What She Said” is up and running every week on our website www.campusslate.com and I encourage everyone to go check it out. Don’t forget to LIKE NYIT Campus Slate on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @nyitcampusslate, Instagram and Tumblr by searching NYIT Campus Slate.

Enjoy Reading!!!

Some people over think it. They will go to bars or a club to look for a relationship, but the people that go there go for fun, not for love.  Some people put so much pressure on themselves, that they end making a bad decision. They might find someone that they can get along with and enjoy having their company, but the person can have a couple of flaws and that will break the relationship.

The way I always look at it was to let love come to you, not to go after it.

It worked! Three years ago and ten months I went on my first date with my boyfriend. I met Ramon at my old job. Like any other relationship we first became good friends. To be honest, I never thought that I would be dating him now.

Ramon has a lot of traits that I like. He is a very hard worker and he is always looking at his future, which I think is very important. He is someone that anyone can get along with easily and can sometimes act like a kid, when it comes to having fun.  Ramon will do things that you may sometimes only see in movies. He opens doors for me, and surprises me with flowers, and if I’m having a bad day, he would send me a text saying how beautiful and special I am. He is also the first person I go to when I need to talk to someone.

Having a good personality is always a plus, but you can never forget about the looks. One of the many famous descriptions of how a girl wants their man is tall, dark, and handsome. Well that famous description fits Ramon just right. He is taller than me; I wouldn’t even consider dating someone shorter because I’m only 5’2. Ramon is dark because his ethnicity is Salvadorian, which gives his skin a caramel color. And my favorite thing about him that makes him handsome is his smile. So I can say I picked a good choice.

Our first date will always be a cherished memory. The date started with a train ride to New York City. Now, admittedly, the Long Island Railroad isn’t the most romantic type of transportation, but it sure beats the traffic during rush hour on the LIE.

Once we arrived at Penn Station, he let me choose where we would have dinner. My choice was Red Lobster (I’m a cheap date, what can I say), in Time Square. Another reason why I chose Red Lobster was because it’s only a half a mile from Penn Station, and paying a taxi to go further out into the city would be way too much money (again, cheap date).

On a Saturday night you can only imagine how long the wait for a table was. We were so hungry by the time we sat down; we wolfed down our fried calamari and popcorn shrimp in less than an hour. We finished our meal by sharing a slice of cheesecake and coffee.

After our quick meal, we probably spent an hour walking around Time Square. By then, I was tired and freezing. It was the middle of December and I had decided to wear flats that are meant to be worn without socks. But then, Ramon surprised me with something that brought warmth and energy right back to me. He took me to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. He knew it was something I never seen before, which made the date even more special.

The feeling of being exhausted and cold went away when I saw all the lights of the oversized Christmas tree twinkling and the ice ring filled with people enjoying themselves. The moment just kept getting better when he decided to buy me a single red rose, which is my favorite flower.

The date ended with us going back on a train around one in the morning. Now it’s a tradition for us to redo our first date every year around the time our first one occurred. This year will be the fourth time we redo our first date. Every time we go, we do the same thing that we did the first time we went. The only thing that has changed is our feelings for each other. I’m probably one of the very few people in this world that can say I found true love on a crowded, cold December night in New York City.

Vancouver and India don’t seem close enough even on the little rotating globe that sits on my study desk, let alone in the real geographic scale. Let’s just say the idiom, “stone’s throw away” doesn’t apply here!

Yes, I know the whole world’s in your reach in today’s day and age, what with video chatting, face time, Skype, and a list of other softwares that I’m sure I’m still completely oblivious to. But you still crave all the little things that are better in the physical presence of your special someone.

Maybe that’s why when students go abroad to study, they think continuing their relationship is futile. I have met so many international students here who have either broken up with their significant others back home, or are questioning and doubting their future.

So, is a long distance relationship every bit as moribund as it is believed to be? A bubble that will burst, sooner or later?

Well, I’ve made it work. So far, that is.

So what’s the recipe of a good long distance relationship? Hmm…let’s see…a dollop of mutual understanding, spoonful of mature decisions, like him/her telling you they can’t really talk right now because they are occupied or maybe because of that the little thing called  ‘time difference’, just say okay and let it go! Stop obsessing and picking a fight over it!

Where were we? Oh yes, now add three-quarters of a cup of faith, no scratch that, a whole cup of trust and faith. Throw in some humor and ability to laugh at things rather than brood, for a good measure and finally sprinkle just a minuscule portion of caution. (Don’t let your life depend on that one person so that if things do fall through, it doesn’t put everything else that is going for you, in turmoil.)

But what if you’re freshly single? Couldn’t take the pressure of long-distance and decided to end it? There are opportunities galore!

But hold on to your hat! College is a whirlwind of new people, new relationships, new concepts that you’ve only been introduced to on a fundamental level previously, and most importantly new prospects, of all nature.

It’s always exciting to meet new people and develop new connections, but your purpose of being here shouldn’t be overshadowed by it. You’ve travelled thousands of miles for something, something that’s going to stick by your side whether or not your boyfriend/girlfriend does, don’t let it become secondary on your priority list.

Dating is an important and integral part of college. In fact it can be extremely conducive to staying stress-free.  So, whether you’re timid or outspoken, newly single or in a complicated relationship, breathe in the atmosphere of campus life and take a gamble, place a wager, you never know what this school year has in store for you…!

Conquered nations and kingdoms, each and everyone,

Yet what they craved most was no gold or goods,

But just a steaming plate of mother’s homemade food…”

-          Karishma Kumar, an International student who misses homemade food!

I think among the things one misses more than anything, away from home, is food. The aromas, tastes and most importantly the association it has with ‘home’. And once you move to a new country, you find yourself encompassed by a whole new culture which includes new types of food as well.

I am lucky that I relish global cuisines and have had ample exposure to sundry flavors, each packing wallops of unique taste. But what about students who yearn for their staple diet and colors and essence that is most familiar to them?  How long must it take for them to cotton on to the new flavors and seasonings?

I’m sure every international student hordes a little of corner of the luggage with food items and snacks from his/her country. For example, I love my green tea and knowing that this is a coffee drinking country, well for the most part anyway, I brought along my green tea bags and you know what? Every morning when I take a sip from my steaming mug, I taste home!

On several occasions, I have seen international students barely pick at their food and gorge on crisps and snacks instead as the food served in the cafeteria doesn’t exactly sit well with them.

Some even prefer cooking on their own! It’s incredible to see students using one wee little device like a microwave and baking, steaming or even sautéing food that actually tastes and smells delectably sumptuous! It’s almost like every international student develops an interest in cooking just so he/she can taste their native food, even if only a burned version of it!

One aspect of New York’s culture I have come to find endearing is how much this state relishes international cuisines! The food most loved by people here is pizza, which is Italian by origin, and if they ever want to order take-out, it’s Chinese. In fact, on one visit to an Indian restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised to see more Americans than Indians savoring the curries and breaking the flat bread.

I don’t know if it’s the ethnic piquancy of spices or maybe just a welcome change from their own food, but the local population here, students or otherwise, seem to love indulging in various cuisines from across the globe.

The only piece of advice I can give to my fellow dorm mates or other international students living off campus is: don’t judge too quick! I know the first few bites you gingerly take are odd but then as you learn to understand the different flavors, it will grow on you. And remember you’re in New York, where there’s something for everybody! Whether you’re vegetarian or even vegan, I’m sure you will enjoy the culinary delights that this multicultural place has to offer!

The expression, ‘It’s a small world’, doesn’t ring true in the mind of an International student standing on the airport with the weight of not just the luggage but a myriad question marks floating around in an orbital pattern through their mind. Even though it was my second time in the United States, I felt just as befuddled and lost as any other international student embarking on this tumultuous journey.

Caught in a whirlwind of new dorms, new people, new environment and most importantly new culture, an International student doesn’t really think of anything but survival in the first few days.

Now I know, this might sound like an exaggeration, in fact a full-blown hyperbole of things, but trust me, it is true.

Luckily, at NYIT, there isn’t a paucity of International students. As a matter of fact, that is one of the few consolations I had on my arrival. There are students from all over the globe who are as integral a part of the NYIT family as the locals. I have made friends from China, Brazil, Egypt, India, Europe and Jordan, not to mention the few that I can’t even remember.

When I shared my experiences as a new International student here at the NYIT campus with others like me, I got an insight into what all those other foreign students feel.

Whether it is food, lifestyle, weather or even the academic system, everything does seem a bit alien initially. When I asked my friend from Brazil, Victor, what he thought was the biggest difference he felt here, he said, “Lifestyle: Completely different! This is my first time living by myself, without my parents. Not having a car, which is something I was used to, I am back to taking buses and public transportation.”

There are several students who’ve had a hard time coping with new food too, like Yazan, who hails from Jordan, says “Here most of the food has pork, but in Jordan it isn’t so. It is hard for me to choose what to eat around here. Also, the weather makes it hard, as it is rainy and damp here sometimes, but back home it is either hot or cold.”

I, on the other hand, love global cuisine, and so it wasn’t a major hurdle in my settling into the new college year. Even David, a Computer Science student from China, concurs with this, “I think the food here has a lot of variety – fruits, vegetables, meats, grains. I like it very much here; in fact I eat better here as compared to China.”

“The best thing about studying here in USA is that here we can say hi or hello to anybody but in China we hesitate to do so. People are very friendly here,” added some other students from China also studying Computer Science. This is a common opinion among the international students. I reckon, the company of warm and accommodating people can make the hardest academic year a smooth sail.

But the biggest challenge for an International student, in my opinion, comes in the guise of the academic system. Every country’s education system and regulation differs from others and this causes overseas students to take more time adjusting. A new perspective of curriculum and methodology alone can knock one’s socks off.

“Everything is done here electronically and there is a dominant role of computers, I am still getting used to this system,” commented an under-graduate Business student from Romania when I asked him about his academic experience here.

Thankfully, NYIT has a flexible and expedient program structure which enabled me and I’m sure many other international students to ease into a routine academic schedule.

What does exasperate me a bit, is the odd timings of some of the graduate classes, on occasion as late as nine in the evening. That isn’t easy to cope with even for a local student, I’m sure!

It’s just been three weeks and I already feel like I belong here. There’s always someone to wave to or acknowledge no matter where I on the campus. Now when I look back at the my first day when I just drifted through the narrow spaces of the dorms with a thousand queries still unanswered, I shake my head and laugh….To sum up I’d like to borrow the words of my dear friend and suite mate, Trisha, another Indian student, “Every single place on earth can be a second home if you have good people around you. When I came here I didn’t expect to meet so many good people. Living here, feels like I’m home away from home.”

While my routine hasn’t varied much this semester, my attitude has done a 180. Having a short period of time until I am thrown into the real world was an eye opener. There isn’t going to be any advisors or counselors to be guiding me in my career. I realize that I have to take the help and the lessons that I am taught now into consideration before I am forced to be on my own.

Clearly, I’m not the only one who’s changed their approach and realized that a life based around an academic calendar is coming to a close. Like many, I look at my Facebook almost every day to see what people are posting. On the morning of the first day of school a lot of my classmates including myself, felt that we were ready to take on the school year just to reach the finish line and get that diploma we worked so hard for.

At a young age, the idea of school made me want to run away and hide.  Little did I know how much more difficult school would became as the years went on. If I knew back then what I know now, I would trade anything to be back in McVey Elementary School playing kick ball with my friends during recess. Those glory days are now just memories and real life is finally kicking in and it’s going with full speed.

NOW in my last year at NYIT and it’s finally hitting me how much time is left before I can feel that important piece of paper that I worked so hard for the last three years. The idea of it being my last year was the first thing I thought of when I was walking to Schure Hall on the first day of classes this semester. The thought that brought me joy, was replaced within less of a second with the question; how much work am I going to drown in?

My question was answered in less than a week. My school work is probably double the amount of what I had last year. The amount of work that I have this year would make me want to pull my hair out, if I was in my first or second year of college. But as shocking as it could be, I am able to deal with school without stressing about every little thing like I used to. This made me come to the realization that I have grown so much since freshmen year of college. I finally got it through my thick skull that college isn’t just giving you the classes you need for your major, but it also gives you the lessons that someone would need to live in this crazy world.

You can find us at the new Campus Slate blog – That’s What She Said!

This blog is going to deal with a multitude of issues and topics while bringing to our readers two distinct takes on them, one being Vanessa’s, who is a local student and the other being mine as an international student.

For example, how many times has it been that an American assumed that only people hailing from China, Japan or Korea are “Asians” but completely forget that countries like India and SriLanka are also a prominent part of “Asia”?  Being an Indian, I faced this on my very first day! While it is hilarious, it’s also food for thought as there are so many hidden truths about cultures that stay elusive to people.

It is topics like these that we will discuss and have a laugh over!

And that’s not just it. We invite you to pose questions or put forth your own opinions pertinent to the discussed topic which we would love to include in our blog.

So, don’t forget that the first official blog from “That’s What She Said” is only a week’s wait away. Log on to WWW.CampusSlate.com so we can keep you up to speed with the latest and hottest topics around the campus.

Nelly Ciolkowski is a member of the Women’s Tennis team; she is a native of France and a graduate student who transferred to NYIT from Clemson University.

While at Clemson, she ranked as high as No. 61 in the country and in 2011 reached the finals of the ITA Carolina Region singles bracket. In addition she is ranked #10 all-time for best set winning percentage .670 (116-57). In 2010 she was the ACC Rookie of the Year finishing the season with a 22-6 dual match record and a 29-7 overall record. She loves how in the United States that she can complete her studies while playing a sport at the same time which is something she couldn’t do back home in France.

“I’m very grateful to be here at NYIT and to study in New York while also continuing my tennis career,” says Ciolkowski. “Our teach has great chemistry and I’m excited to be part of this squad.”

Sara Burinato, a native of Barcelona, Spain is a member of the Women’s Tennis team.

She is coming off an impressive freshman year that included a first for NYIT which was winning the Intercollegiate Tennis Association East Regional Singles Championship last September. At the event, she won four straight matches in over two days including a come from behind win in the final match. Last year she had a 14-1 record in singles for the Bears to earn a spot on the East Coast Conference First Team and the honor of ECC Rookie of the Year. She loves the hard core and intense competition of United States tennis and wants to keep getting better each match.

I think our team has what it takes to be very successful to win the conference,” says Burinato. I would love to experience Nationals competition and to see more sights of the U.S.”

Elphas Kimutai is in his final year at NYIT.  He is a grateful, humble runner with an immense desire to use his profession towards helping the community who got him this far.  Right now, with the support from the NYIT community, Elphas was able to gain permission from the Public Health Officer at Ministry of Health and Sanitation to move forward with plans for building a Health Clinic in the village that he grew up in Kenya.  Elphas plans in the future to either be the winner of the acclaimed Boston, New York, or Berlin Marathons. He credits all of his success thus far to the support of the community here at NYIT.

“Though this is my last year at NYIT, I don’t see this senior year to be the end of it all.  I see it as a start of something new, and the chance to finish the way I started here…STRONG.”

Gladys Kimutai is a self-motivated, passionate runner.  She hopes that this season, she can be able to help NYIT reach the National level of Cross Country.  Coming from Kenya, she found the language barrier to be a very heavy challenge and struggled in Speech class as a freshman. This year Kimutai was picked by the ECC as the Preseason Female Runner of the Year. She was the top freshman finisher in 2011, coming in second overall in a time of 18:43.58 to win the ECC Rookie of the Year award.

“I hope to help this team reach the National level this year in December because I realize it motivates me,” says Gladys. “I want to give everything my best effort.”

Shelby Cable is an outside hitter for the Bears Volleyball team.

Last season she was named to the All-ECC first team along with AVCA All-America Honorable Mention, AVCA All-East Region and Daktronics All-East Region second team. She started in all 29 matched and ranked nationally in kills per set at #9 overall and in points per set at #12 overall. She led all players with 4.50 kills per set and produced 12 double-doubles.

Becky Syers is a Libero for the Bears Volleyball team.

She played four years of varsity volleyball at East Meadow High School where she was a two-time all-county selection, two-time all-tournament selection, and all-county honorable mention. The Syers legacy continues for NYIT Volleyball as Becky follows in her sister Emily’s footsteps who was a former player on the team from 2008-2011.

Natali is a four year contributor for the Women’s Soccer team at the left midfielder position. She has 18 career points, tallying 8 in her junior year. The girls will look to her for experience and leadership in the upcoming season.

“The team is mainly made up of freshman who are eager to learn and will contribute to the teams success,” says Natali.

Natasha Arana is a center midfielder for the Women’s Soccer team. In the 2011 season, she was named to the All-ECC second team. She led the Bears with 12 points on 3 goals and a team-best 6 assists. After starting in all 16 games for the 2011 campaign, Natasha looks to build off of her outstanding junior year.

When asked of her 2012 personal goals Natasha responded by saying, “I would l like to have the most assists and goals in the conference, and help lead our team into the conference tournament.”

As a sophomore in 2011, Caccavale was named NSCAA All-Region first team. He was an All-ECC first team player as well as making Daktronics All-East Region second team. Caccavale helped lead the Bears to the ECC Championship and a NCAA Regional appearance last season. As a personal high, Vinny ranks No. 8 all-time in assists and will help lead this year’s squad serving as team captain. He is a hard worker on and off the field and a proven leader to his teammates.

“Vinny is a junior captain and definitely has the potential to be an All-American this year,” says Head Coach Carlos Del Cid.

The preseason hasn’t been too kind to the Lady Bears. Injuries have plagued their roster forcing one of their top recruits to redshirt for the entire season. The team will face some of the strongest competition early facing returning national Champions, taking their lumps early. Play like this will help them prepare for conference play where anything can happen. “There’s opportunity within the conference” Caputo says “With a little luck, strong team unity, and the respect for  logo on the front of the jersey, the girls have a strong chance to be a contender for the ECC title.”

The team isn’t just made up of freshman. The Women’s Soccer team returns 53 points and leadership within players such as Heather Kasper, Kaye Wallace, Maria Romano, Natali Arana, Natasha Arana, and Sina Windmueller. The girls will be faced with the tough task of learning a new system, while mentoring the younger girls on how to play like top colligate athlete.  These tasks are welcomed by the veterans on the team. Senior Natali Arana says “Our team is made up of a lot of younger girls so their forced to learn quickly and must adapt to the fast play of the college level. As the season goes it should prepare us tremendously for conference play where anything can happen.”

Coach Caputo also says one of the best new additions to his program has been bringing in one of the best assistant coaches in the ECC. Gina Dimartino was a former Boston College player, the ACC rookie of the year, named team captain, a member of the United States national team, and a two year professional with Philadelphia program. “Gina brings a young female perspective that played soccer at a high level. She gives the girls a great role model figure, with something of one day striving to become” Caputo says.

So what becomes of Bears? How will this season unfold? After sitting down with Coach Caputo it is evident that the girls are lucky to have a Coach that shares the passion and love for the sport as they do. Caputo “Expects the best out of every player with the hopes to see them succeed on and off the field, pushing them to play to the best of their ability”. His vision is to one day coach the first NYIT Women’s Soccer team to hang a conference banner in the gym. Like his players he echoes the same idea “Conference play, anything can happen. Every game is a battle, but all we need is one game to inspire us to believe that anything can happen”.

It comes from within. A fire that pushes them to get better every day they step on the field. Constant competition during practice will have them playing at a high level leaving failure to not be an option. “Being in the tournament for the first time was something new for us and i feel like we didn’t really know what to expect,” says Caccavale. “Nerves played a huge role in the game. With that being said, I feel that last year will be a great stepping stone for us this year as we prepare to get back into the tourney and also advance deeper.” This off season was approached differently than others due to the fact that they had that they already had that taste of victory only leaving them hungry for more.

Asked about his team’s goals for the upcoming season, Head coach Carlos Del Cid replied by saying, “The goals are the same, to compete for the conference championship and the NCAA final four. The goals never change!” With that being said the Bears have a large task at hand if they would like to take that next step. Coach Del Cid believes in his team and says that “Having the same group returning should help us strive for more. They know how to win and have been in tough situations before. However, it’s been tough replacing the loss of Pierre Sy (second team All-ECC). We have to come together as a team and we need certain players to step up.”

Another stat the Bears would like to repeat would be their home field advantage. In 2011 the team was 11-0 at home, making it a tough environment for opposing teams to enter. The Bears enter the 2012 season as defending East Coast Conference Champions, leaving a huge target on their back. This is something that is welcome to the players. “It’s a huge honor, and task that they we are willing to take on having opportunity to compete for a national championship” says Caccavale.

So when you add up all the positives, a 14-3 record, undefeated at home, leadership from such players like Caccavale (Junior/CommunicationArts, NSCAA All Region first team,All-ECC first team,Daktronics All-East Region Second team) and Matthew DiDonna (Junior/Accounting,First team All-ECC), and an overall team feeling that they believe it is their year, the sky is the limit for the 2012 bears.

Their success will drive them with their hard-work and dedication to the ultimate team goal, A repeat as conference champs and a berth into the NCAA tournament.

That talent is evident with sophomore Gladys Kimutai, who as a freshman placed 1^st in the NJIT Invitational finishing the 5k course in a time of 18 minutes, 20.80 seconds; and placed second in the ECC Championships with a time of 18:43.58. As head coach, Brouillard realizes that the demands are greater for himself—and his athletes.  “You can see as a head coach what you are made of, and also at the same time see what the student athletes are made of,” he said.  Another star athlete, senior nursing student, Elphas Kimutai of Kenya and no relation to teammate Gladys, praises the new head coach saying “he is the best in terms of how he brings the team together to perform well as a group.  He keeps the fire burning within each of us to give it our best shot.”

Elphas Kimutai, is a senior majoring in nursing.  Going into his final season, his mindset is to finish the way he started, strong.  He has been touched by the NYIT Community so much, that when asked about his future, he wants to take his athletic skills and win the Boston Marathon, the New York Marathon, or the Berlin Marathon.  He comments, “If I win either one of the three or all of them, I want to associate these triumphs with the love and support that NYIT has given me.”  When asked about giving advice to the younger teammates, Elphas poignantly says, “I would strongly advise my teammates to give 110 percent, and make sacrifices to be successful in their endeavors.  You have to sacrifice a lot, even if times seem tough.  Storms will come, and they might be strong.  You have to know that these strong storms will go away.”

On September 8th, the team took part in their first meet of the season at Fordham Fiasco & Follies in the Bronx.  Along with NYIT, universities such as Harvard, Yale, and Columbia were in attendance.  Amongst this tough competition, the Bears fared well.  The Men’s side finished 10^th overall, while the Women’s side finished 11^th.

With this start, NYIT has some amazing potential.  As the age old mathematical saying goes, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”  That same old saying applies here; with Coach Brouillard at the helm leading a team of talented student athletes, NYIT Cross Country is back and better than ever!  As the new coach has said before, “We have the talent, all we need to do is put that amazing talent in the right places.  Once that happens, NYIT can become a serious threat on both the Men’s and Women’s side.”

And in the back of their minds, the same question: How am I going to pay off my college debt?

They are not alone. Many students today are juggling their time between work and school, in order to save enough money to start paying off their student loan debt after they graduate. “I won’t need to worry about student loans until graduate school,” said Romero, 21, who plans on graduating in May of 2014 from the University of Buffalo.  He’s currently working at the Cheesecake Factory to build some stability for when they come. On top of student loans, he feels that the huge main problem is finding a job in the field of study to prepare you.

In the last week of April, President Barack Obama made a trip to three different states to help drum up support for a bill that would prevent student loans from doubling. The President’s efforts worked: On June 29^th, 2012, Congress agreed to legislation preventing interest rate increases on new loans to millions of college students. While this relieved Ricardo, who lives in Buffalo, NY, he is just one student of many who is dreading to look forward to paying these loans off.  Interest rates of 3.4 percent for subsidized Stafford loans will carry on for an additional year for undergraduates, under the bill.

Kevin Mentor is on track to graduate from NYIT with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in December 2012. “Student loan debt is, obviously, a bad thing when you graduate and you don’t have the career to pay it off,” says Kevin. He currently works part-time as a waiter in Arbors Assisted Living in Islandia to prepare himself for the loans to come. He says it hurts when you only work part-time, and the loans are more than what you are getting paid. With $40,000+ in debt, this situation is overwhelming to many students, especially if they can’t get a job.

A survey by Rutgers University came to a conclusion that half of graduates said their jobs didn’t need a four-year degree and a mere 20% said their first job was on their career path. Several students say that paying off their loans has been more difficult than they pictured, especially with high interest rates.

A report by The Department of Education and CFPB estimated outstanding student loan debt at a record of $1 trillion. There is now more student loan debt than credit card debt for U.S. consumers. It’s such a huge dilemma, that it’s creating scrutiny amongst colleges across the country, especially ‘for-profit’ colleges. The Art Institute of Las Vegas doesn’t request high school diplomas from students, or a portfolio of their work, they just immediately assist them in applying for financial aid. This institute is currently being investigated, according to NBC News, and there are questions about whether this institute was really made to educate students, or to profit from them.

Juneid Walli, a current student at NYIT, said that student loans are “horrible” because once students graduate college, they are not guaranteed 100% to get a job, and even if they do, they will still spend a good chunk of their lives paying it back. “For the people who don’t end up in the field they want to, imagine their situation. It would be really difficult to get rid of the debt.” Walli is currently unemployed and is hoping to get a part-time job very soon. Although he won’t graduate until May of 2014, he wants to start saving up as much as he can now, in order to be prepared for the future.

According to the Associated Press, more than half of recent graduates were jobless or unemployed last year, record-breaking numbers in at least 11 years. We all know that many college graduates feel they will be paying off their student loans for the rest of their lives, but the real question is: Are Obama and Romney talking about this?

The answer is: Sort of.

On July 1^st, President Barack Obama said “Higher education cannot be a luxury reserved just for a privileged few,” while the College Republican National Committee says “Since Obama took office, the average cost of in-state tuition at a four-year college has increased 25%.”

So while they are talking about these issues during the presidential elections, many students still feel that there will be no soon enough solution to this never ending debt. According to CNBC, “Seeing no way out, some are taking drastic measures.”

On the first day of school, a group of nervous freshman exchanged schedules. They all had one thing in common; prerequisites.  Professor Baron enthusiastically teaches FCWR-101, the first course of the require core curriculum for English which and changed freshman’s views on the class. “Writers aren’t born; you can learn to be a writer. Everyone is different, and writing has different ways to express who you are.” The first assignment is to bring in a piece of writing that you love. Students eagerly called out different types of writing, such as poetry, lyrics and book excerpts. Can’t wait for the next class!

Freshman need to know their strengths. As the semester progresses here are a few questions to keep in mind. What are you good at? What makes you happy? What can you see yourself doing in the future? This is the first step in understanding what your college experience is going to be like.  NYIT President Edward Guiliano, Ph.D., told new freshman in his welcome speech the following, “An NYIT ID card is your ticket to the global interconnectivity that is this university. Everything you could possibly need here at NYIT is at your fingertips. Good luck!”

Sponsored by Campus Life in the Division of Student Affairs, led by a committee of students, staff, and faculty, the goal of the NYIT Civility Campaign is to continue to enable our community to feel welcoming and safe for all members. It strives to engender community participation in an honest, intellectual, and respectful dialogue about the ideas, attitudes, and beliefs represented by the members of our diverse community in such a way that moves community members beyond tolerance to communication and understanding.

Why we are doing it?
NYIT is already a community that welcomes innovative ideas born of critical thinking and applied knowledge. As an institution of higher education with a professional preparation focus within a context of global interconnectedness, NYIT functions on the concepts of teamwork and diversity of thought. The NYIT Civility Campaign aims to build on this foundation and to make visible how we engage one another in these pursuits. We believe that by bringing awareness to how we do what we do, NYIT can provide a model for other educational communities. Furthermore, the First Year Common Summer Reading this year is Choosing Civility by P.M. Forni (2002).

How does it work?

The week of October 1-4, 2012 the NYIT Civility Committee is planning a kick-off week for to highlight the NYIT Civility Campaign. Events will expand upon the following slogan in order to develop awareness of the campaign and invite participation from individuals and organizations/offices in the NYIT community.

How can I participate?

All NYIT community members are encouraged to attend events and be part of thinking about what civility looks like at NYIT. In addition, all departments, offices, classes, and clubs or organizations are encouraged to link a project, event, or activity to the Civility Campaign. Please e-mail us at civilityow@nyit.edu for the Old Westbury campus or civilitynyc@nyit.edu for the Manhattan campus.

The 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct

1. Pay attention

2. Acknowledge others

3. Think the best

4. Listen

5. Be inclusive

6. Speak kindly

7. Don’t speak ill

8. Accept and give praise

9. Respect even a subtle “no”

10. Respect others’ opinions

11. Mind your body

12. Be agreeable

13. Keep it down (and rediscover silence)

14. Respect other people’s time

15. Respect other people’s space

16. Apologize earnestly and thoughtfully

17. Assert yourself

18. Avoid personal questions

19. Care for your guests

20. Be a considerate guest

21. Think twice before asking for favors

22. Refrain from idle complaints

23. Give constructive criticism

24. Respect the environment and be gentle to animals

25. Don’t shift responsibility and blame

From Choosing Civility. Copyright © 2002 P. M. Forni. (St. Martin’s Press, 2002)

This time of year is always exciting, full of optimism and new beginnings. The start of the 2012-2013 year at New York Institute of Technology is no exception, with a student body from nearly 50 states and 100 countries that is academically stronger than ever before. Our interconnected NYIT community continues to thrive, with talented new administrators and faculty members, 14,000 students at seven global campuses, and more than 92,000 alumni worldwide.

Not too long ago, bags bulging with books, lots of paper, and writing implements heralded the launch of the academic year. Today, backpacks and messenger bags appear much lighter, containing less paper and likely a tablet, smart phone, or other mobile device. To help accommodate you in this brave new world, we, too, have made a number of upgrades this year in our digital communications and how we connect with you. For example, the 2012-2013 NYIT course catalogs are our first exclusively digital academic catalogs, saving paper and printing costs. And soon, our website will feature responsive design so that you may view it effectively regardless of the device you are using.

Study after study indicates that students who engage in their college experience inside and outside the classroom experience a higher degree of success in both their professional and personal lives. NYIT, as a model 21st-century global university, provides many opportunities to help you challenge yourself intellectually and expand your comfort zone as you prepare to embark on your professional life.

I encourage you to seek out co-curricular experiences and hands-on learning outside the classroom—from internships and study abroad programs to professional development activities, conferences, and guest lectures. And it’s never too early to engage with the Office of Career Services; your time at NYIT will move quickly and their array of workshops, programs and one-to-one counseling opportunities will help you get a head-start on preparing for a successful career or post-graduate work.

There are also myriad social opportunities, with more than 30 clubs, NCAA and recreational sports, and campus life events. You may even consider venturing in to our Manhattan campus for an event at the NYIT Auditorium on Broadway.

Stay informed and connected to make the most of your college experience. Follow NYIT on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Read the Student Update e-newsletter to join the discussion of how to enhance your NYIT experience and contact updates@nyit.edu to share your news. Check the digital signs throughout campus for updates on events and activities.

Please make the most out of your time at New York Institute of Technology. I look forward to seeing you on campus.

Best wishes for a pleasant and productive academic year,
Edward Guiliano, Ph.D.
President, NYIT

Hello! My name is Taylor Reheusser and on behalf of the entire Greek Life community I’d like to welcome everyone back for another fun and exciting year. As the president of the Greek Letter Council I’m so happy to see so many new students as well as returning students getting involved with campus activities. We ended last year with an amazing Greek Week and we’d like to see that same excitement this year.

The Greek Letter Council currently has nine organizations: Alpha Chi Rho Fraternity, Delta Epsilon Psi Fraternity, DiGamma Omega Xi Multicultural Organization, Eta Chi Gamma Sorority, Iota Nu Delta Fraternity, Kappa Phi Gamma Sorority, Sigma Iota Alpha Sorority, Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Greek Life at NYIT is a very diverse and active community and we are currently planning a great semester for all to enjoy.

Being a part of the Greek Life community is a great experience and I urge all students to attend informationals hosted during Greek Recruitment Week (September 17th-21st)  and explore the different programs throughout the year. If you have any questions feel free to contact the Greek Letter Council at glcow@nyit.edu anytime. I hope you had an amazing summer and I look forward to meeting many of you this year.

Among the anticipated events was the award ceremony in which those nominated by their peers and students are selected by a committee of faculty and staff members, chaired by Associate Provost Spencer Turkel to receive the honors. One of the main awards given on that day was the President’s Technology Award for Excellence in the Teaching and Learning Process for Full-Time Faculty, the winner of the award was Department of Physical Therapy Chairperson Karen Friel in association with professor Veronica Southard.

Friel and Southard were given the award for a project they piloted using a fleet of Apple Ipad 2’s; the devices, preloaded with applications pertaining to physical therapy, were given to students and used to supplement information provided in the classroom. Students expressed their pleasure with how the devices enhanced their ability to retrieve information improving engagement and interaction. The employment of video demonstrations, material sharing, improvement in note taking, and enhanced oversight using Skype or Facetime during their clinical work were all significant contributors to the positive outcome.

In a field where technological advances are more engrained in the landscape than others, this project stood apart in that it dealt with the education process rather than the clinical. That is, in a field heavily predicated on the use of technology to help physical therapist treat patients, that same technology in this instance was being used to teach students how to be physical therapists.           Dr. Friel acknowledged that the goal of her department and this project were to bring those two sides closer together. “This is what is needed in the clinical setting on a daily basis, and so we need to start that type of thinking during the educational years.” she said. Speaking to the positive outcomes and responses from students, Friel attributed that more broadly to an atmosphere in which students not only memorize material but “manipulate, analyze and apply it.”

Creating this atmosphere took tremendous effort on the part of Dr. Friel and Professor Southard. Dr. Friel says she dealt mostly with the “pedagogical design” or the use of the apps for the classroom whereas Professor Southard focused on the “outcomes and ways to measure changes in pedagogy” or the research arm of the project. Together they were able to churn out a product more in tune with the way students are learning today.

That is another reason that this award is warranted, because it can’t work in just any environment. As Dr. Friel puts it “the instructor needs to be totally invested” otherwise students will realize the technology’s ineffectiveness causing it to “sit in the corner and gather dust.”

With help from Professor Southard, Dr. Friel accomplished all of the above and thus earned this year’s award fornExcellence in the Teaching and Learning Process for Full-Time Faculty. In regards to the award she says “It was an honor and a surprise” and that it means a lot because when she started at NYIT fifteen years ago “technological ignorance” would have prevented her from taking on such a project. Since then, through hard work and educating herself, she finds herself here, able to help the students she describes as “not happy with mediocre” and whom “want to be the best”.

“I get my financial guidance from the Bible,” says Grandich, author of Confessions of a Wall Street Whiz Kid (www.confessionsofawallstreetwhizkid.com). “Money and possessions are the second most referenced topic in the Bible – money is mentioned more than 800 times – and the message is clear: Nowhere in Scripture is debt viewed in a positive way.”

Grandich, who says his years as a highly successful Wall Street stockbroker left him spiritually depleted and clinically depressed, says the Bible is an excellent financial adviser, whether or not you’re religious.

“The writers of the Bible anticipated the problems we would have with money and possessions; there are more than 2,000 references,” he says. “Our whole culture now is built on the premise that we have to have more money and more stuff to feel happy and secure. Public storage is the poster child for what’s wrong with America. We have too much stuff because we’ve bought into the myth fabricated by Wall Street and Madison Avenue that more stuff equals more happiness.”  He adds, “That’s the total opposite of the truth, and the opposite of what it says in The Bible.”

What’s Grandich’s No. 1 most important biblical rule of finance? “God owns everything. You may have bought that house, but He gave you the money to buy it, so it’s His.”

Some other lessons from the ultimate financial guide?

• Do put money aside for investing: “One of the most revealing parables is Jesus’ story about a wealthy master who left three servants in charge of his financial affairs when he went away on a long journey,” Grandich says. “When he returned, two of the servants had multiplied the coins for which they were responsible. The third buried his to keep it safe.” That last servant ended up out on his ear. The story is a lesson: We must invest our money – and invest wisely.

• Debt’s not prohibited, but it should be avoided: The Bible clearly warns that the borrower will be a servant to the lender, but it also instructs us to lend money. That suggests that there are times when it’s OK to borrow, but it should not become a way of life. The Bible also instructs us to repay what we’ve borrowed.

• The more you make, the more you should give: This is a hard one for people caught up in buying bigger and better things, but there are numerous references to charitable giving. The Bible says that it’s quite all right to buy the bigger house – but the more you make and spend on yourself, the more you need to give to others. That doesn’t include tithing, another very clear demand: God expects you to give 10 percent of your wealth to your place of worship.

• Don’t focus on acquiring possessions: There are many, many warnings that accumulating stuff is dangerous. Material things are fleeting and they’ll do you no good in the long run. What you put your effort into, that’s where your heart will be, Grandich says.

Welcome back to NYIT for another semester and the start of the 2012-2013 academic year. I hope everyone had an enjoyable and productive summer. In addition to welcoming back all the returning students, the staff of the Slate would like to officially welcome all the new students here at NYIT for the first time this semester.

I am very excited to be back this year as the Editor in Chief of the Slate for my senior year at NYIT continuing to work alongside Professor John Hanc and our staff to produce our great publication to the NYIT community. This semester I am working with 3 new members of the editorial staff and they are Web Editor Ty Jenkins, Layout Editor Bhaswar Battacharjee, and Business Manager Alex Exarchou. Each of these individuals brings a variety of skills and talents to the staff that will help continue our great success. I would also like to welcome aboard the new Slate staff members joining us for the first time this semester.

The start of a new academic year brings new learning experiences, challenges, and tasks for all of us and we will see a lot of that in the coming months. As we enter the fall 2012 semester, it is a very busy time in the news both on and off campus and we look forward to covering and informing you on many different stories throughout our print issues and many areas of social media. The digital edition of the Slate led by our website www.campusslate.com combined with other social media tools and our monthly print edition features more pages, photos, and color that will help the Slate deliver a wide variety of stories and information to you such as useful articles that can help you as a student and a person.

In addition to providing interesting and important information we also want to have fun. The staff of The Campus Slate is excited to announce its Summer Vacation Contest which is open to all on campus. Get those entries in online by visiting our website www.campusslate.com for all rules and details. Great prizes are awarded to the winners who will be announced in early October.

Don’t forget to LIKE The Campus Slate on Facebook and to follow us on Twitter @nyitcampusslate. In addition we have also launched brand new pages on two other popular forms of social media and you can also find us on Tumblr and Instagram simply by searching NYIT Campus Slate.

Best of luck to a successful academic year and Enjoy Reading!!!

John Santamaria

Editor in Chief

It’s here. May 2012. This month I complete my MA and join the year’s NYIT class of 2012.

And this is my final blog for the Slate.

Damn.

It’s been said that NYIT prepares students for jobs that don’t exist yet. As trite as that sounds, I have to believe that’s the best any institution of “higher learning” can aim for.

But like most of you, I’m still asking myself the question, “now what?” Given the pace of technological change, keeping current with it is like trying to nail Jell-O to a tree. And while dealing with another career change at the ripe young age of 56 has been exhilarating to me, it’s been sobering as well. Even as I write this, I’m preparing for my 4^th interview of a process that started in February, based on a resume that I circulated through a networking organization. The opportunity is very attractive; Director of Training for an Internet Service Deployment Company.

Now, “Internet Service Deployment” sounded ominous to me; right away I started with the doubts; my lack of any extensive “techno-expertise” would be a deal-breaker. In my first interview in February, I told the man across the table that I’m no engineer, no electrician, no mathematician – but that a friend once described me as a “closet geek” – and that for nearly 15 years, I’ve built my own personal computers from scratch rather than purchase them off-the-shelf. This was a fun and significant experience for me that had nothing to do with my career passions, I just wanted to see if I could do it — and it got the interviewer’s attention.

At my next interview in March with the company’s founder and CEO, I was told that “Internet Service Deployment” is an impressive way of describing the company’s critical competency (so much of the language of business couches simple work processes, procedures, “mission statements” and other aspects of business in complex jargon that it can be intimidating – and downright mystifying at times.) This particular CEO assured me that my technical expertise wasn’t the critical piece; my resume had interested them for some very specific reasons with which I won’t bore you, other than to say…

YES! There ARE people who actually READ your resume – and can even connect the dots from time to time! I went home and read it again to highlight what got me through the door in the first place. Wow, was I surprised at what I learned about my options for the future! It was then that the words of a CEO I worked for way back in the ancient 1990’s rang in my head like a fire alarm – “The obvious is not always self-evident.”

When you’re fresh out of college, what’s “obvious” in an employer’s eyes is usually buried in the attic of your subconscious; at crunch time, when you must furnish relevant work experience or activities that are germane to the job you’re after, distinguishing strengths (and accepting weaknesses) is a perpetual process of self-examination, self-improvement and supportive self-talk. Then, even if we suspect such personal assets might have value, the next challenge is to effectively convey how what seems ordinary to us is extraordinary to an employer—in written and oral form. What’s fluff to you may be red meat for the hirer.

So dig deep. Think about everything you have done at NYIT and elsewhere, and how those experiences translate into gold.

If you have held any positions or offices in any clubs or organizations, use any and all knowledge or experience gained in that role or activity to strengthen your resume. If you volunteered your time at a church or other non-profit organization, discuss any know-how you gained about managing difficult people and situations. Do you love sports cars? Did you coach, umpire, or referee youth sports at the grammar school, high school, or community level? Do you play the piano? Did you drop out of school for a year to travel around the world? Are you a closet geek? These tidbits aren’t insignificant—especially when the conversation starts to drag a bit, or you are struggling to answer a question out of left field.

Once you find the item in your portfolio that raises eyebrows, brings smiles, or leads the interviewer to say the magic words “tell me a little more about that” – file that item under “always mention.” Keep building that inventory of ‘’always mentions” throughout your life – they will become the “possessions in the changing fortunes of time” that are more valuable than you can know right now.

On a final note; the venerable Maya Angelou once said, “You can tell a lot about a person by the way they handle three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.” I’d add so many things to that list of three, and I know you can too; slow elevators, clumsy waiters, traffic jams…job interviews. In fact, the interview might top the list.

Again, the obvious … is not always self-evident – but rest assured that beyond your experience and skills, decision-makers will watch closely for how you handle that list; a list that constantly shifts – and it is just as if not more critical than how many years you’ve known how to use Microsoft Excel.

Thank you all for being my readers, my classmates, my colleagues, my teachers, and my friends.

And in the words of my favorite wish…

May the road rise up to meet you,

May the wind be ever at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

And the rain fall softly on your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.”

 …and may you be three days in heaven before the devil knows you’re dead.

Farewell and Godspeed to you all!

Joe Fortine – ’12 MA

The Bears will face a familiar foe in the third-seeded Firebirds of University of D.C. at host-Southern New Hampshire on Monday, April 30. First serve is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. The winner of the match will take on the winner of the Southern New Hampshire/Queens match on Tuesday, May 1 at 10 a.m.

“I am extremely proud of our guys for earning a spot in the regionals,:” said first-year head coach Chris Frusci. “This is what it’s all about. This is why you compete at this level. I believe we deserved this opportunity and now we get to showcase our talent and hardwork against a very good UDC team. I believe in our team and so do the guys. We will be sure to give our best fight.”

 Dr. Gerdes suspects that almost all heart failure patients will have lower cardiac thyroid levels by the time they approach end stage heart failure.  He believes the presence of low cardiac tissue thyroid hormones may dramatically accelerate progression to heart failure.  Importantly, he has shown in animals that low thyroid hormone levels alone will eventually lead to diluted heart failure with impaired coronary blood flow.  Gerdes’ theory is that when a person has low cardiac tissue thyroid levels, this condition accelerates the progression of heart disease to heart failure in that given person.  If his theory is correct, giving thyroid hormones to these individuals would help return his or her thyroid levels to normal and help give that person more energy, reduce depression, help them feel better and have a better quality of life in addition to producing beneficial changes in heart muscle function and structure.  At an early enough stage, giving a person thyroid hormones will allow that person to live longer and slow the gradual process of contracting muscle cell loss.

 Based on studies done on animals, if an animal is being starved, that animal will make itself hypothyroid, meaning it’s thyroid hormone levels will lower.  The reason for this lowering in thyroid levels is because the heart’s response is to reduce metabolism to prolong dying.  “If an animal has a heart attack, the surviving part of the heart actually destroys cardiac tissue thyroid hormones and makes the animal hypothyroid,” says Gerdes.  Animals with heart disease have their disease accelerated by hypothyroid, which will cause them to have heart failure.  If this study on animals can be replicated with the same results in humans, that would show a hypothyroid state is accelerating the heart disease to heart failure process in patients.

 Based on clinical data, Dr. Gerdes suspects that over half of heart failure patients have low thyroid function or borderline low thyroid function at the cardiac tissue level.  The number could be as high as 90 percent, but we do not know for sure at this time.  Importantly, serum levels may not reflect the degree of tissue hormone deficiency.  Since the heart only receives about 3% of the blood flow to the body, blood tissue leaving the heart become diluted with blood from the rest of the body making it more difficult to pick up changes from serum.

 Gerdes feels this treatment has a promising possibility considering the strong evidence that supports it.  If the evidence concludes that hypothyroid is causing people to have an acceleration in the heart disease to heart failure process, Gerdes believes people can be helped by increasing their thyroid hormone levels to normal through the use of medication.  According to Gerdes, doctors are afraid to give this kind of medication to their patients due to a study that occurred 40 years ago.  In the early 1970s, doctors used DT-4 to treat people for their heart failure.  For those who are not in Biomedical Science, DT-4 is an inactive form of thyroxine. L-T4 is the active form of thyroxine.  Patients were given 6 mg/day DT-4, which is equal to 225 micrograms of L-T4 and corresponded to more than double the production of T4 which is approximately 90-100 micrograms/day.

 Later, doctors discovered that the medication had been contaminated with a high level of active L-T4.  “Due to this contamination, people were receiving an overdose of the drug that was supposed to help them, which did not provide proper information on the treatment for heart failure,” says Gerdes.  “Since too much of the drug was administered, doctors fear to use this medication on their patients.”  The reason for this overdose was because the Coronary Drug Project (CDP) was underfunded when they were running the treatment and they were only able to give a single dose to all of their patients.  Since the doctors didn’t want to give too little of their medication to their patients, in order to avoid the false conclusion that the medication has no effect, the doctors chose to give the highest tolerable dose to their patients, which clearly ended badly.  However, Gerdes believes giving thyroid hormones to patients, but of the proper amount, can be used to help heart failure patients if the research on those patients supports his theory.

So how do we find out if heart failure is indeed linked to thyroid function?  Gerdes believes the best way is by studying diseased hearts removed during heart transplants to see if low cardiac thyroid levels are occurring in heart failure patients.  By using these hearts, doctors could get an accurate assessment of the extent of low thyroid hormone levels in cardiac tissue, work that cannot be done in living patients except by biopsy.  Now that we know this possible problem exists, the next question is do we approach it.  Gerdes says that more work is needed in animal studies and humans with heart disease progressing to heart failure to determine the extent of the problem and potential benefits from hormone treatment.  Once researchers have gathered more information on this progression, doctors can implement a way to help patients with heart failure.

 Gerdes has strong faith in his treatment for heart failure patients and if his theory is correct, doctors will be able to help extend the lives of millions of people with heart failure and make their lives feel like they’re worth living.  So far research has given strong evidence to Gerdes’ theory and if is confirmed, medication can be made to extend and improve the lives of patients with this most fatal disease.

 From the time they are handed out in class, there has always been a constant wonder amongst students as to how their Professor’s view the evaluation process. After all, their futures rest solely in our hands. Teachers are not allowed to be present in the classroom when they are being filled out. They are not even allowed to deliver them to their respective department buildings for review afterwards. “It is often not until the middle of the next semester before I get feedback on the previous semester,” says English Professor Daniel Quigley, “so any excitement has pretty much dissipated by then.” Adjunct English Professor Anne Sanderson has a different take on the matter. She says, “I’m always curious about the results and interested to see how my own evaluation of the class compares to what students have to say.”

 So what do students have to say? Whether it’s a certain teaching method that a professor used, the way they explained the course material, how respectful they were towards others, the grading policy and many more things. The list continues resulting in evaluations that can be quite informative and provide receptive feedback for the Professors. However, there are also evaluations that can be quite underwhelming and not give the professors the feedback that they are ever so desperately seeking. Rachel LaBianca, a senior Communication Arts student falls into the former category. “When I fill out evaluations I always try to fill out the evaluations as best and with most honesty as I can so that future students can get more out of the class than I did,” says LaBianca. One teacher who has responded extremely well to this kind of feedback is Communication Arts adjunct Professor Fred Rosen. “I can’t speak for anyone but myself. In my experience, they certainly have helped me. Students have offered great ideas and comments. Many are extremely supportive and shown me how I have impacted on their lives positively,” says Rosen.

 To impact the lives of students is what truly drives an educator. The work may be challenging and the tests may be vigorous, but no Professor sets out to make anyone’s lives miserable. If a course does not go according to plan for a particular semester, Professors attempts to change the format of the course for the following semester. “I think receiving student feedback is crucial to me as I prepare for the next semester.  The questions point to particular parts of the class (communication, work load, etc.) and it is helpful to get the student perspective on these issues,” says Professor Quigley. “Student evaluations usually validate my vision and efforts in the classroom. This is rewarding and, sometimes, a welcome surprise,” says Professor Sanderson.

 It is instrumental for students to remember that they are the ones with the power. An educator’s teaching style, course curriculum and in the most distressing of cases their lives are at the mercy of student-teacher evaluations. They are taken extremely seriously by the teachers and the administration. It is important to not feel badly if a unsatisfying evaluation is submitted. Rachel says, “When I fill out a bad evaluation I do feel bad, however, it’s for their own benefit, because in most classes, especially art classes, they give you constructive criticism on your work. So this gives me and other students the opportunity to help them become a better professor, by letting them know what they need to do to allow the students to become better educated as well as get the most out of their class.”

 To help high school students in the process of choosing a school, NYIT offers a unique program that allows accepted seniors to see what it’s like to be a college student.  “NYIT Student for a Day” gives the opportunity to a prospective student to shadow someone currently enrolled at NYIT.  Matt Santamaria, a student at St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay, NY who is interesting in studying Communication Arts visited the campus earlier this semester and talked about his opportunity to shadow a college student, “It was way different than high school, a very different atmosphere. The professors are different from high school teachers and college students have more of a relationship with the professors.”

The program really allows a chance for a high school senior to see college through their own eyes, not just what is presented to you in an open house or a tour. You see the full interaction between professors and students, the workload that is expected in your major and may also get a taste of some equipment the school has depending on your major of interest.

“It is our hope that this program prepares and excites these students to join the NYIT community after high school graduation and make them feel at home,” said Amanda Press, Associate Director of Admissions. “It’s a difficult task making a commitment to just one college or university, and we hope we can make it a little easier for them.”

For those colleges participating, class begins at midnight.  The idea started at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston when a professor voluntarily offered to instruct a midnight course.  The midnight classes would help alleviate students’ stress between cramming work, and school into daytime, plus, it helps with campus population, according to an article published by USA Today.     

At Bunker Hill, the campus can accommodate 2,500 students—it has 13,000 enrolled.  “We found out there are many more folks than we’d imagined in the Boston area who are working third shifts.  It’s a population that we didn’t know exist,” said Bunker Hill President Mary Fifield told The New York Times in an article published in 2011.  Today, according to its website, there are six courses—writing, elementary Spanish, history, and social sciences which actually start at 11:45 p.m. and end at 2:30 a.m. Baltimore County Community College (Maryland) is another east coast school with the offering.  For other schools—not so interested like Davidson County Community College (North Carolina), according to it’s website.

Here at NYIT, the latest class according to the online course catalog concludes at 10 p.m.  Midnight courses have mixed reactions by students, and faculty, as do most colleges.  David Hogsette, NYIT Associate Professor of English questions financial issues with holding late night classes.  “Certain buildings would need to remain open, and you would have to pay for security staff to be available during that time,” he said.  “Electricity, and heating costs would increase disproportionately to the number of students taking these courses.”  Professor Hogsette says he recommends online courses, where students can log onto the Blackboard operating system anytime, anywhere, day, or night.  Professor Felisa Kaplan agrees.  “Apparently the students are quite unhappy, and tired as the class progresses into the late hours,” she said.  “I would suggested that a better option is to offer more online courses so that students can take at least some of their classes at night, or whenever it is convenient for them.”

Communication Arts student Malina Makuma believes the architecture students, and medical students around campus would benefit from a late night class.  “It may be a good exercise in dealing with odd shifts in the medical field,” Makuma said.   “I am definitely a night person, and I do find myself doing work around that time, but I’d like to be on the sofa with my laptop, and a cup of tea instead of being in a classroom.” Student Julia Choi suggests the human body needs to rest during the night.  “It doesn’t sound like a normal schedule, and I think they shouldn’t do that because it’s just not good to overwork a person,” Choi said, a problem she’s managed to avoid.

Professor Adele Deerson, a professor for over 43 years, says that most students aren’t capable of learning at midnight.  Professor Deerson taught courses from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the past, and found “that most students are lethargic, and tired,” she said. As interesting as it sounds to get your work done overnight, if you do end up taking a midnight class, bring some snacks, and an extra large coffee.  

NYIT Athletics is not just about what the players and coaches do on the fields of competition. It is also about our successes in the classroom and in the community. They host several community engagement events (Night Out on the Bears, OI Walk, Cystic Fibrosis Walk, clinics with the VIP program in Central Islip, to name a few), as well as visit local schools, help the Girl Scouts, volunteer with the Boys & Girls Club, etc.

Clyde Doughty, Director of Athletics always responds with an answer of “great” based on how the teams are doing. This leaves people puzzled especially when they know the records of some programs.  However, Doughty does not evaluate the athletic programs based on wins or losses. His athletic mission is simple and profound; academic excellence enhanced social development and quality athletic participation. The coaches and staff approach our athletic mission in that order.  They continue to have an overall departmental GPA of 3.0, they exceeded their community service hours from last year (giving back to the community that supports them), and they show up to every athletic contest with a goal of playing hard and within the rules to achieve success.

I am very proud of our student-athletes and all of the great individuals of the NYIT community who proudly support us as we represent NYIT throughout the United States said Doughty. We will continue to work on all components of our mission to improve our level of success which we feel will continue to successfully enhance the global brand of NYIT.

Women’s basketball, under the direction of third year head coach Anthony Crocitto, has consistently been on an upward climb and this season (2011-2012), the Bears produced the best record in program history (16-13) said Sabrina Polidoro, Assistant Director of Sports Information. It was the first time in more than 20 years that the women’s basketball team had a record over .500. They advanced to the ECC Tournament for the first time in five years, falling to local rival C.W. Post in the first round. In addition, Coach Crocitto was named the 2011-2012 All-Met Division II Coach of the Year; he was presented with his award on April 26^th in Tarrytown, NY.

Here is how the season went during the year for all of the NYIT sports teams:

Men’s Soccer – ECC Tournament Champions, NCAA Tournament First Round

Women’s Soccer – no post season

Volleyball – ECC Tournament appearance, NCAA Tournament First Round

M&W Cross Country – ECC Tournament, Gladys Kimutai named ECC Women’s Rookie of the   Year

Men’s Basketball – ECC Playoffs

Women’s Basketball – ECC Playoffs, best record in school history (16-13 overall)

Women’s Tennis – ECC Finals, lost to UDC in the championship match, Sara Burinato and Gaby  Rodriguez competed in the USTA/ITA Small College Nationals in Mobile, Ala. Burinato placed 5th in singles, the pair placed 7th in doubles.

Men’s Tennis – still competing ranked No. 9 in the region, still have a chance at the NCAA Regionals, Freshman Pedro Peixoto was named the East Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and earned second team All-ECC honors for his efforts.

Softball – still competing

Baseball – still competing; regular-season ends Saturday, 5/19 and the Great West Conference tournament begins Monday, 5/21

Lacrosse – still competing, regular-season ends Saturday, 5/5. Postseason play TBA 

Some athletes, particularly baseball, will compete in summer leagues during June-August. These are all around the country. Lacrosse athletes will do the same and this summer, sophomore, Danny McDermott will be competing in the World Lacrosse Championships with Team Canada in Finland. Additionally, each program gives their athletes a workout chart and list of strength and conditioning methods that they should do during the summer to help keep them in shape for the upcoming season. The fall sports report back to Old Westbury in mid-August to begin preseason training which is organized with coaches.

Exercise guidelines vary depending on your age and current fitness level, but everyone can take at least some small steps to meet their fitness goals. You can find fun exercise programs that will enjoy while you are doing it.” Looking beautiful has pain inflicted,” says NYIT Manhattan campus student Navi D Mejia. However, most of the people find in starting exercises a really painful process. Another NYIT student athlete Gaby Rodriguez says, “Pain is weakness leaving the body:” He believes that although painful, exercises are fundamental to keep yourself healthy and strong. It means that you have to do things that you didn’t do before such as include vegetables in everything you eat, doing cardio exercises and being more active.

Doing exercise is not the only thing that you need to do to stay fit. You also need to eat healthy.Eating right isn’t just about looking good it’s also about staying healthy and providing your body with the fuel it needs to function at its best. Incorporating certain vitamins and nutrients into your diet can help fight osteoporosis, eradicate eye disease, and lower your risk of developing hypertension as well as some cancers. Healthy eating begins with learning how to eat smart it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat. Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as defend against depression. Additionally, learning the habits of healthy eating can boost your energy, sharpen your memory and stabilize your mood. You can expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet. “I believe eating healthy is not about compressing your diet to small range of items, but to explore the huge variety of tastes and flavors that we can find in different cuisines,” says NYIT student Pedro Peixoto.

Regardless individual opinions about how to remain fit and healthy, it is a general consent that regular exercises and an educated diet are essential requirements in a healthy life. So keep it up with your exercises and enjoy the benefits of eating well.

For me being a Jets fan, I was all for this move and am excited about it, I was one of few in the sports department who was for it. The producer who hired me was the only other one in favor of the move but it also doesn’t help when the rest of the staff roots for the Giants. They don’t think it will work well with Mark Sanchez and it could create distraction but I disagree and that this is a wakeup call for the team after a disappointing season last year. In result of this excitement, the next day before work I went to Times Square Modell’s to see if t-shirts were in stock yet and they were. I also get interviewed by the NY Daily News, SNY, and Bloomberg TV about the trade and it was cool to analyze the trade both as a fan and from a football perspective.

My last blog was titled “Never Say Never” and I related that toward Linsanity and the Giants winning the Super Bowl. That title can be related to this month as well. Usually in March, the NFL is in its quiet stage and you don’t hear much other then player movement news and draft previews. The usual focus in sports is College Basketball’s NCAA Tournament but football changed that this year with Tebow coming to the Jets. On March 26^th Tebow was introduced as a Jet in a press conference at the Jets Facility; I wasn’t working for that but from what I heard it was a very busy day as he is now the focus of New York athletes. This led to sometimes forgetting that there were other big games going on but sometimes one big story changes all that and in this case, Tim Tebow did that and an important Knicks or Rangers game or Syracuse’s play in the tournament in this case became minor stories.

It is cool to experience breaking news and in this case, being that the Jets are my favorite team it was cool to be part of the coverage they did in the station. I couldn’t say it that week that it’s cool to see breaking news because it got hectic over there with deadlines to get things done as they had pieces on Tim Tebow in each newscast every day for about a week. So while Tim Tebow was the face of the sports news this month, don’t forget that there was still College Basketball to be played along with Spring Training Baseball, and the big NBA news with Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni resigning which I was all part of. The focus in the newsroom now shifts to the opening of the Major League Baseball season in addition to the conclusion of the NHL and NBA seasons with the playoffs to follow.  The Madness will always live on in March and even if it’s not for the main meaning toward College Basketball, there is always something big going on in the world of sports.

I’ve also now completed 3 months on my internship, enjoying every minute I am there with the sports team whom are all great people to work with but also to learn from each shift I am there. I also am honored to work with some great interns all from different parts of the Tri-State Area but also great individuals who I have become friends with and hope to keep in touch once the semester ends. Every shift is a new experience with some fun and excitement and it’s great to be part of this team and I’m excited for the next two months with a lot of excitement in the New York sports world to still come.

Lina Fiorentino delivers a tour de force performance as the beautiful, manipulative and ultimately dangerous femme fatale who has everyone in the palm of her hand. It’s a performance that celebrates the seduction that pure evil can have on others. Due to the film being a made for television feature, Fiorentino’s performance was denied for an Oscar nomination even though she did gain numerous critics awards and a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress.

The film is a smart, witty and features many twists and turns in its 110 minutes running time. The style of the film evokes classic noir films of the past while upping the ante with plenty of ruthless, sex and violence. Be sure not to miss this one this Wednesday night in the de Seversky Center starting at 5:30pm!

NYIT’s Division II Lacrosse team has had a good start to the season but they have higher aspirations. The team hopes to make it to the NCAA Tournament, according to Coach Bill Dunn, who has been coaching the team for three seasons. Although the Bears have had some wins and some tough losses, both of which can be attributed to the large amount of new talent on the team, the team is looking to make it big this season.

According to Coach Dunn the team’s biggest weakness is their lack of experience playing at a collegiate level. The team, which consists of only 10 seniors and juniors out of 50 players, is indeed very young. When asked about the relative inexperience of his team, Coach Dunn says, “I think we’ll overcome that.” He emphasizes that the team, although sometimes intimidated by the large crowds and the overall atmosphere of collegiate level lacrosse, is developing rapidly into a strong cohesive group of players. He mentions how there have, thankfully, not been many severe injuries to any of the players. The team’sstrengths seem to be the flip side of their weaknesses, a fact that Danny McDermott, a defenseman on the team, says is because the team is young and “we’re all open to learning.” Danny, when asked about the teams other strengths, says, “We’re all really really individually talented, and when we come together as a team on the field, we’re the best.”

Players like Danny McDermott and Brandon Gamblin, epitomize the best of the Bears. They know that the team has some weaknesses but they plan on improving as the season progresses. The specifically cite that improvements can be achieved by making use of the time that they have at practice in order to perfect their skills. Coach Dunn says that the players “have to take the strategies from practice and use that strategy in the games.” He also says, “We have to take away the strengths of other teams and use our strengths.”  The team is practicing hard to achieve this proficiency, with scheduled practices 6 times a week for two hours a day, which the players say is intense. Danny McDermott point out that, “We have to give 110 percent at practice.” The practices seem to be paying off, as Coach Dunn notes that many parents and spectators have pointed out the team is really developing.

Besides their serious competitive drive, the team is also a very cohesive unit. They have pasta dinners the night before games and traditions like a pregame prayer, which even Coach Dunn sometimes adds a few words to. Coach Dunn also says, “We have the best tailgate parties in the world,” citing the parents of the team members as great supporters. Teammates like Danny McDermott and Brandon Gamblin even have a pregame handshake, a prime example of the camaraderie this squad displays at all times.

Coach Dunn and the players encourage more students to make time in their schedule to see the team in action. After all, the team is currently ranked 10^th in the country and hopes to move up the ranks as the season progresses. Coach Dunn tells his players that, “every game you play, you must bring your ‘A’ game.” So be sure to check out and supportNYIT’s Lacrosse team, Coach Dunn and his players will surely not disappoint! For a complete schedule and visit www.nyit.edu/athletics and the Lacrosse team page for all you need to know.

Tebow was a two time National Champion in college while playing for the Florida Gators and has shown wherever he has played that he is a winner. He would then become a regular starter for the remainder of the Bronco’s season and lead the team to 6 straight wins and a final record of 8-8 and a spot in the playoffs. Many of the games were won in the fourth quarter and/or overtime. With a quarterback rating of 75.1, a completion percentage of passes at 47.3%, and coming off of a loss to the New England Patriots which resulted in a permanent halt for the 2011 Denver Broncos season, why is Tim Tebow still reviled as a messiah for football? What is it about the 24 year old quarterback that has led the world to stand up and take notice?

Tim Tebow is a devout Christian who has no shame in praising his lord and savior before, during and after football games. Never before in the history of sports has a player been so vocal about his religious beliefs and has been able to incorporate them into his personality on camera in such a way that he has now become a huge media sensation. He became known for his famous “Tebowing” where he gets down on one knee which also relates to his religious beliefs. There is controversy that surrounds Tim Tebow everywhere he goes. There are those who feel he goes too “overboard” with proclamations such as that it is God himself who helps Tebow win football games. This has called into question then who exactly is on the side of those who are against Tim Tebow? No matter what the controversy is there is no denying that Tebow’s public following is strong and loyal. Now, after becoming a superstar and creating a devote following, will they continue to follow him to another team?

On March 21st 2011, Tim Tebow was traded to the New York Jets in what many are considering to be a publicity stunt. The trade occurred just a few days after his former team the Broncos introduced their new quarterback Peyton Manning which led to possibilities Tebow would be traded. Joe Taranto, an undergraduate student at NYIT has gone on the record for saying, “I wasn’t surprised the Jets made a move like this! To me this was the Jets making a splash in the headlines to sell tickets and jerseys. This puts them in the headlines so you can hear less about the Giants.” There are others who see it as a wise strategy that will bring about nothing but positive impact. That impact is already being felt by Campus Slate Editor in Chief John Santamaria who was interviewed by the NY Daily News about the arrival of Tim Tebow to the Jets at the t-shirt sale launch at the Times Square Modell’s on March 22nd. “I want my Tebow apparel!” shouted John Santamaria, 21, who was among the first in line Thursday afternoon. “I’m a big Tebow fan. He’s given the Jets fans something to be excited about.” 

However, that impact may or may not yet be able to revitalize the New York Jets who are coming off a disappointing 2011 season record of 8-8. The fans are in a state of disappointment after being promised by Rex Ryan now for three years a Super Bowl trophy with starting quarterback Mark Sanchez leading the helm. Tebow has been quoted as saying, “I always try to put the team first. … My goal is to hopefully make the Jets a little bit better, to be a great teammate.” Dimitri Matsikas, an Engineering Management major who is enjoying his senior year at NYIT has stated, “Their current quarterback Mark Sanchez is coming off of a rough year and Tebow is not going to help Sanchez grow. Sanchez is a much better quarterback than Tebow from a technical standpoint and he needs time and support from his teammates to become a better NFL quarterback. Tebow’s presence will slow that development.”

Indeed there is strong friction currently between the New York Jets locker room and the polarizing young Tebow who will be the teams #2 quarterback while Sanchez is still the team’s starting quarterback. On the matter of working with Sanchez, Tebow has stated that he and Sanchez are both “extreme competitors and they’ll be able to push each other to get better.” Mark Sanchez has also gone on the record to say his thoughts about working with Tebow. “He definitely has talent,” Sanchez said. “He knows how to win. He knows how to impact players.” However, some of the locker room players such as Antonio Cromartie have been quoted on twitter for saying in response to the team’s acquisition of Tebow “Why bring Tebow in when we need to bring in more Weapons for Mark Sanchez? Let’s build the team around him. We already signed him to a 3 year extension.” That year three year extension deal is set to cost the team $58.25 million over the next five seasons, including $20.5 million in guaranteed money that will go straight to Mark Sanchez.

NYIT student Joe Taranto continues to say about Tebow, “He has a lot to prove. In all honesty, he shouldn’t even be talked about, but his strong religious beliefs and character makes him a great story for the media. Since he has so many doubters the media is turning it into a Cinderella story. He can’t run an NFL formation and team’s needs to cater to him if they want it to work. Hence, the Jets using him for wildcat formations. I don’t think he can single-handedly help the Jets. He will only be a motivation if he helps the Jets win.” He was introduced to the New York media on March 26^thin a press conference at the Jets practice facility in Florham Park, NJ. “I’m looking forward to my future as a Jet and I’m very, very excited about it,” Tebow said at the start the conference. He was asked a variety of questions in relation to his new team, competition on the field and his religious beliefs in which he all answered in a positive approach something he has been known for throughout his early career.

He has a positive attitude but if it does not translate to wins then there is no point in him being there. A lot is riding on this acquisition of Tim Tebow and depending on how Sanchez performs next season, it could be a very controversial season that will see two players vying for the hearts and minds of their fellow teammates and fans. Now with the hype of the trade and press conference complete, the next step is preparing for the upcoming NFL season and with still almost 3 months until training camps open, the talk of the league right now here in New York is Tebow Mania!!!

The American Cancer Society Relay for Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length. Although every Relay for Life is different, there are certain traditions at all relays, no matter where they are held. These traditions help participants celebrate, remember, and fight back.

The event was started four years ago, not by faculty but by students. Students continue the tradition today and this year’s event will take place on Friday April 20th at 7pm and will conclude at sunrise on April 21st. “The entire event is run by students from the Student Government Association, Campus Programming Board and Greek Letter Council with support from athletics, all clubs and organizations on campus, faculty and staff and chaired this year by architect student Paolo Pironi,” says Associate Dean of Campus Life Michael Burnett. “The event is an amazing event where the entire NYIT community can come together and to raise awareness and much needed funds for Cancer Research.”

Laurie Hollister, who is a Career Counselor at NYIT has a special connection to the event known as Relay for Life. She has been involved with the event since its origins at NYIT. She spoke at the opening ceremony of the very first Relay for Life and since then has been involved in organizing the Survivor Dinner which takes place just before the kickoff of the event. With so much dedication to the ceremony, Laurie Hollister herself is a cancer survivor. Celebrating her five year anniversary of being cancer free she stated, “The reason I Relay is to celebrate being a survivor – not everyone gets to say those words. Relay gives me the unique opportunity to celebrate life, remember loved ones lost, and support the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving mission by fighting back against a disease that has already taken too much.” Her sister Lynn Hollister-Moore tragically passed away this year from the same disease that her sister defeated five years ago. Laurie looks to relay again this year along with the students of NYIT who will be joining her.

The organization states that “Everyone’s reason to Relay is as unique as their own personal story. At Relay, you can find healing, comfort, and support from others who have faced cancer or who have lost a loved one to the disease. You have a chance to meet people in the community who are equally as passionate about finding an end to cancer in our lifetime. No matter why you take part in Relay, however, one thing is clear: with every step you take, you are helping the American Cancer Society save lives. With your help, we aren’t just fighting one type of cancer, we’re fighting for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community.

Each person who shares the Relay experience can take pride in knowing that they are working to create a world where this disease will no longer threaten the lives of our loved ones or claim another year of anyone’s life.”

Well, according to a recent story by Yahoo! News such is a reality. The data identifies at least six majors with virtual rates of 100 percent employment currently: Actuarial Science, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Educations Administration and Supervision, Geological and Geophysical Engineering, Pharmacology, and School Student Counseling. Zero percent unemployment is a brave claim, though many of the majors seem just niche enough to pull it off—after all, astrophysicists don’t grow on trees. Two of them however, appear out of place; Educations Administration and Supervision and School Student Counseling, which are both broad fields.

Here at NYIT we have a Masters Program in Student Counseling headed by Dr. Carol Dahir, a member of the faculty since the year 2000. She was both surprised and somewhat offended with the idea of zero percent unemployment for her students “That is not accurate…it has been cyclical” she said, pointing to scarcity in both the early 90’s and currently following the 2008 recession with periods of prosperity in between. An unemployment rate of zero is tough to manage in general but in the face of the vicious cuts to the Education field everything has been downsized, Dr. Dahir’s awareness of trends has helped her manage her program effectively “Our program stays small, we admit approximately 30 graduate students each year” this size helps to aid in employment follow-ups she explained. Her graduating class of 2008, before the recession hit, had an “easy” time finding employment. Since then Dr. Dahir says many of her students have had to go outside of their specialization to related fields in order to find work.

A Moral of the story? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That isn’t to say that Astronomy and Astrophysics doesn’t have an unemployment rate of 0 percent but that according to an expert within the field, Student Counseling certainly does not. Regardless of what major you choose you have at most a 4.4 percent chance of being unemployed and that comes in a time of an economic uphill battle. So look at it this way, your chances of being hired are about 96 percent! And as the economy makes its way back your odds only get better.

Here are some facts… Studies show how handwriting can be good or bad depending on the person.  The fact that there are multiple aspects to legible handwriting is the key in understanding where the problems start. According to Carla Crutsinger, M.S.(creator of Brainworks Educational Center in Hickory North Carolina) there are 14 different abilities that are required in order to have nice handwriting.  People that have ADHD find it hard to concentrate.  It is hard to take the thoughts in their head and put it down on paper.  For example, visual focusing, mental attention and memory recall are aspects in handwriting that do not have to do with physical motor skills. Most people think that handwriting only has to do with the muscles and your hands; however, that is not the case.The other half of handwriting is organizing ideas inside your head. Shelly Schnieder the Supervision of Recreation at NYIT says, “Technology is also a factor when it comes to improving handwriting skills, now that there is texting and typing, and people do not feel the need to have good handwriting anymore because it can all be imputed into the computer where everything is readable.”  More and more students take their laptops to class and take notes directly by typing what the professors say.  They take out the writing aspect of it.  The fact that we do not practice writing constantly can also contribute to bad handwriting. 

People that suffer from ADHD have trouble organizing their thoughts and staying focused.This is a problem when it comes to handwriting because they can’t put their thoughts on to paper.This impairs their life by making it difficult to do normal everyday activities.  This causes anxiety and other psychological problems.  It doesn’taffect all people with ADHD.  NYIT Women’s Basketball player Nikki Jo Rotolosays says, “It doesn’t effect my handwriting, I always draw and doodle while taking notes but that’s about it.”  Event though it doesn’t affect her handwriting, having ADHD affects her overall comprehension of work. 

People that do not have ADHD also are also affected by bad handwriting. “Bad hand writing affects me because it is hard for me to put my thoughts on a piece of paper” says NYIT student Stephan Owens.  Taking notes is difficult because when I go back to look at what I wrote, it is sometimes hard to read.”  Handwriting affects all aspects of someone’s life from studying to concentrating and organizing thoughts in one’s head.  NYIT Men’s Basketball Player Azel Prather says, “I do not agree with this because personally I don’t have ADHD and my hand writing is terrible.  The studies are proven wrong.”  Prather understand that handwriting can also just be something that is a signature of personality.  Some people don’t feel the need to write clearly, as long as they can read it, that’s all that matters. 

Head softball coach Stephen Christianson asks, “Is there a percentage that compares boys handwriting to girls hand writing?”  The answer to that is yes.  According to W.H. Lundgren, author of Girls Have Better Handwriting then Boys, 72% of people voted true and 28% of people voted false.  Most people would say that girls have better handwringing. There are different methods to help improve handwriting problems.Medications could be used to treat this problem so they can create a well, detailed and organized piece of writing.Another approach to help this problem is to separate their thoughts and the actual writing process.  This can be done by tape recording their thoughts first then going back and writing down what they had said. 

Handwriting deficiency is a problem amongst all types of people.  Just because someone has ADHD it does not mean they will have bad handwriting.  Also if you have bad handwriting, it does not mean you have ADHD. If there is no cure for this problem then the next step is to help decrease the intensity of the problem. This is what the main focus is and it should help children and adults all over the world with this problem.

A team of nine students accompanied by alumni and faculty will be representing NYIT’s booth.  The nine students range from second year to graduate, giving NYIT a chance to represent the school almost across the board. The feature of NYIT’s booth will be a prototype chaise lounge designed by Barbara Schoenenberger, a fourth year student. The booth will also have video displays showcasing NYIT’s achievements in architecture and design such as the U.S.S. Intrepid project and designs in Costa Rica.

To give more than nine students an opportunity to make their mark in Milan or beyond, the students and faculty came up with an idea to tie in a technology aspect.  NYIT’s name will go further than just Italy with the creation of bike reflectors to hand out at the booth.  These aren’t just any old reflector though.  They are pieces of a graffiti puzzle with NYIT’s logo and a number.  Once a visitor has a reflector they will be able to plug in the code on the back on a website created specifically for this event and see where their graffiti piece fits into a large mural painted by professional graffiti artists. “The booth draws upon some icons of New York City for inspiration,” said Martha Siegel, Chair of the Department of Interior Design.  A rather clever and creative idea to help NYIT reach a more global audience.

The exhibition in Milan is a once in a lifetime chance for design schools across the globe, and is an honor that NYIT will be able to showcase our student’s top notch work.

The Bears are getting quality wins against teams in the region and playing well overall, winning all the matches that they’ve expected to win. ”I am proud of our current success this spring,” says first-year head coach Chris Frusci. “I think it’s a direct correlation to our attitude and work ethic. We still have plenty of work to do if we want to continue on this path because our opponents are only going to get tougher. I hope we will continue to keep our positive attitude and not lose sight of our goal.”

How much work they need to do was evident when the bears travelled to Florida during the week of March 19^th to play three teams that are ranked top 25 in the country-and lost all three. There were individual bright spots in the losses, however, Rookies Pedro Peixoto (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and Eduardo Maurtua won doubles match against Florida Southern 8-4 at third doubles. Julian Marcon and Pedro Peixoto earned singles against Florida Institute of Technology while Eduardo Maurtua won his single match against Rollins College.

Coach Frusci saw the Florida road trip as valuable experience for his team. “It was good to compete against the top talent in the country because it gives us an idea where we stand and what we have to do get better”.

I’ve been unemployed since September 2011. The circumstances that led to that hiatus are inconsequential. I’ve worked non-stop full time for the better part of some 30 years, with a few breaks here and there. These past seven months have been a blessing in disguise, because I’ve reached a place where I know what I’ll accept, and what I won’t, and most importantly, where fear no longer dictates my actions.  (OK, I’ll confess I’ve been enjoying unemployment way too much!).

But back to the barber chair…

I’ve had the same barber for 10 years. A first generation immigrant, he is one of the kindest, most honest gentlemen I know. He put two daughters through college cutting hair, and he can’t imagine doing anything else. He’s told me so on more than one occasion. Every time he sees me, he expresses a genuine concern for my situation; he encourages me and reassures me – and tries to give me advice.

As he was shearing me today, I held back the laugh I wanted to let loose as he talked of the bad economy, lack of opportunity, and the need to “play it safe,” to grab whatever one is offered in this brutal world. He asked me all about my job search, my health insurance, are “they” offering me enough money, enough benefits, etc.

He seemed genuinely stumped that none of these things were really worrying me very much.

If there’s one thing I have tattooed on my brain, it is this – never act out of fear, and never let fear stop you from acting. So I felt I needed to apologize to my barber if I’d hurt his feelings with my seemingly dismissive response to his interrogation.

Billy Joel once wrote,

Advice is cheap; you can take it from me —

It’s yours to keep, ‘cause opinions are free”.

Billy also wrote,

Now, with the wisdom of years, I try to reason things out —

And the only people I fear are those who never have doubt.

Can I get an Amen?

 If I’ve learned anything in 56 years and 3 careers (so far), it is that telling someone else how to find a job, a career, or the right way to pursue either is the near equivalent of the blind leading the blind. I can share my experiences, contacts, assets and liabilities with you. I can recommend. We could trade war stories over coffee, and we might even come away as friends or at least respectful colleagues.

But at the end of the day, if you attempt to conduct  your work or personal life based on the opinions of others, regardless of their depth and / or breadth of experience, or worse, if  you begin worrying about what other people think of you, you will most assuredly stop being yourself.

If you’re thinking “OMG Joe, is that all you are saying – ‘be myself’ — is that the best you can do for me as I prepare to leave NYIT and head into the meat-grinder of the working world with $***,000.00 in student loan debt?”

Well, the short answer is … yeah, but with a few caveats.

See, this stretch of joblessness has been an invigorating time for me. I’ve discovered that there is a lot of life ahead, and a lot more things I can do now that I have time to focus on what I love, care about, and understand. And my barber’s admonitions made me think deeply about how fear is working on all of us 24 – 7.

Fear makes us take jobs we don’t really want, or worse, that we have no passion for; fear makes us think we just HAVE to have the new car, the great wardrobe, the big house – fill in your own blank here. I’m truly stunned at how many hours I’ve worked in the last 20 years so that I could achieve status, pay for things I don’t need or want, go places that I didn’t enjoy, do things that bored me to tears, and be around people I couldn’t stand on and off the job.

Fear of joblessness, homelessness, hunger, and all those horrors we read about every day haunts us all. You could probably make a persuasive argument that fear is the main engine of our economy; if we don’t continue consuming we’ll all die.

Newsflash – we’re all going to die anyway. So take some advice from an old book written a long long time ago (1989) in a galaxy far, far away. Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow.

A highly successful and wealthily-retired banking executive I met in a past career, who guest-spoke for me to a room full of anxious college seniors said something I’ve never forgotten. Your first job won’t be your dream job; it will merely be your first job. Don’t worry so much about what that job is – just use it as a means to gain some traction in the working world, and find those wings that will carry you to greater heights.

If you’re true to yourself, some day you may even be as happy and successful as my barber.

Like it or not, Saint Patrick’s Day usually puts the spotlight on drinking. A recent Ohio State University study provides insights into college drinking, which is a big part of what the Saint Patrick’s Holiday has come to represent. The study was an online survey of over 3796 students over the course of two academic years. The study showed that more than 12% of college kids will host parties.  About 80% of the parties reported in the survey had been held at off-campus locations. The average number of guests who attended these parties ranged anywhere from 25 to 60.

One interesting find within the survey was that parties that were held on campus were less likely to engage in inappropriate behaviors such as binge drinking, underage drinking, physical abuse, verbal assault, and unwanted sexual advancement. Cynthia Buettner, Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Science at Ohio State University, and lead author of the study says, “It’s logical to think that off-campus party hosts would be more likely to drink a lot. They know they’re not going to drive, they’re home and they probably started before everyone arrived. Our theory is that on-campus party hosts may be worried about potential sanctions.” Off campus parties will also involve many of the attendees having to drive to be present at the party. According to the NHTSA, over the last fiveyears,851 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes nationwide on Saint Patrick’s Day, of which, 327 involved a drunk driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.

So what does this all mean? No one is telling a college student to not celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. It has become an annual tradition, in the vein of the Super Bowl, which will continue for generations to come. However, the point is sometimes lost during the alcohol fueled moments of the green themed day. Students have a tendency to view the evening as an exemption from social responsibility. One student, who wishes to remain anonymous, says “Every Saint Patrick’s Day, we tend to start drinking at the crack of dawn at my house and we continue until we cannot anymore”

Nobody wishes harm on another student. The data collected from the survey conducted at Ohio State University is merely there to serve as a factual reminder of what occurs on Saint Patrick’s Day. Last year 365 calls were made to State College police, 160 arrests were made, and 24 alcohol overdoses occurred. This year, let’s make the effort to not end up in next year’s statistics. Drink responsibly, have fun, and enjoy a night of celebration which will include The Boondock Saints, Dropkick Murphy’s, Guiness, Shamrocks, Corn beef, Cabbage, and the almighty proud Irish color of green.

The team suffered many injuries last season, which lead to disappointing results in the East Coast Conference. The team finished the 2011 season with an overall record of 5-35 and went 3-25 in conference play. The ladies finished in sixth place overall with 20 points. Their final games were against Bridgeport University. During their first game against Bridgeport University, Bridgeport won with the score of 7-2. The second game also had an end result of Bridgeport winning with a final score of 11-6. Head coach Steve Christianson believes that the team can rank fourth place or even better, which is what the Bears have ranked in the past. “In the seven years that I have been year, 2011 was the only year that the team wasn’t able to reach fourth place or better”, said Head Coach Steve Christianson.

For the 2012 season Coach Christianson has rebuilt the team, so the past won’t happen again. “The team has a strong foundation and an amazing defense this year. The team is self-disciplined and does things the correct way”, said Christianson.

There are many starting players that are part of the NYIT softball team. Some talent that is returning from last year is senior pitcher Natasha Milosevich and senior catcher Melina Trujilo. A few new faces on the team are infielder Lindsay Weldon and outfielder Nicole Marquez. They reconstructed a team that is able to play together and has the skills that are needed to win. “We rebuilt the program with new players and a team that can compete”, said Christianson.

Not only does the team know that the 2012 season will bring more success than last year, but they have the confidence to back it up. “The team has a lot of new players, we’re ready to get to know each other and play together”, said Mackenzie Jones, one of the new catchers this season. Natasha Milosevich also noticed a difference in how the team is built for this season. “We’re looking to come out this season. We have a good defense and offense.”

After a deficit in players last season, the team is ready to accomplish their goals and show off their true talent. For a complete schedule to watch the ladies play, visit their team page on www.nyit.edu/athletics.

Despite it all,Julia Garcia made it and decided to try and help others by telling her story. She isnow currently an author, motivational speaker and the founder of Truality.org; a TRU Movement inspiring people to be to TRU…The Real U.Garciaispassionate about speaking out to those that may be going through various issues in life. She speaks on behalf of her own experience through which she shares and tries to help others that are going through the same downfall she experienced during her time in college.

After she graduated in 2009 with her Bachelors in Fine Arts degree in Communications from NYIT, She decided to move back to her hometown,Phoenix, Arizona and start her organization: Truality. “It was, by far, one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make,” says Garcia who is now 24 years of age. “It required me to leave behind an exciting life in New York City where I was already working, as well as let go of financial security and the corporate American dream that I’d always thought I wanted. It took countless months researching in bookstores and eating ramen noodle for dinner, but in the end, I knew that “working for TRU meaning” was worth any cost or sacrifice… and it definitely has been!Now my passion for learning has led me on my path to earning my PhD in Human Science at Saybrook University.”

Garcia travels around the country and works with students from the junior high, high school, and college level on everything from peer pressure, bullying, and overcoming adversity, to body image, diversity, and drugs and alcohol awareness. She visited a total of 30-50institutions, in various states like California, Missouri, Arizona, and New York, since the year. Through her organization, Truality, Garcia has combined motivational speaking with creative arts like spoken word poetry, theater, music, and dance. “When I created the concepts of Truality, I wanted to bring something into the world that was real; something tangible to believe in. The results were TRU!”

NYIT English Professor Gail Feinzig met Garcia six years ago as a student and was able to witness her struggles first hand.“I didn’t realize how troubled she was while she was at Tech until she got into trouble at a party and was suspended from the Women’s Soccer Team, that’s when we really bonded,” says Professor Feinzig. “She was forced to go to counseling at school and then she went to rehab and her life turned completely around, her coping skills were weak, life was spiraling downhill. Through lots of love and support, she realized she had to get sober and find some meaning in her life and that she has done!”

Julia has long intended to write a book about her experiences, but everything she wrote, she says, seemed “Too safe, too fake.” Eventually, she stopped fighting her natural instincts to say what she thought people wanted to hear, and began to allow herself to write freely. So, after two long and strenuous years of writing for an average of ten hours a day at local coffee shops, she was somehow able to unleash the painful parts of her past and managed to turn them into a book! The experience, for Garcia, was cathartic. “It was never my intention to write something so personal and make myself vulnerable to the world, but once I began to write from my heart, I just couldn’t stop. After it was all finished, I seriously considered lighting it on fire and never allowing another soul to read it, I knew that it was my responsibility to share it with others. It’s my hope that someone may be able to find hope within its pages.”

In her memoir, Garcia doesn’t shy away from her past. The book takes readers on her personal journey overcoming the loss of loved ones, parents’ divorce, family addictions, as well as her own personal battles with illicit sex, drugs, and alcohol. “And let me warn you,” she adds, “it is by no means a conventional style book. It is uncomfortably raw at times, and it even includes my self-expressive photography, as well as excerpts from my personal diaries.”

While at NYIT, Garcia was a writer for the Campus Slate. In fact, she includes in the book a 200x story she wrote for the Slate, titled “Drunk and Underage” in her book. A lot of the struggles that I write about in my book occurred while I was a student at NYIT. “This particular article which I wrote for the Campus Slate detailed the events that led up to a night that ultimately altered my entire college experience”, said Garcia. She wanted to use this specific article because she wrote it during the time she was suffering from the consequences of that evening and it was the best way, she thought, to be true to the actual story she was trying to tell.

Attending NYIT impacted her life and changed things around because she was able to meet great people. “Who knows where I would be without NYIT, but considering how amazing my life journey has become, I wouldn’t want to find out! Writing for the Campus Slate, as well as playing for the Lady Bear’s soccer team, doing broadcast journalism for LI News, and being a part of the Women’s Association at NYIT truly helped shape the person I am today.”

Julia Garcia’s book is available online at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and all other major retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target. Since the public release date isn’t until June first (that is when it will be available in all major bookstores), the book is on sale as a pre-order, and you can receive the book before it hits the actual stores.

Here are some experts from former NYIT student Julia Garcia’s new book titled “Somewhere In Between.”

Who is this girl staring back at me? I do not recognize the darkness in her eyes or the sound of her voice as it cries out for me to save her. I can’t save her. No one can. She has succumbed to her own misery and now, she has fallen prisoner to the reigns of her past.

I can see the scars that lay like bandages across her heart and I know she has given up. She cries out that she is too weak too defeated and that she has nothing left worth fighting for.

What do you mean you are giving up? Don’t you remember how beautiful you once were and how your infectious spirit was going to set the world on fire? What happened to that girl you used to be?

Rob Powers our weekday sports anchor spent Super Bowl week in Indianapolis and while he was doing reports live from there each day, those of us back at ABC’s Lincoln Square studios on West 66^th Street in New York City were getting ready for the big game. Our staff includes two producers who prepare the rundown for each shows, an editor, the interns, and of course our two anchors Rob Powers and Laura Behnke. We had a producer, editor, and anchor in both New York and Indianapolis for Super Bowl week and I along with my fellow interns helped the preparations in our office. In addition to the Super Bowl preparations, local sports such as hockey and basketball were still going on so the interns had the usual logging assignment as well.

I did so much research on so many individuals for all different kinds of stories that my head was spinning. Stories during the week included features on the positions such as Safeties, Wide Recievers, Running Backs, and even one on the Manning family since Giants Quarterback Eli Manning was in the game playing at the home of his brother, Indianpolis Colts Quarterback Peyton Manning. ESPN has become my best friend this semester as I use their site to get all my information I need in order to locate my video. For example, one piece Powers did that week was on the Giants celebrated trio of wide recievers Victor Cruz, Mario Manningham, and Hakeem Nicks. I went through stats and tapes to find dramatic images of the touchdown catches of each of these players throughout the season. And so, there was Rob Powers in the finished piece watched by many football fans preparing the city and the fans for the big game by getting to know the Giants better than they did before.

Before the Giants had even played the Super Bowl, however, we were introduced to a new “big story” in New York sports. JEREMY LIN!!! This was his first real game action for the New York Knicks and he shocked the sports world with his outstanding play and it became the start of big things for the city and the Knicks. The Knicks would go on to win 7 games in a row and it became LINSANITY among the fans and media.

I’ve been at Knicks practice twice in the past 4 weeks and the all talk is about Jeremy Lin and his play. The task for interns when sent on field assignments is to hold the microphone, ask questions to the athletes and log the sound from practice to be used for the sportscast. For me this was nothing new as I’ve done similar work in the past when I was a reporter at LI News Tonight. Being a fan of the Knicks and getting this opportunity is an honor but unfortunately as I’ve been asked, I can’t be asking for photos or autographs since I am part of the media in my role as an intern.

I’ve been lucky enough to interview Lin and also help work on many pieces for the nightly sportscasts on him in addition to special pieces on him for the regular newscast as well. Since he became a starter for the Knicks, his jersey is a top seller in the NBA and not an easy item to get which was one of the stories done by the station in February. One piece I helped put together was one on the Asian community overseas following Lin since I interviewed a Chinese reporter at Knicks practice about how big of a thing his success is overseas.

This will continue to be a great story to be involved with the rest of the NBA season and the rest of my time at ABC. In a month where it is usually quiet for sports news with just a normal regular season for the NBA and NHL going on, the city turned first to the Giants second Super Bowl victory in four years and then into LINSANITY. “So for those who say, ‘you’ll never get to do really interesting things in an internship, especially a sports related internship at the slowest time of the year, I say, “never say never.”

So far, if you’ve been paying attention to tactics and methods of the 2012 campaign for President of the United States, and considering nearly a hundred years have passed since Adams’ death, one can only conclude that his observation was far beyond accurate. Republican primary competition alone reverberates Adams’ words a hundredfold; the GOP has made zero apologies nor quelled the clarion cry that their entire ideology is motivated solely by a craving to defeat Barak Obama; with no desire to work with him on… well, anything at all.

Nearly a century later, the race once again seems to come down to who can organize the most hatred – and raise the most cash. We live in a world where it seems money gets what money wants, regardless of which political party you join.

The Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics; the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy. The center maintains a public online database of its information, and reports, among other things, that the 2008 political campaign was the costliest in history, with a record-shattering $5.3 billion in spending by candidates, political parties, and interest groups on the congressional and presidential races. And the presidential race alone cost $2.4 billion when all candidates and related expenses are included.

That’s enough money to purchase 685 30 second commercials on this year’s Super Bowl. And in 2004, over 22 million more people watched the Super Bowl than voted for President.

Seems to me the Super Bowl ads are a bargain compared to the price of a vote.

And the further you drill, the more expensive it gets.

Huffington Post recently published an excellent analysis of the New Hampshire Primary that calculated how much each candidate spent per vote received in the section of New Hampshire covered by the Boston media market. Romney got the most bang for his campaign bucks, at $11.51 per vote. Also-ran Texas Gov. Rick Perry spent the most per vote — $62.11 – and picked up a mere .7 percent. Perry also poured a good deal of cash into Iowa, where each vote cost him $480, according to a cost-per-vote calculation done by Buzzfeed. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman spent the most of the three leading candidates, at $37.65 per vote.

These numbers are too tedious and the process too convoluted for anyone to get their arms around; but the simple truth reveals that money didn’t help Perry or Huntsman attain victories; regardless of exorbitant candidate spending, over half the population yawns and ignores Election Day.

Our protection against the extremes of both fascism and anarchy is embedded in a system of checks and balances, designed to offset hatreds and ambitions by setting them in opposition. The power of that system still lies in the hands of its lowest common denominator, the voter. And although historically high numbers participated in the 2008 presidential election, we still live in a country where not quite 50 % of the voting-age population actually vote. That means more than half of us allow less than half of us to choose our leaders.

You might think your vote is meaningless, or have a favored rationale for non-participation. But if you don’t vote, if you don’t even know who your local, regional and national elected representatives are – YOU are the problem. Anyone can gripe about politics and politicians. But neither is born in a vacuum. Both reflect our willingness to take responsibility for our circumstances. They come from our homes, schools, streets, workplaces, houses of worship, local hangouts … you name it.

In the words of the immortal George Carlin, “If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you’re going to get selfish, ignorant leaders”.

Our freedoms, future and way of life will eternally depend on the participation of every single individual of voting age. Money is not the issue, hatred not the answer, and blame is both meaningless and ineffectual.

With dozens of resources like CRP at your fingertips, there’s no excuse. It’s your world, your choice. Don’t give it away. PARTICIPATE.

Yeah, I’m talkin’ to you.

Let’s look back to the start of the month, one of the most important things I needed to do was figure out my trip to my building. Our station is located at West 66^th Street in Lincoln Center and coming from Long Island I knew I was taking the train. The route on the Long Island Rail Road and Subway is very easy to get there but you always want to have enough time. My shifts during the week run from 6:30pm-11:30pm, after 12am at night the train schedule is limited until the morning commute so you want to make sure you catch a train before 1am home. I am fortunate that my parking sticker on my car for the train stations is good in multiple lots on different lines for the railroad which gives me various options to choose my trains from.

During the week I go to Bethpage station, there are a lot of good parking spaces there and so far I’ve gotten the same spot right by the platform each trip I’ve made. I leave at 4:43PM from the station to go into the city which is plenty of time before my 6:30 shift begins. When I arrive at Penn Station, the Subway I take is the 1 train and that is in there so I don’t even have to walk outside to get this. I’m on this train for 3 stops to Lincoln Center which is where my building is and it’s a half block walk from the subway to my building. When I leave work, I have plenty of time from 11:30pm to take the subway and make it back to Penn Station in time for my 12:14am train back to Long Island.

The best thing is, if I was to miss this one and didn’t want to wait an hour for another train to Bethpage, I can ride home to Massapequa station which comes 10 minutes later and either get picked up to go home and get my car the next day or take a cab to Bethpage station and get my car that night. On the weekends, I go to Massapequa station for my Saturday shifts 12:30pm-6:30pm since there are express and more trains running at night when I need to go home. The key is you don’t want to have to wait a long time to catch a train home or even risk being late to work, it’s always better to arrive early then late. The best way I plan my trip to the city is by visiting www.mta.info, there you can check railroad times and also figure out which Subways you need to use to reach your destinations.

That by far was the biggest job, the rest is the learning experience. Prior to my first day, I received a roadmap/syllabus from the producer that had phone numbers, emails, and the list of the staff of who I should be familiar with. For those that don’t know, Rob Powers is the weekday sports anchor and Laura Behnke is the weekend anchor. Our department is very small as the producer who hired me says. Our staff consists of 2 producers, an editor, the 2 anchors, and us interns. I was excited because we are going to be doing a lot of hands on and learning and not doing coffee runs as many of you might of experienced in past or current internships.The work I do as described in the roadmap is the following, my main job is to log the game highlights. I am assigned to watch specific games and write down key highlights and stats for the broadcast to be used using the actual time of the day for logging since they are recorded for editing purposes.

In all games, you always need to find color shots which consist of coaches, fans, cheerleaders, mascots, and injured players on bench which are always good establishing shots to open the highlights I’ve done a lot of work on basketball games so the key there is to look for dunks, 3 point shots, and nice assists for scores. In hockey, we just need goals and nice saves by the goalies and sometimes the fights. At the conclusion of each game I work on, I then meet with the anchor and I help him write the script and pick the highlights for the broadcast in the editing room. All the games are recorded onto the editing computer so it comes in right as the games conclude.

The sports team at Eyewitness News so far is a great team to work with, they are all helpful and I am learning a lot not just about how a sportscast is put together but about the business in general. Rob Powers has given great advice on how I should think about pursuing my career if I want to be a sports anchor. It took him 25 years to reach working in New York but he’s always been a sports anchor. He says, if you want to anchor you will do what I’ve done and worked in multiple cities because you are doing what you want to do. If you want to work in New York, you will settle for something you don’t want to do such as working the teleprompter.

One other thing the interns get to do is watch the sportscast from the set along with pieces from the rest of the newscast. Rob and Laura take us to the studio which is awesome and I’ve met many of the anchors I usually watch on TV which is really cool. Bill Ritter, Liz Cho, Sade Baderinwa, Diana Williams, and Lee Goldberg I have all met and become friendly with. Even from them I get advice, Bill Ritter told me my first week, “take advantage of every opportunity you get to do here.” I take each day as another learning experience.

Every semester, a theme is selected by Professor Fizzinoglia. Last semester it was classic science fiction films that depicted the future and what it held for us as human beings. This semester he is unleashing the cinematic brilliance of the Femme Fatale. Fizzinoglia has stated, “They have been a big part of films since the very beginning, and especially in film noir and neo-noir. Here’s also a chance to see how women are treated image-wise in the 1930′s, 40′s, 80′s and 90′s.” So if you’re tired of seeing mediocre films during these long cold winter months, take a chance on films that celebrate cinematic brilliance and have had the success to influence the films of today and the films of tomorrow.

This semester’s films will be previewed and followed by memebers of The Campus Slate in both the print issues and on the website www.campusslate.com through various promotions. Each film has something new and magical it can bring to each individiual who partakes in watching them. The films will be shown at the stated time, every week in the de Seversky Conference Center on Wednesday nights or during Tuesday free hour throughout the semester.

The extent of the problem is suggested in a new national survey discussed by Channel 13 WYNT.  The study done among Skidmore College students, found the following:

• 88 percent of college students have texted during class
• 25 percent say they text every class
• Twenty three percent of those surveyed say they text during a few classes every day
• 18 percent of Skidmore College students text during class a few times per week
• 60 percent of college students are addicted to their phones.  Students who are waiting to hear back from someone can’t resist answering their phone.

While cell phone addictions are bad on their own, the habit can be much more serious if those who text dare extend their addiction to vehicles.  Many states have banned texting while driving and some states have banned cell phone use in vehicles all together for safety purposes.  Thousands of people have died because they were using their cell phones or got into an accident with someone using their cell phone.  For this reason, there are heavy fines to people who are caught doing this deadly habit.  A fine may sound horrible, but it cannot compare to getting seriously injured due to lack of attention to the road.

The road is not the only place being affected by overuse of cell phones.  Classrooms also have numerous problems due to students using their cell phones in class.  Even if cell phone usage is disallowed in classrooms, there are obviously students who use their phones for texting purposes anyway.  This creates huge problems in classrooms for both students and professors.  Dr. Elaine Brown, Department Chair of the English Department, feels that cell phones do not cause many problems for her class.  “I don’t mind cell phones in the classroom, cell phones rarely ring during my classes and when it has happened, it was an oversight and the student apologized for the interruption,” says Dr. Brown.  Dr. Brown’s class syllabus does make a statement about cell phones and how they should be turned off to avoid interrupting the class.  Like all NYIT classrooms, texting is not allowed during lectures, which both Dr. Brown and students agree that it is rude.  Students are very cooperative in Dr. Brown’s class and only use their cell phones when they need to look at the time, since there is no clock in the classroom, or to look up the meaning of a word or something relevant to the class discussion.

Some professors are still fighting the addictions students have to their cell phones.  Others have sadly given up and are now reinforcing the habit to continue. Collegedegrees.com has shared that some university professors can’t prevent their students from texting underneath their desks during lectures.  A number of these professors have even allowed students to take “tech breaks,” which gives the students in-class intermissions for tweeting and texting.  The belief to this system is that students can use their cell phones or laptops and get it over with, but this is not going to make the phone addictions go away and will actually make them worse.

Cell phone addiction, however, can affect more than just your grades.  According to Collegedegrees.com, some people are so addicted to using their mobile phones that they go as far as sleep texting, which is what it sounds like.  Sleep texting involves cell phone users who shut their eyes after a text and then opening them after receiving an answer back just to do it all over again.  This leaves both cell phone addicts sleep-deprived and often unable to even remember what they texted about over the night.  An article published by The Chronicle of Higher Education reported on a study of more than 200 students at the University of Rhode Island showed that sleep texters have lost an average of 45 minutes of sleep each week because of their cell phones.  The 45 minutes sleep text caused them to lose the first third of the night, which is when sleep is the deepest.

Another danger of cell phone addiction is the attachment the students have to the phone itself.  “The World Unplugged Project” at the University of Maryland asked over 1,000 students from 10 countries to go without any form of media for 24 hours.  “I felt something very similar to a phantom limb, only it would be like phantom cell phone,” says Ryan Blondino, a student at the University of Maryland who participated.  Professor Susan Moeller, who conducted the study, said over 50 percent of students last the full 24 hours and all students said they suffered from withdrawal symptoms in some way.  Alleyne has made his point that cell phones have become this generation’s security blanket.

If you feel you are constantly looking at your phone or your computer and want to stop, go to cellphoneaddiction.org to get some information that could make it easier to stop relying on your cell phone.  If you feel you still can’t quit using your phone after attempting to get away from it, try and seek professional help to break your addiction.

Are you addicted to your cell phone?  Take this quiz and find out:

Questions to Ask…

1. Is cell phone usage overtaking other parts of your life? As noted above, this could be anything from poor performance in the classroom to a lack of exercise. In most cases, it is obvious when there is an addiction.

2. Do you feel like you have to be talking or texting at all times? This is when major problems begin to set in. You may feel as if you have to text while in school or driving your car. In this case, it is important to get professional help as soon as possible.

3. Has it changed your relationships for the worse? It is a shame, but cell phone addiction in teenagers often times cuts them off from friends and family. Even though you may be spending your time on your cell phone, communicating with others, face to face interaction is extremely important.

Information provided by cellphoneaddiction.org

A tip to us from Rolland is “The 3 part breathing technique would be good for both deep breathing and stress symptoms. You sit comfortably in a chair, feet flat on floor, spine straight, shoulders and jaw relaxed. You place your right hand on your belly, left hand on lap. As you breathe in, bring awareness to the rising belly as you place your hand there. Then you exhale, awareness on the decreasing belly. You do these five times then place your hands on your ribs. Repeat process here, then finally your chest. This is great to de-stress.”

Students should look into trying out yoga. “Yoga can play a role on their life if they let it. It depends on the student. In my case, it does because it allows you to relax and take on school responsibilities more fully with a clearer mind and exercising 2-3 times a week is good.”

In the Yoga Journal, Roger Cole stated, “When you hurt your inner knee doing yoga, it’s usually because you’ve tried to force a leg into Padmasana or one of its variations. Sometimes the injury occurs after one or both legs are already in Lotus position and you attempt a pose that adds a back-bending movement, such as Matsyasana (Fish Pose), or a forward-bending movement, such as Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana (Half-Bound Lotus Seated Forward Bend).” “The safest way to practice Padmasana and related poses is to strongly rotate your thigh outward at the hip and not go deeper into the pose when you reach the limit of your outward rotation. This means that you’ll have to stop lifting your foot when your thigh stops rotating, so you may not get your foot on the opposite thigh. (Remember the upside: happy, functional, pain-free knees.) You can use your hands or a strap to help rotate your thighbone outward. Whether using your hands, a strap, or a cloth if your knee ends up dangling in midair, support it with a folded blanket so you do not inadvertently force it downward as you turn the thigh outward.”
“Yoga is healthier than coffee, with the same results.” This is a saying written on the flyer that is advertising the yoga class. Rolland goes into detail elaborating on the statement, he says, “ It refers to the fact that we drink coffee for a “boost,” whether that means an energy boost/ mental boost, whenever we need to get things done. The problem with coffee is that we normally feel sluggish, dehydrated, and wanting more after a few hours. Yoga can give you the energy boost, naturally. In connecting the mind with body through the breath, through concentration, you raise your energy throughout the body. These energy channels are known as chakras. In working through the postures, you generate energy by the very effort you put into the practice. This is true with exercise as well.” He also states, “There is a connection between the brain and exercise. When we exercise, the brain releases chemicals that increase neuron growth, in turn, increasing cognitive function. Also, more oxygen is sent to the brain as a result of exercise. All of these factors help us educationally.”

There are other facilities on the campus to exercise; the Student Activity Center (although under renovations) has a gym and space for exercise. The class is open to everyone. Just come with a yoga mat, as yoga mats are limited, and a towel. We are asking for a donation of $3, but if a person wants to practice and cannot pay, they are welcome too. We don’t want to but attention on the money, rather on the practice. The donation is to help the Student OT Association send a representative
to the National Conference this spring and materials for the OT lab.

Don’t forget yoga is a great way to boost energy and health so stop by the 500 building, room 511 during free hour and give it a try!

Hello Campus Slate Readers,

I hope everyone is having a great semester as we have reached the midway point of the spring semester with Spring Break just around the corner.

Inside our March issue we have a great variety of articles that you all will enjoy, one issue among college students for years has been involving drinking and with St. Patrick’s Day approaching this weekend, we have an article on what you should be aware about with alcoholic beverages. With the annual Job Fair approaching in a few weeks, we are preparing you this month for what you need to know as you get ready for this big event.

This month we highlight some individuals of the NYIT family who have made news on and off campus. The Campus Slate faculty advisor and Communication Arts Professor John Hanc along with his co authors from Harvard University released his 10^th book in January, “Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life” and they recently appeared at popular bookstore, Book Revue in Huntington to sign and discuss the novel. You will also meet Julia Garcia inside this issue, Julia is an NYIT graduate and former staff writer of Campus Slate and she released a novel as well this month.

Recently, the NYIT Architecture Program has made some news with work done on and off campus and you will read all about it inside the issue. In addition, we also preview this week’s Wednesday Night Flicks film “Meet John Doe” which will be shown on March 14^th at 5:30pm in the de Seversky Center.

In sports, we preview the upcoming season for both the Baseball and Softball teams and introduce you to some of the Athletes from all our teams this spring whom are spotlighted in our returning segment “Bears to Watch.” Also in sports, Athletic Director Clyde Doughty recently hit a milestone in his NYIT Athletic career having been in his position now for 30 years and we take you in depth in what Clyde’s day is like along with a trip down memory lane of the past 30 years. On behalf of The Campus Slate, we congratulate Clyde on this milestone and for many more great years!

Don’t forget to read Joe Fortine’s blog, “Words for the Working World” and my blog “The Intern Experience” only on www.campusslate.com. Also don’t forget to keep up with the latest news on our website in addition to adding us on Facebook and Twitter @nyitcampusslate.

Enjoy Reading and Have a Great Spring Break!!!

John Santamaria

Editor in Chief

But there are some NYIT students who are already well on their way to making their first million, unburdened by the worries of who will hire them when they receive their degree from NYIT; they’ve already taken a passion and turned it into a small business.

One such grad student turned entrepreneur is Julia Testa, who will complete her MA in Communication Arts this winter. I met Julia in an evening class at the Old Westbury campus, to which she commutes from New Jersey, and she kindly agreed to be interviewed for this installment of “Words for the Working World”. Julia has taken a unique approach to entrepreneurship, donating ten percent of her profits from every sale to charity.

I asked Julia some of the questions I thought every student might ask about starting your own business, and she was frank, open and happy to pass on her experience.

JF: Julia, how far along are you towards your degree, I’m assuming you’re going for the MA in Communication Arts?

JT: The end is near! I will be graduating this winter. I actually went through every summer and every break without stopping. My concentration is Advertising and Public Relations – MA in Communication Arts.

JF: How long have you been in business for yourself?

JT: I started my business in May 2010. It worked out perfectly because I create my own work schedule so I’m flexible enough to concentrate on school. Now that the business has picked up (or doubled rather), I can’t say that luxury still exists! But I’m happy to have the business and I still make sure my school work always gets done.

JF: Could you say a few words about your business, for example, what inspired you to go into the business? How did you get it off the ground? What hurdles did you have to overcome, and of course, what are the things you love best about your business as well as the things you like least about your business?

JT: I created “Love & Philanthropy Flowers and Events” with a talent for floral design and a love for events and charities. I wanted to do something no one else was doing in this economy – give back to the community as a small business owner. When I first started, my biggest hurdle was budgeting finances. I’m a people person and a people pleaser. With that said, it was difficult for me to stay “within budget” for an event. I always wanted to add more and make the decor grander and more expensive. I thought that going above and beyond by giving my clients more than what they paid for would eventually pay off – because of rave reviews and positive word-of-mouth. What ended up happening was that “word-on-the-street was that I was “giving away the shop”. It took me a while to stick to my prices and charge people appropriately. My advice would be: when you first start a business, it’s always easier to lower your prices than it is to increase your prices. Essentially, I was being “too nice” and I wasn’t being appropriately compensated for my work. Know your worth! And make sure you get what you deserve.

Things I love best about my business: 1.) I can call the shots. 2.) The harder I work the more money I make. 3.) I get to meet new people every day and be creative.

Things I hate most about my business: 1.) Snotty brides. 2.) Consumers that try to shake me down for a cheaper price. 3.) People who have awful taste!

JF: Why did you choose NYIT?

JT: I chose NYIT because it had two campuses. I had the ability to take classes in New York City and on Long Island. Also, I could take classes at night and the minimum part time credit registration was two classes (6 credits). It was also very important to me that most of my professors were working in the PR/Advertising field – which made my education very current and applicable to real life – rather than having a professor who had been retired for 15 years and was teaching as a hobby or the “career professor” who had never worked in the real world.

JF: Are your studies at NYIT enhancing your business?

JT: YES! I actually planned my annual charity event with Professor Bret Tesman, who put me in touch with one of his Public Relations clients who let me use her restaurant space for free, AND he helped me with the silent auction, PR pre/post work, as well as promotional material and e-mail marketing. I donated $4,200 to The Morgan Center charity that night.

My professor and classmates all came and supported my cause. It was amazing. At the Manhattan campus, I produced two promotional videos in the professional studio (both of which are on YouTube and on my website) which gives my website a splash of interactive motion and excitement. I also did the ISES BizBash Event last year and my classmates helped me distributed my press release and media alert. I ended up being covered in “Best Events Magazine” as well as various blogs.

Julia’s website and her YouTube videos are not only of the highest quality, they serve as a powerful example to any NYIT student thinking about taking the leap into business for themselves. The videos are also a great example of the work being done in our Manhattan campus television studio.

Julia has the kind of entrepreneurial spirit and drive that will serve her and her business well in the future, not to mention the charitable organizations to which she donates a tenth of her profits.

Well done, Julia – and best wishes for more success as you graduate with your MA!

The Bears played hard but unfortunately made too many unforced errors. According to Head Coach Gail Wasmus, the team got off to a slow start against Bridgeport. Hitting and blocking were excellent for Bridgeport. The Bears couldn’t stop their hitters out of the middle. “We started with a good service by Tugce and Lisa, but later on we struggled,” says Wasmus. “I felt the team was prepared, but we just didn’t execute.”

The Bears expected their match to be a tough one since Bridgeport was a team they were keeping a look out for. They felt Bridgeport was the biggest challenge for them to overcome before the NCCA Tournament. The last three matches against Bridgeport ended up with 1 win and 2 losses.

While the team did meet an early defeat, the Bears had a great season having an overall record of 19-9 with a second place regular-season finish in the ECC with an 11-2 mark. “I think we had a great season,” says Wasmus. “We went on a streak of 16-1 at one point.” Getting to the NCAA Tournament was a great achievement on its own. The Bears were very happy to accomplish their goal of getting into the NCAA Tournament.

Shelby Cable and Lisa Peacock were named to the 2011 Daktronics All-East Season second team. Peacock anchored the NYIT defense this season, averaging a conference-beast 4.72 digs per set. She got double-digit digs on 23 instances, including a season high of 32 against Kutztown on September 1. During that match, Peacock became the eighth Bear in program history to build up 1,000 career digs. She is currently second-all time with 1,417. Her efforts got her named East Coast Conference Libero of the Year for the third season in the row.

Cable led the Bears with 4.54 kills per set and added 30 acres, 33 blocks and grabbed 298 digs. For the majority of the season, Cable has been ranked in the top-10 nationally in kills per set and total points. For the second season in a row, she received All-ECC first team accolades.

The Bears achieved their goal and are happy they were able to get into the NCAA Tournament after a five year absence. Everyone worked hard and put in a good effort to get the team to the NCAA Tournament. The Bears had such a great season and they look forward to doing even better next season.

On Nov. 8, NYIT held a texting and driving seminar organized under the auspices of a company called Peers Awareness. This seminar was designed to teach students how much their driving can be affected when they are trying to text and drive at the same time.

Immediately, you knew this was not going to be your ordinary free hour event, simply because there was a car involved—yes, a car, parked right in the middle of the quad. A silver Chevy Aveo was put in the center of the quad with sensor pads and wires connected to it and to a computer to show you how students drive when they are texting. Students signed a pledge to not text and drive, got into the car, adjusted the seat, put on the virtual reality goggles and saw how they would drive if they were texting. While driving, the person working the computer asked the drivers to text something on their cell phones, such as “What are you doing tonight?” or “See you in a minute.” 72 students participated in this event and had varying results. Some students crashed, many others narrowly avoided an accident.

Many students tried it—and crashed. Luckily it was a simulation. There are students, however, who were still not convinced. “I think the simulation was not quite as accurate as it could have been,” says Ralph DeMayo, a senior student majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies. DeMayo tried the simulator twice and crashed both times but blamed the machine. “The machine made it difficult texting or no texting because the brakes had trouble working at times.”

The website Straight Talk Law, calls texting and driving an addiction, and a dangerous one. According to an article on their website, a 23-year old named Tyler Strandberg has totaled three cars in the past three years. All of the accidents were because she was either talking or texting on her phone. Strandberg has learned that texting and driving is asking for trouble. “Sometimes I will zone out and forget I’m driving,” says Strandberg. “If I’m on the phone talking about something that takes up all my focus, I’m looking straight ahead — but not even seeing what’s there. Wow! That’s a recipe for a serious accident.” That was the purpose of the NYIT demonstration: To remind us how harmful texting and driving can be to both the driver and the people around them. A driver’s concentration can be severely reduced when they are texting, putting on make-up or doing anything that could distract them. According to textingaccidents.com, driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent (Source: Carnegie Mellon). In other words, when you text and drive, you’ve lost over a third of your attention, while simultaneously trying to operate a multi-ton motor vehicle at 55 miles per hour.

Here are some sobering statistics on distracted driving from textingaccidents.com.

• Nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted driver, and more than half a million were injured. (Source: NHTSA)

• Drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes.

• Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

• Using a cell phone use while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver’s reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah)

While potential death or serious injury are very good reasons to stop texting and driving, there are also legal consequences that can come from it as well. According to Newsday, law enforcement officials across the state issued 1,082 tickets for violating the texting and driving offense. Violators faced two points on their license and up to a $150 fine. Getting caught by law enforcement is not something you want to deal with just because you were texting while driving. You will lose time and money if you are caught violating the offense. If you feel like texting your friend, it is best to do it when you are not in the driver’s seat.

Talking on your cell phone can increase your chances of a collision by 400 percent.

Then again, chances are you know that texting and driving is dangerous. It’s just common sense. So why do so many people…especially students…continue to do it? “A common reason people text and drive is because they are pressured to respond to their friends as soon as they can,” said Paulette Giambalvo, Assistant Director of NYIT’s Wellness Services, which hosted the free hour seminar. “People can feel pressured to respond to their friends quickly because they worry their friends will be upset with them if they don’t.” If you ever feel pressured to send a text message to your friend while you are driving, ask yourself: Is it worth getting into an accident over…is your rapid response worth your life?

Box the Below:

According to a CNBC article written by Phil J. LeBeau, a CNBC auto and airline industry reporter, texting and driving is actually worse than drinking and driving. A magazine conducted a test to see which of the two were worse for a driver to do. The test involved seeing how long it took to hit the brake when sober, when legally drunk at .08, when reading an e-mail, and when sending a text.

The results came out to show the following information:
• Unimpaired: .54 seconds to brake
• Legally drunk: add 4 feet
• Reading e-mail: add 36 feet
• Sending a text: add 70 feet

This test shows that texting and driving is actually worse than drinking and driving. With all of the accidents that people have seen from drinking and driving, think of how many more accidents happen because people were driving while they were texting to their friend. According to a CNBC report published on Jun. 25, 2009, the reason that people are not as outraged with texting and driving as they are with drinking and driving is because there have not been as many accidents publicized about texting and driving as there have been about drinking and driving. It is believed that it will take more accidents and deaths to change peoples’ views on texting and driving. So maybe now, to go along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), we need Mothers Against Texting and Driving (MATD).

! Senior Day
$ Scrimmage
# ECC/NE-10 Conference Challenge
*East Coast Conference game

It was here, when he joined NYIT’s school newspaper, the Campus Slate that his love for journalism began. Under his watch, the paper won a number of awards leading to Horton being presented with the prestigious Presidential Service Award on graduation.
 
“As editor of the Gold Coast Gazette, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many interesting people,” said Mr. Horton, who also mentors over 50 interns and students. Kevin Horton has most recently helped in the production of his children’s elementary school, All Saints Regional, student newspaper and taught a class in Journalism. He is a member of the Long Island Press Association and the New York Press Association. His newest endeavor is to bring his experiences with the many entrepreneurs to the small screen, on his new public access cable TV show “Kevin’s Corner,” which premiered last month.

Recently, The Campus Slate interviewed the former editor-in-chief, two decades after his graduation, and on the occasion of his latest venture. As he looked back 20 years to his graduation from NYIT, Mr. Horton said that, despite many technological changes, twenty years later the world is much the same. In 1991, he points out, America was in a recession much as it is today. In recent years, Mr. Horton has been on a mission to open a new chapter in his life. As for Kevin of 1991, he was doing much the same; getting ready to step out on his own into what must have seemed like a world of uncertainty. Making the decision to start his own publication was a bit risky but for Kevin it was nothing to fear, he had a plan. He still does.

Q: How has NYIT propelled you to be in the position your are in now?
A: I was editor of the school newspaper, the Campus Slate for three years. Freshman year reporter.Sophomore, Junior to Graduation- 3 years, Editor in chief. I was a communication arts major and initially wanted to go into television for camera work. But when I got onto the slate newspaper business sort of got into my blood. My mother had had a monthly newspaper in the 1970′s when was young. Making Kevin’s Corner TV should be a smooth transition since the newspaper has been a great success and I’ve always thought the stories we’ve been telling would also make a great television show.

Q: What was your First position after leaving NYIT?
A: Upon graduation from NYIT in June of 1991 my mother and I started the first issue of the Gold Coast Gazette in September. We’ve been printing every week ever since.

Q: Can you give me a brief description about the Newspaper you created? Same for the TV show?
A: The newspaper is a weekly newspaper covering the North Shore of Long Island. Hometown news by hometown people. We like to tell the stories that people enjoy knowing about each other. Birth announcements, weddings, birthdays, etc. One of the most cherished features are the “gossip columns” something my mother was famous for. In them were not bad gossip, as some might think, it’s the good gossip, like the birth announcements, children’s accomplishments. Years, and years, later people will say, “Oh yea, I remember when I was in the paper, I still have the clipping.” The “gossip” column I have in the Gazette is called Kevin’s Corner. Kevin’s Corner “TV” is an extension of that, highlighting our local people.

Q: How hard was it to get stated?
A: As I attempted to get financial backers, time and time again, I ask if was crazy for wanting to start up a newspaper business or let alone any type any business in a recession. Being told “No” only got me revved up more and gave me the drive and determination to make it happen. Both my mother and I went to potential advertisers and told them our plans and asked for payment up front to cover the first week… Twenty years later, they have been printed every week since and have grown to be the largest weekly on the North Shore of Long Island with over an 8,000 loyal subscription base. The newspaper is hometown news by hometown people.

Q: What are the kinds of thing you cover in the Gold Coast Gazette, and what do you plan to cover in Kevin’s Corner?
A: “We like to tell the stories that people enjoy knowing about each other: birth announcements, weddings, birthdays, etc. One of the most cherished features are the “gossip columns,” something my mother was famous for. In them were not bad gossip, as some might think, it’s the good gossip, like the birth announcements, and children’s accomplishments. Years, and years later people will say to me, “Oh yeah, I remember when I was in the paper, I still have the clipping.” The “gossip” column in the Gazette is called Kevin’s Corner. Kevin’s Corner “TV.” is an extension of that, highlighting our local people.

Q: So now tell us about Kevin’s Corner, when it started and where it’s going:
A: As long as Cablevision does its part the future of Kevin’s Corner TV looks bright. It’s a weekly show, airing every Friday night at 10pm on Channel 115. It premiered on October 7, 2011. Each half hour show is usually two segments of 15 minutes with different guests. Usually there is a theme, for example on November 4 the show featured Authors… Marylyn Martone with Michele – Marilyn Martone is a recently retired associate professor of moral theology at St. John’s University. Michele shows her remarkable recovery after a horrific car accident when she was a teen. The family was told she would never function again. Marilyn talks about her struggle with the accident and her career. In the second segment we feature NYIT’s own John Hanc, a local author, freelance writer for Newsday, The New York Times, etc. and a runner. So we talked about running and writing.

Q: How have professors at NYIT affected you on a professional level?
A: We had a lot of great professors at NYIT. I especially like the fact that they are not just teachers but true professionals in the field. They aren’t just teaching journalism, but have or are experiencing it, so you can trust the information they are giving.

Q: Are you still involved with NYIT and their staff in your current life?
A: I’ve been keeping in touch with John Hanc. I was also recently at a meeting with NYIT President Dr. Edward Guliano. He was the advisor for the Campus Slate when I was editor in chief. I enjoy giving back to NYIT and participating whenever possible. Last commencement, 2011, I had the opportunity to write a piece for the Campus Slate about the world 20 years after graduation.

Q: Name a professor that had the greatest affect on you while attending NYIT and is now reflected in your work today?
A: Many of the professors were great. Bernie Bard, who was retired from the New York Post was the most colorful. He would have us write leads, saying it was the most important part of a story. He would have us write our leads on the board and then critique them. If he liked it he would shout, “[expletive] beautiful lead!” If he really liked your lead he’d plop a dollar down on your desk. One time he threw his entire wallet at a student!

Q: What inspired you to do Kevin’s Corner TV?
A: Thenewspaper has been a great success and I’ve always thought the stories we’ve been telling would also make a great television show.

Q: What classes at NYIT helped you develop Kevin’s Corner TV?
A:The entire Communication arts department is fantastic. I was involved in the radio station early on and did an internship with Cablevision.

Q-Are you still doing your publication and Kevin’s Corner simultaneously ?
A-Yes, with a great crew in both productions it’s working out well.

Q: How are you dealing with day to day stress with Kevin’s Corner?
A: I have a great crew in both productions that allows me to move simultaneously between projects it’s working out well. I’m actually enjoying the filming. It’s an extension of the Gold Coast Gazette. The features on the guests are usually people I know through the paper and feel they would make great extended stories. My good friend Todd Kopetic has been doing the production and editing of the show. My son Kacey (who is 14) has been helping with filming on the set which is a great thrill for both of us. I’m getting more relaxed with interviewing people… I have to admit my first time I did an interview on camera I was very stressed. It was with Richie and ErenConatta, two accomplished musicians. They were very easy going, it wasn’t that. It was the idea of it before it all started. It was filmed at Cove City Sound Studios, their recording studios located in Glen Cove. As I sat behind a large mixing board and Todd was setting up the lights and cameras, I started to sweat thinking, “Oh, my God, what am I doing here? This is crazy!” But thankfully once the cameras started rolling I found Eren and Richie extremely easy to talk to the show just flowed.

Q: How many people do you currently have work for you or with you?
A: We have a production person for the Gold Coast Gazette as well as many freelance reporters, sales people, circulation, legals, etc.

Q: What do you think the future will bring for the publication and Kevin’s Corner TV?
A: The Gold Coast Gazette is so established in the community that I think its life will continue forever. The New York Press Association, of which I’m a member, did a study of all local weekly newspaper and evaluated their future with the advent of the web. They determined that the web is not a threat to local newspapers because people will always seek them out for local news. I’ve also found that even if a bunch of photos are posted of an event by local photographers people will call up the Gazette and ask for extra copies of a paper because we had their child in the paper. The fact that we use ink gives validity to the printing of the photo.
This past week (November 8) we launched a special e-edition of the Gazette which is a great “Green” alternative to the print edition. A link can be found at the Gazette’s web site:

GoldCoastGazette.net

Q: Can you share one of the biggest stories you covered on both your show and newspaper that mean a lot to you on a personal or professional level?
A:There have been so may with the newspaper over the years it’s hard to pinpoint one. The stories that touch people’s lives in a positive way are the ones I’m most proud of. It’s gotten to the point that now adults are saying to me, for example, “Oh, I remember when I was in the Gold Coast Gazette when I was in middle school. I won the spelling bee and you took my photo and put it in the paper. My mother still has the clipping in an album.” Those stories are nice to hear. As far as Kevin’s Corner TV goes, I hope we are sending a positive message and telling people’s stories as well as giving people great information. For example, in the December 2nd show we have Michael Gaeta an educator, writer, publisher in the field of natural healthcare. He tells us how we as individuals can care for ourselves in a more natural and holistic way. We learn how to keep our bodies in a healthier state, therefore trying to avoid the need for intense medications. Michael’s mission is to teach us how to live healthier, and how to then spread that knowledge of health to others. This is one of our more in depth and thought provoking episodes to date. Michael Gaeta is a world renown acupuncturist who founded Acupuncture for Veterans, an organization which provides free and low-cost treatment in New York for US Veterans.

Q: How many viewers do you have on a weekly basis?
A: Cablevision doesn’t really keep track of the viewers but the response has been fantastic. After the shows air o n Cablevision they are immediately posted to a YouTube site titled, “KevinsCornerTV”.

Q: What advice can you give to our readers and aspiring journalists?
A: Journalism has changed with the advent of the internet and sadly everyone with a keyboard and a web site thinks they are a journalist. Remember, a true journalist doesn’t show his or her opinion in a proper news story. In the best news story the reader goes away knowing all the facts to make their own opinion and never knows yours.

Q:Many people have their own ways of defining journalism. What is your way?
A:To quote my mother: “We simply hold a mirror up to the community.”

Q: What is your next course of action?
A: From the television show the production editor of the show, Todd Kopetic and I have started a division called, “Gold Coast Productions.” At Gold Coast Productions, we offer HD Video services to help businesses achieve the most out of advertising. TV, Web, Corporate, Personal, Professional High Definition Video. We are offering: Royality Free Music, Custom Composition,
Profession Voice Over Script, Writing Actors, Spokes Persons, and YouTube Promotion
Digitial Effects On Location Video .To date it’s been a huge success and we’ve produced a number of commercials. Samples can be seen on our YouTube Channel: Gcproductionsvideo the website is: www.gcproductions.net
　

It’s hard to believe that this is the final week of the fall semester here at NYIT and I hope everyone has had a successful semester in both academics and enjoying the college experience. This semester for me has been a semester of change as I took over the role of editor in chief of The Campus Slate this year and a position I will continue at until I graduate next May.

I am very proud of what I accomplished this semester for the Slate as I helped transform this publication into a monthly format and working with my staff to also make our website www.campusslate.com a better site for readers to keep up with the NYIT news all the time.

My first semester as editor in chief couldn’t have been more successful then what it was and I look forward to next spring and continuing to make this publication better each day. I am also very proud of my Slate staff and the work they’ve done this semester in which you have read each and every month and including our final issue which you are reading right now.

I’d also like to give thanks to my great staff of editors; Faculty Advisor Professor John Hanc, Managing Editor Kyle Reitan, Layout Editor Maciej Krasienko, Co Web Editors Sanj Singh and Rajay Edwards, and Art Director Roshni Ashar for all their hard work to make this publication what it was this semester. We began working in August to prepare for the semester and I can speak for all of us editors, we are very happy with the product we placed out on campus.
Every semester at The Campus Slate is a semester of change and next spring will certainly be one as we say goodbye to two of our editors who will be preparing for post college life, Layout Editor Maciej Krasienko and Co Web Editor Sanj Singh. We will miss them both and wish them the best of luck in the future. I am exciting to announce Roshni Ashar will be promoted to Layout Editor and Ty Jenkins one of our staff writers and photographer will be promoted to Co Web Editor this coming spring.

Just because we will be taking the Holiday break in a few weeks doesn’t mean The Campus Slate won’t be reporting news until February. Keep up with our website www.campusslate.com and add us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @nyitcampusslate to keep up with the latest NYIT news before you return to campus to begin the spring 2012 semester.
From the entire Slate staff to all of you, Happy Holidays!!!
John Santamaria
Editor in Chief

The holiday commemorates the actions of Abraham when he was asked to sacrifice his son, Ishmael. In Muslim tradition, when Ishmael was being sacrificed, he was replaced by a gat by God in reward for Abraham’s faith. During the holiday, Muslims sacrifice an animal as homage to the sacrifice made by Abraham. The sacrifice is a symbol of Abraham’s complete devotion to God, called Allah in Islam.

During the day of Eid, Muslims gather to pray in the morning and then they sacrifice cattle at the butcher’s and take it home. The animal is actually physically slaughtered by a man and then taken home after it is cleaned. The meat is then split into three portions: one for the poor, one for friends and family, and one for your own household. Even here, in New York, people donate their portion for the needy to several local charities. In a way, the holiday resembles Thanksgiving, with lavish meals and many donations to express gratitude for everything that we have.

Since Eid is one of two Muslim holidays, the other one being after the month of fasting called Ramadan, celebrations are very festive. Muslims, on Eid day, spend time with their family and friends eating lots of sweets and meat dishes, much like people on any normal holiday would. Sadia Khan, a junior BS/DO student, says, “Eid is amazing because it is the only chance families, friends, and loved ones are able to get together and celebrate. It is a day we take out of our busy lives to have fun and be happy. The joy includes wearing the best clothes you own, putting on henna, and eating meat!” The reason meat is so abundantly eaten is because it had just been freshly slaughtered, so it only makes sense to make lots of meaty dishes to enjoy.

At NYIT, the holiday was celebrated by the Muslim Student Association (MSA), at an Eid banquet on November 9. Everyone, Muslim and non-Muslims, was invited to dress up and play games in belated festivities for the holiday. Elsaid Salem, a speaker at the banquet, says, “Eid is a time for everyone to be happy. It’s a celebration; we visit neighbors and family; we share gifts, love, and fun.” Almost 50 people attended the event in David G. Salten Hall to enjoy and commemorate-and for the non-Muslims in attendance- to learn more about the holiday. 
Those wishing to learn more about Eid, or even Islam, can attend an MSA meeting, which occurs every Thursday during free hour in room 312. MSA meetings consist of games and interactive lectures about Islam. To learn more, email the MSA at nyitmsa@gmail.com or visit the NYIT MSA facebook page.

On March 11th, Japan was struck by terrible disasters causing widespread devastation and loss of life. The largest earthquake to ever affect Japan struck the eastern coast, and led to a tsunami that caused the ocean to reach six miles inland. Both of these events led to the failure of a nuclear station located in Fukushima.

In the nine months that have followed, the nation has been feverishly rebuilding infrastructure, homes, office buildings, hospitals, and schools. This was all in addition to mourning the loss of nearly 16,000 people.
In October, I was able to travel to the affected areas to experience firsthand what the rebuilding was like. After learning that I would not be able to go within 40 miles of the Fukushima DaichiPower Plant, due to radiation concerns,
I wondered how much I would be able to learn about the damage caused by these natural disasters.

Koriyama is a medium size city in the Fukushima Prefecture (in Japan, a prefecture is a division of government similar to a state). It is located about 150 miles north of Tokyo and 40 miles west of the failed nuclear reactor. For the purposes of comparison, I had to recall my trip to Koriyama in 2008. Buildings, power lines, and gas lines are all something that can be rebuilt, what interested mewas the attitudes of the people. What I found brought me right back to the months following the 9/11 attacks.

The Japanese focus on recovery, rebuilding, and sticking together as a nation reminded me of the universal patriotism after 9/11. Politics, economics, and personal beliefs are all being set aside in order to reach a common goal- making a country complete again after being struck with tragedy.

It was an important lesson for an American to be reminded how the enormous task of rebuilding must be carried out with delicate precision and careful attention to the memories of victims.

What’s going on in Japan is exactly what happened to us a decade ago.
The sad reality that struck me was the realization that in time, the Japanese, too, will be launched so far into recovery efforts things will go back to being “normal.” Sure, maybe there will be more earthquake drills and greater nuclear regulations, just the same as our travel screening and counterterrorism efforts on our homeland. But someday, these will all become a part of life, not a mandatory addition after a tragedy.

I turned 18 two months after 9/11. Suddenly I was responsible for my own actions, and had to carefully contemplate every decision I made. During the same period of time, our country matured and was entering an era where action and decisions are all made with care. Japan is now entering a time of growth- not physical or economic, but safety and preservation of life are now most important to the weather-beaten island nation.As Americans, and a group of people that were scarred by tragedy, we must stand by Japan, and provide as much support and empathy as we are able.
During my four day visit to Japan, I learned that the recovery process isn’t as simple as being able to erect buildings and remove debris. Instead it relies on the people sticking together to reach a common goal. For a short period of time, politics, personal beliefs, and minor differences are put aside to work together towards a common goal. As an American, it is unfortunately all too easy to provide empathy to a nation struggling to overcome tragedy. We’ve been there, and it only helps us provide support to Japan.

More than 50 students from the School of Architecture and Design proposed ideas and renderings for the center, which will address the growing waste removal problem in Nosara, a small community on the Pacific coast. Three teams will be chosen to travel in January 2012 to present their work to the community, then use feedback to refine the projects.

The NYIT community will have an opportunity to vote on favorite projects through a competition on Facebook. Voting begins on Tuesday, Nov. 29 and closes on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. EST. The team with the most votes will travel with two teams previously selected by a panel of judges on Nov. 28.

The project will help students learn to design and build structures. The students’ entries range from repurposing used shipping pallets as building material to innovative roof geometries for building ventilation.

The ideas are the basis for an interdisciplinary project with faculty and students from the School of Architecture and Design and the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences. It is led by Tobias Holler, AIA, LEED AP, assistant professor of architecture, and Sarah Meyland, associate professor of environmental technology.

They will research Costa Rica’s tropical forest ecosystem for possible architectural and engineering strategies, and will apply this research to the design and construction of an actual building. Later, the groups will help local volunteers construct the building in Costa Rica.

“This project is an excellent opportunity for students to help solve a pressing need in a rural community through applications-oriented research and career-oriented professional education,” said Holler. “I am very impressed with the enthusiasm, hard work, and talent of our students who are working on this outside of class, in addition to their already busy schedules.”

The NYIT team has an opportunity to creatively explore the concepts of passive tropical architecture, while experimenting with innovative ways to use local materials and building techniques, Holler said. The project echoes his research on using environmental performance as a generator for architectural form.

The project is part of the ongoing student-led architecture build (sLAB) initiative at NYIT’s School of Architecture and Design. It will involve the NYIT community service chapters of Freedom by Design and Engineers Without Borders. Veritas University in San Jose, Costa Rica will serve as the local partner university for the project.

Vote for your favorite projects!

1.Become a fan of the Nosara Design Build Studio NYIT Facebook page.
2.Review all seven finalists’ proposals under the photos tab, and feel free to comment. We want to hear your thoughts.
3.Vote for your favorite project by submitting your vote to the online poll under the “questions” tab on the Facebook site.
4.Spread the word. We want to get as many people in the community as possible engaged in the process.
Voting will begin on Tuesday, Nov. 29 and close on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. EST.

About NYIT
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in more than 90 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institution of higher education, NYIT has more than 14,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT sponsors 11 NCAA Division II programs and one Division I team.

Led by President Edward Guiliano, NYIT is guided by its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, offer access to opportunity to all qualified students, and support applications-oriented research that benefits the larger world. To date, 89,000 graduates have received degrees from NYIT. For more information, visit nyit.edu.

###

Contact
Briana Samuels
Communications Specialist
646.273.6022
brianasamuels@nyit.edu

No, really, it is.

I wish I could write something clever, something glib, something redeeming or even remotely uplifting about the stench emanating from State College, PA if only for the sake of the victims – children – in this repulsive episode. I wish I could raise everyone’s consciousness to the four-alarm fire that is burning in Pennsylvania and throughout our country, our culture, and our collective conscience (or lack of conscience).

While most of us in the NYIT community might view this like some freak show in a small town far away from our sophisticated environs, the truth is that it concerns every one of us.

There have been times when writing past stories and even class assignments when I referenced historic milestones such as the Kennedy and King Assassinations, the Viet Nam War and the Watergate Scandal (to name just a few), self-righteously proclaiming how they contributed to my “loss of innocence” and “jaded viewpoint”. The world as it had been explained to me ceased to exist in light of those events; my journey from childhood through adolescence to adulthood, and my sense of the world as a place that made sense would forever be tarnished.

But I was lucky; I came from a big family, with two educated, supportive parents and five lively siblings. In our home, open discussion of world events was encouraged. Little was hidden from us as kids. In spite of the horrors of the world around us, we learned how to cope, how to settle disputes through discussion instead of violence, and most importantly, how to experience the world as a fundamentally good place, where we were safe. And when it came to intimate contact with another human being, the ground rules were never a moving target.

Right was right, and wrong was wrong. And wrong meant consequences.

Witnessing what has occurred at Penn State, I fear that world is gone, or at best, it is circling the drain. The only questions I have left are, how far down the ladder of depravity will the rich and powerful descend to protect the “good name” of an institution? How much delusion can money buy? If anyone in your life, anyone close to you, has been the victim of child molestation, you know where I’m coming from. There is nothing more dreadful on this earth any person should suffer. And anyone who could perpetrate such wanton acts of degeneracy cannot possibly be punished enough.

I grew up in football country – in Northeastern Ohio, just minutes from the westernmost border of Pennsylvania. As a rabid football fan throughout high school and college, the name Joe Paterno was synonymous with … God! Paterno’s record is the stuff of which legends are made – as was his reputation for running a football program where ethics were written in stone.

It’s no secret that college sports have been suffering a decline in recent years, but it isn’t sports that is the reason for that decline. College athletics help institutions build tradition, character, and provide a sense of community when operated within the boundaries of striving for excellence in higher education. Indeed, under Paterno’s watch, Penn State’s program has never been sanctioned by the NCAA for a major violation, and enjoys one of the highest graduation percentages for athletes in Division I-A football.

It’s money. Face it folks, if you haven’t already. What has happened at Penn State is not merely beyond criminal. Yes, the perpetrators of the incidents, the participants in the cover-up, and any Penn State University employee who knew of these crimes and did nothing, said nothing, and looked the other way should be swiftly tried, convicted, and sentenced to as many successive life sentences as the most hanging judges can pass.

But what has happened at Penn State is merely a reflection of what is at work all around us, destroying us from within as surely as cancer destroys living tissue.

My blog is focused on higher education, careers, and money. So for anyone reading this installment, here’s a lesson for you in what money can do, aside from buying you your latest iPhone or the brand new BMW. From the Wall Street banking, investment and insurance outrages down to even grammar schools, high schools, colleges and universities, the stampede to keep corporate money flowing, increase revenues, and stay on top of the game at any cost has resulted in a culture where “leaders” and “trustees” and “authorities” literally turn their backs on criminal activity occurring in their own high-priced locker rooms, board rooms, and yes, classrooms. Money and power have become synonymous with amorality, and exemption from consequences. Our culture is in decline just as certainly as Rome in its last days – we’re just getting there a lot faster, in great measure thanks to our impersonal, efficiency-driven technological advances that divorce us from humanity, responsibility, and ethics.

NYIT Athletic Director Clyde Doughty Jr. and I had a conversation regarding these events. Clyde spelled it out concisely.

Clyde told me, and I wholeheartedly agree with him, that this is a moment in our lives that is “beyond athletics – it is a societal issue – it’s all about money and power; the values of big business have greatly corrupted the values of higher education, especially in the Division I environment.”

Clyde continued, “the obsession with keeping the millions flowing into Penn State football greatly contributed to a clandestine atmosphere which resulted in power corrupting, and absolute power corrupting absolutely – it was all about ‘protecting the brand’ at any cost.”

When I asked Clyde whether he felt the firing of Joe Paterno was the right action, he did not hesitate. “Absolutely, it was the right thing to do. Paterno was in charge of a program that represented itself as placing equity, humanity, and developing people of character on the playing field above all. But he looked the other way, claiming early on not to have known. Now we learn that isn’t true, so I have to ask myself, what else about Joe Paterno isn’t true?”

Worse, Clyde and I agreed that the accused perpetrator Jerry Sandusky’s “Second Mile” charity – which “targeted at-risk, minority youth” may well prove to be something darker and more degenerate then either he or I care to discuss. “They’ve cast doubt on the program and everyone associated with it” said Clyde, “and while I hope it doesn’t go beyond Jerry Sandusky, the question we may never get an answer to is, how many more lives have been impacted by these deeds?”

It’s clear to even a third-grader that too many people knew what was going on and did nothing. Even the governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, is suspect here – as he was the former attorney general for six of the 15 years Jerry Sandusky is alleged to have molested children, Corbett was the state’s top law enforcer while much of this was occurring. So it stinks all the way to the top of the stadium, and it’s just as clear that it went on for nine years unabated, and that there is quite likely more to it than we will ever know.

Sandusky is facing 40 counts of sexual abuse of children. The President of Sandusky’s “Second Mile” resigned, saying he “hoped his departure would help restore faith in its mission.” This is the same man who recommended that the grand jury indict Sandusky on child abuse charges. (The panel said Sandusky found his victims through the charity’s programs). The former President of Penn State University, Graham Spanier has resigned not only as President but also his position as one of the board of Directors of U.S. Steel Corporation. Joe Paterno’s iconic career is a footnote to his failure to do the right thing – and none of these people are in jail.

Meanwhile, we hear and nearly forget that at least 8, perhaps as many as 15 young, vulnerable and lost children have had their lives destroyed by people who claimed to have their best interests at heart. We don’t know their names; we haven’t seen their faces, and we will never know the horrors they endured. The rich and powerful, even in shame and ruin, get all the ink, the entire spotlight, and all the best protection from consequences that money can buy.

Let’s hope that Shakespeare was right …

“Foul deeds will rise, though all the earth o’erwhelm them, to men’s eyes.”

As the foul deeds committed in Pennsylvania rise to national attention, let’s watch to see if the State of Pennsylvania will rise to the occasion. For there will be no honor at Penn State without successfully bringing the perpetrators of these deeds to full accountability – at any price.

The experienced coaching staff of the team is led by head coach Anthony Crocitto along with assistant coaches Wayne Jones and Lisa Claxton. The team returns with a strong core of key rotation players and a projected starting five of Rebecca Lynch, Cierra Baker, Demitra Apergis, Chantel Diaz and Nikki Jo Rotolo. Cierra Baker, a retuning member of the team averaged 17 points per game and 12 rebounds per game last year. She was named to the all ECC team as well as being named to the All-East region second team. She’s expected to be one of the top players in the conference again. “Cierra Baker is senior captain, last year she was a border line all American… and she’s expected to compete for Conference player of the year,” says coach Crocitto. Coach Crocitto is confident in the abilities of Baker and the rest of his players. “Rebecca lynch is a glue kid and just does everything that’s expected… I would be shocked if she’s not on first or second team all conference and maybe all-defense…Demitra is really blossoming into possibly an all conference player…she’s a workaholic, she’s a gym rat…Chantel Diaz is our starting power forward that can really shoot the ball well and is growing every day,” says coach Crocitto. Coach is very excited about the addition of transfer Nikki Joe Rotollo and is sure she will be a solid player on the team. “She’s going to be very fun to watch…our two transfers Nikki Joe Rotollo and Sabrina Moore will play a lion’s share of minutes.”

Along with the starting players, the team has a solid core of rotation players who are ready to be big contributors and start if needed. “Alexandra Venuto comes off the bench and is a great shooter… I’m excited about my rookies Amber Davis and Monique Walker. Amber Davis has been fantastic in practice and has been above expectations …Monique walker has been in practice and has been fantastic… Chloe Johnson when she’s healthy is one of the best players in the conference,” says coach Crocitto. The coaching staff also has high praise for Ashley Hightower and Ana Komnenovic. “Ashley Hightower…works hard and loves basketball. She has been a nice late addition to our family; Ana Komnenovic…worked very hard this summer to prepare for this coming season. Ana will rebound and be a presence in the paint for us.”

The team is filled with talented players with myriads of accolades and accomplishments who all share one goal, winning. When asked about the goal for the season, Captain Cierra Baker expressed the confidence and potential of the team. “I really think this year we can be undefeated, anything less than one loss is unacceptable.” Chantel Diaz expresses the same attitude, “we want to outwork and outscore anybody.” With the return of many players, the team feels their experience playing with each and their increased chemistry can result in more wins. “we’re together a lot this year, which is going to help us overcome anything in our way,” says Demitra Apergis.

The team recently had a scrimmage against Columbia University, a fierce division 1 opponent and came away with a victory. “They were a Division 1 program and we beat them and that gave us confidence that we’re going to be a good team this season,” says Cierra Baker. The team is ranked 7th in the ECC preseason poll which is based on the previous season’s record. Conference games are scheduled to start on December 6th with a home game against C.W. Post.

“Great effort even after the mistakes” were the words of Bears head coach Sal Lagano in reference to the push made to start the second half, the Wells Fargo Center held thick uncertainty as to whether the underdog Bears would make a game of it at that point. Holding the Wildcats to two scoreless minutes there looked to be a chance but that chance quickly faded over the next four minutes which would see Villanova go up 18 never to relinquish the lead again. The Bears would continue to fight hard not once showing frustration at the circumstances that would lead to a 91-58 loss.

“Eventually talent takes over,” said coach Lagano. His pride in his team was evident, “We can always reference this game” he continued, showing belief that the game would give confidence to the team going forward. The heads of the team weren’t hung low, they came across as understanding the games result “You hope for carryover…the essence of the schedule is Division II” said Athletic Director Clyde Doughty who was also excited to have our team out there against a perennial powerhouse “It was a great opportunity…we’ve been trying to get Villanova for five years” he laughed. The hope is that the Bears can channel the energy from last night’s game going forward into their Division II schedule, if so this could be a special season for the men’s basketball team.

• Development of Ideas • Paragraph Transition
• Introductions and Conclusions • Effective Argumentation
• Thesis Statements • Grammar and Style

Receive Extra Instruction at Any Stage of the Writing Process

• Topic Selection • Early Drafting
• Invention • Final Revisions

Workshop a Variety of Writing Tasks and Documents

• Essays • Creative Writing
• Technical Writing • Resumes and Cover Letters

The Writing Center is Located in Balding House

Fall 2011 Consultation Hours:

Mon: 11:15am-2pm
Tues: 10am-5pm
Wed: 10am-2pm
Thur: 9am-5pm
Writing Workshop

Writing Center wireless laptop computers are available in Balding House for students working on NYIT course assignments at the following times:
Mon – Fri: 10am – 4pm.

For More Information, Call 516-686-7557

Tues., Nov. 22 MBB vs. Caldwell Old Westbury, N.Y. 6 p.m.

Fri. , Nov. 25 WBB vs. Ohio Dominican Old Westbury, N.Y. Noon

Sat., Nov. 26 MBB at Wilmington (Del.) Wilmington, Del. 3 p.m.

Mon., Nov. 28 WBB at Dominican (N.Y.) Orangeburg, N.Y. 6 p.m.

Tue., Nov. 29 MBB vs. Nyack Old Westbury, N.Y. 6 p.m.

Tue., Dec. 6 WBB vs. C.W. Post * Old Westbury, N.Y. 5 p.m.

Wed., Dec. 7 MBB vs. C.W. Post * Old Westbury, N.Y. 6:30 p.m.

Mon., Dec. 12 WBB at Caldwell Caldwell, N.J. 7 p.m.

Wed., Dec 14 MBB vs. Southern New Hampshire Old Westbury, N.Y 6 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 17 WBB vs. Bellarmine Old Westbury, N.Y. Noon

Sat., Dec. 17 MBB at Holy Family Philadelphia, Pa. 4 p.m.

Thurs., Dec. 29 WBB at Assumption Worcester, Mass. 3 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 31 WBB at St. Joseph’s (N.Y.) Patchogue, N.Y. Noon

Sat., Dec. 31 MBB at Felician Lodi, N.J. 2 p.m.

! Senior Day
$ Scrimmage
# ECC/NE-10 Conference Challenge
*East Coast Conference game

If allowed to be used, these phones can connect with the internet and allow students to instantly look up the definition of a biological term or visually see a picture of a cell; virtually anything that a student might need, this can further aid in the learning process. This technology has the potential to offer students a lot when it comes to education, cell phones in classrooms and colleges also come with many drawbacks.

Many of us use the internet to help us learn or better understand something we aren’t clear about or in need of helpful information in everyday life. So why not have this ability in classrooms? Many students find it easier to look up something in class as the professor continues to lecture and in many cases this is an effective tool in learning. Many students are “visual learners” and through actively observing whatever it is that he or she is learning about, students can better recall information at a later time. “I’ve used my cell phone in Spanish class before as a translator and it was really helpful. We have also used our cell phones in Biology class recently to look up images of different types of molecules,” says student Jaimi Phillip a senior at NYIT.

Another key aspect that cell phones can now offer students is that they can download and read textbooks. This almost completely eliminates the need for a physical textbook, students can, with just a touch, download and open almost any textbook they might need in school, instead of carrying heavy books around; technology is making out lives a lot easier.”I think technology is something we need to incorporate into everything we do, especially since it makes our lives a lot easier. Students are able to take advantage of applications designed to organize assignment calendars, foreign language translation, calculators and electronic textbooks,” says NYCOM graduate student Vinay Kudur. Phones even have an application for Blackboard, an online homework service that many professors use as part of their class.

With the many benefits that cell phones offer us there are also many downsides, the key one being that cell phones are often a cause of distraction among students. Texting is just one of the many problems that keeps many students occupied in class and prevents them from paying attention to a lecture. Nowadays with the internet available with just a tap of the finger, these distractions are becoming even more serious of a problem. Cell phones today offer us many benefits, from organizational applications to the internet and even textbooks. It is up to us to harness the full potential of what is available to us. Although these cell phones can help many students better learn and recall information they are also a source of distraction in many schools today. If given the permission to use cell phones as an educational source in the classroom by professors we need to make the most of this opportunity.

With some direction students can learn to use their cell phones within class as a powerful learning tool. The technology with which we live today is daily impacting our lives, it is up to us to harness this technology to better equip ourselves to succeed both in college and later on. Cell phones allow us to read textbooks, look up various sorts of information and even serve as organizational tools with the use of various applications available. By using these devices we can better succeed in the future.

According to Michael Burnett, Associate Dean of campus life, new NYIT clubs can be formed through student interests. In order to make a club official, a student will need to gather ten students and a faculty advisor together and go to SGA, the Student Government Association, or Dean Burnett to start up their club. Once this happens, they will be given a club packet to be filled out and be assigned an official room for their club. The ten students will also be given permission to post up flyers in order to gather potential new members at an interest meeting. Clubs can be made at any time, so you could go to Dean Burnett or SGA right away once you gather enough students and a faculty advisor.

Currently there are 27 to 30 active clubs at NYIT. However, this number can fluctuate depending on the circumstances of each year. “What happens is that students who run the club graduate or the students of the club lose interest. If that happens, the club becomes inactive,” says Dean Burnett. At the end of each semester, every club will go into an inactive state. While clubs become inactive at the end of the semester, they can just as easily become active again. The club leaders just need to go to a SGA House of Representatives meeting to make the club active again. Leaders will also need to attend club fairs and open houses so they can find new members to join their club. “The SGA House of Representatives meeting allows clubs to see each other and if two clubs are doing similar things, they could turn into one club.”

Clubs have a few advantages available to them. For starters, a club can go to Dean Burnett and SGA to change the location of their official room more or less space is. While rooms are usually seen at the academic quad, clubs are permitted to use whatever room they want that is available for use. This means students could have their official room at Education Hall or a public area such as the backfields. For example, if there is a photography club on campus, the students could decide to meet outside on a backfield that has appealing scenery surrounding it to get better pictures. If students of a club are all architecture majors and they don’t want to travel to the academic quad, they could change their room to an Education Hall room to save themselves a trip and give themselves more time for their club.

Another advantage that NYIT clubs have is they can host their own events as long as it is on the NYIT campus. If a music club wanted to have a karaoke event on campus, they could host one. If the Game Club wanted to invite students to a tournament event, they could have one. NYIT clubs have many advantages available to them. “If clubs have any changes they want to make, they can come to me or SGA to discuss them,” says Dean Burnett.

While SGA can be very helpful, Charles McMorran, who is a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, says there is a couple things he believes could be improved. McMorran runs the Game Club at NYIT and is currently trying to get a budget for his club. “We gave in our club packet with the request for a budget at the start of the semester, but we are still waiting for approval from SGA,” says McMorran. McMorran feels SGA should try to respond faster to the requests of club students.

Another improvement that McMorran feels would help new NYIT clubs is enhancing the club packet new clubs receive when becoming active. “The club packet has a lot and it is very helpful, but it doesn’t have everything,” says McMorran. According to McMorran, there are some SGA rules that are not included in the packet. The SGA rules that are not included in the club packet are difficult to work with in the beginning, but they become easier as you get a feel for them. Enhancing the club packet to include the other rules is not necessary, but McMorran believes it could be helpful to NYIT clubs that are not familiar with the SGA rules outside the club packet.

While there are a couple changes that could make the approval process easier for NYIT clubs, there are still many advantages that are available to club students through the SGA. If you have an idea for a club, you can go to either Dean Burnett or the SGA to make it official. Students already in a club can do things such as change their official room or have an event on campus. If you need something to do during free hour, start an NYIT club and have some fun. If you are already part of a club, go to SGA or Dean Burnett to see if you can make it better. SGA and Dean Burnett are more than happy to help students with any problems they may have regarding their clubs. You can find Dean Burnett’s office in the food services building.

NYIT earned an early 1-0 lead with an unassisted goal by Javier Gallardo at 15:13. The sophomore took the shot off a rebounded shot by senior Danilo Hernandez. The Bears made it a 2-0 game 20 minutes later on a goal by Caccavale. Sophomore Jovan Pervaz fed the ball up to Caccavale, who scored off a fast break. The goal eventually became the game-winner.

Thanks to the Bears’ defense anchored by senior Pierre Sy and Gallardo, NYIT held onto the 2-0 advantage until there was 34 seconds remaining. At 89:38, the Bears fouled the Purple Knights in the box, which resulted in a penalty kick fro Bridgeport. Patric Brundin took the shot and found the back of the net to end NYIT’s shutout. 

The win was awarded to junior keeper Joe Caccavale who made two saves. He improved to 4-0-0 on the season. The loss went to Danny Hernandez (9-7-1), who made seven saves.

New York University graduate student Phil Arnone was among the originators of the movement in July; and was inspired by the Arab Spring, along with a proposal put forward by Adbusters, a Vancouver-based magazine. Echoing the anti-consumerist movement of the ’90s dubbed “culture jamming”, Arnone and his peers provided what they saw as a lack of grassroots organization.

“…what happened was mostly folks from the traditional activists or organizing community — people who you would tend to see involved in various progressive causes over their lives and mostly young folks — attended the first general assembly which started in July and happened periodically over the summer…eventually leading up to the initial rally on September 17”. Arnone articulates the mission clearly – “What this protest is about is an opposition against the fundamental inequality in society — social, economic, ecological — and we want to change the ways that our society is structured and run so that way, the vast majority of people — the 99% — have their interests accounted for, their voices heard, their needs represented. And that’s just simply not the way we feel our society works now. It’s a society run for and by the 1%.”

Readers, my advice to you – go there, even if just for a few hours to support your peers. If you do, you will someday have the privilege of telling your children, grandchildren, and anyone else you meet that you participated in and witnessed firsthand the most important political movement of the 21^stCentury. Yes, I’m serious.

Fox-News types, ditto heads and conservative spinners from Miami to Portland and back are lambasting the group as “21^st century hippies” with no real “plan” or mission. Their bias is as transparent as the bland looks on their faces as they condemn their fellow Americans, some even making the outrageous suggestion that they “aren’t serious and thoughtful the way Tea Partiers were when they crashed the political scene.”

I have family members and friends who are Tea Party fans, and we’ve had some fierce kitchen-table debates over the past few weeks. Each time I attempt to overcome their myopia by pointing out that Occupy Wall Street is fighting for one of their own concerns, out of control banks. But, they go into attack mode and paint the protestors as “lazy socialist bums who should pull themselves up by their bootstraps.”

It seems that everyone opposed to the protests is either genuinely missing the forest for the trees, in total denial, or a combination of both, even as the most massive non-violent worldwide demonstration against the corruption, collusion, and conspiratorial concentration of wealth and power in the hands of one percent of the country’s population continues to proliferate with no end in sight. There are still none as blind as those who will not see.

Additionally, the massive numbers, diversity of backgrounds, and geometric expansion of the OWS movement globally says it all. Unless you have been living under a rock most of your life, there is no logical, rational or reasonable argument against the OWS message here. Good, honest, hardworking, and patriotic people – millions of them – are fed up with the rapacious elitists who would have us all believe that they have no responsibility to the millions of working people, without whom the creation of their bloated fortunes could not have occurred in the first place. These Americans have chosen to abandon quiet desperation, to abandon fear, and to abandon the warped line of reasoning that would have us all believe that amassing great wealth exonerates the wealthy from being taxed proportionally or from distributing gains equitably among employees who provided them with the means to achieve their obscene wealth in the first place.

No one yet has crystallized it verbally better than Giulio Prisco, a physicist, computer scientist, and former senior manager in the European space administration. Giulio works as a consultant and contributes to several science and technology magazines:

“I have no issue with those who do something useful, produce value, and make 100 times more money than me. I have many issues with those who produce nothing, destroy value, make others homeless and poor, scam the entire world, and make 10,000 times more money than me. Those must go, along with the insane system that makes their scams possible.”

And unemployed recent graduates are not the only voices calling for change. There is a wealth of solid, factual, and accurate information that features the most comprehensive collection of journalistic accounts and media surrounding the event thus far.

I was struck by the comments made by one of the protestors in a video on the OWS movement’s website, which was posted on the evening of October 23, 2011. Far from a “long-haired hippy-type-pinko-subversive-bum”, the gentleman, who apparently traveled a great distance to join the Zuccotti Park protestors, was well-dressed, articulate, and a testament to the power of the movement. Occasionally appearing as though he would break down in tears, he stood resolute before the camera, offering this moving testament:

“We celebrated our first month’s anniversary yesterday. We’re trying to figure out exactly where to go and what to do. Now this is kind of like, you know, we were going to have a mom and pop store to sell a few hamburgers and all of a sudden we find out there’s an international demand for them.”

“This is the proudest I’ve ever been to be an American in my life.”

And while the movement may continue to have detractors who will criticize the protestor’s lack of a complete and coherent proposal to replace the status quo, no one can deny the global scale to which the event has risen. Even the Vatican has fallen on the side of the protestors, issuing a statement on Monday October 24, 2011 calling for the formation of a “global public authority” and a “central world bank” to rule over “financial institutions that have become outdated and often ineffective in dealing fairly with crises”

OWS is an exercise in democracy in its purest, most progressive and most primal form – so mark your calendars now, because this is just the beginning. OWS will, in all likelihood, become the most significant historic event of our lifetimes; as pivotal as the civil rights movement, as world-changing as the Apollo moon landings, and as soul-shaking as 9-11. This time, it’s not gender, age, race, creed, color, ethnic origin or any of a dozen other classifications which so often polarize critical issues, reducing them to less than sideshow fodder. OWS is on track to coalesce into the greatest conscious-raising exercise of the last hundred years in America – a direct democracy conversation, with no PAC money, no filibuster, no lobbying … and no restrictions on who may participate. The movement is quite simply the quintessential gathering of millions who may just succeed in their desire to put a stop to unbridled corporate greed, devastating social inequality, and the destructive influence of “too big to fail” banks and multinational corporations upon the democratic process.

See you in Zuccotti Park?

The CLA assists faculty, department chairs, school administrators and others interested in programmatic change to improve teaching and learning, particularly with respect to strengthening higher order skills. Dr. Arnone liked the opportunity this assessment had to offer. “They have significant experience and their tests are being used by many other colleges,” says Dr. Arnone. “We will be able to see how the Academic progress made by students at NYIT compares with other schools across the country.”

The organization’s website www.collegiatelearningassessment.org, states the student’s benefit from taking this test. “The CLA measures a student’s critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem solving, and written communication skills. Their score report will include strengths and weaknesses on these skills and compare performance to other students at NYIT and nationwide. A student’s participation will also help NYIT gauge its performance in helping you develop these skills and, in the future, focus resources on what works. The Council for Aid to Education, a nonprofit research organization, is conducting the CLA. “

As a result of participating in this assessment, Dr. Arnone rewarded these students by entering them into a drawing to win an iPad2 while also receiving $25 for just taking this assessment. Not a bad prize for just taking a test.  “We consulted with Athletic Director Clyde Doughty and Dean Michael Burnett whom consulted with students about what would be a good incentive and the iPad  won Hands-Down!” Dr. Arnone said. Five iPad2’s were raffled off which gave each student who took the test a 1/5 chance in winning.

The winners were drawn in a raffle at the Old Westbury campus on October 21^st, students Sifath Chowdhury, Kevin Hassan, Brandi Peacock, Keren Thomas, and Kieran Roopchan each won an iPad2. With the holidays almost here, if an iPad2 was on these students wish list, they can now cross it off after being part of this study for the school. Sometimes you can earn great things by giving and volunteering as these 100 students showed here by offering their time to take this assessment for the CLA.

Search the web with Yahoo-powered GoodSearch.com and they’ll donate about a penny to your cause each time you search!

Shop at more than 2,400 GoodShop.com merchants including Best Buy, Toys R Us, and others, and a percentage of each purchase will go to your cause!

ICLT 316 F01 Spring 2012

How does illness define and sometimes transform us? What do our responses to the sick tell us about ourselves? In this online section of “Literature and Medicine” we will focus on the following topics: the power dynamics of the clinical encounter and the permeable boundary between doctor and patient (when doctors become patients , and when patients self-diagnose), gender and medicine, and cultural conceptions of the ideal body versus the lived experience of disability, disfigurement, and illness.

For more information contact Dr. Donaldson at edonalds@nyit.edu.

Have you ever wondered what your major is going to be like when you graduate? Is there anything about your major that you would like to learn more about? If you have questions about what your field is truly about, there is a way to experience what goes on. Internships are the best way to experience your major in real life. Internships give you the opportunity to compare your vision of your major to what your major really is. Some students believe they know exactly what their major truly means in the work environment. Believe it or not, your expectations of your major can be completely different from what it really is. This is why internships are very important for students to get into, and make that discovery themselves.

Not only do internships help you learn about what field you’re about to enter, other important advantages are included. For example, if your résumé features internships under experience, this will help broaden your skills. Another advantage is you can gain more experience on how the world works to better prepare yourself for a career. Internships also have the possibility of turning into steady part-time or full-time jobs. In the economy we live in today, this is a huge advantage over students who don’t intern.

So how do you get involved with internships? NYIT’s Career Services, located in Salten Hall, can help you search for internships and find the one right for you. According to Adrienne McNally, Assistant Director of Experimental Education, career services can get you involved with all kinds of internships, jobs and volunteer opportunities. Career services covers all majors and all types of industries and positions through Career Net, which helps students figure out what field of work they are interested in and find opportunities and professionals in that particular field. Students will also be able to register for on-campus events, send themselves e-mail updates, and keep track of their job search schedules and much more. The office is also eager to help students with any questions needed to be answered.

Career Services is beneficial towards students. A program called the Internship Certificate Program that career services offers to students can give an even greater advantage to students who are interested in internships. According to McNally, the Internship Certificate Program has workshops available that instruct students how to prepare themselves for a real job. “The greatest advantage to getting involved with internships is that it puts you in a better position to have opportunities for finding a real job,” McNally said. “Most students who graduate have done internships. The more internships someone has, the more likely they are to have a job when they graduate.”

The first workshop students take for the Internship Certificate Program is Orientation I, which talks about resources that are available to students and search techniques students can use to find the jobs they want. The next workshop is Orientation II, which helps students identify goals and learn more from their internships. According to McNally, career services gets about 1,000 student appointments each year. About 100 students participated in the Internship Certificate Program from Fall 2010 to Spring 2011. They earned over $200,000 and half of those students were offered a position at the companies they interned in. Students have learned a lot from their internships.

The office is also helpful in a student’s search for finding a job. It also helps you have a better experience with your internships. In order to ensure learning, they use a learning agreement for students and ask them what specific goal they will meet during their internships. Students also say what three skills they will develop during their internships. Career services will keep in touch with students and work with them to make sure they are enjoying their internships and developing their skills at the same time. Employers are also a part of how career services works. “If students are involved in the program, if people are having trouble with their internship, we can work with students and their supervisor to make their experience a positive one,” McNally said.

Not only does career services speak with students, they also have students who have done the Internship Certificate Program discuss their internship experiences with others. According to McNally, students who interned talked about their experiences with other students and answered questions about how they found the internship. “It was a really good event. Students got a lot out of it from the great advice the interns gave,” say McNally.

The internship event helped a number of students learn how to look for internships and get a feel for what they are like. But there are other events available to students that can give them information on internships. The career services website is very useful in the internship search. You can visit the career services website and click Career Net to learn more about the events.

Many students who have gone to career services have greatly benefited from getting involved with an internship. They have enjoyed their time interning and are more prepared to go out into the world when they graduate. “Most students are happy with their internships. Career services can make a student’s internship a good experience and better prepare them to find a real job,” says McNally. Students who have taken internships are more than happy to share what they have learned with other students looking for internships. If you are interested in finding an internship and learning about what your field is truly like, you can go to career services in Salten Hall or you can go online to www.nyit.edu/career_services/career_net/.

How much do you owe in credit card debt and tuition debt? If you answered “too much”, then you’re not alone. According to the Salie Mae Project on Student debt, the estimated undergraduate senior student tuition debt is $24,000 and the average credit card debt for graduating seniors is $4100.  College students need to educate themselves on loans and credit so they can stay out of debt and build a foundation for a stronger financial future.

Almost everyone in college has a credit card. A study by Sallie Mae showed that an astonishing 84% of undergraduates own a credit card and over 50% of students own more than 4 credit cards. Credit cards allow you to make a purchase, keep a balance on the credit card and then pay off the credit card balance at the end of the month. You can pay the balance off in full or make a minimum payment and pay off your debt partially each month. The dangers of using credit cards lie in the finance fees.  Finance fees are interest payments you must make if your debt is not paid off in full. Companies entice students with low introductory interest rates, sometimes even 0%, but after a couple of months, the interest rate could rocket upwards to 25%.

Students have to simultaneously deal with another headache, college tuition. Most people don’t have $32,790 lying around the house, the average tuition with room and board for a 4 year college according to the National Data for Education Statistics. For those who don’t have that kind of money, you’re going to need loans. The process of getting loans starts by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  The purpose of the FAFSA is to determine the student’s financial needs and to give out the appropriate financial aid package. Once the application is processed, the student will receive a personalized financial package with a variety of loans.

There are different of types of loans and they each differentiate in their repayment periods and interest rates. Loans are available to students as well as parents. Let’s take at the loans available:

• The Pell Grant and Perkins loans are given by the government to students with exceptional financial needs. The Pell grant is like a scholarship and doesn’t need to be repaid. The Perkins loan is low interest loan that accrues interest during school and payment on the loan starts nine months after graduation.

• The Stafford subsidized and Stafford unsubsidized loans are given out to students and differ in interest responsibilities. The interest on subsidized loans is paid off by the government while the student is in school. The interest on the unsubsidized loan is the responsibility of the borrower and accrues during school. Payment on the loans starts six months after graduation.

• Parents of students may be eligible to take out an Parent Plus Loan which can cover the entire cost of tuition. Interest accumulates 60 days after funds have been dispersed.

Earning your credit score

College students read thousands of pages, listen to hundreds of lectures and study for countless hours to earn good grades in school. Your credit score is just as important as the grades you earn in school, your credit score is like a report card for your finances. A good credit score can ensure success in the future; a bad credit score can anchor you down. “The better the credit score, the higher likelihood of lower interest rates on credit cards and loans, easily renting a house or apartment and getting the job of your choice,” says Gabe Albarian, a financial expert and author of the book Financial Swagger.

Your credit score is a number between 300 and 850 and is a tool used by lenders to determine your responsibility as a borrower.  A lender can reject loan applications and charge high interest credit card rates to borrowers with low credit scores. Two big components of your credit score are payment history and credit history. Your payment history takes into account how frequently the borrower misses payment on loans and credit card bills. The length of credit history factors in how long your credit accounts have been open.

To increase the credit history portion of your credit score, pick wisely when choosing your first credit card. You want to keep this card as long as possible. “My rule of thumb is to never close your first credit card unless there are unavoidable hikes in the interest fees or hidden fees” says Albarian. Your first credit card should ideally have a low interest rate, a budgeted spending limit and a rewards program that you will frequently utilize. “I often recommend getting a credit card that you know you will utilize for the rest of your life with rewards that you will use for the rest of your life. Get a spending limit that you know you can pay off either at the end of each month or you can pay off within a few months… Choose a card with low interest rate so when you can’t make monthly payments in full at the end of each month, the finance fees that will be charged will be low” says Albarian.

Managing and paying off your debts

Managing and paying off your debts can be an overwhelming and daunting task. It is vital to being cautious and to avoid common mistakes. Making payments and paying off your loans will increase your credit score and will make future borrowing easier by decreasing your interest rates.  We got great tips from Hussain Ahmad, the director of financial aid at NYIT and previously mentioned Gabe Albarian, author of the book Financial Swagger. Here are some tips below on managing and paying off your debts:

v  Skip the fees! The simplest advice is often the best. Don’t miss any payment! A lot of unneeded debt is the result of forgetfulness. Forgetting to make the minimum payment on your credit card can be painful. You can get charged late fees up to $45 for not making the minimum payment. Missing payment on student loans can be harsh too. You can get charged a 20% late fee on the missed month balance. We talked to Mr. Ahmad and he gave great advice.  “Do not miss any payment, just continue to pay your loans, if you have hardships, if you economic difficulty or any other situation, you should always contact your lender or servicer and ask them what your options are.” A useful tool for managing your loans is website for the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) and can be visited at http://www.nslds.ed.gov/nslds_SA/. This government website has the simple interface where students can access and manage their loans.

v  Don’t over-borrow! A credit card does not mean a free shopping spree! Mr. Albarian recommends using your credit card only in emergency situations. “Credit Cards are best used for emergency situations or unique transactions where the cash available in your wallet doesn’t cover the transaction value.” Overspending initially can lead to major credit card debt and may take years to get out. Getting out of debt isn’t easy but it is necessary. “Stop spending on the credit card, period… stop making charges on the card and make a feasible plan to get back on track” says Albarian.

Even in taking out loans, you can overspend. Your financial aid package may cover more than the cost of tuition. Taking these extra loans may cause excessive interest fees. “My recommendation is to not borrow money if you don’t need to. Anything you borrow, you have to repay. Sometimes students don’t realize and they borrow the maximum. It’s always best for the students to borrow as minimum as possible to cover the cost of tuition, supplies and etcetera…” says Ahmad.

v  Pay off debts in the right order! Students today have multiple credit cards and in order to get out of debt faster, you have to pay off the credit cards in the right order. “pay off the one with the highest interest rate or largest balance due first and then move on to the next in sequential order ” says Albarian. There is also a proper way to pay off your student loans.  Since unsubsidized loans accrue interest during school, it imperative to pay these loans off first. Loans with higher balances and higher interest rates should be the focus of paying off loans. “My advice would be that student must off their unsubsidized loans off first…in the unsubsidized loan, interest will accrue from the very first disbursement of the loan…my advice is pay of the unsubsidized loan first and then tackle the subsidized loan” says Ahmad.

Free money!-scholarships and rewards

What’s better than going to college and earning a degree? How about going to college for a reduced rate and maybe even for free! You can earn scholarships and grants that don’t need to be repaid! A lot of government grants are awarded on a “first come, first serve” basis, so it is best to fill out the FAFSA as soon as the application date is opened. NYIT is also there to help it’s students. The NYIT financial aid office, http://www.nyit.edu/financial_aid/scholarships/, has listed many different NYIT, government and private scholarships. From here, you can find scholarship search engines like fastweb.com and the Scholarship Research Network.

Getting free money is also possible by the credit card you choose. Credit cards offer different types of rewards which include cash back rewards, airline miles and points you can redeem for items. To compare the different types of rewards, visit bankrate.com. This site lets you differentiate between credit cards based on interest rates and also rewards.

Seek Guidance

Do you need help with you loans? If you have any questions, troubles or concerns regarding you loans, the financial aid office is ready to assist. “Even if you graduated from NYIT, you can always contact the financial aid office and get education on default management, like how to manage your loans, how to pay off your loans and things of that sort,” Mr. Ahmad. “We can always provide guidance on this. Our financial aid office is always open and we have friendly staff members that can help you out.”

The financial aid office can be emailed at finaid@nyit.edu and reached at 516-686-7680. Their website has great information and can be found at http://www.nyit.edu/financial_aid. There are many useful tools on the website including the financial glossary, information on the different types of loans, loan policies, types of aid as well as a student financial aid estimator.

Web Design Class

WRIT-363 FO-1: “WRITING FOR THE WEB”-(ONLINE CLASS,)

Learn about:

• Website Design for real-world applications
• Advanced aspects of creating multimedia, hypertext, and online help documents
• The proper use of information architecture, linking, reading and editing online
• Project management and Client Management for Web projects.

Prerequisite:  Any Group B course.

Flag football is the most popular intramural sport at NYIT. The tournament for flag football is hosted by the Office of Recreation that is located in the SAC. Shelly Schneider says that the tournament, as of this year, “is very popular.” Mr. Schneider is one of the three supervisors of the Office of Recreation along with Robert Sinckler and Carlos DelCid. The supervisors manage the whole tournament, with Mr. Schneider often keeping score and Mr. Sinckler refereeing every single game. This semester, fifteen teams are signed up for the tournament, the most Mr. Schneider has ever come across. When asked about the popularity of the tournament, Mr. Schneider says, “We’re happy to have so many teams. The weather’s great, and we have a great turf field to play on. The only thing is that we are limited by the time we have to play, because we can only play during free hour, since we know no one has classes at that time.” He also says that fans are welcome to come to any and all of the games.

The students who play flag football range from freshmen to medical students at NYCOM. One player, Abdul Samad Mirza, says that, “We have some very talented athletes in this tournament, I can’t speak on behalf of others but my team loves to play football.” When asked if the people on his team were using the intramural sports program as a way to make up for not playing sports in college, he said, “no, we’re not using this as a way to make up for not playing a sport in college, we’re playing because I believe that there should always be an activity going on along with studies. It’s just a great way to get together and have a great time.” The players of the flag football tournament are from diverse majors, of the fifteen teams playing, two are of NYCOM students, and one team is made up of the Lacrosse players at NYIT. This diversity makes the tournament not only competitive and interesting, but also a way for the NYIT community to get together in friendly competition.

Those interested in playing for any of the numerous NYIT intramural athletic tournaments can sign up by going to the Office of Recreation. Everyone is allowed to participate, since the tournaments are open to all NYIT students and faculty and are also co-ed. “The only problem is, boys can be a little aggressive,” chuckles Mr. Schneider. After signing up, each team has a representative who is notified by phone 4 to 5 days before there is a game. That person is then required to “R.S.V.P.” whether they will be playing in the game. At the end of each tournament the winning team receives a trophy, so be sure to catch one of the many tournaments. Other sports tournaments hosted by the Office of Recreation are soccer, basketball, tennis, softball, volleyball, table tennis, billiards, video games, and board games.

NYIT students of the Carleton Group recently had the pleasure to meet Melissa Kuehnle, a NYIT graduate who has been named one of the top people to follow on Twitter. Melissa, who currently works as the manager of community relations at the Long Island campus of St. Joseph’s College, is a well-known figure in the social media world. In her presentation to the students, she highlighted the degree to which our society is dependent on social media, and more importantly, why everyone finds social media attractive. In her words, “It is a communication resource that doesn’t cost anything to use and spreads far and wide.”

Additionally, students were given a look at how big name companies have made use of this growing field to increase sales and awareness of causes.  With a vast array of outlets constantly popping up including movies, food, music, television, and family, she feels that “as long as people have creative ways to connect, there is no limit to social media on the web.”

The importance of these networks also extends beyond news and entertainment, as many institutions have used social media to promote their school events. Students nowadays also create student groups to interact with classmates and discuss common issues, using social media sites as a forum that links them to their peers.Social media networks present students with a way of staying in touch with their friends, surroundings, and the world as a whole. In an age that is so dependent on staying up to date with all news and developments with even the weirdest of stories, students can readily turn to their Facebook news feeds, or twitter updates and know what exactly is going on around them.

To truly test the power of social media and relaying news to the masses, I took a walk across campus, and conducted a poll by specifically asking: How did you first hear of the passing of Steve Jobs?  Not surprisingly, 70% of the students answered with either Facebook or Twitter. When speaking with current NYIT junior Akshay Sharma on how he feels his life would be without these popular websites. “I might as well be lost in a desert. I cannot even begin to explain how much I rely on social media sites for new information”

In response to this positive growth of social media usage, the NYIT Campus Slate has increased its social media efforts, and now has an up to date Twitter and Facebook fan page for students to follow. Through these two outlets, students are able to keep track of campus events, and be alerted of new articles published by NYIT’s only school newspaper. Due to the amount of knowledge that is spread through these sources, social media is quickly becoming a complement to the newspaper. With the ability to supply news in an instant to millions worldwide, as opposed to waiting for the daily paper, social media will continue to grow and its use will continue to become more and more common.

As for those of you wondering what the next new popular thing might be, Melissa expects Google’s newest project Google+ to really take over the social media industry. “Google owns so much of the web that we could see it become the powerhouse of social media some time very soon.” Believe it or not, even the founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg is a part of Google’s new network.  With a few clicks of a mouse, everyone can join into this growing forum and be more connected with the world in an instant.

If “Pay” is your answer, choose Petroleum Engineering, which tops the list of most-lucrative majors with a starting median salary of $97,900. If “Passion” is what drives you in pursuit of your dream job, than you better be very passionate about majoring in Child and Family Studies, where you would start at a humble $29,600.

Here at NYIT—which prides itself on being a professionally oriented school–students are taking chances and going with their gut in this debate. When asked if in choosing his major whether passion or pay was of more importance Communication Arts student (Starting median salary $38,200) Michael Pasquariello responded without hesitation: “Passion, absolutely” When confronted with the figure of starting median salary he wasn’t discouraged “Comm Arts is very broad…the national average is about right for a starting salary”.

 Remarks such as those were par for the course in interviews with what could be called the “more creative” majors at NYIT. There was bound to be a difference among those studying Physics (Starting at $49,800) or Engineering (Anywhere from $51,700 to $97,900) but even in those high “Pay” majors students maintained that “Passion” is certainly part of the formula. Glen Michael Guray a Computer and Electrical Engineering student (Starting at $61,800) was adamant in response to the question of “Passion vs. Pay.”

“This is what I really like to do,” Guray said, adding that he believed that among those in his major half of them felt the way he did.

In interview after interview students at NYIT made it clear that passion trumped pay in their book although the reluctance of some students to speak would lead one to believe that the “pay” group was embarrassed to admit their primary motivation.

 Mathematics chair Dr. Timothy Loughlin who works closely with both Engineering and Pre med students confirmed that suspicion saying “More students than not are here for compensation” a circumstance that he called “unfortunate”.  John Hyde, Dean of Career Services spoke extensively not about higher and lower starting wages but on the topic of students knowing and identifying what they want out of a major and having the wherewithal to go get it. When asked about starting salary he explained a student was just as likely to come to his offices looking to further their careers regardless of major and that “passion is the biggest thing” though he too believed it “tends to be about money”.

Experts have expressed their mixed feelings on choosing a major based on starting salary, employment expert and Quicken blog editor Farmoosh Torabi responded to the dominance of engineering majors atop the list saying “it’s a tech driven world, and demand [for engineers] is only going to grow” even in the face of the economic recession.  He explains that this fact has driven a trend of more college students picking “a major that pays”. Payscale.com (from which these salary figures were pulled) conducted a survey showing that salary figures average out for many fields between 10 and 15 years of work, Dr. Al Lee the director of quantitative analysis at PayScale said “the list reorders further into people’s careers…If you looked at the pay of people 15 years out, philosophy is actually in the top 10%” overall emphasizing the importance of landing a first job and building skills going forward.

Andrew Mirabito, treasurer of the Game Club, explains how the club isn’t only for video games, but a variety of different games in general. From Magic to SuperSmashBros, not only do the students play video games, they play card games as well. There is much more to know about the club than just games. The Game Club has a goal to receive the fund from the club advisers and get the Booster Draft Simulators, which is a format for the card games in order to do a tournament, and also a small table top library RPG book.

With all these games in mind, people tend to think that games can either go wrong from the influence of the games, but Andrew Mirabito differs. The game contents may look violent with all the bloods, guns, knives, explosion, and more, but that doesn’t mean that everyone reacts the
same way in life just how the game is played. Mirabito said, “playing a violent video games is like watching sports.” The logic makes sense of how people react from sitting on the couch and watching a simple football game, yet they tend to yell, curse, get angry, and become violent from a sports game. Violent games don’t necessarily mean that people who play games will change into angry people. “A relaxing game is anything that you find relaxing,” meaning that even a gun game can be relaxing for some people. It is all up to the people and the choice of game they like
to enjoy,” says Mirabito.

Daniel Choi, a Pre-Med student at NYIT, attended Game Club couple of times and plays an online PC game called League of Legends  and says, “I rage a lot at the game, but doesn’t mean I get influenced in any negative way for the game to change  my personality.” Games may have some responsibilities when people act in a violent way, but this doesn’t mean that everyone who plays games will guarantee to become violent. He quotes that, “Games may infect the children and anyone that’s not mature in a negative way, but games are really not bad and are not responsible for any violent actions! People watch movies, and some movies have ten times more real violent actions than what games project!”  It is true that in movies that people project violence, while in games it can be a made up creature supposedly killing the other opponent.

Violent games are not bad to the society, but really harmless. It is how the people take onto the games and interact with it. The students in the Game Club, play games with positive manners with each other and in a enjoyable way. No one acted violent or said anything hateful to each other, but rather with calm attitudes and loads of smiles.

The Game Club has many exciting plans in mind, such as joining with WNYT, NYIT’s radio station, to create a Dance Dance Revolution, (DDR), tournament and get the students involved to become more active with the school. You can catch any of their future events by keeping a look
around the usual places where the posters and announcements are posted up. Catch the interview with Andrew Mirabito at www.campusslate.com.

Last month, the staff of The Campus Slate held a Summer Vacation Contest for students, faculty and staff to share adventures they had while having the summer off. It was announced that Jessica Hensel, a freshman student studying Computer Graphics was the winner of this year’s contest. Jessica visited Disney World for the first time ever and was grateful for her experience.

“It was my high school graduation present and I am so thankful for it, says Hensel. I think I was even more excited than some of the little kids around the parks, I met my favorite character, Princess Belle, along with the all classic characters.” “I had an amazing vacation meeting Mickey and his Friends and seeing all the great parks, she also added.” In result of winning the contest, Jessica received a gift certificate to Stone Nails located on Glen Cove Road just 5 minutes away from NYIT.

For those of you who didn’t get a chance to enter this contest, there will be more opportunities to win great prizes from the Slate this year so keep reading the monthly issues and visiting our website www.campusslate.com to find out on more details to enter contests.  

Legendary sportscaster Bob Wolff, a member of the Baseball and Basketball Hall of Fame’s and a long time voice for Madison Square Garden Network and the Washington Senators Baseball team was honored by the NYIT Athletic Department by receiving the memorial Dr. William T. “Buck” Lai Wonderful Life Award at the annual Hall of Fame Induction on October 6^th at the de Seversky Mansion. The NYIT Athletics Hall of Fame honors outstanding performances by NYIT alumni on the fields of play, as well as those who have distinguished themselves as model athletes, coaches and administrators.

This award was started 5 years ago by Athletic Director Clyde Doughty in honor of the former Director of Athletics. It is given in honor of an individual who brought dignity and professionalism to work every day. “William T. “Buck” Lai was a motivator and leader”, says Clyde Doughty. “He was my boss for four years at NYIT and was of source of inspiration for me as I headed into the role that I am blessed to have. Buck gave so much too so many people and he truly enjoyed the world of athletics but mostly he loved people.”

Wolff was blessed with this honor from a school that he says defines what life is about today which is technology. “Technology is what life is about and it is very important for today’s sportscasters,” says Wolff. “This is a great honor from a great school with great academics and athletics and I am blessed to be the recipient.” He has been in the media business for 9 decades which totals 72 years that started in 1939 while he attended Duke University and still working today at the age of 90. Bob was always a big fan of baseball playing centerfield growing up and he always had a passion for sports and he says he is most proud of his gifted mind for what he has achieved. His style of broadcasting is something most viewers wouldn’t think how a broadcast is prepared. His is add lip where he doesn’t write scripts or uses many notes and he just states what’s on his mind and uses his knowledge of the sport he’s working. “I always wanted to learn a lot and never let 1 thing interfere with another; the mind is a wonderful thing and I learned a lot by always concentrating and saying what I see.”

He has made sportscasting history in many ways; he is the only sportscaster that was inducted into both the baseball and basketball hall of fames for his work over his career. Growing up a big baseball fan, when he got inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995 it was a true honor for him that included his whole family at the induction ceremony. “One day a sportscaster said to me, Bob, your time has come; I gave it some thought and when I was inducted, it was a major pat on the back for achievement.” He is also the first and only person to this day to have called play-by-play in the four major professional sports which is the NFL Championship, World Series, NBA Championship, and the NHL Championship also known as the Stanley Cup Finals. This is something that wouldn’t have happened without intense preparation and a lot of knowledge. “I’ve always enjoyed athletics and entertainment and sportscasting is a job where both of these things happen. My job is a vacation, it’s a great benefit to watch all kinds of sports and I enjoy all the people I work with.”

Wolff became a broadcasting legend during the 15 years he spent in Washington D.C. and was most known for his work with the Washington Senators baseball team. In 1954, he began working for Madison Square Garden Network where he served as the voice of the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers for 36 years. He was part of more telecasts at the Garden than any other sportscaster in the business broadcasting almost all events taking place at the world’s most famous arena other then wrestling. “Being from New York, it’s always a thrill to say Bob Wolff at Madison Square Garden each night.” He also brings a lot of positive emotion which he calls a key factor to being a good sportscaster. “This is a key factor to enjoyment for the viewers, when the Knicks won their two championships there was a lot of positive emotion by everyone.” In 2003, he was also inducted into the Madison Square Garden Walk of Fame.

He is well known for being a baseball broadcaster and was at the microphone on the radio for Yankee’s pitcher Don Larsen’s perfect game in the World Series in 1956. “It is always something special for me since they will always play my call of the last out to remember this historic event. It was an exciting moment and I am proud of that call.” This is the only perfect game in World Series history coming into this year’s postseason. In addition, he is the only broadcaster in his career to have interviewed Yankees players Babe Ruth and Derek Jeter and he says interview technique doesn’t change over the years and it’s about that individual. “The objective of a good interview is to inform and be entertaining, each person has something about them that’s fun and you always want to include all the excitement in a good interview.”

In the later part of his career, he reduced his broadcasting schedule for MSG and when News 12 Long Island came on the air in 1986, Wolff became the Sports Director and Anchor and continued doing what he loves to do and what he does best. “After many years of a lot of work and traveling, I wanted to stay home with no traveling and spend time with my family while also continue to do something I love to do.” Bob still works at News 12 today entering his 25^th year as a Senior Sports Commentator covering major sports events on camera, writing a sports column for their website, and telecasting sports specials, features and opinions. His show “Bob Wolff’s Point of View” airs weekly on the network.

He has also been involved in many educational pursuits working as a college professor at Pace and St. John’s University and has seen many students of his work in the communications field over the years. He has also worked with many student interns at News 12 Long Island including Robert Marzano who graduated from NYIT last spring. “Working with someone who is a legend in that profession, it is a privilege that many people never get to experience,” says Marzano.  As an intern at News 12 Long Island, I had the pleasure of working with Bob Wolff on “Bob Wolff’s Point of View” and producing segments of the program for him. Working with Bob was an experience that I will never forget and it is something I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

One of Wolff’s most recent projects was writing his 4^th book, Bob Wolff’s Complete Guide to Sportscasting which was released earlier this year. The book is written as a step-by-step playbook for sportscasting success and how to advance in the competitive media market. “This was always a project I had in mind to put together and it took 5 years for me to say yes to the publisher.” My goal was to put my teaching and tips together to make this an fun and entertaining book read like how I speak.” The book is very inspiring to those working to pursue a media career and to those who are working in the sports business today. “No one is better qualified to write a book on sportscasting than Bob Wolff,” says Mike Breen, the current play-by-play announcer for the New York Knicks on MSG. “He’s a legend with an unquenchable curiosity to learn about the events he covers and the people he interviews, the only thing more impressive than Bob Wolff the sportscaster is Bob Wolff the man.”

There aren’t many people like Bob Wolff with his passion and dedication to sportscasting and still actively working for this long and at the age of 90. “This is like always being on vacation, I love the excitement and it’s a wonderful life that just keeps getting more fun.” Wolff’s name was a no brainer according to the Athletic Department when they picked him as this year’s recipient. “All true leaders in their fields but humble individuals who have outstanding reputations,” says Athletic Director Clyde Doughty. “At ninety plus years he is engaging, entertaining and a wealth of information.  It is not very often you are in an intimate presence with someone who has done so much with so many famous people, but at the ceremony he made us all very special.”

Frusci previously served as assistant coach to both programs and took over the reigns as interim head coach this fall. He has directed the Bears women’s tennis program, which is in its second season, to an astonishing turnaround. NYIT went from 1-10 last season to a current record of 8-3 and a No. 2 seed in the 2011 East Coast Conference tournament.

 “I am extremely grateful to have been named the new head men’s and women’s tennis coach at NYIT,” said Frusci. “In only the second season, I am very humbled by our current success and look to continue to build upon it.”

 “After a very tough inaugural year in 2010-11, the women’s tennis program has rebounded to finish second in the East Coast Conference,” said Director of Athletics Clyde Doughty Jr. “Of course the credit goes to the student-athletes; however, under the leadership of Chris Frusci they have come together as a program in all facets of the academic/athletic paradigm. I am very proud of Chris as a coach but more as a person. As he now takes over full control of the men’s and women’s tennis program, I look forward to continued success from both programs.” 

A Lynbrook, N.Y., native, Frusci received his B.S. in business administration with a concentration in marketing from Muhlenberg in 2008. He was the No. 1 recruited player from the Mules football team’s class of 2008. Unfortunately, Frusci was dealt a career-ending shoulder injury and only played one season for the Mules.

 Frusci was a three-sport athlete at Lynbrook, where he lettered in football, basketball and baseball. As a senior, he received all-county football honors, all-conference basketball accolades and was named all-division for baseball. Frusci was also voted MVP of the Senior Bowl for football. Throughout his academic career, Frusci earned honor roll and dean’s list accolades.

…right?

 By now most of Long Island has heard or read about last week’s arrest in Nassau County of the SAT cheating scheme at John Miller Great Neck North High School. Thirteen students have confessed to paying 19-year-old college sophomore Sam Eshaghoff to take the test for them, and he has reportedly confessed to taking the test for other students.

The incident has reverberated across the country, including a feature story in the September 27 2011 Los Angeles Times. News of the incident has also been covered in the Huffington Post, AOL, and Time, just to name a few.

Researching the topic of cheating among high school and college students reveals some alarming information – not only about how many are cheating, but worse, how many think that it’s perfectly acceptable behavior as long as you don’t get caught.

Thirteen years ago, in 1998, the Educational Testing Service reported on the results of a poll of 3,123 high-achieving 16- to 18-year old high school students with A or B averages who planned to attend college after graduation. The results of the poll were released in November, 1998. The findings were startling – for me anyway. The results indicate that 8 out of 10 of these “best” students cheated to reach the top; more than half don’t think cheating is a big deal; 95% said they weren’t caught; 4 out of 10 cheated on a quiz or a test, and nearly 7 in 10 copied someone else’s homework.

Drilling down further, the news only gets worse, so I’ll spare you the details – if you think you can handle the truth, take a look here. And bear in mind, this survey took place thirteen years ago. I scoured the net for more recent statistics, but couldn’t find any – maybe the results of this one in ’98 were just too depressing for a follow up. Oddly enough, in the L.A. Times piece, Thomas Ewing, spokesmen for the ETS, made a statement that sounded deafeningly like a denial of the stark realities … “It’s not an issue that surfaces very often,” Ewing told The Times. “The vast majority of cheating cases involve one student copying off another.”

Hmmm. Guess he has to say that seeing as how he works for the outfit that conducts the administering of the SAT. After all, the College Board charges $47 per test, encourages students to take it more than once, and administers over 2,000,000 tests per year.  Now, at $47 each … that’s $94 million for those of you who can’t find your calculator. And that’s not counting the income generated by test prep companies, private tutors, and entrepreneurs like young Sam Eshaghoff.

Further ETS statements given to the Nassau County District Attorney’s office were equally nebulous – Bloomberg On line’s Chris Dolmetsch reported on September 28 that ETS referred to such happenings as “ isolated incidents and we are pleased that the assistance we provided to local authorities resulted in this outcome,” “The policies ETS follows in test security cases adhere to all applicable laws, including New York State law, which outlines very specifically the importance of affording due process and maintaining strict confidentiality of students whose test scores come under scrutiny.”

Right. (I bet they make all of their employees memorize that, kind of like those mumbling low-voiced fast-talking disclaimers we hear in commercials for the latest and greatest over-the-counter medication of the month!)

Here’s where it gets offensive. ETS claims that out of those 2,000,000 tests, “only a few thousand per year are seen as questionable”.

“Only a few thousand per year?”  

Can you imagine for a moment if we took the same stance on over-the-counter medications, airplanes, or food? How would we feel about statements from corporate spokespersons like these…?

“Out of 2,000,000 bottles of aspirin sold each year in U.S. drugstores, only a few thousand bottles contained tainted pills that made people sick or dead”.

“Out of 2,000,000 domestic flights by XYZ airlines this year, only a few thousand crashed killing everyone aboard”.

“Out of 2,000,000 cartons of eggs sold this year in the United States, only a few thousand contained poisonous bacteria that caused death in those who ate them”.

I’m not going to moralize here about just how wrong cheating is, how over the long-term cheaters (usually) get caught, or about the obvious  connection between cheating and the decaying foundations of our country’s infrastructural, political, educational, moral, ethical, and economic … did I miss anything? Oh yes, can’t leave out “elections”.

It’s too easy to accept the general perception that “cheating is widespread”. It’s a cop-out. But of course, cheating is in and of itself a widespread cop-out that is rotting our culture from the inside out. It is a horrible sickness – a sickness that has exceeded epidemic proportions.

Yet even at the highest levels, when we read of cheating, it’s easy to feel powerless and small, especially when cheaters are prospering. Yes, once in a while blatant arrogance catches up and we see the likes of a Bernard Madoff, or a Martha Stewart, or even a Mark McGuire called out and penalized for their actions. But celebrities are much easier targets.  There is a much deeper “crack in the earth” that all of us, to one extent or the other, have been feeling for the past three years going on four – and it is a foregone conclusion that the cheaters are not merely prospering – they are figuratively and literally raping, pillaging and plundering our pockets with impunity.

Journalist Matt Taibbi is an American author and passionate journalist reporting on politics, media, finance, and sports for Rolling Stone and Men’s Journal. His February 2011 Rolling Stone article, “Why Isn’t Wall Street in Jail” reveals the awful truth – whether we care to read it or not; I must caution you that it contains language that might be offensive to some – albeit quotes from a Senate investigator revealing a depressing reality – that reality being, the cheaters are prospering, the cheaters are cheating us all, and by all appearances they are getting away with it in bigger and more fundamentally evil proportions than ever.

So I won’t moralize – I’ll let you draw your own conclusions if you’re wondering whether cheating is acceptable. You’ll have to read all of the links I’ve included in this piece and more to arrive at a well-informed, carefully considered and factually-supported conclusion – but I have to throw in a warning – you’ll actually have to read them and think for yourself.

You can’t cheat this one.

 In April 1976, I dropped out of college after two years; I wanted to try working in the “real world” for a while. It was May of 1976; Jimmy Carter was President, the unemployment rate in the U.S. was 8.5%, compared to the current 9.1 %. Minimum wage was $2.30 per hour. I found a job in a personnel agency, earning a $150 per week draw against commissions on placements I made for white-collar workers in different industries. The practical experience I gained on that first job stayed with me for a lifetime.

 We’re in the midst of the fifth worldwide economic upheaval in my lifetime Each and every time, the U.S. economy has always come roaring back – regardless of what politicians and opinionates do to mess it up. At the end of the day, energy prices and war have the greatest potential to cripple economic growth. If you’re interested, read this short piece written three years ago by Diane Bartz of Reuters.

 Even in the best of times, the job market always stinks, and jobs will always be difficult to find, particularly for mediocre candidates. Mediocrity is the demon that must be slain wherever you find it. But for those of you with passion about what you do, clear vision as to what you want to achieve, and commitment to spending every waking moment towards the attainment of success, you can stop reading right now.

 For the rest of you…

 Do not watch the news, (it is not new) and do not accept anything at face value that “experts” say about the job market. The job market has eternally been a moving target, defined by snapshots taken at particular points in time that are representative of … well, nothing really.

 Investigating the job market is similar to putting an elephant in a gymnasium, gathering 20 people in a circle around it who have never seen an elephant, asking each of them to stand in one spot only, examine the elephant with their hands while blindfolded with their nose and ears plugged, then have each of them tell the other 19 what they think it is.

 When it comes to the job market, however, there are some things you can always count on…

Media pundits will pound away with as much “the sky is falling” doom-and-gloom messaging as possible on television, radio and the web – because they need ratings.

Politicians will blame their opponents for the sorry state of the job market – because they need votes.

Employers will tell you at interviews that “hiring is weak” – because they need to protect their interests and those of their shareholders, while attracting the cheapest workers they can.

And of course, economists will lecture, harangue, opine, and insist that they have all the answers – because they need to garner support for their theories in order to publish and sell more books.

President Harry Truman was eternally wary of what he described as “two-armed economists”, those who would advise him first “on the one hand” and then “on the other hand.” “Give me a one-armed economist”, he demanded, – an adviser who wasn’t a mugwump. (OK, I’m dating myself with that word – if you need a definition, you might just figure it out by reading on…).

Winston Churchill once said that if you lined up all the economists end-to-end, they’d still point in every direction and never reach an agreement.

The economy has “gone global” through technological hyper-leaps for such a short time relative to recorded history that making any sort of definitive statements or projections about your prospects for a job upon graduation is just a waste of good oxygen, nothing more.

At the end of the day, the winners in the job market are those students who are passionate about what they want to achieve, have a plan for their life that includes short- and long-term goals, commit themselves to achieving as much if not more outside of the classroom as in it, simultaneously performing as flawlessly as they can in that classroom.

When you interview, it is critical to explain how your academics qualify you for a position. Employers seek brevity and precision; the ability to describe, in detail, how something you did, a project you were involved with, made a positive difference or garnered you recognition, promotion, an increase in pay, a community award, or even extra credit in a particular class. And never discount your involvement with extracurricular activities such as student government, community service, and volunteerism. But you must be prepared to describe in detail how that impacts your value to the employer.

Most critically, employers seek honesty and integrity. A few years ago I was fortunate enough to have been hired to my first full-time corporate position as a training manager, and was immediately tasked to develop a desktop-computer-based software training program for a national staffing company.

After meeting with the CEO and being told exactly what he wanted, I told him point blank, “I have very limited experience in this subject matter”. He smiled, looked me in the eye and said “I’d rather have a diligent, sincere rookie working for me on this one as opposed to a dishonest liar with 20 years of experience.”

Finally, there are a few must-reads out there for serious job seekers. Three of my favorites are:

The Age of Unreason by Charles Handy

What Color Is Your Parachute? 2012 by Richard N. Bolles

Free Agent Nation by Daniel H. Pink

Additionally, no resource I can recommend is better than the NYIT Career Services Office, an oasis of solid support for job seekers – and don’t wait until your last semester of senior year to take advantage of this world-class team of pros – don’t be a mugwump!

(OK, so, what exactly is a “mugwump? At one time it was used to refer to people who couldn’t seem to take a stand on anything. An old magazine cartoon depicted a politician who was setting on a fence, his mug on one side and his wump on the other.)

(September 2011 New York, N.Y.) – Nitetables, a revolutionary new way in planning V.I.P services for the New York City area, has launched their website. Whether the occasion is a birthday, bachelor/bachelorette party, corporate event or simply a night on the town, you’ll no longer need to wait on line, make a phone call or send an email to secure a reservation at a hot venue. NiteTables.com now offers the V.I.P. experience in a user-friendly interface through which advanced reservations can be made at some of the hottest venues in New York City. Click on the following link to see the site in action: NiteTables: How It Works Video Upon selecting a venue of choice, users can browse photos, videos, floor plans, select a specific seating area and choose party packages for all types of occasions, all before arriving at their desired location. Over 100 venues have signed on with NiteTables including Amnesia NYC, District 36, Hudson Terrace, Le Souk, Chelsea Room and Cielo, to name a few. While beginning as an Internet booking system, NiteTables will quickly establish itself as the hub between technology, lifestyle experiences and social media.  

Press Contact: Marilyn Lopez

(P) 917.209.9514

(E) marilyn@marilynpr.com

The Men’s and Women’s Cross country team under head coach  Fred Benlein have been training vigorously during the pre-season and are ready for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. The returning Men’s roster consists of senior Nicolas Koiyet, junior Elphas Kimutai and Filip Van Eylen, sophomores Paolo Acuna and Craig Fried and freshman Christian Barton. The Women’s team consists of seniors Jackline Toek and Yvonne Boinett and sophomores Shekeila Campbell, Gladys Kimutai, Jessica Nowack.

One returning member who has earned rave reviews is junior Elphas Kimutai, a native of Eldoret in Kenya, a country famed for its distance runners. Elphas is hoping to build off the success of last year and has come into this season with high expectations of him. Last year, Elphas was named the East Coast Conference player of the year and he started off the year on a excellent note by being named the ECC preseason male runner of the year. Coach Benlein has high praise for Elphas “Last year he won easily and quite frankly, he’s at a much higher level this year and he’s about a minute ahead of  last year, he’s really ready to run this year , I think he’ll dominate this conference and I think he’ll be a major player in the eastern region”. Even though Elphas was considered a top runner last year, he has improved his overall game this year, specifically his leadership. “Our greatest strength is Elphas. Outside his tremendous talent as a runner…he has challenged himself this year to become a leader,” says coach Benlein. Elphas went to an ECC retreat where he learned new leadership skills. Elphas was then promoted to captain after his increased input on improving the team and increased dedication to making the team better.

Jackline Toek, a senior, is another returning member of the women’s cross country team. She has been looking strong in the preseason and has come into the season with an aggressive attitude. Said Jackline “I am so ambitious to get to the nationals and at least be the ECC champion for this year”. Another incoming player that is expected to have an immediate impact is incoming freshmen Gladys Kimutai. Coach Benlein expects her to be a strong ECC contender along with Toek. Gladys has just moved from Kenya, a move which only exasperates the difficulty of managing cross country and her school priorities. Gladys’s natural passion for running is helping her overcome and adjust to living in America. “Running comes from the bottom of the heart…it takes a lot of determination and courage,” she says.

Coach Benlein’s 30 years of coaching experience and excellent training regimens have the team well prepared for the season. He not only wants to see his runners succeed this season but hopes to build the foundation for a successful and strong cross country team for the future. “We want to bring in not just more talented runners, but leaders, good academic and athletic people that will build a really special team…that is my long term goal.” Benlein said.

The official cross country season started on September 11th at Fordham Fiasco at Fordham University. Elphas Kimutai participated in the men’s 5 mile run and finished in 7th place out of 155 runners with a time of 25 minutes and 29.19 seconds. Nicholas Koiyet(26th),Craig Fried(100th), Christian Barton (124th), Filip Van Eylen(126th) and Paolo Acuna(147th) rounded out the scoring for the Bears. The team overall finished in 11th place.

The women’s team participated in 5 kilometer run. Jackline Toek finished in 28th place out of 148 runners with a time of 21 minutes and 33.49 seconds. Yvonne Boinett(97th), Jessica Nowack(116th) and Shekeila Campbell(133rd) also raced for the NYIT bears.

This meet is followed by the Monmouth Invitational, Codfish Bowl, Paul Short Run, NJIT Highlander invitational, Princeton invitational followed by the ECC championship on October 22nd at CW post in which the top runners go to the NCAA regional on November 6th and the NCAA championship on November 19th.

Flickinger was previously executive vice president and general counsel at magazine publisher and media giant, Hachette Filipacchi Media, where she headed the legal and human resources departments for over 20 years. Before that, she served as associate general counsel for broadcast media company CBS, Inc., after starting her career as a litigation associate for a leading law firm, Cravath, Swaine & Moore. In 2004, she was named one of 40 Outstanding Women of the Bar by the New York County Lawyers’ Association.

“I was attracted to this new career challenge in the field of higher education by President Guiliano’s vision for NYIT,” said Flickinger.
“I hope to contribute to that vision by drawing on my expertise in intellectual property and structuring new ventures.” 

Flickinger, the chief legal officer for NYIT, serves as a chief advisor to the president. In addition to contracts and litigation, she oversees policies, practices, and procedures throughout the university’s departments. She also ensures that intellectual property from research is successfully developed and protected.

“Catherine’s impressive background and sound judgment will help guide NYIT through new endeavors at our New York and global campuses, medical school with our clinical sites, online programs, athletics program, and much more,” said NYIT President Edward Guiliano, Ph.D.

Flickinger earned her J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

 

Jessica is the starting forward for the NYIT Bears Women’s Soccer Team. She has just been named the ECC Player of the week after scoring 3 gaming-winning goals. Battling through injury, and with the help of running, conditioning, and weightlifting over the preseason, Jessica is back and better than ever.

“My personal goal this season is to score more goals and be a more impact player, and the team goal is to make it to the ECC Finals and win,” says Mangiana.

Kristen O’Conner, Women’s Soccer

Year/Major: Junior, Physical Therapy

Kristen is the goalkeeper for the NYIT Bears Women Soccer Team. She has just been named ECC Defensive Player of the week, for her outstanding shutouts against Bloomfield and St. Thomas Aquinas. With hard work and dedication, Kristen has achieved her personal goal of starting for the soccer team. Now back this season, after a summer full of running, and extensive conditioning, Kristen is ready for this season.

“My goal as well as the team’s goal is to help the team this season make it to the ECC Finals,” says O’Conner.

Elphas Kimutai, Cross Country

Year: Junior/ Nursing

Elphas is the captain of the Cross Country Team. Elphas was named the ECC player of the year in 2010 and was named the ECC preseason Male runner of the year in 2011.

“Our greatest strength is Elphas. Outside his tremendous talent as a runner…he has challenged himself this year to become a leader.” says coach Benlein.

Jackline Toek, Cross Country

Year: Senior/ Corporate Finance

Jackie is members of the Women’s Cross Country Team. She finished 2nd in the ECC championships and 5th in the NCAA North East regional.

“My plans are to graduate, get my associate degree and get my masters and hopefully go back home and work for my country. I’m looking to make some improvement in my home”

Days after the country marks the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a dozen experts will gather at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) to analyze cyber vulnerabilities and the latest measures to protect individuals and organizations. They will cover topics including cloud computing, social networks, and mobile security, as well emerging technologies and R&D initiatives. 

Brown, SVP chief security architect and distinguished engineer at CA Technologies, Security Business, will join other speakers representing the FBI, the New York State Office of Cyber Security, IBM, Motorola, and other leading groups in the fight against hackers.

“New technologies come with new liabilities, so we need to work together to proactively identify risks and protect ourselves against potential disasters,” said Nada Anid, Ph.D., dean of NYIT’s School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, which has launched a program in network security to teach students how to identify and solve security breaches.

Internet security firms are finding 70,000 new malicious programs every 24 hours, according to Natalya Kaspersky, co-founder of anti-virus software provider Kaspersky Lab ZAO. 

Cloud computing offers a low-cost way to store and retrieve data, but its security is unproven. Paul Stirpe, Ph.D., CEO of Letse, a global software and services corporation, will talk about these security considerations and will lead a panel discussion on these topics.  

Keynote Presentations

Jeff Crume, IBM’s Distinguished Engineer and IT Security Architect, will discuss identity and reputation protection as public and private lives are constantly exposed on the Internet. Crume is the author of Inside Internet Security: What Hackers Don’t Want You To Know.

Kevin O’Connell, analyst, scholar, and writer on national security and intelligence matters, will speak on advanced persistent threats in cyberspace. He is the former Chairman of NOAA’s Federal Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing and has served as senior analyst in the White House Situation Room, National Security Council. O’Connell, president and CEO of Innovative Analytics and Training, is an expert at identifying, analyzing, and managing emerging threats to the nation’s interests for government and commercial clients

Expert Presentations

• Protecting New York State’s Citizens and Businesses Against Cyber Disasters by Thomas D. Smith, J.D., director of New York State Office of Cyber Security

• FBI, New York Office, investigative Cyber Squad
  

• Protection of Wireless Communication Networks by Krishan Sabnani, Ph.D., senior vice president in the Networking Research Laboratory at Alcatel-Lucent-Bell Labs
  

• Security Considerations in Hybrid, Multi-Vendor Clouds by Paul Stirpe, Ph.D., co-founder of Letse
• Cloud Security: Emerging Cyber R&D Challenges for Government and Industry by Kenneth Brancik, Ph.D., managing director of Northrop Grumman Cyber Security Research

• Lunch Presentation by Gary Morse, president and founder of Razorpoint Security Technologies

• Mobile Computing – Today’s Security Challenge by Timothy Brown, SVP chief security architect and distinguished engineer at CA Technologies, Security Business
• Leveraging the Power of the Network for Mobility Security by Gustavo De Los Reyes, Ph.D., executive director of technology security at AT&T
• Panel Discussion on Challenges in Cloud Computing with Nasir Memon, Ph.D., professor at NYU-Poly; Raj Goel (NYIT, B.S. ’94), CTO and co-founder of Brainlink International, Inc.; Tom Bianculli, senior director of the emerging business office at Motorola, and Gregory Conti, Ph.D., associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at United States Military Academy. Moderated by Paul Stirpe, Ph.D., co-founder of Letse.

The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the NYIT Auditorium on Broadway, 1871 Broadway between 61st and 62nd Streets in New York City.

For the complete conference agenda, visit www.nyit.edu/cybersecurity.

I hope your summer was enjoyable, productive, and relaxing.

This time of year is always charged at NYIT. In years past, I saw students at the start of a new semester rushing to the campus bookstores to buy required texts and walking out with arms full of binders, pens, and planners.

This year, I am seeing a lot less of that, but I’m not worried. It’s just that such preparations are no longer visible to others. Hundreds of NYIT students rent their textbooks to read online, download them to iPhones and other devices, or take online classes and complete homework on iPads.

You are part of an NYIT that is growing stronger each year. We have students from nearly 50 states and 109 nations joining us this year. We are also delighted to have students from our global campuses studying with us at both New York campuses this fall, and others are traveling to study at our Nanjing campus.

As NYIT continues to grow, we are finding newer, faster ways to connect you with knowledge, technology, and opportunities. Do you need help with a calculus problem at 2 a.m.? No problem. That’s why we supplemented our traditional tutoring services with Smarthinking—a 24/7 online tutoring service with trained, live professionals. It’s global, too.

Would you rather get updates in real-time rather than sifting through emails? Follow NYIT on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and more. We want to feature you on nyit.edu. Our student, faculty, and staff profiles will introduce you to others with similar interests and expand the feeling of community at NYIT.

Now, please take a moment and think. How would you like to remember your college years? Surely, you’ll want to remember friends. Adventures, too. But just as important, I’m certain you’ll want to look back on this as a time of intellectual growth. The rigors of study, the health of the mind. . . those are vital. By going to a university, you are part of an elite club – most people in the world can only dream of going beyond high school. Please take advantage of this incredible place. Challenge yourself constantly in class, and in the reading, writing and projects you take on after class. You won’t regret it.

This year, I encourage you to get involved on the campus and beyond. Find an alumni mentor, land an internship, start a club at NYIT… or try public service. Whether you are an undergraduate or grad student, opportunities abound here for you.

Share your stories. We want to know about your class projects, service, and work – and we have a communications team that wants to tell our own community, and the world, about these accomplishments.

Read the Student Update e-newsletter for announcements and new initiatives, and contact updates@nyit.eduto join the discussion of how to enhance your NYIT experience. (By the way, you’re lucky to be at a campus that has both an online and print newspaper – please read The Campus Slate!)

Please make the most out of your time at NYIT. I look forward to seeing you on campus.

Best wishes for a pleasant and productive academic year,

Edward Guiliano, Ph.D.

President, NYIT

September 11, 2001 was the day terrorism struck The United States—at the World Trade Center and The Pentagon. Given our proximity to New York City, 9/11 affected the NYIT community in so many different ways.

The day following the attack on America, while the World Trade Towers were still a smoldering ruin and stunned New Yorkers woke up to a world that would never be the same, NYIT President Dr. Edward Guiliano announced the closure of the Manhattan, Old Westbury, and (then) Islip campuses. But with it came a statement of solidarity and support. “We have always been a strong community,” the President wrote. “We continue to receive information about how we can help one another as well as help others, including through donating blood, assisting in relief efforts, and providing support to one another. You will be hearing about these and other opportunities in the coming days,” the letter read.

On campus that day, students, staff, professors, and faculty members consoled each other as they watched the news unfold on TV. Flight 11 was the first plane to hit the World Trade Center, North Tower 1 at 8:46 a.m. This was a time when many were still at home getting ready for work. Among them was Clyde Doughty, Jr., NYIT’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation. “On the morning of September 11, 2001, I woke up as any other morning and was preparing for work. I get a call from the head women’s basketball coach, Joe Hennie, telling me that a small plane crashed into one of the World Trade Center buildings. I immediately turned on the TV and watched the smoke billowing out of the building,” Doughty recalls. Doughty said he began to suspect that this was not a small plane, given the amount of smoke he could see billowing out of the building. By then, he was on the phone with recreation supervisor Sheldon Schneider, who had called to discuss the situation. As they were both watching TV together while on the phone, they—like millions of other horrified Americans—saw the second plane strike, live. “We both knew than that it was no accident and it was only the beginning of more terror to come.  As I watched in anguish, I thought about the movie Towering Inferno (Towering Inferno is a 1974 action disaster film about a skyscraper fire) and thought about how is everyone going to get out of the buildings and put the fire out.”

Doughty headed to campus, he recalled, listening “in tears to 1010 News. I thought about my friends in the area and those I knew that worked in the building and I prayed for their safety.” Arriving on campus, he went to the SAC building, where he and his staff did what so many others were doing on campus that morning. They gathered around a TV together, and watched the disaster unfold. “We watched the flames and smoke and then without warning the first tower imploded, crashing to the ground with white smoke escaping through the air reaching all over the borough of Manhattan and parts further. Moments later, the second tower fell. I stood in solemn, shook, and could hear the tears of individuals who had gathered in the SAC that morning,” he said.

Professor Robert Sherwin had an early class that morning and recalls not knowing how to teach a class “with such a dark cloud hanging over the city,” he said. “For the first hour or so, we had a very candid conversation about what happened, where everyone was the moment of impact, and how we each dealt with the chaos and the immediate aftermath. Probably the most interesting, although not surprising, element was that students incorporated 9/11 narrative in their short films throughout the semester. The films that semester were generally better and much more introspective than most student films submitted in Film 101.”

Cindy Davis, now an English professor, was an adult student at NYIT on September 11, 2001. “I had just brought my four and two year old sons to pre-school,” said Davis, who was also the Managing Editor of the Campus Slate at the time. “When I got home I received a frantic phone call from the mother of my oldest and dearest friend, ‘Do I know what floor Cathy works on? A plane just flew into the World Trade Center.’ I put on the TV and could not believe my eyes,” she said. Davis stopped going to school and began working online. She says “I felt sad, overwhelmed and alone. I thought I was going to lose my friend. I had two young children, a husband that was in California and two exchange students from Slovakia studying at NCC. I felt responsible for a lot of people and unsure how to proceed.”

Professor John Hanc arrived on campus while the tragedy was unfolding for his 11 a.m. class. “Nothing had been cancelled yet,” he recalled. “I figured I had better show up, if nothing else, to be there with the students.” As he walked into Education Hall he recalls seeing a female student sitting outside on the curb sobbing hysterically, as a friend tried to console her. “I remember thinking, ‘she must have a friend or a loved one in the Towers,’” Hanc recalls. “But I didn’t know who she was and never saw her again. So I always kind of wondered if her loved one turned up safe or not.”

Hanc, the faculty advisor for The Campus Slate was teaching a journalism class that day. He called the lesson off after learning about the unfolding tragedy. “Instead, we tried to watch the coverage. Oddly enough, the only thing we could get on the TV in the classroom at Ed Hall was a BBC feed that was being broadcast on Channel 21,” he said. “So we watched the 9/11 coverage the way ti was being seen in Great Britain. It was an interesting if unintended lesson in journalism.” Still, it was clear that there would be no business as usual that day or for many days to come. Hanc said “I remember looking around the room at my students, and they looked like they were in shock. That morning, they also looked a lot younger to me. They seemed really scared, and could blame them?”

Dr. Elaine Brown, Chair of the English Department recalls the horrific day as one that started off as a “beautiful fall day.” It was 9:35 a.m., she said when Brown learned from her administrative assistant that a plane hit the Trade Center. They questioned if it was a small plane and if it could be an accident. Brown rushed to her car in the parking lot and turned on the radio. The then Don Imus show was on air, she said, and they were discussing the event at the World Trade Center. That’s when Brown went to her class and reported what she heard to her students. “We had class. I then went out to the quad between classes. Someone had a big boom box. I heard that the United States Air Space was closed. I knew I was swimming in the middle of history now and I wondered if the students who were also listening really got it,” Brown noted. Brown then proceeded to her next class where students were upset. That’s when she canceled class and told her colleagues and students to leave the campus and be with loved ones. Brown said “When I went back to NYIT the next day, I walked into my office in the Balding House. There was an acrid smell in the air—the Twin Towers were still smoldering.”

The devastation affected people on the other side of the world as far as Shanghai, China. Communication Arts Professor Mandy Zhang recalls it being a late night in Shanghai. She was finishing a story in the newsroom at the Shanghai Daily when CNN reported the breaking news about the attacks. “Like my colleagues including several from the United States, I could not believe what had happened,” Zhang said. Zhang then proceed to work with editors on the unfolding news for the next days’ issue.

Today, Professor Davis incorporates 9/11 into her lesson plans by gathering her students in a circle and discussing what they remember. “It’s a very painful process. There is always someone that was directly affected. And whether we hear the story of the daughter who lost her father and is now inspired to go into medicine or a nephew who lost an uncle and wants to be a NYC firefighter or someone who served in the Marines, Navy, or Army, we all get to put our personal perspective, memory in a place to heal. What happened on September 11, 2001 goes beyond understanding, yet these moments of remembering, listening, and planning are necessary. Then I might have them write an essay on courage or facing fear,” said Davis.

The NYIT community was personally affected by the loss of one of its own who made the ultimate sacrifice to represent freedom of the press, and capture the moment of terror that is now a remembrance in history. 1995 NYIT Alumni, and Connetquot High School Graduate Glen Pettit was one of the 2,985 people to die at the Ground Zero. Petit worked as one of New York’s Finest, in the Video Production Unit of the NYPD and was filing the twin towers when they became engulfed in flames. The las Petit was seen was with his partner, and when one tower began to give way, Petit reportedly disappeared in the debris about 100 yards behind.

“I can’t believe it has been ten years since that act of terrorism shook NYC. Whenever I see an old movie that has the towers in it or I pass the downtown sight it takes me back to the morning at home on the phone with colleagues and standing in the SAC watching and crying internally about those who perished. I pray for the soles of those who lost their lives and the families that have to carry the grief of that tragic day,” Davis concluded.

What do you remember about September 11, 2001? Let us know by sharing your thoughts below.

President Guiliano challenged faculty to enrich their courses with technology, suggesting they provide students with all of the “flavors of learning,” including multi-media presentations, online forums, and educational challenges outside of the classroom.

“We need to harness technology to be as productive and efficient as possible so that our students are successful in problem-solving and critical thinking, and NYIT is a model of 21st-century engagement and education,” President Guiliano said.

As part of the annual convocation, he presented five faculty members with Presidential Technology Awards recognizing their creative and effective use of technology to enhance teaching, research, and service at NYIT.

In his speech to faculty and staff gathered in Riland Auditorium and streamed to the NYIT Auditorium on Broadway, President Guiliano also praised faculty members for their research and scholarship, congratulating them for helping move NYIT “up in class as a scholarly institution.”

College crowds are flocking to The Price Is Right tapings in ever-increasing numbers, and the show has begun to reflect that new dynamic. And in the cyber domain, priceisright.com attracts the attention of a sizable—and strongly opinionated—18- to 22-year-old core of devotees.

Executive producer Mike Richards says the shift to this younger demographic is far from accidental. He sums up the reason for the show’s strength in that arena with two words: Drew Carey.

“Drew has an innate sense of himself and what people want,” Richards says. “He could have a conversation with any college kid. That’s why the college kids feel so comfortable with him. He’s not putting on airs. He doesn’t have to try to be their friend—he just is.”

When Carey came onboard three years ago to succeed Bob Barker, the iconic host of the show for the better part of four decades, Richards saw an opportunity to loosen the show’s approach by introducing newer games and cooler prizes.

“Drew’s into iPads, smartphones, all the things that college kids crave,” Richards says. “So we’ve integrated those upscale toys into our prize  selection and taken it to a new level. He loves giving these fantastic prizes to college kids. He feels that by giving them a car or a lot of cash, he’s giving them a break to help them along the way.”

Michael Ausiello, founder and editor-in-chief of TVLine.com, suggests another reason the show has reached a core college crowd. “It’s the ultimate nostalgic comfort food,” he says. “Students tune in and feel like they’re back in their living rooms playing along with their family.”

In fact, the show’s taken its youthful flirtation to an entirely new level. To date, there have been two Price Is Right spring break episodes and a back-to-school special produced specifically with that academic audience in mind.

“During the warm-up, I always ask, ‘Who’s here from college?’ ” Richards says. “The kids all go crazy. I tell them, ‘We’ve been on the air 39 years, or twice as long as you’ve been alive.’ And they all laugh because it’s true. We’re more like their dad than their contemporary.”

WHO KNEW?

MORE FACTS ABOUT TV’S LONGEST-RUNNING GAME SHOW

• The Price Is Right originally was only a half-hour long; the show didn’t expand to an hour (or add the Showcase Showdown) until 1975.

• More than 2 million audience members have watched a taping of The Price Is Right in person, while 65,000 contestants have been told to “come on down!”

• The oldest contestants on the show were 99 years old—there have been two!—while the youngest were 18.

• The show has given away more than $250 million in cash and prizes—including more than 8,000 cars.

• The most expensive single prize ever offered: a $112,845 Tesla Roadster.

• The biggest winner in the daytime version of The Price Is Right won $147,517 in cash and prizes. The biggest winner in the primetime specials won a total of $1,153,908.

• The big wheel has been spun more than 60,000 times.

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (Aug. 29, 2011) – NYIT men’s cross country junior Elphas Kimutai (Eldoret, Kenya) was named preseason East Coast Conference Male Runner of the Year, it was announced Monday by the league. Kimutai finished first in the ECC Championship in 2010 with a time of 25:28.08, outpacing the rest of the field by over 10 seconds. He was joined on the women’s side by senior Sarah Callagy of St. Thomas Aquinas.

As a team, the men finished in a tie with conference newcomer University of D.C. for fourth place in the 2011 Preseason Poll. Topping the list with six first place votes was C.W. Post followed by Molloy, which earned one first place vote. Dowling rounded out the top three. UDC received the final first place vote.

The NYIT women’s team was selected to finish fifth overall with one first place vote. St. Thomas Aquinas grabbed the top spot with five first place votes, while Molloy again took second with one first place vote. C.W. Post was chosen to finish third and Dowling, who earned the final first place vote, was selected to finish fourth.

NYIT cross country is schedule to open the 2011 season on Saturday, Sept. 10 at the Forham Fiasco and Follies at Van Cortlandt Park in Bronx, N.Y. The race is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m.

At NYIT, Carroll was the co-captain and starting catcher for the Bears.  Last season for the Bears, he appeared in 130 games, batted .269 with 64 runs, 19 doubles, 10 home runs, and 64 RBI.  His credits include 605 putouts with a career best 221 as a senior.

Carroll is also a 2006 graduate of Holy Cross High School.

Equipped with iPod touches, and an account for social networking sites, NYIT professors met with 45 New York City K-12 teachers on a trip around New York State July 29.  Amongst the great outdoors in the state, they traveled across ponds, swamps, and the Long Island Sound.  The purpose of this according to a media release, is to train the city school teachers on how to utilize new technologies and impact the students.

The efforts were funded by a $1 million dollar, five year National Science Foundation grant.  “We want to bridge the gap between formal and informal learning using technology to enhance students’ scientific inquiry skills and master new skills,” said Dr. Schiang-Kwei Wang, principal investigator of the project.  Dr. Wang is an associate professor of instructional technology at NYIT, according to its website.

Four training sessions were formed and included lessons on human impact on water quality, photosynthesis, DNA, and the human body. The NYIT professors will teach more groups over the next five years to impact science classrooms using technology, and new information.

Welcome back for another semester and the start of a new academic year, I hope everyone had an enjoyable and productive summer.

My name is John Santamaria, I am a junior studying Communication Arts and also your new Editor in Chief of The Campus Slate replacing Amanda Beekharry who graduated last May. I joined the Slate last Spring as a writer and contributed many articles over the course of the semester in all areas of news from around NYIT. I am a familiar face to many on Campus from reporting with NYIT LI News Tonight and taking part in many other organizations on campus.

I’d also like to take the time and introduce to you the rest of The Campus Slate’s Editorial Staff for the semester. Professor John Hanc of the Communication Arts Department is our faculty advisor, Kyle Reitan is our Managing Editor, Maciej Krasienko is our Layout Editor, Sanj Singh and Rajay Edwards are the Website Editors, and I’d like to welcome our newest editor Roshni Ashar to the Slate staff as our Design Director this fall. I also want to welcome our new staff members to the Slate family and I am excited to be working with you all this semester.

I am looking forward to this exciting new journey for me as I take the next step in working toward my dream job of one day becoming a sports broadcaster. I have been working with media for the past 5 years and bring a lot of experience to this new position. As I mentioned, here at NYIT I was a reporter for NYIT LI News Tonight last fall and reporting there was something I did for the first time and enjoyed my time there. Also on campus, I am a member of Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and WNYT Radio and have been part of both organizations since my freshman year.

Prior to NYIT, I attended St. John the Baptist High School in West Islip, NY and there I had great experiences in Communications as the school offers media classes and has a Television and Radio station along with a newspaper publication. There I got to host a sports show for 2 years on the student produced televised morning announcements, “SJB Sportsdesk” as I delivered the sports news to the school community. I also wrote sports articles for the school newspaper, “The Prophet” based on the news I covered on my television show. In result of my media work, I was named the LI Catholic High School Journalist of the Year and received awards in Communications and Sportsmanship from St. John’s when I graduated in 2009. This year I am also starting as a writer with AOL Patch of West Islip where I will be covering stories involving St. John the Baptist High School.

My career goal is to one day become a sports broadcaster. It’s been my goal since the age of 10 after I won a broadcasting contest with the New York Mets and started to love announcing. In each step of my life, I have grown and gained experience to help me in my future.

Working for the Slate is an honor and I look forward to working in my new role with everyone on the campus and my staff every week in continuing the great NYIT tradition that goes back more than 45 years. I want to thank Professor John Hanc , our Faculty Advisor, our past editor Amanda and the rest of the Slate staff from last semester for giving me this opportunity and privilege to work in this position and it will be another great experience in my college life and my career in media.

At the end of last semester, we made an important change in the Slate, a student publication at NYIT that has existed for over 45 years: we change the frequency of our publication from bi-weekly to monthly and also introduced our new website, www.campusslate.com in which you can keep up with the latest NYIT news.

The digital edition of the Slate, combined with our monthly print edition which features more pages, photos, and color will help the Slate deliver a wide variety of stories and information to you. These stories will cover a wide array of topics: not only the latest news from NYIT; but major trends in things that matter to us students such as technology, jobs, education and how they are impacting us at NYIT. Not to mention useful articles that can help you as a student and a person.

In addition to providing interesting and important information we also want to have fun. The staff of The Campus Slate is excited to announce its Summer Vacation Contest which is open to all on campus. Get those entries in online by visiting our website www.campusslate.com for all rules and details. Great prizes are awarded to the winners who will be announced in early October.

Don’t forget to add The Campus Slate to your list of Facebook friends and follow us on Twitter @nyitcampusslate.

Enjoy Reading!!!

John Santamaria

Editor in Chief

“The average student accumulates over $23,000 in student loan debt and $4,000 in credit card debt during their years as an undergraduate student,” said Gabe Albarian, a former college student who avoided his own credit crisis during his college years by following the advice he offers in Financial Swagger (www.financialswagger.com), a guide for young people who want to escape the pitfalls of credit disaster. “All these stats basically tell the same story: our next generation of college graduates will enter the next phases of their lives in a personal finance hell composed of a combination of crushing debt and poor credit.”

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Albarian has composed a few tips aimed specifically at helping those who are just entering college or about to graduate establish and keep a good credit rating. They include:

·        New Credit Cards – Credit card companies love to hammer new students and new graduates with seemingly generous offers of unsecured credit cards. Don’t take the bait. There are other ways to establish credit without opening yourself up to the slippery slope of introductory interest rates that change after 6 months or the temptation to use that credit to live above your means.

·        Authorized Users – If your parents are financially responsible (not always the case sometimes) and pay their bills on time every month, I suggest that you be added as an authorized user on their credit card. Make sure to provide your personal information and social security number to the credit card company so that your credit history report will reflect transactions performed on this account. In about six months, after you’ve learned with the authorized user training wheels how to manage your credit reliably and maintained a responsible payment history, you will receive your own credit card offers.

·        Secured Credit Card – The temptation will be to apply for an unsecured credit card, but that’s still not wise or necessary to establish good credit and good habits. Instead, apply for a secured credit card at your local bank. With a secured credit card, you place a nominal amount of money in a savings account that cannot be withdrawn as it is used as recourse to pay back your debts in case you do not pay them yourself. In essence, your spending limit on your secured card is exactly the amount you place in the linked savings account – hence, your debt is secured by the money in your account. Just like a normal credit card, you will receive a monthly statement to pay off a portion or all of your debts but meanwhile your payment history will be reported to the credit bureaus. Within months you will receive offers for other unsecured credit cards. It’s not necessary to have more credit cards than you need, because not only will it present temptation, but it may also lower your credit rating.

“The bottom line here is that once you have use of a credit card, you want to pay your bills on time, keep your balances low, don’t take on more credit than you need and if you’ve missed a payment you should get current and stay current,” he added. “Good credit can be your best financial friend as you go through life and bad credit can be the ball and chain that drags you down.”

Gabe Albarian, is a 28 year-old businessman has worked in real estate sales, finance, and investment for nearly 10 years and has done extensive consulting work in personal finance for both individuals and groups. He earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles and is currently pursuing his Masters in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California.

The Swan Club

IMMEDIATE POSITION AVAILABE: Busy North Shore caterer needs waitstaff. We will train. Work mostly weekends. Call 516-621-7600 ext. 29. 7 minutes from NYIT

Anyone who wants a snapshot of American history during the past 45 years should go to the Wisser Memorial Library and pull out a few bound volumes of the Campus Slate.

In December, 1980, for example, the paper published photos, memories, and a student’s poem in tribute to John Lennon, who had been shot and killed in front of his apartment building.

Then there was the front-page article about America’s need to wean itself from oil and other fossil fuels. It sounds like today, when gas costs more than $4 a gallon… but that story appeared in 1981.

I’ve been proud to watch Slate alumni go on to distinguished careers in the media and a wide range of other fields. Now the Old Westbury campus says a fond “farewell” to a newspaper that has changed with the times even as it chronicled the times.

We also greet the new, invigorated Campus Slate – the magazine and the website.  The newspaper has been the voice of NYIT students since 1966, eagerly tackling the matters that concern students.  I have no doubt that will continue – on multiple platforms.

Just as it is an exciting time for Campus Slate, it’s an exciting time for NYIT.  I would like to share a few developments:

· We will host NYIT’s sixth annual Energy Conference on June 2, which this year will focus on offshore energy and new technologies to bring us beyond our dependence on carbon-based fuel sources.   Your classes will be over, but we welcome you back to NYIT de Seversky Mansion to attend.

· Our Center for Global Health will sponsor a return trip to Ghana, where students will help improve medical, health, and education conditions in villages.  This year’s effort will include an original puppet show for children, highlighting the use of bed nets for malaria prevention.

· Last month, the East Coast Conference announced the addition of the University of D.C. beginning with the 2011-2012 seasons. The new competition will also add educational experiences for the Bears in the nation’s capital.

On May 22, I will confer degrees on more than 3,400 students on our campuses around the world, and send our newest graduates off on their next adventures.

Farewell to our graduates, but remember this is not goodbye. As alumni, you will be a driving force of the NYIT community.

And to the rest of you:  Have a great summer, and we will see you in the fall.

Edward Guiliano, Ph.D.

President, NYIT

A poll conducted by mtvU and Associated Press in spring 2009 found that more than 2,200 college students across 40 colleges and universities had academic concerns like school work and grades, with 77 percent and 74 percent respectively, maintain their positions as the top drivers of student stress, even over financial woes in today’s economy.

Fact: 50% of students who attend college drop out or fail, 33% within their first year (Source: campuscalm.com).

According to an article on ehow.com titled “Stress Statistics for College Students” by Bettina Drew, “Living away from home, juggling academic demands, worrying about paying tuition and other bills, job hunting and maintaining a rewarding social life combine to create enormous amounts of stress for college students. While a significant percentage of the college population suffers from stress, some students manage their worries through exercise and conversation with friends and family, according to Experience, a college career-services support company.”

We all must learn how to cope with all these issues that may bother some of us more than others. There are mechanisms to deal with stressful situations.

Here are some of the tips suggested by Elizabeth Scott, a wellness coach specializing in stress management and quality of life issues, published at About.com (reviewed by the Medical Review Board). You can apply whenever you feel like you need something to help you out.

1. Time management. Start with a schedule. Put aside time to study (plenty of time for this one), to have fun (less than study time), meals and chores. And stick to it.

2. Organize yourself. Create a filing system to keep your important papers, assignments, notes, etc… Nowadays everybody has smart phones. Use the calendar to remind yourself the deadlines. Put several reminders for the same assignment so you won’t leave it to the last minute.

3. Do you know your learning style? Not everybody learn the same way. Some of us need complete silence. Others will absorb better with a little music. Do you study better with classical music? Maybe you prefer hip-hop or rap music? Whatever is your preference, use it. It may help you to better understand the material.

4. Practice makes perfect. No wonder our parents kept giving us this boring advice. But it’s true! Practice your presentation, practice even your exam. It will help you. And you will feel better than ever when you see it work.

5. Try to be optimist. It is proven that optimist people are less stressed and more successful.

6. Make sure that you get enough sleep. Getting enough sleep is the most important thing you can give to yourself. Sleep deprive people have more trouble learning and remembering. Take power naps during the day if you didn’t have a good sleep the night before. Internet has unlimited sites to learn stress management techniques. Use all the available tools to help yourself.

Finally you can always walk in to the Counseling and Wellness Center right here at NYIT and talk to Ms. Joan O’Connor and other counselors. Some of her good suggestions that can help alleviate stress are: “…sleeping eight hours a night…eating three meals, don’t skip breakfast, get some regular physical activities, shoot some hoops, walk, run…and never hesitate to talk to a good friend or come in and speak to a counselor.”

The Bears, who improved to 8-3 on the season and 6-2 in East Coast Conference play, were led by senior Mike Palmer’s hat trick. Graduate student Chris Lubin and senior Ryan Amengual added two goals each, while junior Joe Herman and freshman Cory Triola chipped in with one a piece. Triola’s second goal of the game turned out to be the game-winner.

The win in the goal went to junior Billy McGee who collected 20 saves on 30 shots faced. With the victory, McGee improved to 7-3 on the year. The Bears took a 1-0 lead with 12:12 to play on a goal from Palmer but the Griffins quickly responded with a man-up goal from Alex Hill. That was the only time the game was knotted as NYIT went on to score three in a row to claim a 4-1 advantage. Triola, Amengual and Palmer all scored in the spurt.

Both the second and third quarters were relatively quiet as NYIT continued to hold the upper hand with a 4-2 run. However, the Griffins were revived in the fourth quarter and had multiple opportunities to send the game into overtime. With 2:32 remaining Kevin Cala brought Seton Hill within one goal apart, 9-8. NYIT earned possession off the faceoff but a turnover after a called time out gave Seton Hill control with 1:44 to play.

Kevin Welty and Matt Delmonico peppered NYIT’s net but chief of homeland security McGee held strong and made impressive point blank saves. However, the Griffins would lose possession on a turnover by Welty with 32 seconds to play and NYIT would hold on for the win.

In addition to the win and celebration of the seniors, freshman Cory Triola was also named Rookie of the Week by the East Coast Conference. He notched his fourth hat trick of the season as he netted a game-best five goals to lead NYIT to a 17-11 victory over Chestnut Hill earlier this month.

One may learn more on job tips by visiting the NYIT Career Center or career-advice.monster.com.

Karan Lal

By: Sujith Abraham

Karan Lal, a BSDO student, is one who enjoyed his education at NYIT. He says he was privileged to meet wonderful people and was under the academic supervision of many great professors, who helped him understand the framework of the rigorous BSDO program. It greatly impacted his life but it specifically taught him to study. This coming fall, he will begin his studies at NYCOM. He is very excited to learn about osteopathic medicine and the principles which make it a growing community. He believes NYCOM will help him accomplish his goal. He is interested in primary care medicine and he is excited to graduate as a NYCOM student, who have high entry rate into primary care.

When asked about the outlook of DO doctors, Lal noted, “The outlook for osteopathic physicians is amazing. There are so many people and such few physicians and with all these new diseases, conditions, and illnesses it is important to look at possible alternative treatments. In addition, medicine has become so competitive that at this point medicine is medicine and a doctor is a doctor. Whether someone is an MD or DO is trivial. In the end I want to help people and NYCOM is making my goal possible.” His best experience at NYIT is his current role as an SI leader for BIO 110. He loves teaching and hopes to one day enter into academia and says helping other students in their rigorous course and tough classes has been a rewarding feeling.

Adolfo Zepeda

By: Laura Green

Adolfo Zepeda will graduate in May 2011 with a Masters Degree in Communication Arts.  His career goal is to be an executive director of an organization or own his own business.  After graduation, he plans to use his education and experience that he acquired from NYIT to look for a position in his field.  For advice for students going for their Masters in Communication Arts here at NYIT, he expresses that, “if you have the passion for the field and are a determined individual, then by all means go for it.  The experience and knowledge will be well worth your time.”

Robert Marzano

By: John Santamaria

Robert, from West Babylon, NY is going to earn a B.F.A in Communication Arts at this year’s commencement ceremony. He spent the last two years at NYIT after transferring from Suffolk Community College. In two years at NYIT, Robert was very active in the Communication Arts Department by working for WNYT Radio, contributing articles to the Campus Slate and reporting for NYIT LI News Tonight. In fall 2010, he was named to the Dean’s Honor List for earning a 3.57 GPA. This summer, Robert will be interning at News 12 Long Island and MSG Varsity as he begins to pursue a career in Communications. “I think once I intern and gain more experience working in the field, my goal to land a job in the next 6 months to a year could really happen,” says Marzano. Along with the internship, Robert will also be traveling to Florida and Italy during the summer.

Mohammed Habibzi

By: Jackline Toek

Mohammed Habibzi from Toronto, Canada is a 2011 graduate in NYIT’s Interdisciplinary Studies program. Habibzi enrolled at NYIT on an athletic scholarship for his athletic abilities on the soccer team. On the soccer team, Habibzi held the Captain position for a year. “My intention for the future is to hold a position on a professional soccer team where I can extend the development of my skills,” he said. He intends to have his soccer skills take him far and create way for a bright future. After his studies at NYIT, Habibzi intends to enhance his education by acquiring a master’s degree.

Stephanie Taylor

By: Matthew Schlichtig

Stephanie Taylor, a graduating senior majoring in architecture, has enjoyed her years at NYIT. Stephanie is from Port Jefferson, and will be graduating with a Bachelor’s of Architecture Degree.

Stephanie has contributed to NYIT in a few different ways. She is a member of the AIAS (American Institute of Architecture Students). Currently she is the peer advisor in the AIAS. She has a 3.0 GPA and plans to go to graduate school at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) to continue her studies. She will be missed by the AIAS.

While Taylor is going to graduate school, that does not mean she is not looking for work. Taylor is working at an architecture firm called Reilly and Associates in Seacliff. She also plans to go for an internship while she is attending FIT. “Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast,” Taylor said.

Yasin Butt

By: Sanj Singh

Senior Yasin Butt is graduating with a bachelor’s degree from NYIT’s School of Engineering. After the May graduation ceremony, Yasin is looking forward to attending CUNY or Stony Brook University for his master’s degree in Engineering. He says if all else fails, he will return to NYIT to get a master’s degree in Energy Management. His message to the underclassmen: “Take advantage of everything offered here at NYIT, like the SGA or the SAE.” Through the plan that he has set for himself from 2007, he is graduating in the four years that most college students wish for.

Jeffrey Hunter

By: James Fuller

Business Administration senior Jeffrey Hunter plans on extending his education by acquiring a master’s degree after graduation. Hunter plans on acquiring an MBA at Stony Brook University. He says by doing this, it will greatly help him in the competitive job market of today’s world. He has also helped the NYIT lacrosse team start in face offs to win the ball for the Bears. Hunter plans on using all of his acquired abilities from NYIT to start his own business someday. He plans on starting this career opportunity by using his connections from years of networking to gain experience in the business world and learn the basics. After he has some years of experience, enough capital, and feels ready he will open his own business venture.

Huan (Raisa) Chen & Zilong (Zi) Jiao

By: Ethan Debehar

Huan (left) and Zilong (right) are a couple graduating this May with Communication Arts degrees. They are both international students from China and share the same ambitions after graduating. They will be looking for jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities to gain more experience. After they secure a job opportunity, their plan is to go to graduate school. They are also planning to stay in America because of the friendships they built but will probably return to China later on. When they return to China, they would like to share what they learned in America to make their country better.

Jennifer Contino

By: John Santamaria

Jennifer Contino of Wantagh, NY will be earning an MBA degree at this year’s Commencement ceremony. Along with studying to earn this degree, she is currently the Conference Planner and Event Coordinator at NYIT Food Services on the Old Westbury Campus. Even though she was working full time at NYIT, she still managed to finish her degree on time. “It was a lot of work, but by taking summer courses and 9 credits during some semesters I was able to do it,” says Contino.

She was also the former Administrative Assistant in the Communication Arts Department and has earned a Bachelor of Professional Studies as an undergraduate student also at NYIT. She is already thinking about taking some culinary courses to learn more about the kitchen.  “I would like to have a well-rounded understanding of the business,” says Contino.

She never imagined that she would end up working at NYIT and she was blessed with a great opportunity to work at her alma mater. “Having the opportunity to do what you love is what comes after graduation, it might take a few different jobs, but eventually you will find the right one.  Don’t settle on a job, do what you love and want to do,” Contino said.

He’s been doing both for a long time: A professor at NYIT for 45 years, with a M.S. and Ph. D. in Physics from NYU, he’s been flying for 55 years—a record of airborne endurance that is now earning him a distinguished award; one named after the legendary brothers whose work first enable men to fly.

On May 3^rd, Mr. Sunshine will be given the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, which is given to individuals who have safely and continuously flown for 50 or more years. Professor Sunshine will be given this award at a local safety meeting of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which will be held at The Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City.

Even now, Mr. Sunshine is still flying a two-engine aircraft every week or two at the Republic Airport, which is located in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County. This airport only focuses on business, private and corporate trips for their flights. There are no commercial flights or airlines at the Republic Airport. Mr. Sunshine has flown a variety of single-engine, two-engine and four-engine planes during his time in the U. S. Air Force. He has flown a total of 20-25 different kinds of planes throughout his life. Mr. Sunshine used to own a twin-engine airplane at the Republic Airport but sold it a few years ago.

As many as 100 students and faculty at NYIT have flown with Mr. Sunshine during the past twelve years at the Republic Airport, including Edward Guiliano, President of NYIT, and Harriet Arnone, Vice President for Planning and Assessment at NYIT. Dr. Stanley M. Greenwald, Chairman of Environmental Technology and an NYIT professor in the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, accompanied Sunshine on a flight in and around the World Trade Center in the Spring of 2001. “I enjoyed the flight. It was exhilarating because you are above the New York buildings and landmarks,” says Mr. Greenwald. As for Prof. Sunshine’s flying skills, Greenwald says, “He is an excellent pilot with lots of experience.” Mr. Greenwald has gone on several flights with Mr. Sunshine. His most memorable flight was his trip to the World Trade Center in around April / May 2001. They flew half way up the tower of the World Trade Center, where Professor Greenwald took a multitude of pictures.

Professor Sunshine has a long and distinguished record not only as a pilot but a military man, which is where he earned his wings. A retired Colonel and jet fighter pilot for the U. S. Air Force. He first enlisted in the U. S. Air Force in 1956. Mr. Sunshine received primary training at Stallings Air Base in North Carolina and basic training at Bryan Air Force Base in Texas to get his pilot wings in May 1957. He was then assigned to Moody Air Force Base in Georgia for advanced pilot training. Later in December 1957, Mr. Sunshine was assigned to the 87th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Lockburne Air Force Base in Ohio. In 1959, Mr. Sunshine left active duty to continue graduate studies in Physics at New York University. As time passed, he joined the 335th Troop Squadron of the 514th Troop Carrier Wing at Mitchel Air Force Base in New York.

While serving on reserve from 1968-1973, Mr. Sunshine used a four-engine jet to fly as high as 50,000 feet in the air to go back and forth between the United States and Vietnam every few months during the Vietnam War. On these trips, Mr. Sunshine transported supplies such as jeeps, tanks, and even six helicopters to U. S. troops. During the last six months of this time, Mr. Sunshine evacuated soldiers from Vietnam by first transporting the soldiers to Guam to give shots and then bring them to the United States. “It was very exciting to go to Vietnam, knowing the war was coming to an end,” says Mr. Sunshine. This, according to Mr. Sunshine, was the biggest accomplishment he achieved while serving in the U. S. Air Force. Mr. Sunshine is proud of his achievements in the U. S. Air Force. His office shows numerous pictures of aircrafts he piloted during his time of service. Mr. Sunshine says if he could go through his experiences in the U. S. Air Force again, he would. “It was a wonderful experience. If I could change anything, I probably wouldn’t do anything differently,” says Mr. Sunshine.

As time went by, Mr. Sunshine went from being Operations Officer of the 335^th Squadron, to being Commander of the 702nd Military Airlift Squadron. Then he went from being promoted to Vice Commander, to becoming Chief of Staff. Finally as Colonel, Mr. Sunshine provided extra service as an Air Force Academy Liaison Officer from 1974 to 1981. In 1986, Mr. Sunshine retired from the U. S. Air Force.

Mr. Sunshine’s hard work as an Air Force fighter pilot has earned him a prestigious award that few pilots have been given. But Mr. Sunshine has also been a part of giving awards to other hard working individuals in the U. S. Air Force. In the May 2007 USAF Academy Graduation Awards Ceremony, Mr. Sunshine presented a number of awards to the most deserving pilots in the U. S. Air Force. These awards included the Saber Award, the Falcon Award, and the Spring and Fall Wing Commander Awards. These awards are given out every year to individuals who show exceptional performance during their prior year of service. To learn more about these awards and the individuals that worked so hard to get them, you can go to www.aviatorspost.org

Mr. Sunshine’s military days as a jet fighter pilot are not the only fun part of his life. During his job as a professor, Mr. Sunshine is enjoying his time teaching students taking Physics classes at NYIT. “It’s a lot of fun to play a part in the next generation of students to solve problems using logical reasoning,” says Mr. Sunshine. Through his teaching profession, Mr. Sunshine can also be a part of students’ lives by teaching them how to approach things logical to handle a given situation.

When a person goes through an amazing experience, the first thing they want to do is tell someone about it. When a person hears about an amazing adventure that someone had, it makes that person want to go out into the world and have their own adventure to share with the people they care about. Mr. Sunshine has been through life-altering experiences in the U. S. Air Force that he will never forget. Even now, Mr. Sunshine is still able to keep his memories as an Air Force fighter pilot alive through his flights at the Republic Airport. Mr. Sunshine has worked hard and earned his well-deserved award for his outstanding performance.

Upon graduation, I asked my mother, Patricia Campbell Horton, who had published a monthly paper in the early 1970′s, to start a newspaper with me. [After all, I had produced a weekly newspaper for NYIT for three years, I innocently thought it would be easy].

As we attempted to get financial backers, time and time again, we were told we were crazy, “In this economy at this time,” to start a newspaper.

Being told “No” only got my mother’s “Irish” up and though she was skeptical in the beginning of my request, being told “No” made her all the more determined to make it happen.

We went to potential advertisers and told them our plans and asked for payment up front to cover the first week… Twenty years later, we’ve printed every week since and have grown to be the largest weekly on the North Shore of Long Island with a loyal subscription base.

Fond Times

I still reflect fondly on my time at NYIT and the Campus Slate. I had some extremely influential professors at NYIT.

I recently volunteered at my children’s elementary school to teach an elective on Journalism and help students produce a school newspaper.

I found myself reminiscing to my days at the Campus Slate and tried to channel some of my favorite teachers… One was a “professor” named Bernie Bard. He must have been over 80, if he was a day, but he was electric. His entire course was about lead writing. He would give us notes from a story and ask us to write a lead on the board. Bernie Bard was a retired reporter from “The New York Post” so the better the lead that “Grabbed” the reader the more excited he got.

I remember Bernie standing at the front of the classroom reading aloud each one of the students leads, if he read one he really liked he’d throw the eraser across the room and shout, “[expletive] beautiful lead!” If he really liked a lead he’d open his wallet and slam a dollar on your desk… One time he plopped his entire wallet on a student’s desk!

Well, I channeled Bernie in a way, the day I did the lead writing course, I gave the kids cookies!

Your current NYIT President, Dr. Edward Guiliano, was our advisor on the Slate during my tenure. Although we didn’t always agree on topics, I always held him in high regard. Our respect was mutual, I believe, he never told us what we “couldn’t do,” he believed whole-heartedly in the freedom of the press. Even when we were called into then President Dr. Matthew Schure’s office, for a risque piece we had printed in our “April Fool’s” edition, Dr. G. let the chips fall-where-they-may without further reprimand.

Changing Times

My hats off to the current editor of the Campus Slate, Amanda Beekharry, and advisor John Hanc, [John was also one of my professors] as they embark on the new format of the Slate.

The publication has come a long way from the days we spent hours upon hours in the Balding House basement pulling our hair out [maybe sometimes having too much fun] getting out the newspaper. I spent many a sleepless Sunday night getting the paper ready for press [I'm still not sure if I ever passed that 8am Monday photography class]…. but I digress.

NYIT has always been on the cutting edge. In the late 1980′s when we were producing the Campus Slate, e-mail was starting to be developed. I remember professors talking about it and I have to admit I thought, “That doesn’t sound very likely, electronic mail? Why would you need that?” Now I wear e-mail on my belt through a Blackberry and am a complete and unrecoverable addict.

Being a Journalist

When speaking to people about the business of being a journalist I always tell them the thing I like most about it is, it’s always different. Every day brings a different story and a different adventure. You meet different people and touch their lives, sometimes in their most difficult times. I remember within the first few issues of the paper, there was a horrific car crash which resulted in the death of a young girl only a few years younger than me.

To get the human interest story, the story behind the headline and police report, I knew I had to call the family and find out who she really was.

I had lifted and dropped the telephone receiver countless times before I finally held on long enough for the connection to be made. Sweat was forming on my brow in the cold office, my hand was literally shaking and butterflies were swarming my stomach.

As her mother answered the phone, I could hear my voice shaking to a point I wasn’t sure it was understandable, but it was from that conversation with her mother that I learned a valuable lesson. Everyone has a story that needs to be heard and understood. The printed story not only told of the accident and the victim’s death, but honored her life and who she was. To this day, I occasionally see her mother on the street and we share a smile. She was extremely grateful for the story.

Everywhere you go you touch people’s lives. The trick is to make a positive impression that they will always remember.

We’ve found that the issues with the large fire and color flames fly off the newsstands but that’s not the story people remember years later. The ones they remember many years later are when we feature their accomplishments, awards, graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

Again, from a graduate and editor of the Slate all the way back from 1991, to the graduating Class of 2011, I congratulate you! To the staff of the Campus Slate, congratulations on keeping the newspaper on the cutting edge of technology.

My final message: Times change, times remain the same, but anything can be achieved as long as you set your mind to it!