Long Time No Post: Chicago Edition

So second summer session is over! I hope it went well for everyone. As soon as second summer session ended I celebrated my 24^th birthday (WHOO HOO) and left for a leadership summit in Chicago for the Graduate Student Association.

The summit was awesome! I met a lot of great students who were representing their University by studying the fields they love. Most of the students were preparing to defend their dissertation and others were Masters Students like me. I was so inspired to see students my age obtaining their Doctorate. It made me think it wasn’t that farfetched. Have you thought about getting your Doctorate upon graduating from West Chester University? What types of programs are you looking into? I will keep everyone posted on the date but the Graduate Student Association will be hosting a program for students interested in a Doctoral Degree. I think it will be very beneficial because there are so many opportunities for students interested in continuing their education.

 

If anyone is interested in the summit host it was an organization NAGPS (National Association of Graduate- Professional Students). They will host their national conference in Michigan in November. I think it is a great opportunity to network and advocate for graduate students. If you are interested in attending the conference I urge you to check out their website for more information. The Graduate Student Association here at West Chester University awards students with up to $500 in conference reimbursement per year. I will link the site below. I will also share photos from the summit and Chicago sightseeing.

 

http://nagps.org/ 

 

Please enjoy the last few days of summer. Classes begin in 11 days! Time really does fly when you are having fun. See you all very soon!

Waterworks building in Chicago

Networking session with summit participants on the 96th floor of a building!



One of our many speakers for the summit

Giordano's Famous Deep Dish Pizza! Stuffed with peppers, onions, spinach, mushrooms, and cheese

During a presentation is showed where the government is spending their money (Only 2% is being used on education)





NBC Building

Some great students from the conference

Photo of the view on the 96th floor

Navy Pier sightseeing



Almost Finished!

Wonderful WCU Graduate Students!

Good afternoon! It is hard to think that we are already in our THIRD week of summer classes. It is going so fast. I will say that taking a theory class during the summer is not the best thing to do. We are going through information so fast and we already have a midterm tomorrow, YIKES! I am learning a lot in both classes and I am enjoying myself. One of our recent class assignments was to practice Expressive Arts Therapy and to color using Mandala art so we can understand the relaxing benefits of art as therapy. I am an art enthusiast so I was too excited! Of course I took photos to share. How are everyone's summer classes treating them? I hope you are enjoying yourself.

 

 

MOTIVATION CHECK WEST CHESTER!

    Hello wonderful students and friends! How has your summer been? I have had a relaxing and semi productive summer thus far. I was excited to read a book that was not school related! I also was able to see two good friends get engaged and be there to capture the memory for them. The rain in PA has been CRAZY! It literally rains daily here and has been for the entire month of June. I am hoping that July is different; there is so much summer to enjoy. I was also able to go to Dorney Park this past Saturday and it was the ONLY day last week that did not rain! It was so wonderful and I was so grateful to enjoy a rain-free day outside. Among some other things, I believe May and June were good months!

    At my past job we had a chant called "Motivation Check". Its purpose was to remind us to keep a positive attitude although we may not always be in positive or ideal situations (or at least that is how I took it). I have it in my mind as July begins. Oh July! I am taking TWO summer classes this month; one Counseling Theory class and an Intro to Student Affairs class. I have to get ready to get back into the school/study swing. I am looking forward to the classes but it is a bummer that there aren't earlier classes offered in the summer. I will be in class on Tuesday-Thursday from 4:15-10pm until August 1st YIKES! However, I will keep a positive attitude and be grateful that the classes are offered so I can get into my practicum class this fall.

     Various programs here at WCU have prerequisites that must be completed before you continue on to other classes. Do not make my mistake and not figure out those classes ahead of time and you will be able to avoid summer classes (unless you enjoy them). Speak to your advisor to make sure you are taking the correct classes at the correct times.


    Anyway, if you are in the West Chester area this summer, come visit me in the Office of Graduate Studies. :)

    I hope you enjoy your summer. Please feel free to share the awesome things you have been doing on your break. If you are taking summer classes along with me let me know which ones. We can keep each other motivated.

Share some motivation with us!



After the initial start, summer classes won't be as bad as they seem :)

    First day of classes are this evening, don't forget to have fun! I know that summer classes are not the most fun but remember that you enjoy what you are studying (hopefully) and enjoy learning new concepts about your craft. That is what I need to keep reminding myself.

JUST AN FYI IMPORTANT SUMMER SESSION II DATES:

July 1: Summer Session II Begins
July 2: Last Day to Drop Summer Session II Classes
July 5: Term Withdraw ONLY Begins (for refunds)
July 19: Last Day for Course Withdraw
July 30: Last Day for Term Withdraw
August 1: Last Day of Classes

Talk to you soon!

Hello wonderful students!
   
       I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I attended a couple different events this weekend and photographed them. One in particular I would like to share was the rally in Philadelphia to save schools. I'm not sure if you've been following what is happening in the Philadelphia school system but it is a mess! This past Thursday the School Reform Commission (SRC) voted on the budget for the upcoming school year. This budget only included teachers and one principal, THAT IS IT. I cannot even believe that the SRC feels a school can function without nurses, music and art programs, sports, librarians, vice principals, and of course counselors. It is an outrage! So a friend, who is in the same school counseling program, and I went to support the current school counselors and the school district as a whole. I am not from Philadelphia but my mother is, I've lived there, and I served there last year at Frankford high school; so it has a special place in my heart. My plan was to work in the Philadelphia school district after graduation because they need a lot of help and the students deserve great counselors. As of now, I have no job to go to. The budget passed on Thursday so currently everything I mentioned above has been cut from all Philadelphia public schools. This fight however is not over!

I am working on connecting with a current counselor to see how my classmates and I can help. If you would like more information and/or want to support please go to the Facebook page for Philly School Counselors United https://www.facebook.com/pages/Philly-School-Counselors-United/266786333458724

In route to the school district building

Student who spoke so well about her feelings on losing key players in her education and future

 

I wonder how the school district will decorate their building next year without art programs 

Student artwork, students performing, supporters, myself and classmate

Graduation

So I assume that the purpose of graduate school is to make it to graduation? I know we are in school to learn and broaden our horizons but at the end of the day that ceremony lets us know that we did it. These students set their eyes on a goal and accomplished it! I wanted to share some photos I took of their graduation last Monday. A HUGE congratulations to the new Alum of WCU Graduate Studies!!

Long Time No Post

Hey all!
It has been an extremely long time since my last post! I feel ashamed :( I apologize but I plan on making it up to you. The semester has come to a close and I have officially completed my first year of graduate school. It went so fast! It sure was not the easiest thing in the world but I learned a lot and met some wonderful people in the process. I want to catch you up with some things that I've got going on.

West Chester U. has a great Graduate Student Association (GSA) who puts together socials for grad students throughout the year. They had some good ones this semester that included: happy hour at Timothy's in town, resume building workshop, a collaboration social with Temple GSA at Frankford Hall in Philadelphia, and they even provided us dinner one night after classes! I will post some of the photos from the events. I loved what GSA represents and does for the students so much that I ran for office, AND WON! I am the new Vice President of the Graduate Student Association. How cool is that! LOL well I think it's pretty darn cool.

 This is Lauren (on the left), the 2012-2013 President of GSA. She did a really awesome job as President and she graduated last Monday along with the other WCU 2013 graduates! CONGRATS LAUREN!

The above photos are ones from the Frankford Hall social collaboration with Temple University. It was a great turnout and a lot of fun!

I am going to post more frequently I promise! I will also be sharing a lot more photos so you can really get a feel for our campus community. After all I am a photographer and I speak through photos more than words so hopefully you'll enjoy!

INTERLINK For West Chester!

Come to West Chester to Learn English, Apply for Graduate School

 

An exciting new venture has come to West Chester University, and it will expand our international student population immensely. INTERLINK Language Centers and West Chester University have come together on a collaboration allowing international students to learn English while here at West Chester University.

What does this mean for prospective graduate students? Well, it means that those with TOEFL and IELTS scores that fall below the University’s requirements now have a second option. If a student’s English falls below the required levels, he or she can apply to the INTLERLINK program here on campus. Students will take classes THROUGH INTERLINK here at WCU in order to increase the English proficiency. It really is an exciting development here at West Chester! Below are links for both the news article and the INTERLINK website.

News Article: http://www.wcupa.edu/pr/2013/3.8pilotprogram.asp

INTERLINK Website: http://eslus.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=686:homepage&catid=184:wcu&Itemid=243