Future Students | Blog

I cannot believe it is the last full week of classes – referred to on campus as “Dead Week” and next week (April 30 – May 4) is finals.

I am fortunate enough to not have any cumulative finals this semester which gives me the chance to focus on my capstone campaign presentation. My public relations campaign team of six seniors has designed a 113 page campaign book that I am very proud of. Next week we will present our work to our professor, class, and other faculty from the School of Journalism. I have loved all the hands-on, real-world experience that I have had as an undergraduate student. I know that this campaign book is something I can show potential employers that will showcase the public relations skills I have developed during my time at WVU.

This fall I will begin work as a graduate assistant in the Office of Student Affairs at WVU and start my classes in my graduate program. WVU annually awards about 1,900 graduate assistantships which is a great opportunity for students to work for the university and earn both a tuition waiver and monthly stipend.

This past weekend my parents came into town to help me celebrate my birthday. As we had beautiful weather here in Morgantown over the weekend, it was a great time for them to visit. They had never been to Cooper’s Rock before, a rock overlook that is 1200 feet high. Cooper’s Rock is a popular place for students to go hiking and hold cookouts when the weather is warm and for skiing and snowshoeing when the weather is cold. We hiked to the overlook and then hiked through some of the trails in the state forest surrounding Cooper’s Rock. After Cooper’s Rock, we hiked to the summit of Dorsey’s Knob to see a spectacular 360-degree view of Morgantown. Best part of that: meeting the white mountain goat that lives on the hillside of Dorsey’s Knob. We took a walk on the rail trail to the Wharf District, where we grabbed an early dinner at one of the restaurants located there. We didn’t have enough time to do it, but bowling in the WVU student union, called the Mountainlair, was on the to-do list. I highly recommend doing all the above if and when you’re in Morgantown, WV.

The Week of Engagement is finally here! I have worked with my capstone team this entire semester to help raise awareness on campus about the week and its activities and I am excited that it has finally arrived.

Tonight I will be taking photographs of one of the ENGAGE Service Projects. The project I will attend tonight is the Hospice Care Corps: Shadow Box Assembly. The photographs I take will be posted to the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) website and social media accounts. Social media is an important emerging area of journalism and this project has helped me use Facebook and Twitter effectively to connect with students.

Volunteering and service-learning is such a unique and valuable experience offered to students at WVU. I have enjoyed spending the semester informing students about the benefits of working with the CCE and how they can get involved.

As my capstone and other classes begin to reach the end I find myself more excited than ever to be a Mountaineer. Although I am a little jealous of all of the students moving into the dorms this fall I am excited to graduate and begin my graduate program.

Yesterday, I had a great opportunity to meet and listen to Michael Feeney, a New York Daily News reporter. Not only does he have an awesome job, but he also is only 28 years old! Feeney encouraged all of us to simply write down our one, two, five and ten year plans after college and try to follow them as much as possible. He hadn’t planned on working for the Daily News until he’d reached his 10 year mark, but instead, he reached it in four years!

His inspirational message and life story encourages me to really want to succeed in my life. It was definitely an eye opener to really get moving and work hard to finish out this last semester and year I have left in college.

Without being a part of the WVU Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, meeting and networking with him may not have been possible.

It’s always tough to come back from Spring Break and jump right back into schoolwork. With only a month left, it’s time to open my textbooks and follow my study plan and syllabi to finish off projects, papers, and final exams. It’s a daunting task, but with a little effort, it will all get done. Make it easier on yourself and create a study plan that fits your learning style at the very beginning of the semester, as you receive your syllabi. You’ll want to find a study plan that works for you so you will be prepared instead of scrambling around at the end of the semester. The last thing you want is extra stress at the end of the semester when the summer ahead seems so close, yet so far. My study plan uses different colors for different classes and listing due dates on a whiteboard. Visualizing what I have to do helps me stay on track. Other students use day planners. Plan ahead, and come finals week, you’ll be ready to finish with finesse. Fun fact: WVU gives free planners out during the first week of class, so take advantage of that!

Tiphani :)

Greetings, viewers! I hope everyone enjoyed a relaxing and rejuvenating spring break. It’s time to get in gear for the end of the semester, and it will certainly fly! Because I’m student teaching, my spring break coincides with the county’s spring break. Therefore, I am taking my spring break this week. After that, I have three weeks of student teaching left. It’s hard to believe that I’m at the tail-end of my fourteen week internship. Where has time gone?! The experiences and learning along the way have been immeasurably wonderful.

The elementary school placement is going so well. My cooperating teacher is wonderful, the faculty is very welcoming, and the students are a joy to work with. The creative part of my brain is certainly being put to work.

Among the things I’ve talked about in this blog, I want to draw attention to the choral program at WVU. The College of Creative Arts will be welcoming Dr. Jeffrey Redding, the new Director of Choral Activities. The 2012-2013 academic year will be an exciting time to join the choral department! Dr. Redding is a wonderful professor who I had the honor of observing during his visit/interview on campus. I’m certain the program’s integrity will be bolstered to new levels of involvement and excitement.

Interested in joining choir at WVU? Ccarts.wvu.edu

Keepin’ it real,
IC

As I have mentioned in previous posts my capstone requirement is to plan and implement a public relations campaign. I am on a six person campaign team that is promoting awareness among student and faculty at WVU about the Week of Engagement which is organized by the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE). The CCE is an organization on campus that helps students to engage in the community through volunteer opportunities and service-learning. I have had the opportunity to take two service-learning courses at WVU and found both experiences incredibly rewarding. Service-learning and volunteer work helps students to not only become an active member of the community but also to build their resume.

The Week of Engagement is held annually in April (this year April 16-21) and is designed to showcase service and engagement on campus. For the next few weeks my capstone campaign team will be visiting student organizations and residence halls to encourage students to participate in the activities during the Week of Engagement. For more information about the CCE and how you can get involved on campus visit the CCE website at http://cce.wvu.edu/.

-Alexa-

To cope with the stress of school and work, I’ve been taking advantage of the beautiful weather. I’ve spent my spare time exploring the different running trails the area has to offer. There’s Cooper’s Rock 20 minutes outside of Morgantown, with scenic running trails, including one that leads to an scenic overlook. The overlook is famous to WVU students. There are pavilions with charcoal grills right next to it so when the weather gets warm, students will hold cookouts. Morgantown also offers a 13-mile running trail along the Monongahela River, stretching to Fairmont, WV. I like to switch it up and I love water, so I’ve explored several access points to the river trail throughout Morgantown, including an access point 45 minutes away in Shinnston, WV. I’ve been keeping in shape and get to enjoy gorgeous views at the same time. There’s a trail that starts in Morgantown and if you run about five miles one way, you are in Pennsylvania. I’m considering running there, saying I ran all the way to PA, and walking back. Wish me luck!

Tiphani :)

Spring break has finally arrived for students. The university will be closed next week and I am definitely ready for a little time off from classes.

One of the events I have to look forward to after spring break is my induction into Kappa Tau Alpha, a national college honor society that recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication. I recently received my invitation to the organization and I am excited to be recognized alongside my peers in the school of journalism. The P.I. Reed School of Journalism will be hosting a Spring Honor Ceremony and Reception in April to induct new members like myself and to recognize seniors in each major within the school. I have been nominated for a senior award for the public relations class and I will find out at this reception if I was selected.

One of the things I love most about WVU is the benefits of a large university; however it is nice to be a part of a small community within your college or major. I have gotten to know many of my journalism professors very well and can always depend on them for guidance or advice. The students within my classes in the journalism school have become some of my closest friends and have helped me along the way as well. I look forward to this ceremony to celebrate within the school of journalism the accomplishments of our graduating class.

This semester continues to fly by for me and the weather has been beautiful! I know everyone will tell you that your four years in college “is over before you know it,” but trust me – it is. I just ordered my cap and gown for my undergraduate graduation and I cannot believe it is almost here! This year graduation ceremonies for the different colleges on campus will occur the weekend of May 11.

I recently found out that I was accepted to the Master of Science in Industrial Relations class of 2014 in the WVU College of Business and Economics. I am excited to continue my education in Morgantown. I hope to earn a graduate assistantship on campus which will provide tuition funding for my graduate classes.

This weekend I will be busy submitting more applications for graduate assistant positions but I know I will need a break. On Thursday I plan to watch the men’s basketball team takes on Gonzaga in an NCAA tournament second round game in Pittsburgh. I hope to see the Mountaineers make a successful run in the tournament this year!

-Alexa-