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summer/fall 2017
WILL HE MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN?
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The Team Message from Our Founder
Larry Washington President/CEO Mike Sanders Chief Operating Officer
Equal Opportunity Today - formerly Minority Times, seeks to partner with Corporations, Colleges, and Universities that promote extraordinary diversity. A diversity friendly culture celebrates and encourages everyone to participate actively without regard to age, gender, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation or physical disability. An organization that has a diversity friendly culture at its core empowers each individual and all groups to be heard and participate equally in promoting a multicultural experience where a variety of beliefs and ideas is respected and valued. We recognize that each person is unique and people will achieve their full potential when they know they will be received positively.
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We work hard in highlighting the goals and aspirations of our partners when it comes to their commitment to diversity. With globalization, having the experience of communicating with diverse people is a sought after skill. We can aid your Organization in creating an atmosphere that promotes this craft. We determine your heterogeneity by several weighted factors. We first look at the direction of the percentages and how and what your organization to improve and broaden those numbers. In regards to Colleges and Universities; we research the various student organizations and clubs that catalyze a diverse atmosphere. Some factors include the geographical location and its correlation to the economic status in the surrounding area of the campus, what student organizations are available on campus that is relevant to under represented students such as cultural organizations that highlight their respective traditions and beliefs throughout the year. Also, we look into the religious groups available as well as any political activity happening on campus. No company will do a better job than we do in highlighting your commitment to diversity. “We are an essential minority recruitment, and diversity component, Corporations, and Learning Institutions count on us to highlight their opportunities along with their commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. We use the latest digital marketing, lead capture and social media engagement technology, we are the “needle moving” Best in class Diversity Recruitment Partner committed to your success.”
Larry Washington
Ken Davis CFO/Controller Dr. Ron King Business Manager VP Client Services Danial Alameda Senior Project Manager Art Fletcher Senior Account Executive V.P. Diversity & Recruitment Services Cathy Jenkins Account Executive V.P. Diversity & Recruitment Sales Joyce Smith Account Executive V.P. Diversity & Recruitment Sales John Williams V.P. Regional Sales Arabella M. Alameda Editor/Project Manager Armando V. Escabel Jr Creative Director Joseph Frasier CGI Webmaster Database Administrator
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HOW TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM
THE IMPLICATIONS OF PREJUDICE AND HOW TO PREVENT THEM
COVER
Will trump make america great or poor
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How veterans can benefit from being political connections
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Exploring a Career Change? “How About Energy”
10 Benefits of Education
How can a Soldier prepare for a successful transition to a civilian lifestyle? I’m Black and have A master’s degree, and can’ t find a job - Why? Department of Veteran Services: Veterans are Great Workforce Material Advancing the academic performance of male minority students
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Is Higher education in America Worth it? How has the Hispanic Culture been marginalized
Congress Apathy for D.C. residents
IS FEMINISM THE SOLUTION TO GENDER INEQUALITY? Interracial marriage Is it Ok. Maintaining an inclusive workplace
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Did Donald Trump Win because America is racist?
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Is Trumps “Make America Great” theme going to help Blacks and Hispanics
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barriers of education
Ten ways to promote diversity in the workplace Is AI causing a rise in Unemployment? How to make your career stand the test of time. SHOULD STUDENTS TAKE NOTES ON A COMPUTER? The need for fairness in education
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IS DIVERSITY JUST FOR MINORITIES?
How to protect your kids against racism HOW TO REVIVE READING CULTURE IN YOUTH The benefit of online learning Signs and Symptoms of Mental health problems faced by students today
How to connect to your student
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HOW TO LAND YOUR DREAM JOB “ TIPS AND TRICKS” Breaking the Educational Barrier For Disabled Veterans Does suspending students from school really work? Tips for Veterans to Succeed in College Narcissistic Tendencies In Youths And The Influence Of Social Media Things You Should Not Say To A White Man In The Workplace
Summer / Fall 2017
Exploring a Career Change? “How About Energy”
Employment in the Energy Field as Trump Enters Office could potentially skyrocket. Jobs in the energy field may appear to be fluctuating with the transition of presidents. However, the area of energy as a whole has remained constant as the years have progressed dating back to the 1973 oil crisis. With Obama’s environmental focus over the past eight years, renewable energy opportunities have boomed. This growth has led to advances in solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal energy jobs just to name a few. However, as President Trump takes over, it is clear that his focus will shift from the environmental, renewable energy push back to the pivotal oil and gas industries. As such, there has been a surge in job opportunities within the petroleum industry fields. Since these industries were forced to terminate many of their employees during the 2016 rise in gas prices, there is now a large opening for new and old petroleum engineers. The key issue with these new jobs is that these companies are more likely to hire within that pool of workers initially released due to their experience. This action will also leave the many engineers and physical scientists working within the renewable energy departments worried about the future of their jobs. While the Trump administration has yet to make any significant changes that would affect the jobs in the energy field, his campaign claims, and support of both the Dakota Access Pipeline and Keystone XL pipeline indicate a booming future in the oil energy field and unchartered waters for environmental energy careers.
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UMBC is a dynamic public research university integrating teaching, research and service to benefit the citizens of Maryland. As an Honors University, the campus offers academically talented students a strong undergraduate liberal arts foundation that prepares them for graduate and professional study, entry into the workforce, and community service and leadership. UMBC emphasizes science, engineering, information technology, human services and public policy at the graduate level. UMBC contributes to the economic development of the State and the region through entrepreneurial initiatives, workforce training, K-16 partnerships, and technology commercialization in collaboration with public agencies and the corporate community. UMBC is dedicated to cultural and ethnic diversity, social responsibility and lifelong learning.
“An institution that combines the best of a major research center while keeping its focus on undergraduates.” —The Washington Post
University of Maryland, Baltimore County • 1000 Hilltop Circle • Baltimore, MD 21250
410-455-1000 • www.umbc.edu The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (“University” or “UMBC”) values safety, cultural and ethnic diversity, social responsibility, lifelong learning, equity, and civic engagement. Consistent with these principles, the University does not discriminate in offering equal access to its educational programs and activities or with respect to employment terms and conditions on the basis of a UMBC community member’s race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, ancestry, age, gender identity or expression, national origin, veterans status, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or genetic information.
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Benefits of Education The whole concept of education starts from learning. Learning, of course, kicks off from birth; interaction with people and the immediate environment. The various benefits of this learning process soon become a part of an individual; education extends towards developmental capabilities, skill set and their general view about life. Education in this contemporary age deals with the facilitation of knowledge and attainment of facts, skills through various methods that may include discussion, pictorial representation, examination, teaching, training, and interactions. This usually takes place under the supervision of a teacher or instructor and sometimes with none. The learners, on the one hand, get educated informally or formally as the case may be. The advantages of getting educated are numerous depending on how the individual takes up the opportunity presented. 1. Employment Individuals with an education readily have more open options to them when in search
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for jobs. Be it a college degree, a university degree or maybe an advance doctorate, these credentials and achievement boost your chances and keep them open. Your skill set reflects perseverance and independence. Soon after learning, people who have studied and spent their time gaining knowledge more importantly in special areas are rewarded with higher earnings and are financially confident than others. 2. Time management Tough deadlines and closely knitted timetables is an extra mile of responsibility on a student’s part. Studying, work responsibilities and possibly family takes an extra turn of demand on time and attention. So, however, based on individual choice, they often find their way around it all. The tight schedule prepares them for the bigger picture. A student who wakes up around four while schooling often ends up being punctual to work. They can effectively utilize their time and achieve reasonable as well as positive results in various aspects of their life.
3. Education enriches experience Various forms of educational process expose you to a wide range of people; peers, friends, teachers. Relationships and interactions with these people allow for new knowledge, promote and solidify diversity. This will help you see things and approach situations in different ways. Varying experience allows a better understanding of the world around you. It will help contribute positively towards her growth and development as well. 4. Socialization The adoption of the behavioral and cultural patterns of the surrounding is strengthened by education. Socializing involves making friends and establishing lasting relationships. Education may force you to level up with people you wouldn’t interact with under normal circumstances. Embracing other people’s weaknesses and strengths will enhance your social skill. This advantage of education is important in meetings, events, social gatherings, perception as well as interactions.
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5. Talent. Education allows for exposure to different fields of knowledge. There is an opportunity to learn and be master of anything you want; biology, engineering, music, arts, etc. education enables you to choose without pressure. In fact, you learn to put your skills into perspective thereby understanding and developing your talents. Even though talents are often inborn, education is a key that encourages their opening. It gives freedom of expression and allowance of the exhibition. Talents are fine-tuned with the aid of quality education. Education teaches how to use your talents to keep the balance between yourself and the world. 6. Education fosters diversity Getting education creates a platform. The availability of education brings together people with different cultural, socio-economic backgrounds. Education seeks to provide a great equalizer amidst varying background. The poor, middle-class, as well as the rich, have access to education. Our combined values, customs, and culture are passed and shared amongst us. Education then becomes the essential ingredient needed to foster unity. Facts and figures are the fundamental focus of education; individual will learn how to improve their ethics, advance their skills
and avoid cultural criticism. The society at large is enriched with the immense quality for the betterment of human life. 7. Education teaches logic Critical assessment is a part of education whose importance can never be overemphasized. Logical reasoning to make decisions and carry out assignments is not only imperative in the classroom but vital in the society. Students often at some points in their life find themselves in positions; politically and socially or even at work. These junctures always come with the baggage of decision making and accountability. Education will teach logic and submission to strategical blueprints. The adequate analysis will make you a solution provider. 8. Education increases mind scope Primarily, education improves imagination, creativity, and functioning of the mind. Early education, for example, the way we talk and interact with others is one way to develop the mind. The language and other forms of teaching attained at the early stage of life tend to stick with us forever. Sometimes, they dictate the pattern of our lives. The mind is like a stage; it focuses on improvement through curiosity. Curiosity to learn from the surroundings, thirst for knowledge and growth.
9. Career planning Many people decide what they want from life at a young age, probably in high school. Education becomes a training ground for the attainment of set goals. For these people, it will mean striving to attain a higher degree as well as knowledge and skills necessary for their choice career. The setting of goals is fine and reasonable, but it never hurts to seek guidance. Most universities encourage first-year students not to choose an area of focus until after their freshman year. This will provide a basis for exploration of the various options available. 10. Personal development. All round development is essential for standing stronger and going farther in life. Personal development begins with communication. Writing and speaking trains individuals to express themselves unmistakably and excellently. Various outlined programs in the education systems give room for more responsibility. Students can take resourcefulness, manage their time efficiently and stay organized. These will make a person reliable in their future endeavors. Education is solely based on our choices and sense of value. It is paramount that we choose wisely and accomplish the best and pursue that which is desired most.
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How can a Soldier prepare for a successful transition to a civilian lifestyle? 10
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TODAY
When making paramount decisions in our lives, it’s always like being in a different world. You have to weigh your decision carefully and keep your options open. Positive or negative, you have to compare opinions and advice. Once your choice is made, you get used to that way of life, and it seems almost impossible to separate yourself from it. But then, life happens, and we often crave a need for change. Military transition to civilian life is both challenging and exhilarating. Exciting because of the new adventures and entirely different ways of doing things. It is never easy to switch between two phases of life. Being discharged or separated as a result of an injury or illness could be a trying time. Once you learn of your separation or retirement, get started immediately. You have sufficient time to prepare for your adjustment. At this early stage, you are often faced with the temptation to delay. You begin to take action by creating a career plan, or probably take a step to further your education or maybe enhance your career skills. Reinvent your resume. Make all credentials up to date and specify clearly where your military skills may be needed. The boost you need is from an attractive and impressive resume. It will help find a suitable job faster.
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Job transition for one is always big and sometimes not to be handled pettily. It is advisable first to be patient with yourself to avoid frustration over high expectations. In job hunting, the options are open to exploration. Some jobs may not seem to fit your taste or desire, do not hesitate to explore other fields that may match your skill set. Individuals undergoing this transition have been noticed to experience a series of emotional activity; fear, frustration, loss and anxiety. Accomplishing a successful transition entail family involvement. Their family helps them see through their professional and personal goals and the achievement of these goals by constant communication. Some people tend to venture into community work and volunteering. This further creates a sense of belonging and togetherness. Form a transition account. After all said and done about transitioning, one should save for the rainy days they say. It is a lot easier when there is money in the bank or cash at hand. This account is for an emergency, and it is important to draw a line between money for daily living and emergency funds. Having
two separate accounts is more than the reasonable plan. One account is available for now while the other functions for later. In case job hunting takes more time than anticipated, the emergency fund is available for the rescue. Socialize. Of course, it is necessary to settle or fit into the civilian way of doing things. Attend events and talk to people. Attend transition assistance programs. These workshops were created to give employment and training information to military personnel within 180 days of separation. Create a social media profile and at least learn to operate some gadgets. Surf the internet and be abreast of happenings around the world. This comes as a plus for your employers even, they will not see you as a liability. It will also allow you get along better with the existing staff members. Keep your circle amongst other veterans. You don’t have to discuss combat or trauma or even talk about the military life. Sharing experiences for example amongst recovering drug addicts help do much better. Keeping in touch with familiar faces make the transition easier.
The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is proud to educate leaders of a multi-mission, maritime military force. Commissioned officers in the Coast Guard lead teams of men and women and are continually called on to serve their community, country and fellow citizens.
Honor
Integrity is our standard. We demonstrate uncompromising ethical conduct and moral behavior in all our personal actions. We are loyal and accountable to the public trust.
CORE VALUES Respect
We value our diverse work force. We treat each other with fairness, dignity, and compassion. We encourage individual opportunity and growth. We encourage creativity through empowerment. We work as a team.
31 MOHEGAN AVENUE NEW LONDON, CT 06320 HOTLINE: 800.883.USCG (8724)
Devotion to Duty
We are professionals, military and civilian, who seek responsibility, accept accountability, and are committed to the successful achievement of our organizational goals. We exist to serve. We serve with pride.
www.cga.edu EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TODAY
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civilian world opposes every lesson previously learned and this is painfully agonizing. Embracing and accepting the emotional aspect of the civilian life may take longer as well. You then need to focus on yourself especially in lieu of many unfamiliar grounds. See a therapist if need be. Mental and emotional well-being should be kept balanced. Fellow countrymen respect and appreciate your service to your country. It is important that regardless of your experiences or reason for separation, you do not disguise. Be proud of your military life, allow yourself revel in that pride. Use your experience to foster deeper understanding about the military without compromising anyone. Don’t front your rank to get yourself a more lucrative job or respect. In conclusion, switching from a military life to the civilian is not a child’s play. We must learn to embrace it with love, understanding and a lot of patience. If the training has taught you anything, it is that you are capable of just about anything.
Seeking and reaching out to the unknown is stepping out of your comfort zone. You never know the benefit until you try. Of course, being in the military would offer its own adventure, but everyone has a thing or two they have always dreamed of doing. For some, it may be traveling the world, opening a museum, painting, art, bookselling, etc. after the transition is the time to try. Getting a job for some people may not be enough. It may even be the time to discover a new talent or passion. The military provides a diverse, unique skillset which means you’re adaptable to fields. Try to create a more civilian routine. Yes, while you were in the military, some routines revolved around working out, multitasking or getting intelligence. For example, working out at a gym. You should exercise with people whose method reflects yours. Probably performing speed drills, combat sessions, martial arts, track activities and even morning jogging. You could maybe adapt to a domestic chore such as creating a garden. Allow yourself some time to self-adjust. In the military often times, showing or reacting with your feelings is considered to be a jeopardy to your assignment. Open display of emotions is a taboo, and the slightest display of exposure is seen as a flaw. The military trains on winning always and as difficult as it may be to relate with, life consist of some wins and loses. Replacing these solid enclosed values with the realism of the
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32 Campus Drive Missoula, MT 59812
www.umt.edu
406 243-0211
Nestled in the heart of western Montana’s stunning natural landscape, the University of Montana is a place where top-tier students, educators and researchers from across the country and around the globe come and thrive. UM is located in Missoula, Montana’s second-largest city with a population of 80,000 residents. The University draws a diverse population to Missoula and helps cultivate an educated, engaged and vibrant community. University of Montana does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
Summer / Fall 2017
Missouri State University is a public, comprehensive university system with a mission in public affairs. Our purpose is to develop fully educated persons with a focus on ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement.
417.836.5000 www.missouristate.edu
901 South National Avenue Springfield, Missouri 65897
Equal Opportunity Employer
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I’m Black and have A master’s degree, and can’t find a job - Why? 14
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America is a land of opportunities, blessed with many natural resources; solid minerals, crude oil, and much more. However, the strength of America is not in the natural resources that are scattered all over the nation, but in the intellectual properties that are everywhere in the country of diverse races stand to be the undisputed strength of America the once land of immigrants. The competition for high paying jobs are stiff, just like in other countries of the world, that means the well-read are likely to get dream jobs faster than their mates who do not have their qualifications. The story as a different twist from a pathetic dimension in the US, the oldest democracy in the world, the nation that claims to be a racist free society where all citizens were presumed to be equal. The norm that being a black is a minus in the labor market, even with a master’s degree is sad to turn in the nation that the world looks up to for inspiration. The master, slave mentality of over 400 years ago still abide in the whitedominated American society. Black graduates don’t stand a chance even with a master’s degree, many reports in the past confirm this annoying evil. The American vision is a land of immigrants where hardworking people thrive; this slogan holds true as long as you are not a Black, opportunities
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abound that will help whites grow, while the same system tends to pull Black’s prospects down, not minding if they are more qualifies than their white neighbor. Blacks are struggling against wrong perception. An average white American sees Blacks as dangerous, lazy, uneducated and violent people that they most avoid at all cost. The new president of America confirmed this several times during his campaign, and he refused to meet any group or organization that was Blacks oriented. Just like other whites of his bigotry mind, it is well documented that few blacks working at his casinos dismissed anything he was about to visit so that he would not set his sight on dirty, smelling black cleaners in his organization. Mr. Trump did not have a record of employing Blacks at the management levels of his numerous
businesses. To white people like Donald Trump, blacks are not smart enough to work among white guys that are clean, and cultured like them. This is the trend; whites simply don’t like to see Blacks climbing the rungs of success ladder in their organization. Blacks names, negative attention A report shows that applicants with names that sound like those of blacks are 50% likely not to be invited for an interview. It seems to be a curse answering names that are common among black people of America, according to the report. The situation is that bad, and it may not get better, at least in the next four-year when Trump remains the de facto president. Racism is not official in the US, but an average Black graduate experiences it after graduation from the college with high hopes
of landing their dream jobs. The reality that their skin color was more than 50% responsible for their inability to get a stable job that is good is a harsh pain that all Black in America most live with. Blacks stand little chance competing with whites Black graduates expressing their frustration attest to the fact that in the labor market, it is almost impossible to land a good when white graduates of the same qualification are vying for the same post. Such black is more than sure that he would not get a call back from such organization. The trend is noticeable in big law firms in America owned by whites that over 90% of the workforce are white. This is not an accident; blacks are not welcome on the high profile side of American life. The whites’ communities prefer blacks
Houston Community College’s service area is Houston Independent School District, Katy, Spring Branch, Alief Independent School Districts, Stafford Municipal District, and the Fort Bend portion of Missouri City.
3100 Main St., Houston TX 77002 • 713.718.2000 • www.hccs.edu Houston Community College does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran’s status or any other protected class in the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff. Consistent with our unlawful harassment policy, the College is committed to providing a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.
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to be objects of amusements; no wonder blacks are restricted to sports and other entertainment fields. Those educated blacks are not welcome in the society that whites see as their birthright, how many blacks excel on the Wall Street? Think of it, are there not talented black people that can make a difference if they had the opportunity? A Black Genius, Prof Philip Emeagwali, a Nigerian Igbo man by birth, once claimed that he did four masters to enable him to land a job! He won the Gordon Prize award in 1989, in high-performance computing applications, but was deny his Ph.D. degree after four years by the University of Michigan, a case he called a
racial prejudice, he sued the university, of course, what you expect from the judicial system that is white dominated, he lost the appeal. Philips was trying too hard to excel in a white dominated society, so they must hold him down.
that were left unfilled. Most blacks with postgraduate degrees murmur in the agony of not landing a good job after the advanced degrees, recall that most took loans to go through the programs and some were even expected to support their families after graduation. The frustration knows no bound when they Blacks with master’s degree don’t stand a chance Just like Philip, blacks with master’s can’t pay the loans back, unable to help degrees don’t stand a chance against their their families and the fact that they can’t even live the kind of life they expected whites counterpart. A notion in a society that believes that whites are the best and after committing many years to a college the most superior race compared to other education and a master’s degree. races. Most blacks that acquire master’s No hope so soon degrees found out after graduation that Human beings are naturally hopeful of a the much-anticipated success that should follow an achievement of such magnitude better future, but the dream of American is a mirage. Blue chip jobs are reserved for Blacks to land a befitting job after college the whites, while blacks can settle for posts master’s degree will remain a mirage for at
Bentley University is one of the nation’s leading business schools, dedicated to preparing a new kind of business leader and one with the deep technical skills, the broad global perspective and the high ethical standards required to make a difference in an ever-changing world. To achieve our goal, we infuse our advanced business curriculum with the richness of a liberal arts education. The results are graduates who are making an impact in their chosen fields and turning their passions into success stories. Located on a classic New England campus just minutes from Boston, Bentley is a dynamic community of leaders, scholars and creative thinkers.
175 Forest Street Waltham, Massachusetts 02452
1.781.891.2000 www.bentley.edu
Bentley University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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The educational mission of Bloomington Public Schools is to challenge, support, and inspire all students to learn and achieve to their highest potential in order to become productive citizens and lifelong learners.
309-827-6031
300 East Monroe, Bloomington, IL 61701 Bloomington Public Schools is an equal opportunity affirmative action institution.
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least fours. With a racist and racial bigot as the president of America, the domineering white people just got another boost. Just like the Fulani Nomads from the Northern Nigeria are claiming lands everywhere in the nation, as grassing lands for their animals including cultivated farm lands, because one of them is the President, so the white in America will continue to suppress educated Blacks from landing their dream jobs. Blacks with real master’s degrees - science, engineering, law, and mathematics, may need to wait in the bondage of white second slavery until there is a way out of the mess. No one can predict precisely what the fate of these poor, educated, and unwanted minorities will be in a society that promises freedom but enslaves people based on the color of their skins. Though there is little hope on the horizon, black communities must resolve to encourage their young minds to go to school, have good degrees, and possibly go for master’s and even Ph.D., because people like Trump will always go to press to make the world feel that blacks are not educated that’s why they do not have jobs. As blacks began to venture into all intellectual fields that whites try to monopolize and attempt to do better than their white counterparts, study until that white bigot employer is embarrassed by his decision of not giving you that job you deserve.
Knowledge Leadership Service
UMass Lowell is a national research university committed to preparing students for work in the real world— solving real problems and helping real people— by providing an affordable, high-quality education.
Tuskegee University is an independent and state-related institution of higher education. Its programs serve a student body that is coeducational as well as racially, ethnically and religiously diverse. With a strong orientation toward disciplines which highlight the relationship between education and work force preparation in the sciences, professions and technical areas, Tuskegee University also emphasizes the importance of the liberal arts as a foundation for successful careers in all areas. Accordingly, all academic majors stress the mastery of a required core of liberal arts courses.
Lowell, MA 01854
1200 W. Montgomery Rd. Tuskegee Inst, AL 36088
334-727-8011
Tuskegee university is an equal opportunity employer. No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally prohibited discrimination including, but not limited to, such factors as race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, or disability.
www.Tuskegee.edu
978-934-4000 www.uml.edu
UMass Lowell does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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A Christian institution of higher education.
Your education should be all about you, helping you to become the best version of yourself and to realize your potential by becoming the person you haven’t yet imagined.
3400 S 43rd St, Milwaukee, WI 53234
414-382-6000 www.alverno.edu
Alverno College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
501.279.4000 www.harding.edu
915 E. Market Ave. Searcy, AR 72149-5615
Equal Opportunity Employer
We are a fully accredited health sciences university, committed to reflecting the image of God through education and healing. Our history is as dynamic and inspiring as our present.
12501 Columbia Pike Silver Spring, Maryland 20904 • 301-680-5068 671Old Winyah Drive Orlando FL, 32803-1226 • (407) 303-7747 AdventistUniversity UniversityofofHealth HealthSciences Sciences is an equal opportunity employer.Action It is the officialand policy of the Alabama Community System, including postsecondary Adventist is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative employer educational institution and does College not discriminate on the basis of age (40 andinstitutions over), undercolor, the control the sexual Alabama Community College Systemgender Board expression, of Trustees,pregnancy, that no person shall, disability, on the grounds of race, handicap, creed, national origin, race, religion,ofsex, orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin,color, veteran status,gender, and/or religion, genetic information in the or age, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program, activity, or employment. Alabama Southern Community College admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g.,or athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice. will make reasonable accommodations for qualified disabled applicants employees.
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www.adu.edu www.adu.edu
Summer / Fall 2017
Department of Veteran Services:
Veterans are Great Workforce Material The Department of Veteran Services in Virginia is coaching employers on how to recruit military veterans into their organization and how to keep them.
the ones used by collegiate sports teams, Barto said. “We need to use the same pattern for employers to bring the best-qualified candidates into their organizations and make them successful.”
The Virginia Values Veterans Program focuses on companies that want a skyrocketing productivity that increases revenues. The program is also known as V3 has a certification process that is designed to aid employers which have fewer than a thousand employees and want to hire veterans but are having difficulty getting the desired applicant.
“The other part of the equation is how many stays with the company,” Galanti said. “If they’re still working with the company that probably means they’re being treated the right way. That’s one of the things the employers are being taught.” Part of any participating company’s commitment is to keep vets for at least a year.
In the program’s first year alone, businesses have pledged to hire 3,505 veterans and 1,573 former service members, said Steven Combs, chief of staff for the Department of Veteran Services. “It’s going like gangbusters,” said Paul Galanti, commissioner of the Department of Veteran Services. “Everybody wants it.” Virginia has an abundance of military veterans. 837,000 veterans reside in the state according to the National Center for Veterans Analysts and Statistics.
where a half-century of tradition meets innovation.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the joblessness for veterans since Sept. 11, 2001, World Trade Center attack is at 7.5% in comparison to civilians at 6.9%. The total veteran unemployment rate is at 6.2 percent, the bureau said. V3 mentors companies on how to “reverse engineer” an organization’s job teams so vets can qualify. For example, in a job ad for someone with three years of manufacturing experience “disqualifies 99 percent of vets,” said Thomas P. Barto, the V3 program manager with TMG Inc., the state’s V3 contractor. “We ask employers, ‘What do you want?’” Barto said. “They say they want somebody who can come to work on time, collaborate with a team, work safely, read directions.” By modifying the job ad from “manufacturing experience” to “operational experience,” Barto said, “You qualify 100 percent of veterans.” Hampton Road-based TM, which manages the Virginia Values Veterans program using a $260,000 contract with the Department of Veteran Services, has certified more than 300 hundred companies in strategies to employing men and woman with military training. The V3 program shows businesses how to change their hiring format from an acquisition model to a recruiting model such as
140 7th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
www. usfsp.edu
727-873-4142
University of South Florida St. Petersburg does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Ronald Roach wrote, “Minority Male Plight Demands Broad U.S. Action, College Board Says”. The College Board’s report emphasized the overpowering hindrances that U.S. minority males face just to become educated and productive individuals. It also lined up several approaches that the nation could adopt to eliminate the disparities in educational attainment. It also demonstrated new methods to reach the increasingly diverse U.S. student population. The College Board released their study, “The Educational Crisis Facing Youth Men of Color,” at a program which was co-hosted by the Congressional TriCaucus at the U.S. Capitol. The 42-page report contained summaries, data, and recommendations which were drafted from a series of meetings, referred to as the “Dialogue Days.” These meetings were
convened sometime in 2008 to examine secondary and postsecondary educational attainment of African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American/Pacific Islander, and Native American males. Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board, said, “The report we’re unveiling today and the speakers you will hear in a moment will detail the plight of these young men. They will paint a portrait of youth who are so far removed from our opportunity culture that they almost have no hope of contributing to our social and our economic growth.” He adds, “As a result, they live in despair, hopelessness and too often violence and incarceration. We can continue to ignore the plight of these young men, but we do so at our peril.” The report has data that described clearly the lagging educational attainment of
minority males compared to minority women and Whites. Some statistics in the study also mentioned, in brief, the significant rise of incarceration and violence rate which appeared almost proportional to the educational lags that the minority male population is experiencing. “African-American males are nearly half of the inmate population and Hispanics constitute 20 percent”, the report said. In addendum, the report mentioned that the murder rate for black Americans was five times higher than Whites. The report’s data on Asian-Americans were segregated into their sub-groups. It was discovered that the most vulnerable males belong to the Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander descent compared to those who are of Northeast Asian origin. Congressman Raul M. Grijalva, a Democrat from Arizona, told the audience gathered for the report’s release that the increase in incarceration rate coincided with the growing racial diversity of the nation’s population. In his speech and the report’s content, the following words were mentioned, “We went through the litany of incarceration of minority males and the litany of educational failure. And it comes at the time when the face of America is changing; when the hues, the tones, and the colors of this nation’s face are changing so that population merits more attention now because of that demographic shift,” they said. During the report’s convention, other Democrats apart from Grijalva were in attendance. Congressman Danny Davis of Illinois and Congressman Mike Honda of California were there as congressional delegates representing the Congressional TriCaucus. The Congressional Tri-Caucus is composed of members of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic 20
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Among planned are additional teacher training, curriculums that are aiming for reading comprehension, and more opportunities for summer learning and leadership opportunities. There are also programs that provide supplemental assistance to students who are retained in eight grade so that they can advance with their peers during their sophomore year. The said action plans were by the consultant’s report that the Beaufort County Board of Education received last January which informed that black male student’s achievement lags against other racial groups in the district.
that will raise the academic achievement of black male students. During the school board’s March 15 meeting, Sean Alford, the district’s instructional services chief, discussed ways to address the problem. The new program strategies, Alford said, will be fine-tuned in the succeeding months. District officials, school and community leaders will conduct a review, and they will convene once more at a later board meeting for approval by summer.
The report they’ve received said that only 50 percent of the black males enrolled in the district’s public high school passed the state’s exit exam on their first attempt. The said performance assessment prompted the school board to come up with measures
Alford said that the strategies that they are creating are made up of both new and timetested approaches. He admitted that they were aware of the achievement gap using their data analysis; thus, they weren’t surprised to read about them from the report. In the past, district leaders were already in action to remediate the underachieving
Caucus, and the Congressional Asian Pacific Islander American Caucus. The report’s recommendations were:
• The federal government, foundation, and concerned organizations convene a national policy discussion on the issue of minority male achievement • The federal government, foundations, and civic groups should fund research to clarify issues that could have an impact on minority male achievement • K-12 schools, colleges, universities and state higher education agencies should develop partnerships to help minority men gain preparation and succeed in college • States, the federal government, and foundations should identify and scale up funding for the most successful programs that have helped minority men achieve educationally
Among those who participated in the release of the College Board’s study were Dr. Sidney Ribeau, president of Howard University; Dr. Roy Jones, project director of the Call Me MISTER program; Dr. Luis Ponjuan of the University of Florida; and Dr. Ronald Williams, vice president of the College Board. More than a year has passed, schools and other institutions had responded positively on the alarming disparity among minority male academic performance. The most recent school who had initiated efforts in alleviating male minority student performance was Beaufort County School District. They had created a long series of strategies that are targeted to increase student achievement. Those strategies were mainly crafted for the black male student population.
Cazenovia College is a co-educational, baccalaureate college, located in the Central New York region of New York State, offering undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and professional studies. Embracing student success as its primary mission, Cazenovia College comprises a diverse yet close-knit residential community that fosters intellectual, social, and ethical growth. Our small class sizes, experiential and co-curricular learning opportunities and dedicated team of faculty and staff provide for an individualized educational experience that balances academic and student life.
800-654-3210
22 Sullivan St., Cazenovia, NY 13035 www.cazenovia.edu Cazenovia College does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities
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and high-poverty schools. They have augmented days to the school year, added magnet programs and attracted master teachers to those schools.
turn our heads and close our eyes to a dire need. We are going to muster every ounce of courage we have to do both. It’s not an ‘or’ it’s an ‘and.’”
“It’s not by happenstance that these same schools also have high populations of African-American males,” Alford said. “These things go hand-in-hand.”
work. They have training sessions that coach their teachers on how to hold conferences with students to assess their comprehension and learn other reading strategies as well.
The principal of Robert Smalls Middle School, Denise Smith, said that many of the proposed instructional strategies are already in practice at her school. She said that reading skills enhancement is a schoolwide focus. “Reading is where we can get the greatest bang for our buck regarding student achievement,” she said. “If we can raise our reading scores, we know it will boost other scores because the skill is so fundamental.”
Alford is feeling confident about the new Springboard Program which was integrated into the plan. The district will be tasked to identify and provide extra support to eight-graders who have been retained for a year due to academic challenges or who are over-age for the grade level. This will enable them to achieve sufficient school credits to rejoin their peers as sophomores. Hence, they graduate on time.
Smith said that all of her teachers, even those handling elective courses, are asked to have their students do some reading
“This allows us to capture those kids before they go to high school and make sure they have a solid foundation,” Alford said.
This month’s proposal switched the target of new and existing efforts to advancing minority achievement rather directing them to particular schools. “Those efforts won’t come at the expense of other students,” Alford added.”We have to maintain high expectations and available resources for every student,” he said. “We are also at a point where we can no longer
Creativity and innovation in teaching and learning are the hallmark of Hamline University, home to more than 5,000 undergraduate, graduate, and law students. At Hamline, students collaborate with professors invested in their success. They are challenged in and out of the classroom to create and apply knowledge in local and global contexts, while cultivating an ethic of civic responsibility, social justice, and inclusive leadership and service.
651-523-2800 1536 Hewitt Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55104
www.hamline.edu Hamline University does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran’s status or any other protected class in the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff. Consistent with our unlawful harassment policy, the College is committed to providing a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.
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Texas A&M opened its doors in 1876 as the state’s first public institution of higher learning. Today, we stand as a research-intensive flagship university dedicated to sending Aggie leaders out into the world prepared to take on the challenges of tomorrow.
DEPARTMENTS & PROGRAMS With 16 colleges and schools, Texas A&M is one of the most diversified and comprehensive public research universities in the nation. Pick a path to make your dream a reality: we offer more than 130 undergraduate degrees, plus 268 graduate and professional degrees as options for study.
979-845-3211
400 Bizzell St, College Station, TX 77843 | www. tamu.edu Texas A & M University - College Station is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, and/or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice.
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Southern University and A&M College is a comprehensive institution offering four-year, graduate, professional, and doctorate degree programs, fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The University today is part of the only historically black Land Grant university system in the United States.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70813
225-771-4500
Is Higher education in America Worth it?
www.subr.edu
Southern University and A&M College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
Building Our Community Through Maximizing Student Success York Technical College, a member of the South Carolina Technical and Comprehensive Education System, is a public, two-year institution of higher education that offers a variety of associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates. Through maximizing student success, the College seeks to contribute to the economic growth and development of York, Lancaster, and Chester counties and of the State.
1 803-327-8000
452 S Anderson Rd, Rock Hill, SC 29730, United States
www.yorktech.edu
York Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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In a nation with the best education system, where students from foreign nations enroll at her tertiary institutions for higher studies, the emerging question of “is the years and money spent on higher education worth it” come to mind often, considering outrageous tuition and other costs associated with acquiring a degree in most top universities. Young people enroll in Colleges and Universities to acquire excellent education and degrees that will qualify them for high paying jobs. However, with rising unemployment rates and the number of graduates increasing yearly, and the costly education loans that many students take to enable them to go to college, young people are asking this pathetic question over and again, if it is actually worth the efforts, pains, and the mammoth financial commitment to get a degree.
The cost of higher education It is pathetic, students have to pay high tuitions when attending universities and this becoming a burden on an average family. Regardless of if the University is private or government, tuitions are rising so fast that is almost impossible to be able to finance it without taking loans. These loans take years to repay and could be a burden if after graduation good job doesn’t come by. The fact that returns on academic investment don’t come in the first few years of graduation makes young people doubt if it is a worthy investment after taking loans to finance a 3 to 4 years program. According to a 2010 study, a college graduate as to work for about eight years
before he can break even on investments expended on a degree. Unfortunately, as the tuition and associated fees increase, the number of years estimated to break even increases, this may take more than ten years in the near future. It may be funny to note that some graduates may not break even until the ripe age of 37! However, the cost of higher education is not showing signs of reducing anytime soon. Before taking the decision The fact that higher education is expensive may be a reason to consider not giving it a go, but there may be other factors to put into consideration to avoid making costly mistakes.
Some employers demand degree This is the truth; many employers still rate degree holders highly. Some jobs require skills that only people with a degree can offer. The thought of accumulating debt in two digits thousands may be overwhelming, but the high paying jobs with average salaries above $50,000 require a degree. Since a college degree is compulsory for professional fields like, finance, engineering, medicine, and education, anybody who aspires to venture into such fields must be ready to pay the price. Money and time invested in getting a college degree may not be a waste because it brings a good return in the end.
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In addition, most advanced courses require a basic degree as pre-requisite for whoever is interested in giving it a go. Career wise, there may not be many limitations for someone with a degree, compare with another person who stops at high school. Some courses pay better than others do College degrees are not all equal; some pay better than other do. It is easier to recoup capital invested in medical and health related courses, engineering, finance and education than someone who studies art.
Park University provides access to a quality higher education experience that prepares a diverse community of learners to think critically, communicate effectively, demonstrate a global perspective and engage in lifelong learning and service to others.
(816) 741-2000 8700 NW River Park Drive Parkville, MO 64152-3795
www. park.edu Park University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Former American president Barrack Obama supported the opinion that investing in art may not be the best business idea, though a Professor of art made him rescind his comment, but he made a good point, some degrees pay better, so if you want to choose a course to study, make sure you consider programs that pay better. It may not be a good idea to sacrifice one’s passion and love for financial gain, but in a world where everything is for sale, where you have to get bills on virtually everything, it is not out of place to think of a way earn a decent salary that can support a decent living. Earn enough to pay loans When you go to a college with a debt over $340,000, you may be wondering how much you will have to pay back and over how many years. This is where wisdom comes in; a proper calculation will no doubt help to lessen the burden and associated fear such a huge loan can have on young minds.
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It is possible to pay off the loan with ease with breaking your heart or the bank. A graduate who earns $51,450 gross, will need to 10 percent of his gross earning to pay the debt over a ten years period at 6.8% interest. This analysis shows that graduates like financial managers, engineers, medical, paramedical and other health related professionals who earn good pay could conveniently devote ten percent of their paycheck to the loan repayment without much effect on their financial life. Even those who earn less in the region of $34,400 can pay the loan back if they devote 15 percent of their gross earnings over a period of ten years.
Service is Sovereignty Founded 1875
GREATNESS HAPPENS HERE
It’s an exciting time to be at Alabama A&M University
Siu is where brains and heart intersect. Our beautiful campus is home to major opportunities in a number of fields. We welcome students from all walks of life from around the world and pride ourselves on inclusivity.
We’ve been many things over the course of our 141-year history, but never has Alabama A&M been as innovative, energetic and connected as it is today.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL 62901
4900 Meridian Street North Normal, Alabama 35762
618-453-2121
www.siu.edu
Southern Illinois University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
256-372-5000 www.aamu.edu
Alabama A & M University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Higher earning potential It a known fact that people with a college degree have higher earning potential than someone with just high school certificate. The truth is, college graduates have the potential of earning over $1 million more than high counterpart over their lifetime. This disparity is large yet; young high graduates don’t take the time to project into the future and see how they will fair in the next 15 years when the bills are getting higher, and the pay is not rising at the same level. Overall, it worth taking a loan to finance a good degree, which will pay well, in the end, offer more opportunities, and help if you are aiming to be the best in your chosen profession. There is no limit to how far you can go in your field if you have all the credentials and a good attitude to work.
Benefits and experience: degree offer more College degrees offer more than just certificates. The degree offers a wider horizon and better exposure. People tend to different people with college degrees from those are not sometimes by the way they approach issues, the logical ways they handle matters and the systematic problem-solving ways that are embedded in their thinking. The most important thing to consider when choosing a college degree is how when the course sells. A good degree will pay the debt in ten years, though it may be longer if the course of study is not among the high sell courses. However, it is not advisable to sacrifice interest, passion, and love for money, but is better to weigh all the options available
before venturing to a degree financed with loan yet unable to meet the commitment to pay back on time. Too much debt in the early stage of once career may not be as bad as we are made to think, with a good job and fat salary, loan payment may not take more than ten percent of the gross earning yearly which is not a huge burden on people that are earning good salaries. After considering all the options, pros and cons of taking a loan to finance a degree; no doubt, the benefits are amazing and outweighs the disadvantages. It is not a bad idea to take a loan even with the high-interest rates since the loan repayment is over a decade and a rate that may not affect your earn, it is worth the investment if you are aiming to be among the best in your chosen field.
GeorGetown County SChool DiStriCt
J.B. Beck Administration and Education Center 2018 Church Street | Georgetown, SC 29440 | www.gcsd.k12.sc.us
(843) 436-7065
“Educational Excellence Today for a Changing Tomorrow”
Capital School District, in partnership with students, families, and the community, is committed to leadership and educational excellence. We will educate all students in stateof–the-art facilities to achieve their potential by providing a safe, nurturing environment where standards are high and learning is the priority.
Georgetown County School District, located on the Atlantic Ocean at the southern end of the famous Grand Strand and overlapping into the beautiful and historic Lowcountry, is a progressive district leading the way to provide challenging educational programs that require all students to meet high academic standards that prepare them to be responsible citizens and lifelong learners.
302-672-1500
198 Commerce Way Dover, DE 19904 www.capital.k12.de.us Capital School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer
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Georgetown County School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer
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The State University of New York
Stony Brook University is one of America’s most dynamic public universities, a center of academic excellence and an internationally recognized research institution that is changing the world. After less than 60 years of existence, it’s ranked among the top 100 universities in the nation and the top 40 public universities. Stony Brook University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, and/ or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice.
Stony Brook, NY 11794 www stonybrook.edu
(631) 632-6000
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a national model for metropolitan universities. In collaboration with our many regional partners, we offer our students an experiential learning environment graced with outstanding teaching scholars in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs.
(423) 425-4111 615 McCallie Ave Chattanooga, TN 37403 • www. utc.edu
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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HOW HAS THE
BEEN MARGINALIZED “Hispanic” refers to the Spanish ethnic group that shares a common heritage, culture, and language. They are usually citizens of Spain or any other country that is Spanish speaking in Latin America. Hispanics are mostly from countries that were once colonized by the Spanish Empire in the Americas and Asia, specifically the countries of Latin America and the Philippines. “Hispanic” is defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation as “persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central or South American, or other Spanish or Portuguese culture or origin, regardless of race.” This definition has been adopted by Small Business Administration, federal, state and municipal agencies for the sole aim of awarding government contracts to minority owned businesses. In September 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed National Hispanic Heritage Week. This was observed at the week including September 15 and 16. In 1989, this was expanded by the Congress into a month celebration (September 15- October 15). September 15 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the independence of five Latin American Countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
As of July 1, 2015, the Hispanic population in the United States was 56.6 million, making the Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic minority. 63.4% of the Hispanics in the United States were of Mexican Origin; 9.5% were Puerto Rican; 3.8% were from Salvadoran; 3.7% Cuban; 3.3% Dominican; and 2.4% Guatemalan. Between 1980 and 2000, immigration was the main driving force of the Hispanic population growth; the population of the Hispanic immigrants increased from 4.2 million to 14.1 million. However, since 2000, the primary source of Hispanic population growth has swerved from being immigration to native births. Between 2000 and 2010, there were .6 million births of Hispanics in the U.S. Births only make up about 60% of the Hispanic population growth. The present decade is also having the same record, as there have been 3.9 million Hispanic births in the U.S. between 2010 and 2014. As explained earlier, Hispanics originate from different social, geographic, and economic heritage; this makes them very distinct depending on their family background and national origin. However, some cultural similarities have the magnetizing properties strong enough to bring these diverse heritages together. The cultures, therefore, are below: LANGUAGE The Spanish language is inarguably one of the most common cultural elements of the Hispanic. As recorded in 1980, there were up to 11 million people who communicated in Spanish; this makes 5% of the U.S
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population. There was a steep rise in the numbers by 2012; the Spanish speakers were over 38 million- 13% of the populations in the U.S. Hispanic families are adept to teach their kids Spanish as they grow, this is a way to which they believe their culture is passed and secured. In 2015, 40 million of U.S. residents aged % and older spoke Spanish.
In a study conducted by Rutgers University, 22% of Hispanic workers reported experiencing workplace discrimination. Having to work under discriminatory conditions often results in depression, low self-esteem, bitterness, and ultimately, quitting the job.
FAMILY The Hispanics place a strong value on family. They tend to have large, close families. Most times, generations live together in the same building, or neighborhood.
The Hispanic immigrants only get jobs that are at the bottom of the economic hierarchy and their historic fixation at the end of the racial hierarchy, preceded by the conquest of the original Mexican inhabitants in the U.S southwest, have formed a distinct ethnic group known as “Mexican.”
RELIGION Just like Language, religion also plays an essential role in the Hispanic culture. A huge number of Hispanic Americans mostly practice Christianity. The majority of Hispanics identify as Catholic.
Mexican immigrants have low levels of education; this is an evidence of their treatment as a stigmatized racial group. In 2011, less than 30% of Hispanic students graduated from high school, and less than 4% got advanced college degrees. Hispanics had the highest dropout rate (17%) for students aged 16 through 24, in 2011.
CUISINE Hispanic cuisines are very popular in America. They also have had a noticeable influence on American cuisine and eating habits. Some of the typical Hispanic cuisines include cornbased dishes like tortillas, tamales, and tacos.
Also, during screenings and interviews, it has been reported that more time is spent discussing the weaknesses and deficiencies of the Hispanic in question, as compared with a white person. A large percentage of poor Hispanics are also suffering from poor health; roughly, 30% of Hispanics in the U.S lack health coverage.
ENTERTAINMENT There are several of Spanish media outlets in the U.S. ranging from commercial broadcast networks to local radio stations. The largest broadcasting networks are Univision and Telemundo. Hispanics also have a significant influence on the American music industry. Numerous Hispanic American singers such as Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera have achieved international recognition. Although America has always been a country that accommodates and supports diverse ethnic groups, there is a gripping fear presently amongst its civil rights advocates that there might be an increase in the marginalization and discrimination of the Hispanics. Marginalization refers to the process of pushing someone or something to the edge of a group, and according to them the lesser reference. It is a social phenomenon through which a sub-group is excluded, and their needs are ignored. According to a Pew Research, Hispanics are the second most discriminated against the ethnic group after African-Americans. Instead of being a society where there is an intermingling of cultures, a large part of America remains segregated where Hispanics, Latinos, and Mexicans choose to either live or can only afford to live where there is a concentration of their citizens where minorities live. According to recent studies, three in every ten Hispanic workers feel they have been discriminated against in their employment. The forms of discrimination include less payment and racial slurs. Female Hispanics earn roughly 54% for every dollar earned by a white non-Hispanic male. This accounts for the loss of about $24,000 in a year.
Being a Carroll student isn’t just about studying and getting ahead professionally. It’s also about getting involved, getting to know others and living well. Beginning the day you arrive on campus, you’ll find student life at Carroll to be fun, engaging and enriching.
410-386-8000
www.carrollcc.edu 1601 Washington Road, Westminster, MD 21157
Carroll Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Congress Apathy for D.C. residents Time is running out until the government shuts down and many are unhappy with how the Capitol Hill is handling the matter. Among the much agitated is Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. She feels that her fellow lawmakers are mistreating Washington. D.C. for where she is serving. In an interview with Washington’s WTTG-TV, Norton expressed all her exasperation. “District residents are being treated as colonists of the Congress of the United States,” said Norton. “It’s time that the District of Columbia told the Congress to go straight to hell,” she adds. Her frustration has its reason. Compared to other cities and districts, Washington, D.C. would be taking the hardest damage. Her district is home to tens and thousands of black families whose head of the household work as federal servants. Jill Schlesinger, Editor-At-Large CBSmoneywatch.com, stated that there are about 1.9 million non-essential civil government workers. In the event of a government shutdown, almost half of those will be receiving furloughed notices. And soon, those furloughed employees will be eligible for unemployment. For Washington D.C., the number of furloughed workers could reach to as much as 800,000. This will be the extent of the impact if Congress doesn’t reach a consensus on the issue of budget cuts and the problem of funding for the government for the last six months of the Fiscal Year
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Norton’s presence both in committee hearings and on television is becoming more frequent. In every opportunity, she expressed disgust and fear at the thought that her district appears to be held hostage by House Republicans. GOP’s budget bill had a provision to fund the government for an additional week that specifically targets D.C. The rule states that Washington, D.C. is disallowed from using its tax revenue on abortion for low-income women. While this provision was being deliberated on in the House Rules Committee, Norton attempted to suppress it. “This bill, perhaps more than any other, demonstrates the (Republican) majority’s contempt for the American citizens who reside in the District of Columbia,” she said. “District residents were not surprised the bill contains the D.C. abortion rider, since (House Resolution) 1 included this and other D.C. riders, but they are particularly
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outraged that this bill lumps them together with Guantanamo Bay detainees. The only other prohibition is the bill would prevent Guantanamo Bay detainees from being brought into the United States.” The residents of D.C. have long been permitted to exercise suffrage by electing their mayor and city council. However, there has been a long-standing antipathy from the residents due to the interference of Congress in the city’s fiscal and political affairs. A House subcommittee’s authority over city appropriation has repeatedly been complained as counterproductive for the district. Another aspect that is frowned upon by residents in the D.C. area is their delegate’s non-voting position in the House. Norton and other delegates from Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands share the same status. In protest of their voiceless representation in Congress, the D.C. government impressed on their city license plates the motto “Taxation Without Representation.”
and access to park areas denied, including the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Independence Hall, Alcatraz and the Washington Monument.” Norton’s efforts to cushion the blow that D.C. is set to receive in the event of a shutdown has been a lost battle, but she has undertaken measures to save as many workers as she could. She had her entire staff declared as “essential” government employees who will help keep her constituent services available during a shutdown. Her staff would be able to keep their Blackberries. They would be allowed to attend the office. However, there won’t be any pay. “We represent a district that has no senators and only one member of Congress,” Norton said. “With our local government also facing a shutdown, we cannot abandon our constituents, who may need us now more than ever. We hope that federal employees who have been deemed essential will be paid retroactively, although there is certainly no guarantee.”
If the government shuts down, D.C. could lose between $1.5 million to $5.5 million in a week by its status reduced to a federal agency. Many of its essential services like trash collection, libraries, parking enforcement and the Department of Motor Vehicles would either be suspended or be closed. Some higher academic institutions like the University of the District of Columbia would cease its operation. D.C. public schools would be spared as they would remain open. “This is a concrete example of what it means to be treated like a second-class citizen,” Washington Mayor Vincent Gray told The Washington Post. Schlesinger enumerated other government facilities which will be impacted should the government shutters. Museums, zoos, gardens and National Parks would be closed while animals will be continuously cared and fed. In D.C, it would mean that the Smithsonian Museum, the National Zoo, and the Washington Monument would be closed. The city would lose revenue from these sites.
We’re here to support you while you earn your degree and begin your career. With academic, financial and career services professionals who are dedicated to helping you succeed, we’re here for you every step of the way.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival annual parade which attracts around half a million visitors will not be celebrated as National Park Service permits are invalidated. “Visitor activities that require a permit, including public events, will not be allowed or will be canceled or postponed,” The Interior Department, which oversees the National Park Service, said in a statement. “Visitor centers will be closed,
888-549-6755
Land O Lakes/East Pasco, Fort Myers, Tampa/Brandon, New Port Richey/West Pasco, Ocala www.rasmussen.edu Rasmussen does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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supremacist is all that is needed to show others that are the to ‘America white again,’ which was a modification of slogan used by Winston Churchill in his infamous campaign in Britain.
Did Donald Trump Win because America is racist? The emergence of an unlikely candidate as the American president shows the thinking of an average white man on the streets of America. The nation is a hypocrite, claiming to be a free society where all races thrive, claiming to offer the freedom that is missing in other white cultures. Donald Trump becoming an American President is a reality most people tried to avoid in the past or were technically avoiding; people of color, Muslims and Hispanic are not welcome in America! Trump arrogantly built his campaign around hatred for these groups of people, yet he won the most powerful Presidential seat in the world proclaiming Hitler’s hatred for people of color. The white elites were not the only groups that offered him their support, even the lower class white rural dwellers who were in the same economic challenges that most colored people are facing lend their support. Perhaps the notion that racism is only in the heart of rich white men was an error or an assumption that those smiling white neighbors are friendly and see people of color, and Muslims as friends was a mirage that is hitting the world in the face. The world has not experienced such an open religious-cultural condemnation, ethnic cleansing and segregation in a long time since the fall of Nazism. Adolf Hitler condemned Jews to gas chambers, blacks to be the inferior race and 34
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suitable for lab research (he used Jews in his labs too), and proclaim Germans to be the superior, perfect and the chosen race to direct world affair. The world might have forgotten the havoc he wrecked, lives that were wasted, kids that were killed and those that were orphaned, but people of color in America may be witnessing a rising of the second Hitler across the Atlantic, the new president of America, a German by Origin and an upgrade of his German dreaded ‘Uncle’ the Adolf Hitler. Trump’s victory a racial conspiracy? The hullabaloo that was the hallmark of Trump’s campaign was more on the racial supremacy of the white bigots than the will to make the difference in the governance. It is a license to some white elements to exercise their bigotry. Since Mr. Trump, the president never pretends of his hatred for the AfricanAmericans, Hispanics, and the Muslims. Chains of hate events that transpired in the country even before he was sworn in testified to the fact that whites in America were only waiting to have a President that will represent their hatred for other Americans who are not Caucasians. The events at schools where kids didn’t allow their colored mates entrance into the school and name calling was a testimony to what we all feared. The rise of another white
Clear message to non-whites The victory of Donald Trump is an apparent triumph of racism in a nation where officially racism is not tolerated. However, signs and handwriting of racism is a daily monster seen daily in the world’s oldest democracy that claims human rights were abused in other nations. Despite his weaknesses to rule that were identified in Trump throughout the campaign time, and his inability to win in most opinion polls. He won because he expressed his unequaled hatred for the people of color, blacks and Hispanic, and his willingness to make America great again (what that means, is the only time that will tell). In the process, he will make Caucasians whites, the number race to decide everything even by making their religion the only accepted in the state house, not minding the fact that America was built on human rights. Trump’s victory is a reminder to nonwhites that they should never underrate the power of racism hatred. Muslims, either Americans or immigrants, Hispanics, blacks and even Indians, the news is not an encouraging development to all of them because the white house can no longer protect them, not in Trump’s era. Although in his inaugural speech, he promised to protect and serve all Americans. But this statement ironically is directed to the white Americans who are eager to have all the power and authorities again just like the time of Reconstruction after the civil war. Trump’s may erase all the elements of the partial equal rights that African-Americans enjoyed just like the Reconstruction time after the civil war. During the Reconstruction, African-American had the full citizens’ status, many of them held public offices, from the Congress to US Senate, and public schools funded by state established that kids from colored homes benefited in the mass education. Pathetically, Reconstruction didn’t last long; it suffered a premature death due to the illegal deal between the Democratic and the Republican in an attempt to take the white
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house in 1877. There was a bitter battle for the presidency between Rutherford B. Hayes, the Republican candidate and Samuel L. Tilden, the Democrat counterpart. To concede the Presidential seat to Hayes, Republican must meet certain conditions. One was to send to barracks the military that was stationed in the south that was ensuring that majority white southern governments comply with the amendment to the Constitution were no longer needed. The result was evident, blacks that were forced out of positions they occupied, the Reconstruction only stayed for just twelve years between 1865- 1877, while the Jim Crow and other barbaric suppression tricks, lasted a whole century. White supremacists like Trump didn’t make the reconstruction goal to fruit over two centuries ago. The freedom the people of color, Arabs, American Muslims and Hispanics once enjoyed may soon be outdated with the way the white
bigots are going about it. American whites didn’t hate Hilary Clinton but were infuriated with a black Obama in the white house, and they must ensure that Obama black dogs didn’t remain in their coveted sanctuary. Trump: retrogression for America Donald Trump in the White House is a way to show hatred of whites to what they perceived as an abomination of unclean species in their priceless white house. They must force Obama elements out of the white house and those who believed in him. Hilary Clinton was the best president America didn’t elect, or better put, the elite electoral college didn’t allow to rule. However, the election of a racist and a white supremacist is a backlash for the oldest acclaimed democratic nation in the world. The world looks up to America for inspiration, guidance, and direction, the sudden emergence of a hate President will no doubt take America some centuries back. The disappointment of having a descendant of
Nazi in the White House is a terrible reminder of bloodshed, pains, and agonies that Hitler, Trump’s big ‘uncle”(Donald Trump has German lineage) caused the world. The repeat maybe what we are going to experience with a tyrant in the white house who never hid his hatred for blacks, Hispanics, and other colored races. The era of America as the land of immigrates maybe outdated. The new dispensation heralded by Trump is a period of hardship and torments for people who are searching for freedom of speech, religion and human rights. The world is watching as Trump is trying to embark of racial cleansing, many people will suffer, especially innocent children who were once living in person with their pretentious white neighbors, attacks, and assaults on individuals by the white bigots may be a testimony to the fact that Trump is taking America to the woods.
2500 California Plaza Omaha, NE 68178
402.280.2700 www.creighton.edu
There's no place like Creighton University. Creighton University, located in Omaha, Neb., offers a top-ranked education in the Jesuit tradition for people who want to contribute something meaningful to the world. It’s where students, faculty and staff thrive in a supportive community committed to Jesuit, Catholic values and traditions. And, it’s where students learn to become leaders through service to others. Creighton University does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran’s status or any other protected class in the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff. Consistent with our unlawful harassment policy, the College is committed to providing a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.
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IS FEMINISM THE SOLUTION TO GENDER INEQUALITY? We live in a world where women and men for centuries have been thought, believed, taught, to be unequal – the man is usually assumed more supreme. This unequal treatment of individuals because of their gender, arising from the differences in socially depicted gender roles is known as gender inequality. It has pervaded every sector of the society, found even in places least expected- home, school, work, religious building, airport, courtroom, hospital. It is important that we recognize certain treatments that are only rarely questioned, but in disguise are forms of gender inequality. Here are some examples of gender inequality, which have been absorbed into some societies, and considered as the norm: ACCESS TO EDUCATION At the onset of puberty, girls are withdrawn from schools in some remote places in Afghanistan. As well, there is a wide margin between the percentage of male teachers and female teachers leading to a negative impact of the girls’ education, because they cannot be taught by male teachers when they reach specific ages. The literacy rate among young Afghan women is low: only 18% of women between the ages 15 and 24 can read. DIVORCE RIGHTS Many countries give access to husbands to divorce their spouses, but the wives’ rights to divorce are completely limited. Take Lebanon for example, women who are physically abused are unable to file a divorce based on the abuse if their testimony lacks any eyewitness. You may ask, what about a medical report from a doctor who documents abuse? However, unfortunately, presenting that is not just good enough. In Egypt, women have the legal right to divorce, however, the terms are far too mean- the women must repay their dowries, and agree to renounce all rights to the couple’s finances. RIGHT TO CUSTODY Also in the vein of divorce, in Bahrain, judges have the ultimate right to deny women custody of their children even for arbitrary reasons. In 2003 Bahraini women who were bold enough to question these unfair judgments were sued for slander by eleven court judges. RIGHT TO TRAVEL In Egypt and Bahrain, women can be prevented from leaving the country when their husbands file an official complaint against them for any reason. In countries such as Morocco, Yemen, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan, wives can only travel abroad when they have written permission from their husbands. 36
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In Saudi Arabia, women must get written permission from their closest male relation to travel in public transportation between different regions of the Kingdom or leave the country. Even though women suffer mostly from the pangs of gender inequality, it would be biased to say that they are its only victims as men also are discriminated against. For example, women receive maternity leave when pregnant, and some form of parental leave when they put to bed, a father rarely ever gets this kind of break from work even though they are also a huge part of the newborn’s life and bear some responsibilities; taking care of their wife, caring for the baby. During this parental leave, there is an enhanced pay which men are entitled to even when they decide to go on sabbatical for the sake of the child. Men also get longer prison sentences than women for the same crime. Though rarely ever discussed, men too suffer from sexual and domestic abuse, but 99.3% of shelter spaces are for women alone. ON FEMINISM AND ITS ROLE IN GENDER INEQUALITY From the beginning of this century, feminism has begun to gain a significant amount of ground and has left many clueless people wondering not only its meaning, but also its purpose, and role in mitigating gender inequality. All will be discussed here. WHAT IS FEMINISM? Wikipedia describes feminism as a range of political movements, ideologies, and social movements that share a common goal: to define, establish and achieve political, economic, personal, and social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish educational and professional opportunities for women that are equal to such opportunities. The keyword being “equal,” simply put, Wikipedia says feminism strives to give the right to X to women. X being every opportunity available to men (which have never been accessible to women in a particular society); right to vote, to earn equal pay, right to hold public office, to be educated, to own property, to have equal rights in marriage, to enter contracts. Not quite much the same as fighting gender inequality, right? Since gender inequality is not limited to just women.
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The Merriam-Webster dictionary has two definitions of feminism, the first – the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes- apparently, gives it a premise to devour every form of gender inequality. And the second- organized activity on behalf of women’s right and interest- gives it only a little argument for its role in eradicating gender inequality and validates our shared assumption; that it has little to do with a gender discrimination against men; a movement established to arm women with the necessary ammunition for destroying every stronghold that undermines and belittles them. The two definitions, however,
leave us with no evidence that feminism is not just a good course, but a necessary one too. This movement is mainly focused on women’s rights and has been a major force behind significant societal changes against gender inequality faced exclusively by women. If feminism would be considered to fight all forms of gender inequality, suffered by both genders, then the argument by feminists such as Bell Hooks that there should be an inclusion of men liberation in the movement because they are also victims of gender roles, would be embraced by all
feminists. And that is what liberal feminism is; a movement which seeks individualistic equality of men and women through political and legal reform without altering the structure of society. The best place to start extenuating the vigor of gender inequality is our homes. Teach the next generation to adopt equal treatment; no one has to be excluded, suffer for being born with different genitals and hormones. Girls can play soccer as well; they can play kickball with boys. Boys can play ponies; they can look forward to being nurses when they grow up; they can babysit.
Excellence, Collaboration and Global Reach North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is an academic community focused on students—providing them with interdisciplinary learning opportunities, teaching them with faculty renowned for excellence, connecting them to cutting edge discoveries in research, and encouraging them to serve their communities.
1601 E. MARKET STREET, GREENSBORO, NC, 27411 | 336.334.7500 | www.ncat.edu Equal Opportunity Employer
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>>> Interracial marriage “ Is it Ok.” The difference in age, cultural beliefs has never been an excuse in fostering relationships, especially marriages. Interracial marriages may have been previously seen as a taboo, but they have significantly encouraged racial identity. These days, interracial marriages are a common thing. Marriage may be difficult and has its challenges – challenges which becomes fully blown in mixed marriages. This significant change peaks by the day regardless of people’s perspective. It is impossible not to encounter some trying and difficult aspects of it all. On the downside, these marriages expose an individual to an entirely different way of life, cultural beliefs, and values. Even though we must also consider the contributions of family, the choice of togetherness solely depends on the parties involved. We must first consider the many benefits; Acceptance of a new and different culture This is an enormous plus of interracial marriage. The ability to learn and relate to people with a different culture broadens the horizons of our knowledge. Being married to someone with a different cultural background and values guarantees exposure. Stepping out of your comfort zone, seeing the world with a different eye. As for some cultures, a general misconception has been known to be the general thing or overall belief. Relating with a partner from such ethnicity will break the stereotype. Such negativity is easily corrected. Each partner becomes open to the history of the others. It allows acceptance of other people and upliftment of their culture. Union with someone from another culture or part of the world offers a new view of the World as a whole. Both sides 38
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are bound to discover new things such as food, traditions, special family celebrations, cultural heritage as well as the different mode of dressing. Genetically, offspring from an interracial marriage inherit a unique form of upbringing. The children or child inherits genes from both parents. The mixture of these genes reflects on their physical appearance. Their style of parenting is not the “normal” form of parenting. Of course, the couple has been brought up in different ways and by different people. Learning to tolerate each other and understanding the depth will reduce conflict in certain areas of parenting. Often times, both parenting methods are useful and nurture the child. The diverse form of parenting the children adapt and fit in.
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Mixed marriages are a symbol of strength and love They promote unity and encourage others to take a leap of faith. The couple will often talk and share experiences on diverse things. They can share their cultural history, food recipes, childhood, etc. Before things get solid, their responsibility starts with working together and making plans towards their future. Working hand in hand, home management matters, financial subjects, their jobs, and childbearing should be the main topics of discussion. Constant communication will help the relationship grow. Learning at least two languages Interracial marriages will afford either partner the luxury of learning the other’s language. The entire better if one speaks more than one language. Their children also quickly get a grasp of this thereby enjoying a richer cultural background. Downsides Family This is one the most important and biggest challenge of any interracial marriage. It is very common that some family members and friends are not comfortable with your choice of partner or spouse. Some parents have in the past refused to give their blessings in some of such marriages for reasons best known to themselves. Even though the choice belongs to either partner, it is important to note that many people still harbor dislike and disdain for individuals from different culture or race. Having such experience may cause a hitch or break such relationship off entirely. When dealing with this form of challenge, it is important to tackle it in love and understanding. Communicate but do not raise your voice. Avoid making your partner uncomfortable when the topic comes on. Society Once you do something out of the box and norm, the society sees you as a rebel. Well, some part of the society anyway. People will judge and rate you. Some extremist may go as far as not associating with such partners. Keep in mind that no matter what you do, good or bad, people will always have something to say. You may have to travel a lot. This may have the benefit and disadvantage. For a spouse who likes to travel a lot, life becomes an adventure because you may have to shuffle between two countries. There are trips to be made to the other person’s homeland and family for holidays and other events. This will serve to discover new and possibly exciting places. On the hand, a partner who doesn’t fancy traveling much may not be so thrilled about holidays and family gets together. They may find it unnecessarily or leave their partner alone to it. Potential identity issue for children Sure, children from interracial parents may face the “what are you?” questions from their peers because of their physical appearance. Parents need to be ready to go the extra mile in
helping their kids identify and understand the dual nature of their background. Discrimination Aforementioned society backlash is a frontier, but discrimination may take other forms e.g. in the job as well as housing. Even though discrimination in the housing sector is almost outdated, certain areas in some countries pose a great challenge to interracial couples. Certain employers also fail to relate equally to an interracial couple because of cultural prejudice. The couple should endeavor to live in a neighborhood palatable for their safety and that of their children. Religious issues Couples get to a point where one thinks their religion is superior to the other people. It may end up in disagreement and in turn offend the other party. Their kids may eventually be caught up in between even though their choice of religion is entirely up to them. Couples should learn to understand and respect each other’s religion without creating that “superiority complex.” This will foster unity and help guide their kids’ choice.
Midwestern State University is a leading public liberal arts university committed to providing students with rigorous undergraduate and graduate education in the liberal arts and the professions. Through an emphasis upon teaching, augmented by the opportunity for students to engage in research and creative activities alongside faculty and to participate in co-curricular and service programs.
940-397-4000 3410 Taft Blvd. Wichita Falls, TX 76308 • www.mwsu.edu Midwestern University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Maintaining an inclusive workplace Maintaining an inclusive workplace The hustle of securing a suitable and wellpaid job is enough of a burden. Imagine, getting a job and experiencing discomfort and discrimination at your workplace is even harder to deal with. This dampens work spirit and employees’ output in general.
diversity as a tool for centered initiative to produce better services. After successful recruitment and hiring methods that reach to a diverse group of individuals, the next reasonable step is to support and engage them. It is wise not to assume that diversity means the same thing to everyone.
An inclusive workplace is one that has a collective mixture of different but similar individuals with different values, beliefs, backgrounds. Inclusion is the accomplishment of a work atmosphere in which all employees are treated fair and with respect. The concept of inclusion and diversity are almost often entwined. It is then necessary for any employer or organization to create a work friendly environment for her workers. This starts with putting in place an inclusive and positively connected workplace.
If employees feel amiss or cannot be themselves at their place of work, it merely indicates a lower output. The said employee cannot fully reach their potential in carrying out their personal or teamwork.
The work environment should be one that every voice can be heard. Employees’ contribution, observations, and opinions should be carefully weighed and valued. This draws strength by relying on the unique experiences, cultural backgrounds, goals as well as perceptiveness of the contributors. People, of course, tend to represent and react to situations in different ways; multiple perceptiveness provides different possible solutions to a challenge. While interpreting tasks and duties as well, individuals tackle their work in a variety of ways. Through diverse elucidations, teamwork is richer and more productive. It is crucial to employ and maintain a varied workforce so sexual and cultural inventiveness can be maintained. Leaping the faith means stretching towards 40
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For example, a female employee might feel threatened by the fact that most of her superiors are male. She soon develops a fear and might be limited to a particular position for a while. This kind of work environment is closely sidelining workers’ morale and productivity. The organizational leaders should, therefore, endeavor to reach out to all employees equally. They should avoid gender bias when treating challenges and taking forward steps. Open and effective communication will create an avenue for practical discussion and all round inclusiveness. Discussions like this should include clear channels of organization and prevention of discrimination. From a perspective, employees should understand that certain work principles and standards should be upheld in high esteem. The principles include expectations for appropriate conducts in the workplace. The focus should be on diversity first. Everyone should understand that diversity involves acceptance without judging, embarrassing or humiliating others. To embrace diversity is to learn about diverse cultural
backgrounds, lives, and ethics of other workers. This may be done by organizing parties to foster outside workplace relationships and foster inclusion. Creativity and flexibility will make things take a new look. It is important to allow every employee the opportunity to participate in every and any decision making and planning for social activities. Take note of and keep in mind holidays and time offs. Cultural holidays and special days often take a special place in the hearts of people. Consider offering a free day to employees to observe such days. Acknowledge international holidays as well, such as international day to end racism, an international day of peace, etc. Create and outline very flexible schedules such that employees can organize their day to day activity around it. When inviting spouses of employees to events, avoid using non- specific terms. Rather, use more general terms such as “partners” for same-sex couples. An inclusive workplace seeks to understand the needs of their employees by making them feel regarded and highly esteemed. Inclusion tends to appeal to a broader customer-supplier base. Identifying talent is another huge step towards an inclusive and more diverse workforce. This move connotes a more creative employment approach. Going beyond the regular university programs and degrees attained helps identify unique talents. Have you considered hiring veterans? They are often embellished with discipline and greater passion.
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It is not always enough to be diversified and inclusive organization by mouth; people tend to respect actions more. Implement your inclusiveness strategically. So many organizational leaders spend thousands of dollars creating lovely work environments, where employees feel comfortable to do their job, customers admire and love to buy but only to corroborate their own beliefs. Why bother? If all is going to be to a person gain eventually. Assessment, Consulting, and meetings in any organization should look first upon the interests of her workers and most especially towards the greater good of the organization. It takes the synergy between customers first, employees and leaders for an accountable and responsible flow in business or work. Now, even though this may be awkward, it is good to hold people accountable for their actions and decisions. Never let the inclusiveness translate to laziness. Keep
everyone abreast if their progress and activities. At some points also, be willing to let go of employees who refuse to progress and may drag you down. You might be doing them a big favor; they’ll be happier elsewhere. Conclusively, the main aim of workplace inclusiveness is to ensure everyone has the same “fair” handling. It is preferable to say we all deserve to work in an environment void of hate, embarrassment, harassment, victimization and discrimination. What is more effective is for workers to be mindful of their actions. You may not be denying people of a certain race, religion or gender from applying for jobs in the real sense of the word but your actions might be denying them the opportunity to do so. By actively promoting and encouraging variety to spice up life, you foster unity and diversity. Businesses and customer scope will thrive, you will attain success, and the World itself will be a better place.
West Chester University, a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, is a public, regional, comprehensive institution committed to providing access and offering high-quality undergraduate education, select post-baccalaureate and graduate programs, and a variety of educational and cultural resources for its students, alumni, and citizens of southeastern Pennsylvania.
West Chester University 700 South High Street West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-1000 www. wcupa.edu
West Chester University is committed to providing leadership in extending equal opportunities to all individuals. Accordingly, the University will continue to make every effort to provide these rights to all persons regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class status in the administration of its admission, financial aid, educational or athletic programs, University - sponsored activities and programs, or in its employment practices.
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HOW TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM 42
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The National Center for Educational Statistics has discovered that in four years, only 73% of high school freshmen graduate. Slightly more than half of the students who proceed to enter college earn a bachelor’s degree and over 18% quit college. Although many factors are contributing to students’ academic risk, some negative emotions, which are associated with learning (e.g. lack of interest and engagement in their courses), are cogent reasons for students’ disengagement, dropping out of, and failure in school. The level at which students participate in class can be discovered by observing how many students volunteer answers in the class, ask questions, or contribute to discussions, or class sessions. Therefore it is important that teachers devote their time to improving the level at which their students participate actively in classroom activities to enhance their learning. The objective is not to have every student participate in the same manner, but to create an environment where all students have the chance to learn, and different point of views are employed in exploring issues. One of the most consistent findings in educational research shows that the more durations that students use engaged during instruction, the more they learn (Gettinger & Ball, 2007). Research also shows that
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students with teachers who spend a lot of time talking are less likely to be engaged during direct instruction. Engagement means students’ cognitive investment in, active participation in, and emotional commitment to their learning. According to research, there are five defined levels of student engagement: Passive compliance: Here, students see no meaning in the assignment, but do it anyways not to be punished. Authentic Engagement: In an authentic engagement, students are completely engrossed in a work that is lucid and has immediate value to them. Rebellion: There is no engagement at all; students deter from doing their assignments, act disruptive, and try to replace alternative activities. Ritual Compliance: During this type of
engagement, students do not see any importance to the work, but there are extrinsic results that keep them engaged. Retreatism: Here, students are disengaged from the assigned work and refuse to comply, but do not get in the way of others’ learning.
KNOW AND USE STUDENTS’ NAMES Students tend to participate more if they know you see them as individuals, and not just anonymous members of a group. You should as well see to it that they learn one another’s names, to improve their interrelationship.
There are many ways, and activities you can adopt in the classroom to improve your students’ engagement. Below are some of such:
MAKE THE CLASSROOM EMOTIONALLY SAFE It is quite unlikely that students who have been belittled by the teacher or their classmates will engage in tedious tasks. Create an environment in which the students do not go through emotional distress by putting up rules that frown on mocking, insulting, or shaming others. Students find classes more interesting when they feel comfortable in the environment and safe to express their opinions and ask questions.
CLASSROOM ARRANGEMENT Arrange the chairs in a way that enhances the kind of participation you want, e.g. if the chairs must be moveable or not, moving the chairs into an arc or a circle for discussion sessions. From the first day of class, arrange the room in such a way that promotes active engagement.
Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a highquality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals, and leaders in a global society.
Think Lamar University... Think community
Home to more than 15,000 students, Lamar University is one of the fastest growing colleges in Texas and is a member of The Texas State University System. Lamar University offers more than 100 educational programs of study in the most dynamic career fields leading to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. The 292-acre campus in Beaumont is about 90 miles east of Houston, Texas and about 25 miles west of Louisiana.
Western Connecticut State University 181 White Street Danbury, CT 06810 www.wcsu.edu
1-888-600-7824
203-837-9000
Western Connecticut State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
www.lamar.edu 4400 MLK Blvd., PO Box 10009, Beaumont, Texas 77710 Lamar University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, and/or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice.
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MAKE THE TOPICS INTERESTING In situations where the students have little or no interest in the topic, find a nice way to make the topic interesting. You can also use online video tutorial, power point presentations, or illustrations to as a fun element. BE MORE INTERESTED IN EXPLANATIONS THAN THE RIGHT ANSWER It is quite an achievement for you if your students are all engaged in arguing out the best approach to the assignment. By using questions that can be solved by multiple strategies, you give students the opportunity to make choices and compare their approaches afterward. This expands their level of reasoning then when they are only interested in the “correct” answer.
ENHANCE THEIR SELF-RELIANCE Students are more engaged in learning when encouraged to act as their own learning agents striving towards achieving goals that make sense to them. What these students believe concerning themselves is of great importance. They must believe that they can learn, even overcome and learn from failure. Allowing them to be in charge of learning processes can help develop this confidence and dedication to learning.
reflecting, evaluating, and connecting dots between ideas.
CREATE CHALLENGES WHICHFURNISHES THEIR ACADEMIC ABILITIES Meager tasks and homework are not as effective at engaging students as challenging assignments are. Students are engaged when they go through the processes of questioning, deliberating,
Be careful not to answer your own questions; this will make the students always hesitate, to see if you will provide the answer without them trying.
GIVE THE STUDENTS ENOUGH TIME TO THINK BEFORE ANSWERING QUESTIONS After throwing in a question, give your students at least ten seconds to think and cook a response. In cases where ten seconds pass, and there are still no volunteers, and the students appear confused, endeavor to rephrase your question.
The longer you wait for them to respond, the more they give you in-depth answers.
We are the Volunteers.
865-974-1000
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 • www.utk.edu The University of Tennessee Knoxville does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Miles College is a senior, private, liberal arts Historically Black College with roots in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church that motivates and prepares students, through committed faculty, to seek knowledge that leads to intellectual and civic empowerment. The Miles College education engages students in rigorous study, scholarly inquiry, and spiritual awareness enabling graduates to become life-long learners and responsible citizens who help shape the global society.
5500 Myron Massey Boulevard Fairfield, Alabama 35064
205.929.1000 www.miles.edu
Miles College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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USE VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL CUES Refrain from allowing only a set of students to volunteer answers, or solve questions. Respond to frequent volunteers in such way that shows you appreciate them, but would like to hear from others as well. Go to the unresponsive side of the classroom; make eye contact with the students to encourage them to participate.
We are devoted to student success. For more than 100 years, Wayne State College has been devoted to student success and regional service. We are best known for our friendly atmosphere, exceptional academic reputation, success of our graduates and affordability.
LISTEN CAREFULLY, AND DO NOT INTERRUPT YOUR STUDENTS’ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Do not give in to the temptation to barge in on them while they speak just because you assume you have an idea of what they are about to say. So many times, teachers make wrong assumptions and leave their student’s actual questions unattended. REDIRECT QUESTIONS TO OTHER STUDENTS Encourage students to respond not only to you but also to one another. Limit your own comments, most especially during discussions.
1111 Main Street, Wayne, NE 68787
866-WSC-CATS www.wsc.edu
Wayne State College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
From the founding in 1900 of Hall-Moody Institute, through the establishment in 1927 of UT Junior College, to today’s status as a comprehensive public university, UT Martin is committed to preparing students for success in the global economy.
731.881.7000 554 University Street Martin, TN 38238 800.829.UTM1 www. utm.edu
UT Martin is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, and/or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice.
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>>> Barriers of Education Every good thing in life comes with challenges and sometimes obstacles. Education especially has its difficulties. Children of this age are naturally eager to learn new things. With this responsibility comes a challenge depending on the immediate environment. Education is a right, and many children across the world are robbed of it. The government should take conscious legal efforts towards protecting this right. To understand the value of education is to take note of what the environment is posing towards it as a hindrance. Some of these barriers include lower social status, the standard of living, sanitation, early marriages, hunger, safety etc. These may be more appreciated in children with no education or have dropped out. Physical disabilities Students with a form of deformity or the other suffer a deal of hardship. Lack of elevators, inaccessibility to washrooms and transportation issues. On the higher level, some may experience inaccessibility to accommodation. Accommodations may not be provided at all and if provided, is always insufficient. Lower social status No one chose the family to be born to. We cannot all be rich or well to do. Low-income families often have a hard time affording the basic kind of Education for their children. They often find it hard to provide textbooks, 46
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uniform or even feed the children. Since these children cannot work, they often do house chores and depend on scholarships for Education. Furthermore, the kind of area a child grows up in contributes to accessibility to Education. A child growing up in a rural area may be at a disadvantage as the bridge between rural and urban schools may be wide. Gender label This factor is one of the leading barriers experienced in the Educational sector. Gender has been shown to be one reason for denial. Even though the World is going through a significant advancement in female Education, some girls are still left behind. Some religion practice strongly believes that formal education for girls could be antagonizing and create a form of rebellion. Some of these girls are left to do house chores, stay at home or care for a sibling. Poverty as well may force the choice. School safety This has been a serious barrier over time. Because proper safety measures are not put in place in some places, some parents refuse to send their children to school. If perhaps the environment is not safe enough or prone to any form of insecurity, others may make this an excuse, especially for the female child.
Sanitation Putting in place a proper toilet, washroom, and a clean learning environment is safe for children’s lives. It is also a way for people to make decent earnings. Improved sanitation the students that healthy living is part of the entire educational process. Hunger Lack of food or access to food affects every stage of life. Children accustomed to this way of life are susceptible to the risk of diseases and death. Malnourishment causes reduced mental capacity and lower retention. Learning for these students become difficult and almost impossible. Early marriages Girls venturing into early marriage most especially in developing countries. These marriages are often to reduce the family’s financial burden. These girls are hardly mentally or psychologically ready for the marriage at all. Since they don’t get the education, their focus is mostly on making ends meet and childbearing. Language barrier Children who grew up speaking minor languages are less likely to learn well in schools not run in the language they are familiar to. This factor is one leading cause for high rates of drop out and exclusion at large.
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Negative teachers To start with, how does a child learn without a teacher? In many schools, there are either fewer teachers or even lazy teachers. Some teachers are working at a rate lesser than their qualification thereby leading the students to failure. It is said that the teacher has more impact on a child’s learning sometimes more than the parents because children often get to spend more time in school with their teachers than they do at home. Overworking a teacher may also pose a threat. It is not proper for a single teacher to teach arts, biology, and chemistry altogether. Teachers should teach mainly in their area of specialization. Lack of adequate facilities Some countries have no few classrooms, probably due to war or mass displacement. Even at this, places prone to attacks are not safe to get a proper education. Classrooms
in these areas have no access to a suitable textbook or other technological facilities. Outdated and worn out textbooks are shared by a number of students. The students often squeeze themselves together as there is no provision for adequate comfort. Studies show that some schools hardly have the necessary facilities such as water, textbooks, writing materials, chairs, tables, etc. Also, these impede learning. Education begs for innovative measures. Standard and proper steps should be taken towards revolving around the newest patterns of education. Unstable curriculum In the face of a curriculum that pulls the teacher towards different and confusing positions, learning for any student is jeopardized. A school curricula should be open and flexible. They should suit the
purpose for which they are made; adequate and unbiased policies. Constraints in funding When there’s a change in control politically, different changes occur. A particular innovative pursuit may take longer to implement or may be scrapped altogether. Some of these changes may be at the cost of Education concerning funding. A reduction in the allocations going towards education will definitely impede educational progress. The programs that were done for free or that attracted subsidized rate will cost more. Because of a change in power, as well some policies may be adapted to the educational system that may not be healthy enough. For example, the minimum requirement for attaining some degrees may be changed haphazardly. Education is a foundation for successful living. It is our duty to make it equal for all, most importantly; it is our right to attain it.
Be passionate Martin Methodist College bears the name of Thomas Martin who provided for the establishment of a school for girls in Giles County by giving the original endowing gift of $30,000 through a provision in his will in 1870. His bequest was the fulfillment of a dream of his daughter Victoria who, before her death at the age of twenty, requested that her father establish such a school for young women.
The University of Delaware offers more than 150 major fields of study. Each of those paths to knowledge opens up a world of opportunity.
302.831.2792
University of Delaware Newark, DE 19716 USA
www.udel.edu
University of Delaware does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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www.martinmethodist.edu 433 West Madison St. Pulaski, TN 38478 Equal Opportunity Employer
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Will Trump make America
great or poor President Trump’s election can accurately be described as one of the biggest twists ever witnessed in conventional western politics. Previously tagged a “joke” as a presidential candidate, many of his critics have more to say now. As a result of the control of both houses of Congress, it is an understatement to say Trump started from a place of less power. We will all remember Trump’s proposed trade policy. In his broad plan, the most vital lane to better jobs and more robust growth is through “fairer” trade deals. Honestly, those were designed to make us all poorer. The proposed 35% proposed tariff against goods from Mexico and another 45 against imports from China as well as similar tariffs melted out to Japan by association is a major consideration. Even though many people may say he is merely risking out an extreme position in his defense, we should also not forget in a hurry many leaders who have called the bluff of other countries and eventually had to act it out or lose face. These trade policies have been shown to cost the typical American household about $11,000 in the space of 5 years if the 45% imports from China and Japan, as well as the 35% Mexico, were made effective. Without gainsaying, the impact of these tariffs will hit poor Americans the hardest. The big question then is, will these tariffs achieve the “protect American workers from foreign competition” dream? The simple and direct answer is “no.” The previous government imposed anti-dumping duties
on goods and services in the aggregate increased by a certain percentage before such duty orders were issued. Simply put, producers from countries not disturbed by the duties exported the same kind of goods from the United States. Past duties did not protect American workers from foreign competition; the proposed Donald Trumps has the highest expectations of meeting the same fate. To push this tariff plan, one alternate way is to expect a set of related tariffs levies will be imposed on other countries exporting from the United States. The impact of these policies is an increased cost for the average American family per year and ultimately a significant tax increase. While concerned citizens will be bewildered by wage control, cost of living and other significant costs, a nationwide increased tariff will cause contending domestic goods to rise considerably as well. If by chance, these tariff plans are effective, U.S exports will naturally reduce especially to targeted countries, and as a result, the country will experience declining businesses and great loss. Either way, messing with a standard trading procedure will bring a costly result, majorly not favorable for Americans especially the poor ones. The President seems to only pride himself in what he can do to harm other countries while making hardworking Americans scapegoats. Trade becomes fair when trade flows are balanced. Is it not clear he’s here to make poor America poorer?
The past tenure saw the largest growth in federal spending to reduce inequality. First was the affordable care act or Obamacare which brought down a percentage of the uninsured down from 16 to 9 (still the lowest in U.S history). Secondly, tax benefits raised the income of numerous poor Americans and thirdly, the administration stretched towards bending the tax code to increase antipoverty expenses such as food stamps and long-term unemployment benefit which supported the movement for higher minimum wage. These extensive methods reportedly greatly increased after-tax inequality most especially more than any other administration on record. Aside from being on record for numerous racist comments and remarks, Trump’s boldest proposals and most racial promise to build a border wall and build a police force strong enough to deport ten million undocumented workers. This didn’t only prompt trade war but also cut down taxes, threatened the budget and also suggested that the U.S may not pay back a debt. These all made up the perfect formula for fiscal panic and probable economic recession. Quite simple, this administration is bending towards making it harder to survive as a poor American citizen while fostering inequality and discrimination. For a start, the affordable care act may be jeopardized. By stretching back the medic aid extension and halting several EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TODAY
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private divisions, the Trump administration definitely have laid out plans to push the uninsured rates back up. In the last few years, the uninsured family line living in poverty dropped by a considerable 50% without the favor of any race or color. When this plan is overturned, many people will suddenly lose access to health care. In the same vein, the proposed tax cut is aimed to be one of the biggest ever with as much possibility of reducing federal revenues by whopping dollars for the next decade. This plan is in line with one predicted by House Speaker Paul Ryan. In his prediction, he summarized that the highest income taxpayers would experience the largest cut downs. How then will this affect the poor? Very well, the massiveness of the proposed tax cut is too significant, so more House Republicans are clamoring for a balanced budget. Essentially, Trump has declared about a half of the budget off-limits for cuts as he intends to grow the military and take care of social security and medicare. At this point, one cannot point to which of the Obama policies is in the face of elimination since Trump is not too open about these things. The Paul Ryan point of view then becomes more and more conflicting. Even if this is a relatively simpler and more humane approach to making Americans less poor, cutting welfare and health insurance payments to the poor to create the balance while caressing tax cuts for the wealthy hardly seems like the best option. During his campaign, Donald Trump vowed to help inner cities and African American communities “What do you have to lose?”. His budget, however, eliminates these same communities for years if not decades; it will also fatally hit low-income earners below the belt. The proposed budget as announced will rip or even eliminate fundings from federal agencies that assist poor people who reside in cities including the Department of Housing, the Department of Education as well as the Department of health and Human Resources. These cuts which bend towards 50
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the Department of Housing and Urban development which are responsible for public housing complexes across America. They make available grants that allow non-profiters and real estate investors to put in crucial parts of a neighborhood such as parks. They also make vouchers and coupons for low-income earners to live in private houses, the budget which proposed about a $6.2 billion dollars slash poses a great decrease in the level of funding and is a ticket to rendering many people homeless. This much will go away; funds designated for the community development block grant programs which make money available for neighborhood investment as the program is said to be “not well-targeted to the poorest populations and have not demonstrable results.” It will also shut down funding for the HOME investment partnerships which provides grants for low-income earners to buy or rehabilitate homes not to mention the choice neighborhoods program providing for organizations trying to invigorate the country. The same budget also shuts down the U.S. interagency council on homelessness which coordinates how 19 federal agencies respond to homelessness. Clearly, if this is implemented cities will be extremely affected. Rather than provide new jobs, this administration is targeting letting some people off their work, rendering Americans homeless and allowing people roam the streets. In the weeks following his successful election, President Trump refused to desist from racism upon which he fully participated in during his campaign. The popular hate speech and racist violence that colored his campaign escalated after his win. After the elections, any sensitive individual who carefully followed the ladder of top advisers and cabinet members can attest to the fact that a good number of these leaders have been implicated in racial bias behaviors.
Retired General Mike Flynn who was chosen as the national security adviser depicted an example for anti-Muslim comments he made over the years. He even tweeted in February of this year that “fear of Muslim is rational” while having commented during summer that “there is a diseased component inside the Islamic World that is like cancer.” The same man was forced to resign after only 24 days when news emerged that he had misled the vice president about meetings he had with the Russian ambassador to Washington. His untimely exit only settles the reservations that some appointees in this regime were not subject to satisfactory scrutinizing. Steven Mnuchin who was called to serve as Treasury secretary faces serious allegations which suggest profiting from racial discrimination. When he was still a hedge fund manager, Mnuchin procured a distressed mortgage bank, fired on its foreclosure and sold it for a staggering amount later. Soon after, his bank was connected to housing rights groups for racist practices such as lending to a limited number of colored persons and upholding foreclosed – on properties in black and brown leading neighborhoods than in white neighborhoods. Beyond these, there were about 900 hate occurrences about10 days into his election as President. These attacks included vandalism of cars, properties, as well as an assailant who beat up a gay man while maintaining that “ My new president says we can kill all you faggots now”. An average number of these events pointed at the President-elect’s slogan during the campaign. Trump while reacting to these, only insignificantly deplored them likened to the fervor with which he usually bouts other matters dealing with his radical supports. He sprung a travel ban leveling towards Muslims. In an administrative order since obstructed by the courts, Trump restricted
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Syrian refugees and travel by immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries (Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Libya, Iran, Syria, and Somalia). Just how is this not an act of racism? He has emphatically regarded some people as terror-prone even though there has been no fatal terrorist attack on U.S. soil by immigrants since 1975. Not also forgetting his outrageous conduct against the family of a Muslim U.S. Army officer who died while serving in Iraq. Trump claimed that the Wife’s silence and the Father’s outspokenness implied that she was prohibited from talking as a result of their faith. President Trump has been outspoken from day one about his stand on abortion; he went further at some point laying claims that women who undergo the procedures should face a form of legal punishment even though he sculled back saying, “the
woman is a victim in this case.” One of the major steps taken when he resumed office was to sign a ban on federal money directed towards international organizations that implement or provide information about abortion. Note that, this ban also cuts into Planned Parenthood without which many people are done for. In spite of his numerous promises to protect and invest in women health, this new ban law will evidently do more harm than good. Women’s rights have been indirectly snatched from them as well as access to major health benefits. The rule that prevented states and local governments from withholding federal funding for family planning relating to contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, breast and cervical cancer in the past administration has been invalidated by Trump’s new law.
This is not in any way supporting birth control or abortion, but a candid reminder that women should be allowed to make decisions about their bodies and the unborn child. True, the emotional and physical rigor of having an abortion can be bad and may lead to loads of adverse response. I like to think that our choices are the only real things that afford us unlimited freedom. Sometimes, we have to go through some stages in our lives to learn and grow. The World at large is a beautiful place because of the diversity of our opinions and views, no law and no one should take that away from us. While many would think it is too early to jump to conclusions over the true implications of Trump’s policies, there is handwriting on the wall. We can only keep our fingers crossed and watch things play out.
Texas A&M University-Commerce provides a personal, accessible, and affordable educational experience for a diverse community of learners. We engage in creative discovery and dissemination of knowledge and ideas for service, leadership, and innovation in an interconnected and dynamic world.
Since 1889 Texas A&M University-Commerce has educated the people of Texas and, ever increasingly, points beyond. A&M-Commerce is located in Commerce, Texas, with additional locations in downtown Dallas, Corsicana, Mesquite, McKinney, Midlothian and Rockwall, as well as a strong online presence, providing students with numerous degree options. We are the second largest university in the prestigious Texas A&M University System, and we remain true to our founder William Leonidas Mayo’s creed of “ceaseless industry, fearless investigation, unfettered thought, and unselfish service to others.”
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Texas A&M University Commerce is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, and/or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice.
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Is Trumps “Make America Great” theme going to help Blacks and Hispanics?
Donald Trump won the last Presidential election, thanks to the elites Electoral College vote that helps the minority to rule. Trump’s emergence as the new de facto government maybe another wilderness experience for the America that was great at its lofty heights and its envy among nations.
Trump’s open hatred is beyond imagination Until Trump’s won the election, most observers didn’t expect him to win the right to rule from the oval office. He was ranting blabbing at will making unguarded His slogan of ‘ make America great again’ may be a target of making the America a white utterances at every opportunity to ridicule dictatorial society. Going by his comments and unrepentant attributes, it may there not be and humiliate blacks, and Hispanics who light at the end of the tunnel for Africa Americans, Hispanics, Muslims and the Mexicans. were his primary enemies. According to Mr. President, during his The new American president is rooted in hatred for people of color, with records of his campaign, he claimed that Blacks and unguarded utterances in the past emphasizing how he presumed blacks and Hispanics to Hispanics in the inner cities were living in be. Winning the presidency is just the supreme power he needs to actualize his age long hell. Maybe Trump didn’t have adequate dislike for over 46 million African American in the US. knowledge of America, or he just ignored Considering his comments during the presidential campaign and his antecedents, his the obvious that not only Blacks and make America great again is likely going to be a way to return America to the slave trade Hispanic people were living in inner cities, era. The time when Blacks were slaves working on sugar cane and tobacco plantations, but his Caucasian family were among those living in unkempt thatched roofs buildings, having their mouth pierced with hot irons and he claimed were living in hell. padlocked to prevent them from eating from the sugar they planted and preventing them from having a love affair with the superior white race. His assertion that you ‘walk down the The America of the 1950’s they claim was great had many human rights cases of abuse; streets and get shot’ is a stupid statement blacks could not share the same public buses with whites, inferior racial marriages were because gun-running and street shots were viewed as sacrilege and blacks were forbidden from living in the white quarters. If this era not trademarking his target races, whites do excites Trump, then ask him what he desires for twenty-first century America. Does he the same and killed people on the streets want to enslave blacks the second time? as well.
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His making America great again led to the burning of black churches, it sounds normal to Mr. President, after all, Jesus Christ was a Black man. But his comment that blacks should go back to Africa during the Blacks Live Matters protest just put the icing on the cake of who the electoral college imposed on an average Americans. He didn’t just insult blacks living in America, sarcastically claimed that he would see if their lives matter in Africa, a continent rage by wars, ethnic and racial fighting and lately, religious intolerance. However, he didn’t mention that machetes used in Rwanda and Burundi genocides were supplied by a modern Caucasian nation, that monies stolen from the continent were mostly kept in a white society that operates secret banking, while other scattered all over the white nations including America. Trump didn’t visit the black communities In his usual show of disdain to black, Donald Trump didn’t visit any black community like McCain and Romney, who contested before him. He didn’t visit academic institutions that have predominantly Blacks and Hispanic peoples or town hall meetings to address them. He avoided attending town hall meetings that Blacks organized, they wanted their presidential candidate to address them and answer some questions, but Trump in his usual arrogant style didn’t honor any of such invites. To Trump, Blacks can go back to Africa if they care. Donald Trump’s legacy of hatred for Blacks Sometimes, one wonders if the Americans that voted Trump were just illiterates, or they are simply bigots like their supreme servant they elected to rule from the oval office. Trump is an example of everything wrong that can get into the white house; he is a plaque American white embarrassed to do the racial cleansing.
Donald Trump launched his racial assault formally in 2011 when he led the Birther movement a racially motivate project to campaign against Obama, and everything he stood for. However, to many people, his racial bigotry dated to forty-five years ago when the Justice Department in the US sued him for not renting his apartments to Blacks. He was sued on two different occasions for the same reason. His big claim that Blacks are lazy is irritating because blacks are well represented at every
He intentionally didn’t mention Hispanic elites in America; their doctors, lawyers, engineers, nurses and those that are running legitimate businesses. He refused to address why his white bigots family are not allowing blacks to practice big law firms in the US or partner in such law outfits. His idea of building a wall, possibly a mimic of the biblical wall of Jericho between the US and the Mexico is an expression of his colonial mentality, every other race is inferior to his white race, and they are the most hard working, the most intelligent and most successful. To instigate the whites against their colored neighbors, Trump used the fear factor to arouse race supremacy in them. He successfully incited whites and colored races in America fuelling racial attacks, burning of churches, and many protests, but the President is not sensitive to the plight of non-whites, other races can die, or possibly relocate from the US as long as it will make his America whiter.
There are African-Americans and Hispanics who are doing fine in their professions, law-abiding citizens that are paying billions of dollars in taxes on a yearly basis. The fact that the de facto president newly sworn-in in America intentionally He didn’t deny that black workers were ignored them and their contributions to removed from the floor of his Atlantic City magnifying problems that are not just casinos anytime he visited. This is synonymous found only among these races is a matter of with Adolf Hitler’s Hatred to shake hands with serious concern. an African American that won the gold medal at Olympics in German, Hitler left before the The President didn’t promise to employment time he was expected to present the Medal to or equal human rights for people of color, avoid shaking “an inferior being.” but he succeeded in humiliating and portrayed them as the problems America Hispanics are drugs peddlers to Donald Trump needs to do away with. The Make America It was not hard to take when he directed his great again, the slogan is a theme for the wagging tongue at the Hispanics, claiming White Extremists to make America white that Mexico didn’t send the best brains from again, just like 400 years ago when blacks the nation to America, but only those that were slaves working on plantations and the are drug peddlers, and illiterates that were early 1950s when blacks were considered disturbing the American peace. second-class citizens. facet of America life excerpts in communities where white supremacists didn’t allow Blacks to live and the government could do nothing about it.
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Ten ways to promote diversity in the workplace Every one of us has one or two things specific and unique to us. One person cannot always “do it all.” A community of individuals with different talents and strengths can only make things better and greater. Promoting workplace diversity has more benefits than disadvantages. Diversity will benefit the employer or organization at large. Having a group of employees with a diverse cultural background, ideas, values, and morals build an excellent workforce. Workplace diversity makes good business sense. To promote diversity is to establish a healthy and active interpersonal relationship amongst the employees and the employers. These following are ten ways to improve diversity in the workplace: 1. Learn that diversity is more than color, race or ethical background. Diversity involves building a workforce of varying types of individuals; different genders, different race, different religious beliefs, different nationalities, different abilities, different cultural ethics and lots more. This allows for exposure to a wide range of ideas and innovative inventions. Relating and working with diverse people open doors for growth and positive feedback. It is relevant also to foster diversity at all strata. Perhaps the work culture does not include diversity at the higher levels; employees may have a hard time climbing the ladder. Other may find it difficult to attain their set goals. It is also important to employ over a larger topographical area. By expanding the scope, a far-reaching method is achieved by getting candidates that are more suitable. 2. Pay attention to retaining. Many employers and organizations have programs in place for capturing the heart and attention of their employees or applicants. With this, they can get a lower turnover rate. These programs should, however, be carefully organized not to show an undue preference for one person over another. 3. Focus on organizational ethics. Does your method of organizing allow for contribution from everyone? Does it set some people aside? Does it raise questions amongst your workforce? Does it give regard to individuals from a particular group above others? Of course, there may be a negative response or attitude towards these, and it may well end up dividing the workforce. It is needful to maintain a consistent form of freedom and exposure at all times especially in the workforce. Consider utilizing a kind of gauge, for example, the employee work survey to know how they feel and uncover lagging points. When changing or creating policies, ensure that all understand and agree. 54
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4. An employer may also provide diversity training. This form of provision fosters unity and helps the organization at large to increase retention efforts. It will also help people see diversity in a different light as well as the benefits involved. Encourage dialogue and conversations about diversity without bias. The workplace soon becomes a welcoming environment and open to development. 5. Allow for work schedule flexibility. This is much more important in getting work with a reasonable level of convenience. For example, consider if jobs can be completed through teleworking with no stringent deadline. It may also include offers for helpful compensation such as childcare or payment in cash. Also, allow or even insist that employees take time off for varieties of religious holidays. This will help attract more religiously diverse customers and a work friendly environment. 6. Stay focused on talent and values. Sure hiring with more diversity does not necessarily mean hiring less qualified individuals. It is the only evidence that one should not compromise on talent and is readily receptive of other qualities. Employers should at least be ready to give
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successful business. Communicating expectations and intentions promotes and builds diversity. The management should describe programs and propositions in clear language preferably understandable by all. Strict rules and disciplinary measures should also be put in place for those who engage in bullying and teasing that may discourage diversity. Employers should be ready to give ear to workers regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity and other factors.
ever candidate the benefit of the doubt in carrying out their work effectively. Talented persons often feel down spirited when they realize the workload heavily depends on their abilities. To curb this kind of challenge, the organization should create an atmosphere that includes all employees in those aspects of their work. Then, other employees soon pick up interest and the organization, in turn, foster diverse unity for better results. 7. No one can do it alone. Every individual, both talented and less talented need a push in the right direction. This helps everyone reach their full potential while creating awareness for opportunities. This kind of knowledge does not only make diversity possible; it is an entirely new level of greater diversity.
9. Eliminate discrimination. Establishing a task or workforce will include working with diverse people within the organization. It is suitable to focus on creating a diversity of task. Avoid limiting a particular task to specific areas such as gender or sexual orientation. Allowing every sex work in their capacity will help you gather different views and will go a long way in an expansion. These task forces may as well focus on
8. Communication. Efficient and frequent communication is the backbone of any
reaching out to a more diverse group of sponsors and customers. Set standards for promotion and hiring, ensure that they remain transparent so that every employee may work harder and understand the basis of merit. 10. Learn from your mistakes. It is needless to say that no one can correctly carry out a plan without a few ups and downs. Create an avenue for human resource. Let exit interactions be put in place for employees that may want to leave. Let them help determine your hitch without feeling pressured. This form of assessment will contribute to learning the change required to curtail future losses or events. Arrange like-mindedness groups for the sole purpose of empowerment. Employees can easily work together on improving products, making new products, getting new ideas, making checks and balances and producing a more productive output.
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Winthrop is a public, comprehensive university that is committed to be among the very best institutions of our kind in the nation. Through an educational experience that blends liberal arts, professional programs, global awareness and civic engagement, Winthrop will help you develop the knowledge, skills, and values that will enrich your life forever and prepare you for all the future holds.
The University of South Florida has transformed a community medical school, established by the Florida Legislature in 1965, into a major academic medical center known statewide and nationally for its innovative curriculum with an emphasis on improving health through interprofessional education, research and clinical activities.
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Is AI causing a rise in Unemployment? All we hold dear and appreciate about modern living lies majorly in the beauty of innovations and discoveries. These wonders make life easier and give room for enhancement. Maximizing human intelligence by modification into artificial intelligence is one of the ultimate inventions in civilization. Artificial intelligence is, therefore, the field of computer sciences that relate to intelligence exhibited by machines. These machines function by perception, action, and control; cognitively in line with human mind, body and its several processes such as learning, etc. Some of their numerous functions include; interpretation of complex data, optical character recognition, militarily related simulations, understanding human speech (including various languages), self - driving, etc. Artificial intelligence was created for the sole purpose of solving problems by specific approaches, knowledge, learning,
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and reasoning. By employing several existing tools such as computational analysis, logic, and statistics, this brilliant invention soon became the talk of the World. When weighing our options by streamlining on benefits and disadvantages, it is safe to conclude that there is no form of innovation without these two. Artificial intelligence on society stretches towards various areas especially unemployment. In our quest to create a better and more efficient system, succeeding points out that there is room for self-improvement. With every successful lead on the artificial intelligence project, enthusiastic scientists find joy while other people harbor a sense of fear which I will say is only expected. Some of this is the fear of having these robots take up their jobs or be the suitable replacement. Any and every situation is prone to automation; with this increasing advancement, both low- skilled workers and knowledge workers are at risk. Individuals with the talents and skills to work efficiently and acceptably way have to compete in the labor market to secure a job while those whose jobs can be completed by robots face the ultimate consequences respectively. The most general opinion about artificial intelligence is to create more jobs so when these machines are at work; humans can simply go back to doing other things to fulfill their needs.
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Their function will, therefore, increase human productivity. It causes a sharp increase in the specific duty and greater demand for human workers to do other task revolving around it. Human beings originally used fast and intuitive methods to get results for most computational analysis before the invention of more effective methods. Most algorithm calculations came in as bulky and almost difficult to solve. Artificial intelligence employed more vast computational assets designed in a way that mimics the human intelligence to solve these problems. Direct translation from both machine language and programming language is a common feature. They can therefore easily solve the bulk of different and unrelated problems.
In medicine, a Radiologist, for example, may be able to make use of forms of CT scans of a lung taken by a robot at many angles. He could go as far as examining and comparing just by a simple connection to his computer or any other gadget. The robot goes as far as scanning through and identifying specific areas that require further examine. This way, the work is faster, and the Radiologist has time to spare for cross analysis of results. Technology will then help any developing country; where there may be a shortage of specialized individuals. A very historic example is the weaving business. During a major industrial revolution fast occurring nowadays, many jobs required automation and amongst them was weaving. This prompted the workers to place their focus on several things machines couldn’t do such as
817-515-8223
operating the machine and maintenance measures. Multiple machines could then be operated at the same time, save time and increase productivity greatly. Output increased, and clothes became cheaper with the increase in demand. Technology steadily transformed the face of a weaver’s job, allowing for creativity and skill change. In recent times, the automated teller machines initially posed a threat to bank tellers and cashiers when it was first introduced replace the known routine tasks. Even though it took some adjusting to, the total cost of running and maintaining a bank branch reduced thereby banks to open and run more branches. Thus, more individuals are employed. ATMs changed the customerbank interaction program and allowed for more sales and a better service.
Tarrant County College is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, and/or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice.
1500 Houston St, Fort Worth, TX 76102 • www.tccd.edu
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For law firms, the recent introduction of software capable of evaluating voluminous portions of documents was expected to displace young clerks and other paralegals that used to do the job. In turn, this software reduced the cost incurred and increased demand for it. Online shopping and trading have gone on a new level with the availability of artificial intelligence. There are numerous options provided. The machine is programmed to help shoppers satisfy their requirement adequately. By making several recommendations, shoppers can buy more and buy smart. Between, home delivery is another employment opening for retailers. Drones, which are aerial vehicles, many equipped with cameras are much more
practical in their functions. They are used in the military and defense regions. Due to their size, they are often capable of navigating through space with reasonable convenience. They have HD/digital cameras and other optical instruments attached to their components. Those are suitable for recording and bomb detection thereby saving lives through timely intervention. Drones are also useful for constant surveillance and in ensuring protection. In a world where news and information travel faster than air, many media personnel have employed the use of drones. They can reach places where journalist or reporters may not reach. The movie worlds also have their fair share of its usage. Many movies are now shot using quadcopters. These incredible means have given
At Grand View, we understand that a sense of community and genuine, personal relationships are important for personal growth outside the classroom. Student Life works with academic and other campus life organizations to provide you with a holistic experience at Grand View. We offer activities to complement academics as well as help you develop socially, emotionally, and physically.
1200 Grandview Avenue Des Moines, IA 50316 USA
515-263-2800 www.grandview.edu
filmography a new outlook and has encouraged people to work harder. When accidents occur, drones collect a lot of useful information using their cameras and making a footage that will help significantly later. This will save time and labor and will also enable people to carry out their jobs with ease. Self-driving cars have opened a new avenue for demand in many aspects of the economy. These vehicles will provide people with more time to enjoy goods and services. Increase demand will as well allow for an increase in demand for specific products such as food. The ability to control through remote buttons gives humans a satisfactory level of control.
NORTHEAST METROPOLITAN REGIONAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOL Northeast Metro Tech High School is a four year public regional vocational high school. The Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School District is comprised of 12 communities North of Boston which send us students of diverse social, cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds. Understanding diversity we strive to provide services and programs to meet students needs in the areas of vocational, academic, physical, social, ethical, moral, and emotional development.
(781) 246-0810
Northeast Metro Tech • 100 Hemlock Road • Wakefield, MA 01880
Grand View University does not discriminate in employment or education
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Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School is an equal opportunity affirmative action institution.
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We enrich lives.
You’ll find what you need and want when you’re ready. High school students earn college credits here. Adults explore new opportunities and gain skills for new careers. Students fulfill dreams.
18600 Haggerty Road • Livonia, MI 48152
734-462-4400
www.schoolcraft.edu
Schoolcraft College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
The University of San Diego is committed to academic excellence, Catholic intellectual and social traditions and providing a superior liberal arts education for scholars of all faiths.
619-260-4600
5998 Alcalá Park San Diego, CA 92110 • www.sandiego.edu University of San Diego does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
(207) 973-3200
16 Central Street Bangor, ME 04401-5106 • www.maine.edu
Maine’s Public Universities are Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, and/or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice.
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Your career is often a personal choice but may be influenced by family, immediate environment, peer groups or journey through learning. This course of an individual’s life progresses with conscious effort and quality fed to it. It is paramount to, therefore, understand your career as part of every working aspect of your occupation, daily living, and education. Making a chosen career stand the test of time starts from the active and persistent management of skill set, decision making as well as others. Objectively, the choice is based on individual assessment of the tangible benefits they have to offer, location, opportunities, status, the kind of return the career gives as well as possibilities for futuristic growth. When choosing a career suitable for you then leaves a wide range of things to put into consideration. Some of these include; work style, abilities, social interaction, comfortability, dealing with stress, short and long time goals and conclusively, how much money you want to make. One may choose a suitable career for the present and may eventually change that path in the future. It doesn’t necessarily mean you made a wrong choice. There are many reasons for such; poor leadership, for a better profit and return, for improvement of work- life balance, to explore personal strengths and capabilities, reformation of an organization, new opportunities that may arise, etc.
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Making a career stand the test of time is often linked to the maximum extent to which an individual is successful in their career life. Sometimes, this kind of success may be linked to status, monetary benefits within or outside of the occupation. These are however mere criteria for a long standing career. Of course, no one wants to get less the value of what they have to offer; it becomes pertinent to think beyond the horizon and broaden your scope of success. First of all, it is the individual’s responsibility to learn and get them prepared. Schooling comes first, get knowledge, get wisdom, and get that degree! Add value to your education by going further to obtain a higher degree or specific program related to your chosen. Do research; learn about what cuts it from
people with long-standing careers in your field. Have a positive attitude for learning; quick to listen. Find out how your attitude controls a particular area of your life and make conscious efforts to have control. Positive habits are learned to dispel selftrouncing ones.
Make wise choices. Correlating circumstances to outcomes is a smart move. It is also often helpful in solving problems. By making and using creative imaginations, one has the capability to extend and express physical ability thus increasing problemsolving skills.
Believe in yourself. Understanding the true nature and extent of human potential is vital to having a successful and longstanding career. This simple- complex process starts with recognizing personal talents, abilities, and interests. It also includes building your academic strengths, goal setting to create personal fulfillment and attain socio-economic opportunities. Set and achieve goals. Yes, it makes reasonable sense to make a commitment, plan and work around it, take action and see it to completion.
Hard work is the most famous key to the success of any kind. Once you have a secure career track, building and with confidence helps attain a reasonable level of hard work. Hard work begins from preparing ahead for your day, presentations or job. Tidying up loose ends and making a mindful determination to finish given a time frame. Planning makes you work smart and help hard work pay off in the end. You must be ready to push your limits at some point. Set your goals. Silently setting your goals is a hallmark of a successful career. Having
Missouri Western State University, located on more than 700 acres inSt. Joseph, Mo., serves Missouri and surrounding states. Originally founded as St. Joseph Junior College in 1915, Missouri Western was transformed into a four-year college in 1969 and became a full member of the State of Missouri system in 1977. In 2005, Missouri Western received university designation and changed its name to Missouri Western State University.
816-271-4200
www.missouriwestern.edu 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, MO 64507
Missouri Western State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, and/or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice.
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targets achievable within a given time frame provides clarity for the set targets. Efforts are then directed towards certain areas. Short and long term goals are made with regard to growth and requirement. Goal setting will also measure your progress and evaluate any fallback. Learning is an art that never dies not matter your age. On commencing your career, there are many steps you’ll take that make you open and susceptible to mistakes. As you proceed, however, you begin to learn and go forward into more efficient and productive outputs. Just giving up after starting a complex task doesn’t cut it, you must learn to try over and over. Flexibility and adaptation to work environment.To attain a successful career requires your ability to adapt to work. Demands should be able to meet your
comfortability and convenience. Versatility and robustness come from within as you take up work and help drive your success. Curiosity or inquisitiveness. This should not mean eavesdropping or gossip talk. It should depict your enthusiasm to learn new things and explore new facets of your job and the firm. Exposure to new things and duties present and an avenue to test your abilities and display a form of competitions amongst yourself and co-workers. You strive to do better without making others feel inferior. Hence, always be prurient to climb higher. Courtesy. A little politeness and courteousness have never harmed anyone. Virtuous living is a common trait of a successful person and career. You should endeavor to treat everyone with respect and equity. Establishing a level of trust in
your co-workers, you feel free to work hand in hand with them to accomplish major heights without conflict or strife. Quantify your own success. How do you see your success? Is it the status you attain? Is the size of your paycheck? Is it the credit you get for job completion? Is it the satisfaction you get for doing your job excellently well? Because everyone has the definition of success meaning different things to them, only you can measure what it means to you. To have a broader access to knowledge, ask for help sometimes. More experienced mentors or peers will at some time have more information, don’t be afraid to seek their help and acknowledge their gesture. Meditate on your accomplishment and let it spur you to accomplish more.
Transforming Lives and Advancing Communities
Education That Makes a Difference. For more than 150 years. Niagara University has been educating students in the Catholic and Vincentian tradition. This tradition emphasizes ethics, lifelong learning, and service to others and prepares our graduates for lives and careers that are both successful and fulfilling. Within this site, you will learn how the university is making a difference in the lives of our students, and how those students in turn are using the knowledge gained here to make a difference on campus, in the surrounding community, and in the world at large
800-462-2111 Niagara University, NY 14109 www.niagara.edu
Niagara University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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The mission of Glen Oaks Community College is to provide quality educational programs that meet the life-long learning needs of its students and the communities it serves.
62249 Shimmel Rd. Centreville, MI 49032
269-467-9945 www.glenoaks.edu
Glen Oaks Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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We prepare learners for the future.
15732 Howard St Plainfield, IL 60544 815.577.4000 | Fax: 815.436.7824 www.psd202.org Equal Opportunity Employer
Western Illinois University Higher Values in Higher Education
Experience TRADITIONAL without settling for TYPICAL. At SNHU, our focus is on empowering the leaders of tomorrow. With career development built right into our curriculum and over 1,500 job and internship listings each year, it’s no wonder that organizations like Fidelity Investments, the Boston Celtics, and even the Department of Homeland Security are racing to hire SNHU grads! Visit our website or stop by for a tour to see for yourself what SNHU can do for you.
www.snhu.edu
309. 298.1414 1 University Circle Macomb, IL 61455 USA
Western Illinois University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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www.wiu.edu
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SHOULD STUDENTS TAKE NOTES ON A COMPUTER? The world is evolving continuously, and technology is growing fast as new discoveries, inventions, and algorithm veer the society towards new lanes every day.
With technology taking the frontline in the world, the use of computers in the classroom is becoming prevalent. It does not matter if the school provides them or not; it is certain that students have found a reliable companion that isn’t going down anytime soon, in computers. They spend much of their time off school using it and become more proficient as each day goes by. Students who are not properly equipped with tech knowledge may find it difficult to handle the future world. It will even pose a greater disadvantage to students without computer skills. From elementary classes, through high school, to graduate school, schools are approving the use of the computer for various exercises. Each school approaches its use in distinct ways, and there are questions, concerns that have stirred controversies, surrounding the advantages and harmful effects of using this technology in schools. Rather than embracing this trend, some schools limit the students’ use of personal computers in class; this starts by having the students put their mobile phones away during lectures, and now they are told in some colleges and universities to close their laptops until the class is over. There are rational reasons for these limitations, which specifically are for the interest of the students – a desire to have their rapt attention, limit distractions to others, prevent multitasking, and keep them away from social media sites. Some teachers, however, are beginning to find a link with computers that aid and make study easier for their students, as every teacher’s first purpose is the betterment of their students’ learning.
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There are also cases of schools with computers but are managed poorly because the teachers have insufficient training and experience in using computers. In addition, in many cases, the computers are old, with associated problems of being likely to be technically faulty, being slow, having limited memory, etc. Students do not only use technology for research or solving assignments; they prefer taking notes on their computers instead of using notebooks. Taking notes on computers allows students to collaborate on projects online, access information from the internet, and take more notes. However, it’s been discovered through various conducted researches that taking notes on computers may be less effective for learning compared to taking handwritten notes.
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Two researchers, Mueller and Oppenheimer, conducted three different studies, each addressing the question: Is taking notes on the computer detrimental to overall conceptual understanding and retention of new information. Mueller, in the studies, had students take notes in class, and went on to test them on their memory for factual details, their grasp of concepts, and their ability to generalize the information. A half of the students in the class took the notes on a laptop, and the other half of students wrote in their notebooks. The students who used laptops performed worse on conceptual questions even though they were able to write more notes. Mueller also saw that students who used notebooks first process information and then write only the important details. On the other hand, students who used their laptop take notes verbatim. Thus, students
who use laptops in taking notes have impaired learning because it is a lower level of processing. Taking notes does not only improve comprehension, but it also improves test scores. In 2003, a study was carried out by a team of researchers from Cornell, where half of the class was made to use laptops, and the other half, not use laptops during a lecture. After the lecture, the students who did not use their laptops during the lecture did better in a quiz. Taking notes with a laptop has a greater advantage over handwriting because you can review as you write. The more the notes you take, typing or longhand, the better; but only up to a point. This advantage vanishes when the note is merely a transcription of the lecture.
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In a 2016 study conducted by Michigan State University, it was discovered that students in an introductory psychology class spent an average of 37 minutes of class time doing irrelevant things on the internet – using the social media, and online shopping. However, the internet has a wide range of benefits for both students and educators that include optimizing research process, streamlining, and connecting the students and teachers even outside the classroom. The computer gives them a platform to share progress, get answers to questions quickly, and find help. Using laptops in class while a lecture is ongoing also enables students to do quick online searches for more information on the lecture, and access lecture materials that might have been provided in the electronic format by their
Oklahoma State University
900 N. Portland Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73107
405.947.4421 www.osuokc.edu
Equal Opportunity Employer
teacher, this, therefore, increase their knowledge and exposure on the topic. Typing notes on laptops also completely solve the issue of inability to read bad handwriting when studying. Students that type notes on their computers have also been found to be able to organize their notes more effectively by creating tables, graphics, and digital organizers. As students take notes in class using their computers, teachers also have adapted the use of computers in giving notes in class. Instead of writing on the board, they can project their material onto the screen for the whole class to see and this enables the students to read more easily than the teachers’ handwriting, especially students with eye defects. This can also be saved and e-mailed to students that could not attend the lecture. While the use of a laptop during class has advantages, some students use it for non-academic activities such as surfing the internet for irrelevant stuff, online chats, games that diminish attention and learning. This, however, can be curbed by teachers and their aids by keeping a watchful eye on the students during classes. At some point, they have to help students learn good technology habits, and resist the temptations of checking email, playing games, and using social media.
Where you’re going is a home away from home. Living on campus can be a very memorable element of your college experience. Our mission is to foster a vibrant living and learning-centered community that cultivates personal development, celebrates diversity, promotes leadership, and enhances the educational experience of each resident. At JSU, you will find that residence halls are in the middle of it all and convenient to your classes and campus activities
1-800-231-5291
700 Pelham Rd N Jacksonville, AL 36265 www.jsu.edu Equal Opportunity Employer EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TODAY
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The need for fairness in education
Fairness or “equity” means being able to conform to a set of rules or go about daily tasks without discrimination or treachery. It is, therefore, a measure and degree of achievement as well as opportunity in education or any educational system.
Educational fairness is usually dependent on two factors: fairness and inclusion. Inclusion refers to the broad specificity that relates to everyone in a particular system without dominance in favor of a person or a group.
individual’s way of life, and the greater or shortcomings in their income. It should target helping people find a balance regardless of their weakness. The sole purpose is the attainment of a healthy lifestyle and education.
The need for fairness can never be overemphasized. It is not only important in schooling, but it is also a way our direct social order grooms future citizens. This, in turn, reveals the society’s values, morals, future and strengthens cultural ethics.
Fairness, on the other hand, is specific to individual conditions and enhances the potentials for academic accomplishment and pursuit. These factors are most important for academic excellence and the success of any educational system. Increasing need for education fairness revolves around the varying strata of academic achievement. Regardless of gender, race or cultural background, any academic system laying its base on educational equity is flourishing and very much open to growth and development. Equity identifies the difference in
Practical examples of this include having schools offer English as a second language, have scholarships targeted towards students with poor and under-represented backgrounds, and making facilities available at subsidized rates. Income especially plays an important role in academics. People with higher socioeconomic status are evidently more privileged than those in lower socioeconomic class.
The right to education is premised on providing everyone with equal access to education. Equality will, therefore, employ a concept of even distribution to communication networks as well as the same level of access reliant on individual choice.
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They can afford better tutors, preparatory classes, summer programs and much more. Some parents will even go as far
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as getting help to attain better grades or better qualifications for their wards. Others may donate handsomely towards various programs while adding many extravagant measures. Even though poverty is no excuse for failure, it contributes significantly to this. Comparing two students for instance: one exposed to a well-funded education with one with none, it is obvious that the former will do better in the system. Due to the astounding nature of human, however, with resilience and perseverance the later succeed as well, but with this exceptions, a healthy education system with equity cannot be attained. The cost of education in most wellknown schools and varsities is not exactly fair. It attempts at getting acceptance
cumbersome, and many low-income students do not have the money and means to attend such schools. Many will not attempt to apply at all even to places where they are more qualified. In some societies even, segregation by class or status put lower class students in lowerquality schools. In other schools, lowincome students may have to take public transport or walk to school they have no means to pay for the bus. Some students also have to juggle between jobs to make ends meet. With expanded learning time, however, schools in higher income areas can provide a range of extracurricular events and programs available in school or out of school for students of lower income. More time allows a range of tactics to improve
studies and knowledge, from renovating fundamental subjects to the curriculum and fine-tuning guidelines to students falling short. Gender equity refers to both female and male concerns in all areas as well as in education fairness. Most of the gender bias in the world is majorly against women and girls. Gender discrimination is the leading cause of educational proficiency in many developing countries. Schools tend to segregate, especially public school systems. Boys are often taught with a varying approach compared to girls such that they often think or conclude that they are different and need different treatment. Even though boys learn differently from girls, when boys are kept moving, they learn better. Girls usually prefer sitting
As a college-centered research university, American University couples the individual attention of a liberal arts institution with the resources of a research university. AU’s six schools and colleges, over 60 majors, and liberal arts core curriculum mean students have the flexibility to meet their goals. In addition, experiential internship and study abroad options mean students receive practical experience before graduation. 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 • 202-885-1000 • www.american.edu American University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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in a place of silence. This way, both have improved learning. Equity in education is essentially related to the socioeconomic and cultural aspects of any organization or country. It then allows for an increment in the workforce of a country, hence boosting her gross national income, productivity and increasing the standard of living. These allow economic stability and growth. Fairness should be applied to funding with no favoritism attached, in the administration of schools with equal rights, power and responsibilities to all – in the curriculum, freedom of innovation, allocation of students and in general assessment. Achieving this form of balance is usually a challenge. Some schools are used to recruitment from top tier and as such will continue to select by talent, ability, and capabilities. As a result, many individuals grow up mixing and relating with people from a particular social class, ethnic, and religion. The mainstream of fairness is dependent on teachers and parents as well as other people involved in a child’s learning. When asking questions in class, attention should not be on just one bright student.
St. Vincent’s College is a Health Career College offering programs of outstanding quality to experienced learners: traditional college students, Community College transfer students, and adult learners who have been in the workplace and are ready for a healthcare career. With our history of educating exceptional healthcare professionals and our relationship with St. Vincent’s Medical Center and all of St. Vincent’s Health Services, we bring to our students the expertise, experience and learning opportunities they expect from a leading health career college.
1-800-873-1013 St. Vincent’s College 2800 Main Street Bridgeport, CT 06606 stvincentscollege.edu St. Vincent’s College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
Teachers should make the questions even around students. Alternatively, if there were to be debates or competitions, a student should not speak or represent throughout the whole semester. Many voices and opinions should be heard. Tests and quizzes will not be designed such that only some students do well. Libraries and other infrastructures will not be set up for the benefit of one student. As difficult as it might be to follow, these principles of fairness in education, decisions, and methods should be unbiased.
A better tomorrow begins with a busy today.
Parents should also avoid comparing their child’s academic performance to another’s but learn to support in any way they can. Schools should be the unique place to equalize opportunities. Fairness may be difficult to elucidate fully, but it is the vitality of our “Modern Education”.
300 College Park, Dayton, OH 45469
937-229-1000 www.udayton.edu
The University of Dayton does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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THE IMPLICATIONS OF PREJUDICE AND HOW TO PREVENT THEM
Prejudice can be defined as an unfavorable or negative behavior to a group of people, sometimes due to insufficient or wrong information about the group to whom it is directed. Prejudice comes from the Latin roots “prae” (in advance) and “judicum” (judgment), which essentially means to judge before. When we pre-judge people, we decide who they are before actually getting to know them. Prejudices are based on general assumptions and not established facts. When a person acts on prejudice, it tends toward discrimination. Prejudice always is towards an identifiable member of a group and not an isolated person. It creates friction and disunity between groups and hurts its victims. Prejudice is an anti-social behavior exhibited by stereotypes, it is present in most cultures, and has been around for a very long time; Women were unable to vote until the early twentieth century; black people could not sit in the front of public transports or use water fountains as white people in the united states, until the 1950s and 1960s; some companies used to employ on women as secretaries. The problem of prejudice in culture is due to the fact that differences between cultural and ethnic groups are overemphasized, and uniformities are ignored. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TODAY
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TYPES OF PREJUDICE The most common types of prejudice are: Racial Prejudice: The prejudice against people of a particular race, or an ethnic group. Immigrants, refugees, and nomadic populations are most victims. Gender Prejudice: This is directed towards the members of a particular gender. Class Prejudice: Classism is the attitude that people of a particular economic class are inferior to another class. Age Prejudice: In this case, it is believed that people of a particular age bracket are unable to participate in some social activities. Disability Prejudice: This is the belief that people with physical or mental disabilities are lower than able-bodied people. It is known as “Ableism.” Sexual orientation Prejudice: People who judge people based on their sexual preference are called homophobia.
EXAMPLES OF PREJUDICE Some practical examples of prejudice in this present century include: Some people do not buy Japanese cars because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor; Some landlords do not rent to a gay couple; Women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, and must walk behind a man they are out with; and Some corporations hire women but do not promote any to supervisory positions. IMPLICATIONS OF PREJUDICE The implications of the mentioned types of prejudice are similar. Prejudice affects the daily living of a lot around the world. Prejudice largely affects what its victims think of the world and life. It impacts what these people expect from the future. Here are some common effects of prejudice: STIGMATIZATION Projecting stereotypes onto other people and being insensitive can lead to stigma; a feeling of lessened social worth or shame. This stigma influences the actions and reactions of the target group when they meet with the dominant one. A stigmatized individual is prone to anxiety, and their personal expectations of their own life are cut down. The targeted people often find themselves in a no-win close, and if they behave in such way that doesn’t conform to the standards of the society, they are considered deviant. The dominant group considers the deviance a result of a physical or psychological defect. They are thus stigmatized.
At Widener University, we believe academic excellence, career preparation, and civic engagement are the foundations for success.
One University Place Chester, PA 19013 1-888-WIDENER • www.widener.edu Widener University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Stigmas result in marginalization, which means a person or group are isolated from mainstream society and stripped of protections others may enjoy. Marginalization may lead to unemployment, poverty, poor health, and illiteracy. Racism and sexual orientation prejudice spring from marginalization. Stigmatization also results in low self-esteem of the targeted group. CRIME Low self-esteem and loss of hope for the future contribute to criminal behavior. Prejudice doesn’t only contribute to criminal conduct; it also influences how crime is fought. CommunityOriented Policing: A Systemic Approach to Policing, a book by
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Willard M. Oliver discusses how police departments in western countries sometimes have their prejudices. Police often spend more time patrolling in low-income neighborhoods, which usually has a high number of racial minorities. Despite this enormous amount of patrol hours, actual response time to reported crimes in these minority communities is slower than in upper-class neighborhoods. As a result, crime rates are often related to unemployment and poverty, especially ones against property, like burglary, and motor vehicle theft. Oliver proceeded to highlight that the greater the economic inequality poised as discrimination in a community, the higher the violent crime rates. Violent crimes are more associated to greater social class prejudicial inequality than racial prejudice. SOCIAL PROTESTS Prejudice leads to organized social protests. And sometimes, it results in confrontation by the targeted groups. Examples are the events surrounding the 1960s and 1970s civil rights and women’s right movements which led to the extreme loss of life and job productivity, property damage, and police expenses. Conflicts over prejudices can lead to social instability. At times of protests, society lives in trepidation where any minor incident could stimulate a major explosion of violence.
Colorado School of Mines is a public research university devoted to engineering and applied science. It has the highest admissions standards of any public university in Colorado and among the highest of any public university in the U.S. 1812 Illinois Street Golden, Colorado 80401
303-273-3220 www.mines.edu
Colorado School of Mines does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
GENOCIDE Genocide is the paramount implication of prejudice. Genocide means that one group is attempting to wipe out all members of another group due to their ethnicity, beliefs, race or national affiliation. Events of mass murder resulting from hostility occurred all through the twentieth century due to prejudice. An example is the Holocaust which took place 1933 to 1945, in which the German government killed eleven million people. HOW TO PREVENT THE IMPLICATIONS OF PREJUDICE EDUCATION Education programs in schools where children are taught about tolerance, consequences of prejudice, and what constitutes discrimination, can help to reduce prejudice in the society. REDUCE SELF-STIGMA Some people have personal self-stereotypes or prejudices. Selfstigma is because of negative belief about oneself. COGNITIVE INTERVENTIONS Prejudice can be eliminated by cutting down stereotypes through cognition. BY RECOGNIZING THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF PREJUDICE In order to reduce prejudice, everyone needs to understand the effects of their own individual biases on others. INTERGROUP CONTACT Prejudice can also be curbed by direct contact between groups of people with prejudices towards each other.
Lee University is a private, comprehensive university located in Cleveland, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Lee is emerging as a leader in higher education in the southeastern region, and is consistently ranked in the “Top Tier” in the South by U.S. News & World Report
1-800-LEE-9930 www.leeuniversity.edu 1120 N Ocoee Street Cleveland, TN 37320-3450 Lee University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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IS DIVERSITY JUST FOR MINORITIES?
A minority group is a culturally, racially, or ethnically different group which coexists with but is inferior or unrepresented amidst a more supreme or popular group. Both groups think of themselves as a distinct group and are considered by others to be a differentiated group with negative connotations. The minorities are void of power and therefore are subjects of some exclusion, discrimination, and other differential treatments because they are considered to be lower by certain cultural measures, or by measuring with the yardstick of social strata. As employed in social sciences, this inferiority serves as the major defining attribute of a minority group.
To understand the exclusivity of diversity to the minority, it is first important to have an overview of what a minority is.
The term “minority” is taken literally by a layman to mean a small group of people living amidst a larger group; this definition is technically invalid. Minority status isn’t necessarily a factor of the population -- in some cases, the so-called minority groups may have a population many times the size of the dominating group. And groups aren’t just naturally segregated; culture does the definition to that is ensured by differentiation. People of different races, languages, sexuality, religions, or nationalities can live among one another for centuries, amalgamating, or not, without differentiating themselves.
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A minority may not be a traditional group with a historical group identity. It can occur through the switch in social definitions during the process of economic or political differentiation. The developments in India are distinct evidence of these processes. The Marwaris which allegedly originated from Rajasthan until late century were merely some other occupational caste in India, amongst thousand others. They were money lenders and small merchants who had lost their importance in the social structure until there was an increase of capitalism that gave a great new importance to their economic functions. This new economic salience of the hereditary occupation led to a salience that made them despised, envied, and feared. In the United States, the term “minority” can only be used in an extended sense. Since 1830, all citizens are legally of the single American nationality; there are no laws regulating the political status of any group of the people according to their ancestry. But, however, there are cases of prejudice and discrimination in the United States. The immigrant nationality groups were faced with discrimination during their first few years of immigrating but were later assimilated. The Negroes were not allowed to assimilate, and have continually been objects of prejudice, in this sense, they are the “minorities.” Members of a minority are usually cut off from full participation in the workings and an equal share in the society’s benefits of society due to the social segregation from the dominant group.
active learning. active life. Dixie State University is a public comprehensive university dedicated to rigorous learning and the enrichment of the professional and personal lives of its students and community by providing opportunities that engage the unique Southern Utah environment and resources.
(435) 652-7500 225 South University Avenue, St. George, UT 84770 www.dixie.edu
Dixie State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
Now let’s move on to what diversity entails. Where there is multiculturalism, diversity is much present. It encompasses accepting a group of people for who they are and respecting them, their lifestyle, ideals and basic principles, regardless of their differences. These differences are more often along the lines of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political beliefs, religious beliefs, age, and physical abilities. Diversity is about understanding each other and adopting complete tolerance to embracing and celebrating the differences of other people. Racial diversity and the concept of minorities are inseparable. The issue of racial diversity has been a stumbling block to the progress of American businesses. The history of segregation in the United States is welldocumented and is continually a hot-button in businesses. The incongruity inequality, though less pronounced compared to the early 20th century, is still a controversial subject especially when it comes to equal representation in upper management. But diversity isn’t just limited to minorities as individuals in the dominating group also are diverse. For example, the people in the dominating group can belong to variant belief systems, of which those in the minority can also be a part of. These can lead to them having the same overt
As your community college, Amarillo College works to bring you high-quality academic and technical programs, plus hundreds of continuing education and personal enrichment opportunities.
806.371.5000
P.O. Box 447 Amarillo Texas 79178 www. actx.edu An Equal Opportunity Community College EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TODAY
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needs at the workplace such as getting certain holidays off, clothing and prayer requirements, dietary restrictions. America is a nation with many religious beliefs. In fact, it surpasses the many ethnic groups, nationalities, and races, which makes it a source of diversity than unification. At least 83% of Americans consider themselves Christians. Of this number, a third are unaffiliated with any church. Also, many practicing Christians attend churches with differing theologies, policies, and programs. Compared to Protestants, the Roman Catholic are far more unified because of their hierarchical structure and willing to accept debates within ranks while upholding core beliefs. Gender diversity is another. This means unbiased treatment and acceptance of both sexes in an organization. The value
of having a diverse workplace cannot be overemphasized. Before, women have often been assigned temporary or part-time jobs, and usually underpaid before their priority is considered to be taking care of their homes. Also, there was an (erroneous) belief that women are not as capable as men, either mentally, physically, and emotionally. This has changed, however, but women still tend to be discriminated against regarding certain jobs. Organizations are slowly learning to treat women equally. Besides, it is illegal to discriminate against female employees, regarding hiring and promotions. Another group requiring diversity are physically challenged, people. Unfortunately, people with a mental or physical handicap have been victims of discrimination and prejudice over the
Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College s President, faculty, and staff are committed to providing you with opportunities for success. Our offices and departments are dedicated to supporting all of your needs from before you get here to after you graduate. Southeast is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and offers a wide range of classroom and online course options through each of our five campuses in Cumberland, Harlan, Middlesboro, Pineville and Whitesburg. There is a campus near to you!
years, especially from insensitive workers. Employers have constantly (and maybe innocently) overlooked the needs of handicapped workers, including providing ramps or special needs equipment. To ensure diversity, a fair and comfortable working environment is necessary. The issue of sexual orientation has become another issue of concern. Gays and lesbian workers continue to face discrimination and disrespect. Although more and more people are accepting the lifestyle, the situation of bias can lead to unproductivity and an uncomfortable working environment. Diversity requires that we adjust our thinking to accept others. Diversity in the environment promotes respect, acceptance, and productivity.
If you’re looking for an education that prepares you for the real world, Greenville Technical College has what you need to succeed. There are more than 100 programs that can get you into the job market in two years or less or onto a four-year college, ready to excel.
(606) 589-2145
700 College Road Cumberland, KY 40823 www. southeast.kctcs.edu
Greenville Technical College PO Box 5616 Greenville, SC 29606 www. gvltec.edu
Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College is an equal educational and employment opportunity institution.
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(864) 250-8000
Greenville Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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How to protect your kids against racism
Words alone are not enough to describe how being a victim of racism feels. People deal with it differently: while some may openly speak about it, others prefer to stay indifferent and the last group resort to withdrawal. Several racist interactions experienced by kids daily take various forms; name calling, physical intimidations, cyber-bullying, etc. Such experiences leave the targeted kids secluded and their parents helpless especially on how to respond. The following are indications child discrimination;
•C omplaints of physical abuse, signs such as bodily cuts and bruises, headaches, stomach pains. • S everal adverse psychological displays; stress, anxiety, panic attacks, fear, crying, bad dreams. • Negative language use; curses, swearwords. •R eluctance to participate in school or other extra-curricular activities such as games. •C hange in eating pattern • Poor academic performance. • Withdrawal or inability to relate well. • E mbarrassed to participate in some activities.
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Contrary to what many believe, kids actually possess a natural potential, described as the seventh sense of justice. They are more likely to complain when they or another person has been treated badly. Many adults will remember those times their kids stood up for someone else, probably a sibling or a friend even in matters not related to racism. With that in mind, you should simply help them preserve their trust and belief in themselves, and their seventh sense will work wonders. When a child feels safe, they can discern what is good or what is bad and act on it. This is the same when there has been racial discrimination towards him or another person. It is important that you cultivate their sense of justice; protect their instinct by strengthening your relationship with them.
first, give extra coaching if necessary. Go with them to practices. Help them explore their talents and gifts necessary to gain confidence and allows them to make friends conveniently. When they feel confident, they are more likely to be less targeted for teasing and be strong enough to stand up for themselves.
To protect kids from racism, the following points are important: Expand your understanding of racism. Knowledge is power. Getting information helps you to understand better and recognize several forms of racism. It sometimes may not be just direct actions like harassment or name-calling; it may be unintentional jokes, indifferent remarks, etc. Help your children grow into positivity especially on cultural differences. This will help them value diversity early in life. Kids are quick to notice major differences such as skin color, mode of dressing, etc. As they grow, kids will surely make many insensitive remarks about how someone talks and all sorts. Correct these comments in a very pleasant way.. Treat them with respect. Respect, they say, is reciprocal. It starts with appreciating them for who they are, regardless of what they can or cannot do. In addition, get acquainted with their curiosity, for example when they ask questions about what people do, why they do it – be genuinely interested.
My friend, an African-American, was often teased by a group of white males in her neighborhood. Soon, she could hardly walk alone without fear; her car tires were punctured as well. She decided to take the matter to her neighborhood watch, and they discussed with every family in the area. The culprits came apologizing, and the matter became a thing of the past.
By all means, avoid comparing them with others. For example, when my kid asked me why a particular person went to jail, I told him he had done harmful and hurtful things to another person instead of saying he was a bad person. When you begin to say, your friend does this, he does that, but you do not, it affects their self-esteem negatively, and they may grow up feeling inadequate to take up challenges. Talk to them about racism. It is important to prepare our kids and keep their minds open to the possibilities of experiencing racism. Many parents tend to teach their kids only vital aspects of their culture by passing down information and traditional guidelines from their origin. For example, when my family moved to the United States from Mexico as a child, I did not understand that the rules were different. Other kids will often tease my skin color, my dress sense, and my weird curly hair. I would come back home from school each day crying, but my mother hardly noticed. One day, however, a white girl walked up to me and said, “I think your hair looks beautiful.” Afterward, she walked with me after school every day, and I soon overcame my fears. Talking to children about racist interaction is of great importance as it allows them to attribute the bullying to the bully and not their race, culture or themselves. Encourage them to be involved in group activities such as sports, group projects, and other things. If they do not warm up to it at 78
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Do not make them ignore it and neither should you. Nothing good comes from looking to the other way. Some of these experiences cause the kids to feel insufficient and feeble. Teach them to be sufficiently self-assured, to talk to you, their teachers and any other person they trust. With this, they are likely to develop better social skills while curtailing isolation because bullies often pick on the weaker ones. If you are not heard, press the issue further.
Wells College promises a relevant liberal arts and sciences education. Intellectually challenging. Reinterpreted for today. Classroom teaching combined with hands-on learning. Wells graduates enter the world prepared for successful futures.
170 Main Street, Aurora, NY 13026
315.364.3266 www.wells.edu
Wells College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Be involved in your child’s life. Create time to know the important details. Know their teachers, their routine, friends, game clubs, and their friend’s parents. Spend time with them too. When you can, go with them to their games and competitions. This way, you are integrated into almost all aspects of their lives. Weigh your own beliefs about your kids and other kids. Be sincere though, what impacts do you think the American culture is having on your kids? For example, the American culture supports speaking up for you as a tool for growth; an Asian decent may initially have challenges fitting in because reverence is often esteemed. Kids who are used to not speaking up because of a norm at home will exhibit such characters in the class, their relationships and work. This variation affects how the kids socialize e.g. their dating life. Helping them embrace the values presented should be your priority because it makes them better individuals and decrease their risk of being victims of racism.
Founded on the rich educational heritage of the Cherokee Nation, the campuses of Northeastern State University provide its diverse communities with lifelong learning through a broad array of undergraduate, graduate, and professional doctoral degree programs.
918-456-5511 www.nsuok.edu
Northeastern State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
600 N. Grand Ave. Tahlequah, OK 74464
To build lives of purpose and value and fulfilling work. contributing to Pittsburgh’s transformation into a destination for green living.
Coastal Bend College (CBC) proudly serves the cities of Beeville, Alice, Kingsville and Pleasanton, Texas, as well as their surrounding communities. CBC provides students with affordable, quality academic and workforce courses at each of its locations. CBC is home to many quality workforce and academic programs that help students embark on amazing education and career paths. Many of CBC’s workforce programs can be completed in as little as one year. In addition, academic courses transfer easily to 4-year colleges and universities throughout Texas.
Coastal Bend College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
Now fully coed, Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA, has over 2,100 undergraduate and graduate students (on-campus and online) in over 60 programs in the health and lab sciences, sustainability, business and communications, and the arts and humanities.
Woodland Road Pittsburgh, PA 15232 800-837-1290 • www.chatham.edu Chatham University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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HOW TO REVIVE READING CULTURE IN YOUTH 80
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The rise in internet streaming has stealthily eaten up the yearning of the 21st-century youth for reading. The average American home is with 2.86 TV sets, which is about 18% greater than in the year 2000 (2.43 sets per home), and 43% higher than in 1990 (2.0 sets). Presently, the number of televisions in American homes outnumbers the persons. The youth are more drawn to TV shows, music videos, video games than reading. Unfortunately, television is the least interactive of all media; it tends to reduce theory of mind. Theory of the Mind (Tom) is the ability to attribute mental states- intents, desires, beliefs- to oneself and others, and to understand that others have beliefs, desires, and intentions that are different from one’s own. The cultivation of reading culture is as important to the development of any nation as it is to its citizens. This steep fall in the interest of today’s youth in reading has been left unchecked for too long. It is high time we worked towards keeping the flame of reading culture from blowing out.
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READING CULTURE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN? A reading culture is a climate in which a person or group of people are encouraged to read.
of reading while reading a text carefully, and thoroughly.
There are two major types of reading:
EXTENSIVE READING: In extensive reading, a large amount of material is read, directly, and fluently, often just for pleasure. Sometimes, it includes reading the scientific, professional, or technical material. While reading these academic materials extensively, two major skills are used: skimming is used for picking out the essential meaning of sentences, or the entire text; scanning is used when noting key details in the text. The purpose of extensive reading is usually to have a general understanding of the material.
INTENSIVE READING: This type of reading is employed in teaching or practicing certain reading strategies. There is a focus on the linguistic or semantic details
HOW EXACTLY CAN WE MAKE THE YOUTH LOVE READING AGAIN? It will require a lot of efforts by the parents, teachers, and the country in
Reading is a way of enjoying informative, creative, and inspiring works of literature while enriching one’s life experiences. Reading- though may seem just a mere lifestyle choice to pick a book and fix one’s eyes on the letters therein is a skill, and mastering it takes time and dedication.
California University of Pennsylvania
replacing the interest in TV, and the internet with reading, but it is a realizable goal. We can start by enlightening the youth on the importance of reading through pep talks instead of scolding them. HERE ARE 8 IMPORTANT REASONS WHY READING MATTERS SELF DEVELOPMENT Reading gives room for self-improvement by helping you to understand the world better, and most times, see it through a pair of new eyes. When you read, your knowledge of a topic of interest is broadened. EXPERIENCE Reading a piece written by another person gives you an insight to what was going on in their head while they wrote; this way, you
Voorhees College is a four-year, co-educational, career-oriented liberal arts college affiliated with the Episcopal Church and the United Negro College Fund. Voorhees College is fully accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor’s degrees.
California University of Pennsylvania is a diverse, caring and scholarly learning community dedicated to excellence in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional studies.
724-938-4000 250 University Ave., California, PA 15419
(803) 780-1234 www.voorhees.edu
www.calu.edu
213 Wiggins Drive P.O. Box 678 Denmark, SC 29042
California University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
Voorhees College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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share their knowledge and experience. By having a foreknowledge of other people’s experience on things, your errors towards realizing the goals they tried achieving will reduce, and your focus will be on the right path. This hastens your success towards the goal. For example, if you are considering entrepreneurship, a wise thing would be picking up a book about a successful entrepreneur, and learning about the odds of the games before stepping into it. DEVELOPMENT OF CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION Reading boosts your imagination by showing you that there is nothing impossible in this world. When you read, you walk through new paths to see what you’ve not known, and the results of different actions. EXPOSURE You will agree with me that each time you read a new book, you learn a different thing. When you read a book written by someone who lives somewhere you’ve never been to, you learn about their culture, struggles, and capabilities. Through reading, you are exposed to new information you might not know existed; new methods to solve problems and different strategies in realizing a goal.
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DEVELOPED UNDERSTANDING When you read more, you understand a thing better; you even get to see it in different shades. For example, you learn and understand more about acids by reading up on them before working with them in a laboratory; this helps you to know the odds of working with them and makes you know the caution to employ while working with them, so you don’t get hurt. Your understanding of the rules of life increases as well, and you get to adapt and fit better into the society. IMPROVED WRITING SKILLS Reading improves your vocabulary and critical thinking; this goes a long way in pruning your writing deftness. BRAIN CONNECTIVITY Reading is a complex task which exercises your brain. It strengthens its connection and builds new ones. Neuroscientists have discovered that reading a novel enhances connectivity in the brain and improves its function. READING REDUCES STRESS A study in 2009 by University of Sussex showed that half an hour of dedicated reading is better for your stress levels
than some other traditional methods of relaxation. Reading was discovered to reduce stress levels by up to 68%. Now you see how pretty much it is important that the youth spend a chunk of their time on reading more than before the TV, or on their phones. OTHER WAYS OF REVIVING READING CULTURE INCLUDE: ORGANIZING BOOK READINGS: Book reading is always more fun than reading on their own, and though is important that they learn to read all by themselves, this can rekindle their interest in books, as they will love the fun part. BOOK FESTIVALS: The beauty of book festivals is that they are not always just about books; there are other interesting and interactive activities such as stage poetry, stage play, question and answer sections with authors, and music. BUILDING LIBRARIES: Building libraries in communities encourages people to read. They find solace in its tranquillity and can borrow new books for exploration. BOOK CLUBS: A book club is a group of people who meet to discuss the books they’ve read and express their perceptions. They help in accountability and encourage people when they don’t feel motivated to read. Trying out any or all of the suggested methods have proven to be effective.
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Here, beauty is more than skin deep.
Truman’s vibrant, active campus is made up of a community of learners. Individually and collectively, people at Truman are driven to know, to learn, to understand, and to extend the reach of shared knowledge.
Truman State University 100 East Normal Avenue Kirksville, Missouri 63501
660-785-4000
Valdosta State University offers the best of both worlds the extensive academic, cultural, and social opportunities of a major university and the small classes and close personal attention found at smaller institutions.
Valdosta State University
1500 N. Patterson St. Valdosta, Georgia 31698
229-333-5800 www.valdosta.edu
www.truman.eduwe
Valdosta State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
Truman State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Atlantic Cape Community College creates opportunity by providing access to excellent programs and services that successfully meet students’ educational goals.
Canyon
806-65
609-625-1111
806-651-0000
www.w
Canyon, TX 79016 West Texas A&M University is dedicated to providing a learning and working environment that is free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation for all emplo Our commitment to equal employment opportunity, program accessibility, and affirmative action must occur in all aspects of our daily operations and everyone www.wtamu.edu
5100 Black Horse Pike Mays Landing, NJ 08330-2699
creating an atmosphere that values diversity and promotes inclusion, fairness and respect.
www.atlantic.edu
Atlantic Cape Community College is an Equal Opportunity Employer
West Texas A&M University is dedicated to providing a learning and working environment that is free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation for all employees, students, and visitors. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity, program accessibility, and affirmative action must occur in all aspects of our daily operations and everyone must take responsibility for creating an atmosphere that values diversity and promotes inclusion, fairness and respect.
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The benefit of online learning
Right from time, education has always been one of the most important parts of everyone’s life. People are ready and have in the past gone the extra mile to attain it. Now, people are obtaining knowledge in diverse ways; attending a college, university, taking an online course, job training, etc. The traditional challenges facing students are high tuition rates, low income, unavailability of courses, etc. are one of the reasons people are continually searching for alternatives. Others may search for these alternatives because of time constraint, family commitment or work demand. According to statistics, up to three million students yearly enroll for online courses in the United States. Since online education has been deeply rooted in most parts of the World, the continual allowance for improvement greatly increased because initial cynicism was faulted beyond any reasonable doubt. It is therefore as efficient as face-to-face education. This also means that all interested individuals have access to equal quality education as those in the four walls of a classroom. E-learning, as it is also called, provides a large scale of advantages to suit the modern way of life and for people seeking an entirely different or new content for their operations.
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1. Availability of courses: The standard procedure for all colleges and universities is to make available varieties of courses. This means that whatever the student wishes to study, biology, nursing, engineering is made available. When I was taking my photography course. I searched on Google for the various universities offering the particular course. I was able to compare them and weigh my options right there in my room. These courses, as well as their degree programs, are available. You also have the opportunity to offer as many courses as you would like. Students also earn every form of academic degree or a career certificate up to a doctorate. 2. Lower cost: For traditional schooling, you often have to pay thousands of dollars per term or session. Then, you may have
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to think about the cost of transportation, course shortage and the possibility of not studying what you truly desire. Online courses tend to have more affordable and flexible options than the school systems. Even though not all online courses are less expensive, their overall costs are often much less. For example, the aforementioned photography course was for about two hundred dollars lesser than the customary university. I took them conveniently in the afternoon while working on my job in the morning. There were no extra costs, no textbooks to buy – those I easily got online. Furthermore, many colleges and Universities now allow credit earned through massive open online courses (MOOCs). This, of course, is the most recent innovation in online learning. 3. Flexibility. Online learning affords students the luxury of convenience. Students are able to plan their time around their daily routine. Some can study when they feel like, in the early morning or late night. Many of these course materials are made available online as well. No special trips to the library are needed, no timetable. Like me, students can balance schooling with work and family. Through online learning, students are open to more interaction with other students and have a much greater ability to concentrate. Students who are shy or who are not too open will enjoy online classes because it gives them a kind of closure they may desire. They find it easier to concentrate without any form of distraction by other students and other school activities. In a case of adverse weather conditions such as thunderstorms or rainstorms, schools may cancel or postpone classes to avoid any unnecessary risks. Online learning students rather than miss a class or two can always fall in through chat rooms or online group discussions. Some students who prefer to attend summer classes but live too far from schools or have jobs to juggle between find online courses helpful. Luckily, some colleges approve online classes for awarding merits. Students are able to enjoy their summer, work on the side and transfer their merit. 4. It improves your computer skills. Any student taking an online course must fundamentally be able to develop their computer skills. As such, students are able to work across many programs and learning systems. With this as well, students can take courses in different languages and as such translate or cut across other professions while exchanging documents, audio, and video materials, ideas and innovation. With this knowledge, students can take more courses or complete their entire degrees. 5. Quicker grading and results: Grading in school can be timeconsuming, tedious especially when it is done manually. There is also a possibility of mistakes or favoritism. The evaluation methods of online quizzes are more accurate. This is as a result of the pace and tool of grading. Of course, every online
educational process is directly linked to technology which makes it faster and more efficient in no small ways. Any discrepancy found in the result are easily detected and corrected. 6. It looks superb on your resume. Imagine how excited your employer will be when they know that you are ready to attain knowledge, by all means. It shows commitment and readiness to try new things. A degree is a degree, either attained by going to school or acquired from the comfort of your room. 7. Paced learning. A 2 hours break before dinner, or that free weekend every other month? When checking through the internet, you will see the self-paced marker on most of them. It then means that students may finish or set their target to anytime. You can organize or reorganize the learning schedule to suit your needs. You have access to learning at a very convenient time, and this reduces stress. E-learning is fast becoming the deal breaker. The best part of it all is that you can learn in a relaxed state of mind with no pressure and at your own pace. It only takes a passion for learning. Soon, you become the master of your education.
Bishop State Community College is a state-supported, open-admission, urban community college located in Mobile, Alabama. The College consists of four locations, dedicated to serving the residents of Mobile and Washington counties in southwest Alabama. The College is part of the Alabama Community College System, the state-supported network of two-year community, junior, and technical colleges that serves the residents of Alabama.
251-405-7000 351 N Broad St, Mobile, AL 36603 • www. bishop.edu Bishop State Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Signs and Symptoms of Mental health problems faced by students today 86
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If students begin to exhibit certain characters like sudden outbursts, disagreements with friends, dropping grades, it could be an indication of a bigger problem. Like adults, students who are predominantly children, teenagers and younger adults suffer from many psychological and mental health related problems. These disorders may be caused by environmental or behavioral factors. Teachers are then saddled with the responsibility of knowing their students well enough to be able to work with parents when these changes manifest. Some of the mental health problems students are faced with include; 1. Depression. This is a common mood disorder which greatly influences the way you feel, think and go about daily activities. Depression is common among college students and students of other higher levels. If left untreated, the symptoms could lead to other diseases or even suicide. The affected student often feels unhappy, helpless and completely detached from the world. It interferes with how the student relates to others, their studying habit, eating and sleeping. This disorder in the brain is caused by a combination of genetic, biological and psychological factors.
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Symptoms differ in individuals. Although the general symptom is as a result of chemical imbalance in the brain. The way one person exhibits signs is not necessarily the same as the next person. Changes occur in behavioral patterns; how change is handled etc. these symptoms may be hard to notice, so parents should endeavor to talk to their children from time to time and be abreast of things going on in their lives. Affected students are often advised to visit a therapist and the hospital also if needed. It is treatable, with lots of love and attention. 2. Anxiety. It is normal to feel stressed sometimes. It is a part of life, it, however, begins to call for caution when an anxiety disorder affects living negatively, stopping a student’s ability to function and causing
stress and fear. This one is quite tricky as the symptoms may be mistaken for everyday stress or wearisomeness. Panic attacks from fear may be mistaken for heart attacks or a tension headache. Common symptoms are; shortness of breath, fear, irregular heartbeat, headaches, apprehension, upset stomach (diarrhea), sweating and dizziness, etc. Even though the exact cause of anxiety is not fully understood, it may be as result of fear for an exam, guilt, low self-esteem, bullying and the likes. These symptoms may come as flashes and occasional feelings; it is safe to contact a professional and not keep to you. 3. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Students with this disorder have been diagnosed with short attention spans,
Experience more than a great university Western New England University is much more than its educational offerings; its strength is found in the individuals who educate and support students to thrive in our learning community. We attract students who are hard working, ambitious, curious, and caring with a strong entrepreneurial spirit. They excel in our close-knit campus where they find the confidence to push their abilities to conquer new challenges and think critically about the world around them and their place in it. Join them and prepare to do more, achieve more, and be more than you ever imagined.
1215 Wilbraham Road Springfield MA 01119 www.wne.edu
800.325.1122
easy distraction, too much talking, constant interruptions, and hyperactivity. This disorder has been proven to have a strong hold on the student’s ability to learn, and the teacher’s to be in control of the classroom. When suspected, students are mostly referred to hospitals for assessment and medications readily curtail the symptoms. 4. Obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) Students with OCD have prolonged thoughts and desires to exhibit certain behaviors repetitively. They want to go and on. They are often seen as a perfectionist- some may want their backpacks crimson, others want to be in control of things all the time. In fact, most thoughts revolving around OCD is to maintain extreme order in particular; most commonly in personal ways and
COMM UNI TY Diversity describes the rich differences that people bring to the University of Northern Iowa community. UNI celebrates the unique contributions of each person and prepares students to thrive in a diverse, global environment.
uni.edu
Western New England University does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities
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high level of cleanliness. It often makes learning not so easy for them. They are distracted easily and may have low grades, lack of classroom concentration, lack of motivation while some may miss classes entirely. 5. Tourette syndrome This syndrome is characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalization tics. The tics are usually eye blinking, facial grimacing, shoulder shrugs, head jerks and other eye movements. Some complex tics are throat clearing, sniffing, grunting, barking, etc. The symptoms are often predominant in female students and severely affect concentration in class and pose a threat to other students. 6. Eating disorders These affect both male and female and are as a result of unhealthy eating. It may be Anorexia which is a prolonged disorder of eating due to loss of appetite or Bulimia (also called stress eating) over eating. Some of the red flags for these disorders include; poor body frame, dehydration, excessive exercising, etc. Eating disorders typically occur with young teenagers who eat too much as a result of stress, guilt, sadness or excitement. Many college students often have a hard time believing they have developed a problem and did not seek treatment. If left untreated it causes serious physical and mental problems that may result in life-threatening issues. It is often difficult to identify with as students with the disorder thrive academically. 7. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) PTSD may be difficult to identify because affected students experience unpredictability; in their moods and behavior. While it is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic experience, fear may trigger lots of changes in the body. The individual’s body begins to defend against danger or begin to avoid it. Some situations like the sudden or unexpected 88
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death of a loved one can as well cause PSTD. Symptoms may begin shortly after the incident or may take years to show. Affected students may suffer from sudden flashbacks, frightening dreams, and nightmares. Sometimes they tend to stay away from places, events or objects that remind them of the experience and may cause them to change their personal routine often thereby affecting their relationships with other students. 8. Addiction Many people like to say addictions are affected by the state of mind. Alcoholism and drug use is a common form of addiction in most college campuses in the world. For some students, it is a symbol of independence that starts as a tradition. Students then begin to depend on the abuse as an escape from their worries, boost their confidence and a way to feel better about themselves.
Many students who take lots of alcohol and indulge in drug use don’t primarily develop an addiction, the side effects they experience i.e. withdrawal, slurred speech, dear, bloodshot eyes, and physical deterioration often lead them back to it until becomes a full-fledged addiction. A good number of addicted students can hide their symptoms well, so it is important to offer them help when you notice some signs. Do not be judgmental as it may cause total withdrawal. In reality, the first point to spot trouble should be the family, but some parents may not know what to look for. Some serious problems may be waved over as a phase; family members should endeavor to stay in close contact with their kids, schools and most importantly their teachers.
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How to connect to your student
Going down memory lane, I remember my elementary school days. Our teachers had this homely habit of coming to get us once the bus touched down or when the parents brought us around. My English teacher will go as far as asking you about the previous night, the things you did and almost all the kids wanted to be around her. Also, you will agree with me that connecting with elementary school kids is one of the most tasking jobs. Being connected to anyone is crucial especially in the positive ways. Students in all levels and ages love to feel and have their teacher’s approval in all they do. Teachers should care for their students while also maintaining their professional outlook; this may be called positive productivity. A teenager, for example, will often have little quarrels with the parents about what to do, and what not to do, and these arguments go on in the car especially on the way to school. Such teenager starts the day in the wrong way and has an emotional burden. He or she will probably flop his classwork and aptitude for the day. This is because their physical and mental welfare for that time is compromised. A sensitive teacher may take some time off for random discussions before class commence or even have the student write their worries in a sheet to take their mind off it. These contributions allow them a freer mind and a better perception of learning.
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Being around or being there for students goes a long way to foster your connection with them. Honoring their special days such as birthdays and other important days makes the feel great. It does not become normal- it shows their importance. Complimenting a good grade, acknowledging their performance in quizzes or games can alleviate their pain and make do better. Be careful here though not to show favoritism. It is important to do this without showing preference to any student above the other. By doing these few things, you must spend extra time, provide routines and sincerely show your acts of kindness.
Accept invitations to their extracurricular activities and family events but more importantly, honor them. Take a little gift maybe. There was a time I decided to surprise a student by attending his baseball game. He was so excited that he gave me a hug after the game. He told me then that my presence gave him the extra boost he needed. I was very proud of him.
Tell your own stories. Sharing personal life experiences with students, they get more and more comfortable to share theirs with you. It may not necessarily be long and cumbersome. You will get their feedback and they, in turn, become more inquisitive. The communication then flows easily and After school visitation. Being a teacher is comfortably. Learn their way of living and not all about teaching, it also means being response to situations. Before this, however, flexible with your time. Taking out time to visit students outside of the school premises you must understand that in the real sense of the word “you are not a part of them.” strengthens your connection with them.
Fort Valley State University was founded in 1895 as Fort Valley High and Industrial School. The university is one of Georgia’s two land-grant institutions and one of the state’s ten historically black colleges and universities. 1005 State University Dr, Fort Valley, GA 31030
1.877-462-3878 www.fvsu.edu
Fort Valley State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Sussex County Community College is special. It is a welcoming and friendly place where you, as a student, are our priority. Here, learning takes place in our well-equipped classrooms, around a naturally beautiful campus, and throughout the community. We offer many of the amenities and advantages of a large institution combined with the unparalleled benefits of a smaller college.
973-300-2100
www.sussex.edu One College Hill Road, Newton, New Jersey 07860 Sussex County Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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You need not force it or try to act like them. You must let them know that you value them even if it puts you out of the comfort zone every once in a while. Don’t give up on them. Some students are very difficult. It may not be as easy as you’d like but you’ve got to keep on. Study the difficult ones separately. Do they have a problem at home that is affecting them? Is it a subject? We need to put aside our ego and go gently by concentrating on the reluctant student(s). Once they become comfortable enough, they will warm up. Troubled times are almost the best time to connect. Reach out at trying times, maybe when their parents are going through financial setbacks or difficulties in the marriage. Be careful to do so constructively and respectfully. Work on yourself and your method of teaching. I seek to be a better version of myself every day as a teacher. I watch the news and stay online for updates. You get a lot of insight by reading and having meaningful conversations. You have to learn how to connect on your own first. Smile always. Make it a habit of arriving earlier to class and lingering a little longer to chat with the students. Encourage discussions that let students be the center of attraction. Students should be allowed to discuss within the context of the topic, and they may be allowed to bring topics to the table.
Wilson College is an independent liberal arts institution founded in 1869. Wilson is dedicated to preparing women and men for successful careers through undergraduate, graduate and adult degree programs. Guided by the Honor Principle and distinguished by a commitment to transformative student growth, Wilson College prepares all of its graduates for fulfilling lives and professions, ethical leadership and humane stewardship of our communities and our world.
717-264-4141
1015 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg, PA 17201 www. wilson.edu Equal Opportunity Employer
When offering projects or group work, allow for small talks. Find out what each person finds interesting about the subject. I am often conscious of this. After speaking to the students and identifying each one’s interest, during my readings when I come across things of more value to them, I make copies of this information and share with them. Set mild behavior rules for everyone and be fair in your judgment in a case of a disagreement. Take pictures of them and their work, you could make a photo album out of it or a picture gallery. When a student speaks to you, stop and listen. Give them all of yourself for that time. Respond to their concerns and speculations. Moreover, when they confide in you, do not let it slip up. Rather follow up, let them understand that you want to help them achieve their dreams.Create a community. This may be in the social media facet. A blog is most commonly suitable. Students should be encouraged to post stuff about themselves, projects, schoolwork as well as questions they may have. It is often hard for students to adapt to the online environment. Learn to offer personal information – it may help consequently. I strongly believe that our effectiveness as teachers lies in how well we relate to our students. The big barrier to being broken may as well be the nostalgia. Let us learn to set aside past beliefs and experiences and open our minds the gifts and needs of the students for a better future.
At Westmont, we pursue significance. We yearn for something bigger than ourselves, beyond what the world considers success. Rooted in the conviction that Jesus Christ holds first place, we explore our God-given passions, gifts and opportunities. We seek many things, such as vocation, excellence, community, justice, a calling. This adventure lasts a lifetime. Westmont will help you discover your abilities in the classroom and the potential of your walk with God. Learn how to truly make an impact in the world.
S
800-777-9011
Westmont College 955 La Paz Road Santa Barbara, CA 93108 www.westmont.edu/admissions Equal Opportunity Employer
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How veterans can benefit from BEING political connections
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Having political affiliations has innumerable advantages, especially for veterans. Getting employment is one. The number of connections you have can change your employment status in a moment, just as rubbing elbows with people in relevant positions will open more opportunities. Your network tentacle is almost equivalent to having a standard resume. Individuals in this network circle will go their way in securing you a job as long as you know the right persons. In today’s workforce, having the right or best resume sometimes does not cut it. Knowing the right people who can put in a good word for you does. Of course, you don’t necessarily have to know anyone to get a job, but in some cases, to keep a job may require such; especially if politics is involved. In another vein, when people learn of your previous work in the military, they tend to offer your more reverence. Many veterans have been of great help and protection to their country one way or another. People into politics will try tremendously to be of good will more
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importantly to the people or party they represent. Being in touch with a set of people will gain you recognition, even for your previous service to your country. Having previously served with top-tier politicians from my state, my father and his friend’s son were recently honored and recognized for volunteering and raising funds for many veterans in the district. This kind of recognition will always be on their resume and will definitely open doors for them. It is also pertinent for veterans involved in politics directly or indirectly not to pass up opportunities, as they will gain vast knowledge and foster more connections. Having people in key positions helps improve your knowledge of many political processes. If you are wondering if you, as a veteran, can dive into politics, the
answer is yes. Starting small is essential. With an already established relationship with individuals in key positions, you become more open to how they do things i.e. depending on the level of rapport between you two. Now, this is not to say you should follow in their footsteps, of course, picking up a lesson or two never hurts. For example, if you attend events with your political friends, when they donate cash, goods, and services, they often disclose such information to the public, including the donor. This information is normally published in newspapers as well as other news outlets. In the case of controversial issues ensuing, however, they have control measures in place to curtail. How do they go about?
Why should such be in place? These questions should be your way of learning. Some veterans go as far as studying political science afresh and becoming conversant with the law and its proceedings. Then proceed to contesting for a position in the lower level, and gradually they climb up the ladder. Veterans who venture into business enjoy a great deal by having politicians on their side. It increases the subsidy acquired from the government and also the ease of accessing bank financing. Any firm with a connected political director always enjoys more profitability. Veterans that might have made a bulk of enemies during their service are likely to be protected from harm if they have politician friends.
Serving the educational, social, and cultural needs of our students for nearly 150 years
(717) 477-7447 www.ship.edu Shippensburg PA
A Great Name in Texas Education For more than 130 years, Sam Houston State University has been preparing students for meaningful lives of achievement. Its motto, “The Measure of a Life is its Service,” echoes across SHSU’s seven colleges and beyond its Texas campus through student research, creative endeavors, service learning, volunteering and more.
A Great Name in Texas Education For more than 130 years, Sam Houston State University has been preparing students for meaningful lives of achievement. Its motto, “The Measure of a Life is its Service,” echoes across SHSU’s seven colleges and beyond its Texas campus through student research, creative endeavors, service learning, volunteering and more.
(866) BEARKAT
Huntsville, Texas 77341
(936) 294-1111
1905 University Ave. Huntsville TX 78212 • www.shsu.edu www.shsu.edu
Mississippidoes State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative on the basis of age (40 and over), race,not color,discriminate religion, sex, sexual Shippensburg University not discriminate on the basis of Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate Sam Houston State University does on orientation, the basis of gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, and/or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability. race, creed, color, national origin, ageitor disability. athletics, academics and gender, housing) which conducts, or in any employment policy or practice.
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HOW TO LAND YOUR DREAM JOB “TIPS AND TRICKS”
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Ever applied for a job, gone for its interview which went so well, and you were told to wait for a message that never came? And you kept wondering, was it your outfit for the interview? Something you said? Why didn’t they want me? This is completely normal, and this article will satiate your thirst for answers. Job rejection is a tough one; while some things could have gone wrong, here are some speculations, and how to look out for them next time. COVER LETTER Since it is where connecting with your employer formally starts, we shall begin with your cover letter. Your cover letter is most likely read before your resume; it leaves the first impression on the Human Resources manager. Your cover letter is your introduction, giving information on why you are fit for the position. It is advisable that you do not rush writing your cover letter, even if the application is closing soon; ensure that it highlights your skills and experience on the job position. A cover letter should help to complement your CV, and give more details that are necessary, regarding your qualifications and past work experience.
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An impressive cover letter makes the difference between getting an interview and being ignored. TIPS ON WRITING A GREAT COVER LETTER Format: keep it to just a page. Be conscious of the words you use regarding redundancy. Make sure it is brief, purposeful, and juicy. A recent employer gave the following results: 11% had no preference; 19% of employers preferred a full page; 24% preferred shorter; 46% preferred half a page. Do not start your introduction with “my name is…” they know this already, and it is such a bore.
Content: Header- Start with contact information; both yours, and the employers’. This includes Street address, City, Postcode, Phone number, Email Address. Salutation- Dear Sir/Ma Introduction- The first paragraph should inform the reader the purpose of the letter. Tell them who you are, including the job you’re applying for, and mention your objective. 2nd Paragraph- Write on why you would like to work for the firm, and any experience you’ve had in this field. 3rd Paragraph- Briefly mention your relevant skills and working experience. Closing- Round up your cover letter in this paragraph; reiterate the relevance of your
Live here, Learn here
Northeastern Technical College is a comprehensive two-year college located in the northeastern region of South Carolina serving Chesterfield, Marlboro and Dillon Counties. Students may attend full or part-time and choose from a variety of courses and programs in college transfer, technical and industrial fields, healthcare, business, arts and sciences, basic skills preparation or from a wide selection of continuing education classes. Associate degrees, diplomas and certificates are available in each of these areas. NETC has an open door admissions policy, allowing any qualified high school graduate or GED recipients to be admitted to and place in most programs depending on a required placement test.
skills to the job, then thank your employer for sparing their time to read, and tell them you look forward to hearing from them. RESUME On the average, hiring managers to get up to 75 resumes for a position and don’t have the time to review each one closely. According to a new study released by TheLadders (an online job search site), it takes job recruiters just six seconds to look at your resume. This study used “eye tracking” technology measured the exact place the recruiters’ eyes were, and the time it used on the spot. They noticed that recruiters spend 80% of this brief time on these: your name; the firm you work for presently; your previous employment; the start and end dates of your previous position; the start and end dates of your current position; and your educational background
Everyone should have the chance to build a better future for themselves.
765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ 07738-1543
732-224-2345 www.brookdalecc.edu
(843) 921-6900
1201 Chesterfield Highway Cheraw, SC 29520 www.netc.edu Northeastern Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
Brookdale Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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HERE ARE SOME TIPS ON WRITING AN IDEAL RESUME THAT WILL GET YOU AN INTERVIEW Heading: Write your name at the top in uppercase and bold type. Put your home address, email address, and phone number. Objective: Give a brief summary of your objective; use a unique branding statement to make your resume stand out. Ensure to use keywords that match the job description; this will catch the employer’s interest, and increase your chances of getting an interview. Clearly, state the position you are seeking, and if it is a full-time, part-time, or an internship.
PRACTICE: Get a friend or family to ask you questions likely to be asked, you can get tons of them online. This gets you better prepared for the question and answer sessions.
Education: Write your degree, date of graduation, your major, and school. You may include your GPA if it is 3.0, or higher. Skills: This is your selling point; make it specific and ensure that it aligns with your objective. It includes professional, technical, and sometimes interpersonal and adaptive skills like writing, leadership, and communication. Most recruiters only scan the first half of the first page of your resume, so put this on the front page.
KEEP TO TIME: Make sure you do whatever it takes to be there on time. Do not appear late!
Professional courses: You may list the professional courses you have taken to further assert your eligibility for the position. Experience: Use your most important, and relevant experience to convince the recruiter that you have the necessary capabilities for the position. Strongly express your accomplishments briefly and lucidly.
DRESS CODE: Be mindful of the way you appear. Mostly you are expected to dress professionally. Try the outfit before going for the interview to make sure it fits perfectly. Ensure to appear as professional as your closet can make you.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Be polite and nice. Smile, and don’t avoid eye contact. So, there! Put all these into action, and hope that your next application will land you a paid appointment.
Other information: You can add extracurricular affiliations and activities. Format: Keep it to just a page; Use open space, wide margins, and bullets to begin text; Use paper with good quality; Spell and punctuate perfectly; proofread before submission. Be honest: Do not sugarcoat anything, or lie about skills you don’t have or experiences. Follow the instruction given by the employer when you submit your resume. Avoid unnecessary and irrelevant details.
An Urban Leader in Affordable Higher Education
INTERVIEW Getting an appointment for a job interview, after your cover letter and resume have been read, means that you are considered to be likely fit for the position. The interview gives you a chance to communicate verbally with the recruiter and prove to them that you are qualified for the job in every way your resume says. Here are important clues on how to ace a job interview: RESEARCH: This should be the first thing to do after accepting an interview. You need to have background knowledge of the company because an employer will expect you to know something about the company. Gather important information on the company’s present and past performances, and future plans, so you can effectively articulate how you can add value to the company. 96
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HUNTER COLLEGE 695 Park Ave NY, NY 10065
212.772.4000 www.hunter.cuny.edu
Hunter College is an Equal Opportunity Employer
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Breaking the Educational Barrier For Disabled Veterans
Over the years, the G.I. Bill has influenced many young people’s decisions, both men, and women, in enlisting for service in the U.S. Military. The number of veterans who are taking advantage of this bill’s educational benefits is on the rise. The prospect of free education is an opportunity that is too good for some young people whose family cannot afford to enroll them in colleges to pass up. In 2008, assisting veterans in adapting to life in colleges after their services to their country became a major issue in the Congress. The reason for this is because, for many veterans, especially the disabled ones, educational benefits should go very far beyond just college tuition. A disabled veteran is one trying to adjust to a new life and cope with certain disabilities which he or she had never had. The cost of catering to each special need is finance-crippling and all of these additional expenses, apart from the college tuition, provides an educational barrier for injured veterans who are disabled for life. David Geffen, an attorney who happens to be a specialist in law and mediation for the disabled and who is also disabled himself, says that one of the biggest educational challenges that are faced by disabled veterans is the monetary barrier. Catering to disabilities is a very expensive endeavor.
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Disabled veterans may need to use different special equipment, medical assistance and most likely day to day support. He feels that although it may be a big problem, it is just one out of the many challenges staring at disabled student veterans in the face. These other problems are attitudinal and also physical. In assisting disabled veterans to overcome these challenges, colleges should bear in mind that these injuries are new and that the veteran is, more than likely, having a hard time adjusting to things like not being able to walk again. They are exploring another face of the world, trying to find a way to adapt with all the disadvantages that come with disabilities. Geffen is of the opinion that the injuries may not just be physical and apparent but
takes the time to come to the surface. Because it is a new experience for the individual, Geffen’s advice is that the institutions be as quick in adapting to the situation as possible.
them as a group. They have to be assisted individually because they have different disabilities. Some come with traumatic brain injury and will need help to overcome the effects of memory loss.
He advises that universities follow the progress of each veteran and reevaluate their solutions if they are no longer producing the required results. This is, so they do not continue treating a stomach problem with an eye medication.
This aid will certainly include strategies that have not been used by ordinary students before. Students with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will need help in counseling to deal with fear and anger. Students whose disabilities are physical will certainly need special accommodation in the classroom.
According to the executive vice president of Adrian College, Michigan, Rick Creehan, helping disabled veterans involves more than just money. Disabled veteran students are not like any other students. They need social and academic support that goes way beyond what an ordinary student requires. There is no particular way to take care of
Southwest Texas Junior College is a comprehensive, public college serving eleven counties in Southwest Texas. The College provides accessible, affordable, high-quality education that prepares students to successfully transfer to senior colleges and universities; enter the job market; pursue their professional and personal goals; and contribute to the economic growth of the region.
830 278-4401
2401 Garner Field Road, Uvalde, Texas 78801
www.swtjc.edu
Southwest Texas Junior College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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John Sawyer who is a veterans adviser at the University of Idaho insists every school, especially public institutions, should leave no stone unturned in helping these veteran students who bear the mark of their sacrifice for their country and its citizens
Winchester Thurston School leads the way in educational innovation, rigorous academics, scholarly standards, and a learning environment that better prepares students for the challenges of a rapidly changing, complex world. Nationally recognized for work with gifted and talented students, distinctive campuses, and innovative programs, WT is a school in which students achieve at the highest levels—earning stellar AP scores and gaining admission to the most selective colleges in the nation. Our learning environment is dynamic and engaging, and students are excited about achievement as they become intellectually confident critical thinkers, able researchers, and knowledgeable problem solvers
City Campus at WT
555 Morewood Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-2899 412-578-7500 412-578-7504 (fax)
North Hills Campus at WT 4225 Middle Road Allison Park, Pennsylvania 15101 412-486-8341 412-486-8378 (fax)
www.winchesterthurston.org Equal Opportunity Employer
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like a badge on their body. The presence of these students in classrooms makes other students more tolerant and mature. They are the reality that the general student population is being shielded from with pop culture and academics. Knowing about them will stretch their minds beyond the reality they know. It is quite unfortunate that many colleges and universities are doing nothing to address this problem. There are scholarships for the children and sometimes spouses of deceased and disabled veterans; some schools provide small monetary scholarships for veterans; an almost insignificant amount actually provides assistance that is more than financial support for veterans to obtain degrees. Schools like Arkansas State University inJonesboro and Dartmouth College assist for disabled veterans to be rehabilitated in a school environment. The former prepares the veterans for post-service careers while providing family support. The latter provides counseling to veterans.
The University of Idaho has a three-way approach to breaking the educational barrier veterans have to battle with. In 2006, they created a scholarship program which covers finances, while providing academic and social support for injured veterans faced with the uphill task of getting back into the society and getting a degree. Each student is paid particular attention to and offered special care as his or her disability is examined. This program has produced a number of graduates and is also open to spouses of the veterans. Assistance in surmounting educational barriers offered these veterans gives them another chance to have a go at life. A veteran, Burlile, who is done with his doctorate degree thesis explains that combat veterans experience significant trauma. He explains that being deployed into a war zone causes fear and anxiety which is further heightened by the experience, the encounter with the threats. And the transition back into the civilian life causes even more trauma. Burlile works at the Department of Veterans Affairs. In light of things that veterans go through, it is important for other colleges to step up and put in more effort in accommodating these veterans who got disabled for their country and its citizens. It is worthy of note that the primary sources of funding for these projects come from private support. Most Universities get their funding from the private citizens. The University of Idaho scholarship gets its sponsorship from its alumni, friends, and individuals who deem it worthy to donate to this equally worthy cause. Also, some businesses have offered their services in the way of physical therapy, counseling, transportation service and provision of adaptive equipment.
The Amherst Regional Public Schools are located in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. The area is rich in cultural, recreational and academic activities and opportunities. Our mission is the academic achievement of every student learning in a system dedicated to social justice and multiculturalism.
Your goal is to get a degree, but you also want your time at UNCG to transform you. Our academic environment goes beyond relevant fields of study and challenging coursework. It’s about everything that we put into your learning experience and success
University of North Carolina at Greensboro 1400 Spring Garden Street Greensboro, NC 27412
336.334.5000 www.uncg.edu
The school system educates a diverse population of approximately 3000 students, including native speakers of more than 25 languages. Three elementary schools are located in the town of Amherst and one in the town of Pelham. Our middle school and high school are located in the town of Amherst, and draw students from the towns of Amherst and Pelham, as well as Leverett and Shutesbury. The central office for the district is located in the middle school building at 170 Chestnut Street in Amherst.
170 Chestnut Street Amherst, MA 01002
(413) 362-1700
UNCG is an Equal Opportunity Employer EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TODAY
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Does suspending students from school really work?
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A child’s world as a student is surrounded by many unseen possibilities. But we all make mistakes -- mistakes that often have negative impacts. It could be a fight over a girl, social media bullying, picking a friend’s side to spite someone else, threats, etc.In previous times, teachers have gone as far as slapping students and administering some corporal punishments. Even though some of these corporal punishments are still being used, it is frowned upon in many places and may be regarded as abuse. Well, there are several other means of punishing a student as per their misconduct. So No and No, I do not think suspending students from school work. Several school authorities have suspended students for mild and insensitive misconducts. The majority of parents, of course, supports suspension because they see it as a means of separating the “good ones” from the “bad apples.” While the school administration will also favor suspension because it is safer and cheaper and as well safer for other students in the school, they hardly ever see through how suspensions affect the accused student(s). Students who have
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been suspended for about three times are most likely to be expelled. They are often referred to as “push out.” Most of the time students get suspended, they often come back reoffended and bitter. The time off school may not have changed them at all. True, it is not reasonable to put other students in jeopardy due to one person’s behavior. We must also ensure that our lessons and teacher’s method of teaching have not been a contributing factor to their feedback. Because suspensions are sometimes misused and overused. Students eventually repeat the same behavior. We then begin to ask, why are they not changing? Why are they not learning? Why are they not turning back?. Saying they don’t act right isn’t too appropriate an answer. Now, no matter what the offense might have been, giving them time off school won’t change their behavior. It may only make the offended student feel better and safer. So then, shall we continue to deal with the same problems over and over again?. For the time being, we make use of out- of- school suspensions (detentions), in-school suspensions and expulsions. Inschool suspensions may be designed as a form of off-class punishment.
corrected adequately. It also creates an unhealthy school environment. Giving students an amount of time off school may not always be the answer. It may be an excuse for poor academic performance and allowance for negativity. They need to be taught and made to see the result of their actions, how it affected others, what makes it wrong, how to prevent future occurrences. Separate them from the situation first, talk to them. Many are going through tough and difficult times at home. Are they acting on it? Is it just youthful exuberance? We need a system that puts their mental well being first. Some may have been bullied into what they did. Fortunately, there are many alternatives to suspension. Schools and their administration should lead the way towards these. They may choose from a variety of tests and approved approaches. Students should be able to interact with their teachers and other persons in authority without disrespect
The affected students are put in a room under the supervision of a teacher. These students are not allowed to talk or do anything else aside from their designated work. This may look all better, but some students end up sleeping through it. Others begin to feel detached and alone and may not be able to cope for long. Out-of-school suspensions, however, is a stay home kind of punishment for about 1-10 days. This removes the student from the school premises alright but will make them miss a lot of school work, assignments, corrections, etc. The students also do not take responsibility for their actions. If extra measures are not taken to inform parents, there have been cases whereby students don’t tell their parents altogether. They leave home every day like they are off to school but end up hanging around till school is over. Some persons hadat this time associated with the wrong individuals and landed themselves in even bigger problems. Other students will spend their time engaging in drug use, alcoholism, aimless walkouts and such. Transferring to other schools or opting for another educational program. This enables the student to sideline corrective measures as they may interact with other students with disciplinary issues. The ultimate of them all which is expulsion are used for serious offenses such as misuse of drugs, possession of weapons, etc. For some students, it is the end of their education while others may take it as a point of reflection. Even though this measure separates other students from being affected or influenced negatively, the expelled student may find it hard to regain their esteem if they are not
Stockton University is one of America’s most distinctive public universities, consistently ranking among the nation’s finest educational institutions. Stockton is noted for exceptional program offerings and an interdisciplinary approach to learning.
101 Vera King Farris Drive Galloway, NJ 08205-9441
(609) 652-1776 www.stockton.edu
Stockton University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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and still be able to voice their opinion. As such, they should know that any precautionary measure melted out is for their own good. To suspend them is to add to their problems. I for one will like to see suspension as a kind of last resort not to mention expulsion. There should be provision for counselors who they can interact with, therapy classes and even anger management. Of course, some schools who have used this approach have had positive outcomes.
of escape plan. This is why the teachers should be involved in their lives.
Removing them from class may not help. It may affect their grades. It’s a wonder, what many students will do to avoid classes. Offering a detention is then a sort
A positive approach may be to set Daily or weekly behavioral assessment. When students understand expectations, they can work positively and consciously
Encourage them in love and understanding.
towards their colleagues and teachers. Records of such should be kept to determine their progress. Other extracurricular activities may be employed such as taking a class trip, change of scenery and a piece of the outside world. It sure will help their psychological and all round development.
The University of Alabama in Huntsville is one of the nation’s premier research universities, offering a challenging hands-on curriculum that ensures our graduates are prepared to become tomorrow’s leaders.
www.uah.edu The University of Alabama in Huntsville is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status and/or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics, housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice.
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Welcome to Augustana University With a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, a commitment to offering students high-impact research, internship and study abroad opportunities, 53 majors in exciting fields, and new graduate and continuing education programs, Augustana University is the place for possibilities.
2001 South Summit Avenue Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57197 • www.augie.edu • 605.274.0770 • 800.727.2844
Who We Are
Barton College, a four-year, private, liberal arts college, believes in college on a firstname basis. Providing students with a strong academic focus and opportunities for leadership development, Barton unites its smaller size with an intentional application of collaborative learning in every aspect of the students’ college experience.
P.O. Box 5000 Wilson, NC 27893 • 800-345-4973 • www.barton.edu Barton College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Tips for Veterans to Succeed in College The number of student service members who are getting into college is on the rise these past few years. It is sad that not much is known about how their prior military experience will allow them to adjust and get comfortable in this new role of student. According to a study, student service members who have problems adjusting to their new environment in college was found to have a higher incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Also, these student service members who
have difficulty getting used to college life had significantly higher rates of health and behavioral problems while still in the military. It is advisable that veterans who see it as an uphill task to get acclimatized to the new college environment should seek help which is readily available to them through campus veteran resources. Universities also are advised to offer training to staff, so they will be able to identify when students—veterans especially—are having problems with the transition to college life. There should also be an organized campus dialogue to help bridge the gap student service members perceive between them and the other students. Specially organized learning communities which can assist the veterans toshare their experiences is also advisable if not crucial. The public should be dissuaded from asking the veteran to share his experience unless he has expressly stated that he is comfortable with it and has no problem doing so.
The mission of the Monroe County School District is to constantly challenge the educational expectations while advancing the educational experience.
Monroe County School District
305-293-1400
241 Trumbo Rd. Key West, FL 33040 The Monroe County School District is an equal opportunity employer that fully and actively supports equal access for all people, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin or disability.
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As a veteran who wants to get used to life as a student without much hiccups in the transition, there are some steps which you have to take and which will be extremely helpful to you. We share some of those steps below. Find The Right College Education fairs are organized all over the country. You would want to see the colleges present and ask your questions. A college with your type of program is what you will like, one that makes provisions for veterans and not just lumps you in all together with the students as a body. You would want a college that realizes that veterans have needs which need to be met. Many colleges will be present at the fair, so if you are
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The Niagara Falls City School District is the academic home of 7,100 students. We take pride in providing world-class instruction in safe, modern classrooms and are guided by our belief that all children can learn.
309-827-6031
300 East Monroe, Bloomington, IL 61701
716-286-4211
630 66th Street Niagara Falls, NY 14304 Niagara Falls City School District is an equal opportunity affirmative action institution. not satisfied with one move on to the next. Go around and ask questions till you find the answer you are looking for, no matter how long it takes. You may even decide to save yourself the stress and look up schools while you are indoors and online usingresources like Equal Opportunity today’sCampus Profiles. Read up on their plans, see if I fit into yours. This is the very first step, and it is an important one, the bedrock upon which other efforts to get you adjusted to college life will rest on. So take your time and remember “ you are a soldierfirst.” Accept The Fact That You May Have No Friends In School But Outside of school, you are always a brother or sister of the military and will make many friends- I promise. After spending all that time away from school in the service of your country, you will not be getting any younger. It’s probable that you will be older, have more experience and behave more naturedly than your classmates. Your classmates’ immaturity might be getting on your nerves every once in a while. However, remember that you were once young and foolish and you behaved that way. If you are in a college that has continuing education program, endeavor to make friends there and create a connection. This group might be your age mates or older, but they will understand you more than your classmates ever will. Introduce Yourself To Your Professors This is very important. If your professors can identify you, they will know how to treat you. So do not be afraid to stand up and introduce yourself even if at the time it makes you stand out in an unenviable way. Your professors can help you find your way into a job.
Hudson Valley Community College is committed to providing caring, personal, high-quality service at a reasonable cost to support students’ success in reaching and raising their goals.
80 Vandenburgh Ave., Troy, NY 12180
(518) 629-4822 www.hvcc.edu
Hudson Valley Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Find Other Veteran In Your Area After your military experience where you seem to belong to a family, staying in a college will come with a feeling of isolation. You may feel like a fish out of the water because you do not have people of like minds, people who have been through the same experience as you. This is why you should find veterans around you, people who you can feel a kinship to. Some of them might have even been at the college longer than you, and their insightful pieces of advice will help you easily go through the transition process. You can look up Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America’s Veteran Community. It might help. Get Into Organizations Or Interest Groups In Your Area Remember we are trying to take your mind off the war and get you adjusted to the
school environment. There is no better way to do this than finding opportunities to socialize. Interest groups and organizations such as writing group or perhaps music will immerse you deep into the students’ culture. This will also provide avenues for letting out pent up emotions through activities, and everybody wins. Understand That Not Everybody Thinks Of Your Service To Your Country The Way You Do. While some people may express their opinions in sensible manners, expressing their objections in the battles you were part of, others will be complete jerks about it. However any of them may choose to go about it, it reeks of insensitivity. So you might as well know this, that some people do not think you did your country
At OBU you will learn how all knowledge connects and how that framework can be informed by a thoughtful Christian worldview. You will have the choice of 87 areas of study, the opportunity to work and study abroad and the chance to engage faculty mentors.
Get Used To Your Place In College Do not lock yourself up in your room as that would give a chance for depression to set in. Walk around when you have nothing to do. Explore the area, visit your veteran buddies and do not miss any of your interest group meetings “ Thank You For your Sevice.”
Best of luck with adjusting to college life.
Lindenwood is an independent institution firmly rooted in Judeo-Christian values. Those values include belief in an ordered, purposeful universe, the dignity of work, the worth and integrity of the individual, the obligations and privileges of citizenship, and the primacy of truth.
500 W. University, Shawnee, OK 74804
209 S. Kingshighway St. Charles, MO 63301
www.okbu.edu
www.lindenwood.edu
405.585.4000
Oklahoma Baptist University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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any service and most of them will not hesitate to say so to your face. While you should endeavor to steer clear of this people, you should understand that it is only their opinions and their beliefs do not change anything. Forget them and focus on reintegrating yourself into college life.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TODAY
(636) 949-2000
LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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Narcissistic Tendencies In Youths And The Influence Of Social Media
The old Greek myth about a Greek hunter named Narcissus provides the basis for the definition of narcissism. Narcissus was a hunter who had countless men and women falling in love with him because of his beauty. However, he rejected every one of them, leaving so many with heartbreaks and sadness that the Greek gods decided to punish him. They made him fall in love with himself that upon seeing his reflection in a pond, he drowned trying to touch it. Of course, the hyperbolic quality in the story cannot be overlooked, yet we get the hang of the subject it touches and still see it around today. Selfie is a word that was not found in the dictionary before; itjust didn’t exist. But the emergence of a culture where people are terribly obsessed with their appearance made ‘selfie’ a modern term which had to be added to the dictionary in 2013. This has given rise to narcissistic practices in the society. Behaviors such as a strong need for admiration and attention, over bloated ego and inflated sense of importance, plus lack of empathy towards others are all brought about by Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NDP). Other signs that one has this disorder are a desire for wealth unlimited, discrimination in the selection of friends based on status rather than personality, and also the difficulty in showing genuine feeling towards others.
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The sharp increase of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) which was discovered through data gathered on the subject coincides with the increase in the use of social media. But at this time, there is no data to tie the two together conclusively. Youths between 15 and 22 are more likely to develop narcissistic tendencies as they try to identify with the society away from their parent’s control. At this stage, some become bullies and snobs under the influence of their peers. Researchers and even parents have begun to express concerns about the effects of the social media on youths in relation with developing narcissistic behaviors. To garner good followership on Instagram and other social media platforms, teensconstantly post pictures of
themselves, stunningly beautiful pictures which will make more and more admirers click on the follow button. Now, those who are naturally beautiful upload more and more pictures obsessed with their good looks, obsessed with the growing number of followers and of course with the admiring comments. The more these comments keep coming in, the more they develop an over bloated sense of self-esteem and become more concerned only with what is happening to them, and for them. Most youths even make up excessively that it becomes masking in a bid to cover the ‘flaws’ on their faces, take photos and painstakingly edit them because they are concerned with their social media images. It is no wonder then that selfie photos in their millions are continuouslybeing uploaded to the social media. These beautiful ladies and
handsome dudes—whether the beauty or handsomeness is natural or otherwise—refer to themselves as ‘slaykings’ and ‘slayqueens.’ On social media, narcissistic students share too many details of their personal lives, looking to capture that perfect moment of them in pictures and missing out on enjoying the memorable moments. They paint golden lives which are to die for and in an attempt to make themselves the envy of other social media users, lie blatantly. Many cases have been seen on social media where some youths claimed to be what they are not. I remember the case of a youth claiming to be in the army so that he could achieve that hero status. Unfortunately for him (or should I say fortunately?) his cover was blown. He was just some teen who wanted self-importance. Researchers have discovered that people
Edinboro University is committed to excellence in academics and in every aspect of campus life. A passion for student success, a comprehensive catalog of offerings, and a supportive yet challenging academic environment define the EU experience.
At Ball State, we’re more than just educators—we’re educational entrepreneurs. Combining top-flight talent with the top-notch resources we have to offer, our students and faculty inject endless energy and creativity into what they teach and how they learn. The result—a university The Princeton Review calls one of the best in the Midwest. 219 Meadville Street Edinboro, Pennsylvania 16444
888-846-2676 www.edinboro.edu
Edinboro University is an Equal Opportunity Employer
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2000 W. University Ave. Muncie, IN 47306
800-382-8540 www.cms.bsu.edu
Ball State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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who frequent Twitter have high levels of narcissistic traits in their behaviors. It is no surprise really that narcissists tend to be drawn to social media as it is a means of building one’s personal image. Although the representation of mundane lives as beautiful and self-acclaimed importance on social media seems to provide an excellent outlet for people with pre-existing narcissistic traits, there is no conclusive evidence that social media actually causes narcissistic behavior. However, it magnifies the traits that are already there. Narcissistic people are more concerned about building their followership, promoting themselves through selfies and body images and sometimes controversy. On the other hand, non-narcissists share moments with friends which they prefer more than
having a large number of followers. They tend to live in the real world, combining it with social media which narcissistic are almost always cut off from in their bid to achieve prominence through social media. While this may be negative, researchers have found that there are also positives in the use of social media platforms. Heavy Facebook users express strong empathy where their online peers are concerned, and this indicates that their real-world understanding is being enhanced. Active social media users also develop stronger and higher self-esteem than others who log in for just a few times. Also in social media, people who are depressed or battling with low self-esteem find outlets to connect with others and express themselves better without having to face the harsh light of judgment. This finding shows that the effects of social media powerfully magnifies an individual’s perception of self. So
narcissistics are not produced through social media but are only noticed. A researcher, Bruce McKinney, University of North Carolina, even argues that the social media behaviors which are attributed to narcissism may just be the new normal. Reason being that that is one of the purposes of social media, a new form of communication. Social media provides platforms for sharing anything you want to share, be it your pictures or your daily routine, or your events from your day. Ciarán McMahon, a psychologist from the Institute of Cyber Security, believes that social media just makes narcissistic behavior which was hitherto there visible to us. She insists narcissism uses social media as a tool and cannot be introduced by social media. It is only expressed through it.
Middle Georgia State University educates and graduates inspired, lifelong learners whose scholarship and careers enhance the region through professional leadership, innovative partnerships and community engagement.
Since 1847, Rockford University graduates have made their mark all around the world. Our graduates are teachers, doctors, accountants, scientists, coaches, managers, nurses, and critical thinkers. Far more than preparing students to do something, we empower our graduates to accomplish anything.
5050 East State Street Rockford IL 61108
100 University Parkway Macon, GA 31206
www.Rockford.edu
www. mga.edu
815.226.4000
ROCKFORD UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
478.471.2700
Middle Georgia State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer
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Things You Should Not Say To A White Man In The Workplace 110
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So much has been made of what straight and able-bodied white people should refrain from saying to others; what they shouldn’t say to their co-workers of different races and nationality. However, the matter is not completely addressed when we overlook white folks and do not give a damn about what colleagues say to them in their workplaces. If you are white and you have got a white colleague, it is important you know things you can or cannot say to him or her to maintain a healthy working relationship. This article keeps you from harsh generalization and mindless stereotyping. White people are humans too and believe it, or not many of them can and do champion diversity. Below, we look at some of the things you should never say to a white colleague. “You do not belong here” Or “why are you, a white person, doing this?” People frequently speak of this in whispers and murmurs especially about
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colleague to try and understand, and at the same time, you cover them with the garment of the ignorant oppressor. Instead, work towards developing common interests and share ideas.
men feel the same way with people of other races that they work with. They also feel like they are being left out of the loop sometimes. Being in the inner circle does not have to do with race in America.
The sooner people realize that many white people have genuine interests in the diversity industry.So do not just lump all of them into one and say they do not belong. That would be unfeeling.
It is true that the white person may not have the experience of waking up in your shoes, but saying they do not understand treats them like people who do not have the sense to be aware of culture and diversity issues. It belittles their good intentions and sets the discussion back. White men are automatically part of the “corporate inner circle,” well because they are whites
“You are white; there is no way you will understand.” That does not advance the cause of diversity. You can not expect your white
Now that is just sad. Being removed from the inner circle is not only reserved for executives who are Black, Latino or Asian American or women. In fact, most white
Generalizing a white as a “typical white person.” Generalization does not get any more general than this. Referring to your colleague as a typical white person means that all whites are the same. So when one of them behaves nastily, you go “yeah I said it, there you go.” That is so wrong. Characterizing people based on a presupposed behavior of a group— probably because some of them behave that way—is bad. It is offensive to the whites just as attributing any questionable behavior to other races are for them. Again, it swallows up good intentions.
white individuals who work in the diversity industry. They are called carpet-baggers among other names and are accused of working only for the money. Let us be realistic. What is that saying about making your passion your profession? Okay, I just said it. It is terrible to feel that just because a person is white, they do not have good intents in working at a diversity friendly company.
Three Rivers College inspires, prepares, and empowers students to succeed through open access to high-quality learning opportunities that meet the needs of the communities we serve. Three Rivers College
Iona College is a caring academic community, inspired by the legacy of Blessed Edmund Rice and the Christian Brothers, which embodies opportunity, justice, and the liberating power of education. Iona College’s purpose is to foster intellectual inquiry, community engagement and an appreciation for diversity. In the tradition of American Catholic Higher Education, Iona College commits its energies and resources to the development of graduates recognized for their ethics, creativity and problem-solving abilities; their independent and adaptable thinking; their joy in lifelong learning; and their enduring integration of mind, body and spirit.
The Community College of Southeast Missouri 2080 Three Rivers Boulevard | Poplar Bluff, MO 63901
715 North Avenue New Rochelle, NY 10801
www.trcc.edu
www.iona.edu
877-879-8722
Three Rivers College is an Equal Opportunity employer
800-231-IONA
Equal Opportunity Employer
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“You are just beingracist. Do not always think or assume that a prejudiced comment is the result of a thought process based on stereotyping. Most decisions people make are not correctly made because they have bad intentions, but because they can not help it, they fail to see how prejudiced the decisions are because they do not have any such intent in the first place. Cut them some slack. Before you reply that comment which you deem prejudicial, ask yourself if you are not responding that way because you think the comment is made by a white who is like “all white people.” “You make comments about us behind our backs.” When you are in the majority group, you have little concern about race issues and
fear of racial dominance. So most times, whites are not talking about you when you are not there; they are not plotting on you or calling you names. They are just oblivious to the situation and while you may want a little bit of concern, being unaware does not make one a bad person. “You have all the money.” This assumption is a terrible one. The generalization that as long as you are white, you have it all is a very misleading one. The majority of poor people in
America are whites and renders the assumption as not well thought out. “I dislike white people.” Hello, how many white people do you know? Hanging on to that hatred gives off vibes even in the presence of wellmeaning white people. Of course, the hatred may be somewhat justified given that it is coming from a history of slavery, subjugation, segregation, and racism. However, most whites are trying to find a way forward, letting go of their truth and
Virginia Union UniVersity
Wright University is a public research university in Dayton, Ohio ThreeState Rivers College inspires, prepares, and empowers with nearly 18,000 students. Offering more than 230 degree programs, students to succeed through open access to the university is made up of eight colleges, three schools, and a branch high-quality learning that meet theState campus in Celina, Ohio. Namedopportunities for the Wright brothers, Wright needsoffers of the communities we serve. University an exceptional, affordable education.
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy., Dayton, OH 45435 USA
(937) 775-1000 www.wright.edu
Virginia Union University is a premier liberal arts urban institution of higher education and center of excellence for the preparation of students and the development of leaders for tomorrow’s world.
1500 N. Lombardy Street Richmond, VA 23220
804-257-5600 www.vuu.edu
Wright State University is an Equal Opportunity employer
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making endeavors to accommodate others. Hating on all whites, you may be convincedthat effort isjustified and I hope not, but it is not going to take us anywhere. “You lack diversity.” What most people do not know is that diversity includes everyone, even white people. Referring to people as ‘diverse’ and mindfully removing the white folks is insulting. In the concept of diversity, all races are included. In any organization, when diversity management is properly executed, everyone benefits. It is a pity that many non-white people are of the assumption that whites do not have a diverse background or any experience at all with other cultures except theirs. Even white people make this mistake also. From the assumption, beliefs are made, wrong beliefs which are setbacks rather than a push forward. It will be helpful to all concerned—both white people and nonwhite people—if these statements fizzle out of existence, so we can all focus on progress and chart the way forward in our diversity.
Lawrence University is a residential liberal arts college and conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It is a supportive and welcoming academic community of 1,500 intellectually curious, diverse, multi-interested students from nearly every state and 50 countries—all committed to a rigorous and challenging educational experience. 711 E. Boldt Way Appleton, WI 54911
• (920) 832-7000 • www.lawrence.edu
Lawrence University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
225-578-1175 www.lsu.edu
Louisiana State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
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The University of Houston-Downtown is a comprehensive four-year university offering bachelor’s and selected master’s degree programs and providing strong academic and career preparation as well as life-long learning opportunities. Located in the heart of the city, the University reflects the diversity of the Greater Houston Area, and through its academic programs, engages with the community to address the needs and advance the development of the region. UHD is an inclusive community dedicated to integrating teaching, service and scholarly research to develop students’ talents and prepare them for success in a dynamic global society.
713-221-8000
One Main Street Houston, TX 77002 • www.uhd.edu University of Houston-Downtown is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, and/or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice.
Albany State University, a historically black institution in Southwest Georgia, has been a catalyst for change in the region since its inception as the Albany Bible and Manual Training Institute. Founded in 1903 to educate African-American youth, the University proudly continues to fulfill its historic mission while serving the educational needs of an increasingly diverse student population. A progressive institution, Albany State University, seeks to foster the growth and development of the region, state, and nation through teaching, research, creative expression and public service. Through its collaborative efforts, the University responds to the needs of all its constituents and offers educational programs and services to improve the quality of life in Southwest Georgia.
504 College Drive, Albany, GA 31705
229.430.4600 www.asurams.edu
The Albany State University is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TODAY
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Coppin State University, an urban, comprehensive, historically Black institution located in Baltimore, Maryland, offers quality undergraduate and graduate programs in teacher education, the liberal arts, mathematics, sciences, technology, and professional disciplines. The University provides educational access and diverse opportunities for students through excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement thus preparing analytical, socially responsible, lifelong learners. Coppin State University builds on a rich legacy of empowering students, promoting community revitalization, and strengthening relationships with local, national, and global partners.
Toll Free: 1.800.635.3674 Local: 410.951.3000 www.coppin.edu
2500 West North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21216-3698 A University System of Maryland (USM) Member Institution
Coppin State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability status or veteran status. View the EEO is the Law poster for more information regarding your rights under the law.
