By Joce DeWitt

We are now in week 8 of winter term. This means many things to the hard working students of OSU, but to a large fraction, one of the biggest implications is that basketball intramural season is in full-swing.

I would like to talk to you, CLA prospects and students alike, about getting involved in Intramurals. I’m a major proponent for this type of involvement for many reasons.

1)     Stay in shape AND have fun. While playing in a game once a week may not seem like a big deal, let me assure you that the extra time for exercise in a team sport always seems to come at the right time. I know with my extremely busy schedule, it is tough to maintain a consistent work-out and gym schedule, so for me its an obvious decision to join an IM sport just for that reason alone. But wait, there’s more…

2)    Get to know people you’re around all the time in a different setting. In the past, I’ve always joined Intramural teams with my friends who I know from outside of class and work. But this term, I went in a different direction when I agreed to join the IM Basketball team with the editorial staff of the Daily Barometer (I’m the news editor and I would have felt extremely out of place at work if I hadn’t.) Being able to play a sport and have fun on the court with people I’m usually used to only seeing in the office has made this term so much more fun in a lot of ways. The fact that we are yet to lose a game (3-0… I know… we’re a big deal) gives us so much more to talk about other than work in the office. Maybe it might not help with our production level, but having more fun and camaraderie at work is always worth it.

3)    Brush up on a skill you lost since high school. Since I went to a really small private school, I played basketball, volleyball, soccer and track all four years. When I got to college, I thought that because I wasn’t on a varsity team anymore I wouldn’t get the chance to be competitive and I would lose all my sports abilities. Thanks to IM’s I haven’t lost it. Not to mention, playing is more for fun now than it ever was in high school because it’s not an official league.

For these reasons and more, I recommend anyone look into playing an IM sport while they’re at OSU. Thousands of student fees and funds go into making the facilties amazing (like the new IM fields in front of Dixon) so we might as well take advantage of it. College might be mostly about academics, but it’s not a worth-while experiences without everything that comes along with it.

 

By Amber Gomes

Hello again!

So this might not be as exciting as my last blog… but it is 100% practical. I don’t know about you but I can think of four friends that have gotten sick within the last week. And if you are busy as I think you probably are you don’t want to be like them! I’m not a doctor but I’m pretty comfortable recommending water + sleep + hand sanitizer / washing your hands often (take your pick) = a combination to prevent, or at least lessen the chance, of getting sick. Like I said, not a doctor, so really the only other thing I can tell you is that the information below may just come in handy for you.

Some of you may not know, but we have Student Health Services (SHS) on campus! Their website is http://studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/ but you can always visit in person (you know if you are sick or something like that) in Plageman, which is right next to Kelley. SHS provides primary medical care for students, treats illnesses and does a lot of health awareness work on campus. I’ve been in there a couple times doing things for a Peace Corps medical evaluation and let me tell you… if they were that helpful with all my crazy demanding paperwork and that nice to me even though I wasn’t sick – I can only imagine how helpful they’d be to someone who didn’t need paperwork filled out and how nice they would be to someone who felt terrible.

Of course you don’t have to be feeling terrible to go in there. One department within SHS is the Health Promotion Department whose mission is “to enhance the health of students through acquisition of knowledge and skills and to provide leadership in the development of a community that supports healthy lifestyles (choices) through ongoing collaborative relationships with the campus and community resources.” What do they do to achieve their mission? Well first, they have programs about Sexual Health, Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sexual Assault Prevention, Alcohol and Other Drugs, Stress and Body Image. Secondly they sponsor events like World AIDS Day, Speakers Bureaus, Health Screenings and Beaver Strides, as well as providing Health Coaching and Tobacco Cessation Services. Thirdly they facilitate the Peer Health Advocates (PHA) which is a group of student volunteers which operates on three levels. They focus on 1. Outreach and Events (which is actually how I thought about writing this blog – I attended the Red Dress Fashion Show which they organized) 2. Social Advocacy and 3. Service Learning. For a volunteer application to PHA or a list of their events (which include things like ‘The Condom Carnival’, ‘Intimacy and Relationships: Talking it Out!’, ‘Penis Bingo’ <I’m not even sure I’m allowed to say that on here>, and ‘How to be an Advocate for Sexual Reproductive Justice’) you can go to http://studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/pha.

Now to copy SHS I’d like to conclude this with…

Be well Beavers!

Amber

 

 

By Alexandra Schireman

We can’t picture being anything but show people
Civilians find the whole thing quite bizarre
But that hop in our hearts
When the overture starts
Helps us know how lucky we are!

If the lyric of this tune from the Tony award-winning musical Curtains resonates with you, you might be interested in Oregon State’s theatre department.

The theatre department offers several interesting courses.  Even if you’re no stranger to the stage, you can still benefit from TA 147, Intro to Theatre. This department pre-requisite teaches students about specific theatrical genres, the various roles of theatre artists (e.g. actors, directors, designers,) and the evolution of theatre over history.  Once this course is completed you can register for a variety of stimulating theatre courses, including set design, stage make-up, stage lighting, costuming, play-direction, play writing, theatre history, and acting.  The theatre department also offers a class called Oral Interpretation (TA 121), which is a great way to boost your public speaking skills and knowledge of literature.

You don’t have to be a theatre major to participate in any of these classes.  But even if you can’t fit any of them into your schedule, come audition for some plays!  Again, everyone is welcome, not just theatre majors.  In fact, you don’t even have to be an OSU student to be involved with productions.  One of the coolest aspects of OSU’s theatre department is that anyone in the Corvallis community can audition; students have the opportunity to work with and learn from talented members of the community they might not meet otherwise and the quality of productions are enhanced by the diversity created by the open audition policy.

Oregon State’s theatre department produces a wide variety of shows each year.  During my short time at OSU, I have seen, or been involved with, many productions, including The Coming of Rain (a dramatization of a novel set in Reconstruction Era Tennessee); Glengarry Glen Ross (a dark, gritty play about a cut-throat business world); The Fainting Beaver Follies (a joyful recreation of 1930s vaudeville show); I See God, I See Allah (a thought-provoking play about the true nature of the Muslim religion and the preconceptions surrounding it); and Almost Maine (a heartwarming  collection of interconnected love stories).   Last weekend, The Feeblemindedness of Woman (a play within a play about the life of Gerty Cori, the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in science) was produced at Withycombe’s Lab theatre and The Sugar Wife (A gripping historical drama set in 1840s Ireland) will be produced a few weeks later on Withycombe’s main stage.  And Mozart’s celebrated opera The Magic Flute will be performed during spring term (I hear this production is going to have a Steam Punk flair!).

Speaking of next term, a great opportunity for aspiring theatre artists will soon appear; auditions for OSU’s one act play festival.  This May, student directors will be producing several one-act plays and these shows provide lots of opportunities for designers, actors, technicians, and stagehands.  Or, if you’re an aspiring playwright, you may want to wait for next year’s one-act play festival which will feature student-written plays (this particular event occurs every other year).

And if you’re going to be around next summer and enjoy Shakespeare, you’ll love OSU’s annual Bard-in-the-Quad production.  Every summer term, OSU produces an outdoor Shakespeare production.  Last year, the show was As You Like It (set in a 1960s hippie commune, complete with psychedelic colors and groovy music) and the year before that, Macbeth (an erotic and particularly dark re-envisioning of this famous tragedy set 1920s New Orleans).  This year its going to be The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare’s outrageous battle of the sexes set in the wild west (ye-haw!).

So whether you already consider yourself a “show person,” think you might possibly be a show person, or just enjoy watching the antics of show people, please check out Oregon State’s theatre department.  We’re a fun bunch and we love new talent and appreciative audiences!

 

By Amber Gomes

Hello fellow Beavers!!

I should probably start this blog with stating my bias… because on this topic I am 100% of one opinion and it’s only fair to admit it right? I think the International Degree is the best thing ever. It is the reason I chose OSU hands down and I think it is crazy that people who know about it don’t do it.

That said there are many people I have talked to about it who don’t know what it is. If you are one of those people this blog may change your life. Maybe that’s overly enthusiastic but seriously this is cool, keep reading!

The website (http://oregonstate.edu/international/degree) explains the degree as follows: “In-depth knowledge of another language & culture, broader awareness of the world, & a profound understanding of the international applications of your major equals a concurrent BA in International Studies!”

Essentially what happens is you pick a B.S. or B.A. in something; for me a B.A. in Political Science. What you do is take that B.A. or B.S. and add to it. You have to get to the 4^th year in a foreign language, spend 10 weeks in a country that speaks that language (Oh what a terrible requirement huh?), take 4 International Degree core courses and in the end write a thesis that has to do with your major.  So for me I am in my 4^th year of Spanish, spent 10 weeks last summer in gorgeous Argentina, took the four core courses and will be writing my thesis about the political motivation of disappearing people during the latest dictatorship in Argentina next term. When I graduate in June I will have a B.A. in Political Science and an International Degree in Political Science.

Sidenote: you can kind of double dip in a way. Because I had to take so much Spanish I decided to minor in it. All my Spanish language classes count towards both my minor’s language requirements and my International Degree. The only other thing I needed to do in order to minor was take two culture classes… cake! Though this only works with a minor – I couldn’t count my bacc core classes as my ID core classes or vice versa.

Back to the degree…

If you want to check it out all you need to do is go to the website I listed above. It has links that take you to the graduation requirements, the application to the program and a pretty cool tool. This pretty cool tool helps you pick where you will study abroad for your 10 weeks. You can enter the foreign language you want to speak, your topic (Political Science or something else) and when you want to go or how long you want to go and it spits out every program that fits your parameters. So for example when I used it I put in that I wanted to focus on Political Science, Law or Human Rights as my area of study, I wanted to go in the summer of 2011 and I wanted a Spanish speaking country. It spit out three programs, one in Mexico, one in Spain and one in Argentina and it gave me the links to each program. Clicking on the links takes you to those programs pages where you can look at their admission requirements, the classes they offer, the trips they offer (BEST PART!) and the cost of the program.  It also tells you the length of the program… remember you need 10 weeks but you can do a bit of simple finagling if you need to. For example having been to Mexico and Europe I wanted to go to Argentina but it only offered 5 week programs in two sessions over the summer. So I signed up for both sessions, so two 5 week programs in a row, in the same place for a total of 10 weeks – totally works!

A lot of people ask me why I would go to the extra work to do this assuming that I’m spending more than the stereotypical 4 years here at OSU. I have a couple things to say about that…

1. Extra work? WHAT?! It definitely was not work to spend 10 weeks in a foreign country. I love to travel! Personally I wanted to learn Spanish considering how useful it is. The ID core courses… there are only 4 (!) and you can pick which ones you want to take so all you have to do is pick ones you like. The thesis… yes that is intimidating. I’m honestly a little bit nervous about it but it isn’t like you are left alone to write it; you take an International Degree thesis course (once a week every other week, so easy!) and they get you started on it. The term you write your thesis you work with a professor in your major and they help you finish it!
2. Extra time? I won’t lie; there were some terms when I took quite a course load with maximum or more credits. Was it hard? A little bit but it was worth it. And if you don’t want to or can’t take that many credits than you don’t have to. I have a friend that is in the program and she is taking an extra year (so 5 years) to complete it. IS that a problem? No. Either way you do it, it is totally worth it!
3. Why is it worth it? Because you have 2 degrees when you graduate! I know, going into the Peace Corps and then graduate school and eventually taking the foreign service exam and interview etc. that when it says Amber Gomes, B.A. Political Science, International Degree Political Science and Spanish Minor combined with my experience abroad first as a student and then as a volunteer, that I will be taken seriously. Not only that but I will undoubtedly be a step or two ahead of my job competitors with one degree, no foreign language proficiency and no experience abroad. I know people think those things obviously help a Political Science major but what about my major? Think about how globally oriented our world is becoming. America is no longer an isolationist entity… knowledge about a foreign culture, proficiency in cultural awareness and the demonstrated ability to handle different cultures is going to be useful in any job you get.

I could blog about this for ages… it’s impossible to sum up the International Degree experience and benefits in just a couple pages, but I know I shouldn’t. Basically if this has interested you at all my best advice is to go visit the International Degree office in Snell on the 4^th floor. The people there, Nick Fleury the Head Advisor, LeAnn Adam another advisor, and many others can answer all of your questions and help you figure out everything from whether or not this is the degree for you to how to apply your financial aid to a study abroad.

Maybe I’ll see you at one of the International Degree events someday!

Cheers Beavers! Good luck on those midterms!

Amber

 

By Randi Williams

Hello CLA Students!

Congratulations on making it to week five of winter term! I don’t know if you realize it but we are now halfway through the school year, keep up the good work! Now that you are experienced and seasoned college students it may be time to start focusing on some other aspects of life as well, like your finances. If you’ve found yourself running a little low on cash these days getting a job might be the right move for you.  The task in itself can be overwhelming though, and if you’re like me when I found myself in that position you may not know where to start. There are options for student jobs on campus, but as you probably know those jobs can be very competitive and difficult to get. Before you lose hope though, consider another option, working off campus.

During my four years of living in Corvallis I’ve had multiple jobs off campus, and have had great experiences with all of them. But why do this you may ask, why arrange transportation and put that much more work into a job? While the task may seem daunting, I have found a lot of advantages to working off campus that probably don’t seem immediately obvious.

The first advantage that struck me when I got my first job was that I was again associating with people of different ages. On a college campus we tend to only interact with students who are near the same age as us, and while this can be fun, it’s nice to escape that environment every once and awhile and talk to kids, teens, and older adults. This reminds us what the real world is actually like and keeps us balanced. These interactions also provide us with networking opportunities. Jobs on a college campus are usually only that, jobs intended for students, but while working off campus you can make connections that will be beneficial after graduation as well.

Working off campus can also assist in your future, after graduation job hunt in other ways. As I’m sure you all know the economy is extremely competitive, and any advantage you can give yourself is helpful. The vast majority of working college students have jobs on campus, and working an off campus job could give you that edge you need to stand out among all the applicants. Working for a business not associate with your school can show balance and initiative on your part, and proves you have real world experience.

Now that you know all the advantages comes the real question, “How do I get an off campus job?” Luckily, it’s actually not as hard as you may think. Beaver Job Net is a great place to start looking. I found my first job there freshman year of college and to this day it is still the best job I’ve ever had. Employees post openings and many of them are intended to be filled by college students, you automatically meet some of the requirements! A similar place to look is the Help Wanted section of the Barometer. Again, employees will only post listings there if they intend for college students to apply. If you haven’t found your dream job in any of these places look through postings on Craigslist.com. Businesses all over Corvallis will post job openings here and you may find a career you had never before considered. Craigslist is how I found the job I have now, and it too has worked out great.

No matter how you find your job, keep in mind that any work experience is good experience and be open to different opportunities. The hunt may be challenging, but your hard work will eventually pay off. Good luck!

 

 

By Monica Racicot

Howdy readers! I hope you all find our posts on the CLA blog full of helpful information to aid you in maximizing your experience at OSU. Although OSU hires a large number of students to work on campus, finding a job can be difficult if you don’t know where to start.

When I first arrived at OSU as a junior, I got my first job as a student fundraiser with the OSU Foundation. It was perfect for a starting job because they were very flexible with hours, you only had to work three shifts-which you picked, and nobody worked on Saturdays. And you work with all OSU students! The best part is that the OSU Foundation is always hiring. My job as a student fundraiser was to help raise much-needed support for scholarships, departments, and OSU organizations. The job was great for a little while, I met some great people (shout out to our fellow ambassador Amber!) but then I started to realize that I’m not the right kind of personality for fundraising. So I moved on to find a job with the OSU Department of Recreational Sports on the Outreach Team. Best decision I’ve ever made! I’ll brag about them later…but first, how do you find a job with OSU?

Beaver Jobnet! (If you don’t know it, you should)

Here are the instructions from the student careers page on how to get started with Beaver Jobnet.

1. Beaver Jobnet is one source of information about regular student job openings, both on and off campus. Other frequently used sources of information are the classified section of the Corvallis Gazette-Times newspaper and signs at the employers place of business.

2. Go to http://oregonstate.edu/career and click on the Beaver Job Net logo on the right hand side.

3. Create your own personal account following the instructions on the screen (Contact Career Services if you have questions on the set-up).

4. On the middle of the screen you will see a “One-Click Searches” box. Or on the top right of the screen you will see a “More Searches” box.

5. Select Student On Campus Jobs or Student Off Campus Jobs from the list.

6. Click on job title for more details about the job. Application or contact instructions will appear in each job listing in the “Description” box.

7. Ignore the Restriction at the bottom of the job posting and apply directly to the employer by the method they specify in the job description box.

Never done a job search before?

Career Services offers resources for students looking for jobs online and in their office in Room B008 in the lower level of the Kerr Administration Building.
Not all employers use Beaver Jobnet to hire, but a lot of them do. It’s definitely worth checking out and creating a profile! You never know what you’ll find.

Job Search Checklist

Starting the job search can be overwhelming. Check out career service’s job search checklist as the first step to finding a job and hopefully making the process more clear.

Resume

The resume is the first introduction to the employer and therefore is your first impression! Find out tips on how to make a stellar resume including what to include and not include, different types of formatting, making descriptive bullets, how to condense your resume if you have a lot of experience, how to write a resume if you have little experience, and information about references.

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Curriculum Vitaes (CVs) are often used when applying for scientific and academic positions. CVs tend to provide great detail about academic and research experiences with the intent to market one’s skills, experiences, education and personal qualities. Find out more about how to write a CV effectively.

References

Typically when applying for a job you need to include references. Find out how many, who to ask, and how to format this section.

Cover Letter

A cover letter is a formal way to announce that you are applying to a position. It should be targeted to employers and specific jobs. Find out more about how to write an effective cover letter so that you are chosen to move on to the interview!

Interviewing

Interviewing can make people nervous and in order to interview well, there are some ways to prepare and practice beforehand.

Networking

The majority of jobs are not posted but instead found through networking. But how do you network? Learn the different ways to connect with people and network yourself into your next job!

Negotiations & Salaries

Negotiating salary and benefits is something many people are not aware is oftentimes part of the job search process. Gain tips about how to do it successfully!

Resources to Help Your Job Search

• Drop-In Resume/Cover Letter Feedback – Monday-Thursday, 1pm-4pm
• Career Guide – use our handy Career Guide for job search and career information. It will show you how to write resumes and cover letter and provides several samples:  
• Beaver JobNet has more than job and internship listings; it has extensive tutorials and information on job searching, including resume writing and networking.

Useful links for guidance on the overall job search:

• JobWeb – offers career and job-search advice for new college graduates.
• Riley Guide – a directory of employment and career information sources and services on the Internet. It is primarily intended to provide instruction for job seekers on how to use the Internet to their best advantage.
• Job Search 101 – smart tips and real-world training workbook.
• Wet Feet – mission is to equip job seekers like you with the advice, research, and inspiration you need to plan and achieve a successful career.
• Job Choices – Resume help, interview tips, and more!

UHDS

Dining Services depends on student employees to help provide great food and customer experiences for all of our guests. They offer opportunities to develop your résumé through experience and leadership training. UHDS provides part-time work that is compatible with your class schedule.

They provide a meal discount with each shift worked ($1.00 per meal). Meal breaks are scheduled for a convenient time during your shift. That sounds like a sweet bonus if you ask me!

Here is the UHDS job site where you’ll find the job application.

Shout Out to the Department of Recreational Sports

We are currently hiring! Yay! We are hiring for a variety of positions that will start spring, summer and fall 2012. Applications are being accepted now and are due in March. You can pick up an application from either entry desk at Dixon or fill out the online application here . Complete the application and include a cover letter and resume expressing your interest in and qualifications for working at Recreational Sports. The department accepts students using work-study funds as well as those who are not.

Hiring Information Sessions:
Monday, February 13, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
*All info sessions are from 7-8:30pm in the McAlexander Fieldhouse Classroom.
Application deadline is Friday, March 2, 2012

If you take a look at the application, you will see that there are many positions you can apply for and many different departments you can work in. I am the social media specialist on the Outreach Team. At the information sessions you will get detailed material about all of the departments and positions but I will tell you a little bit about my experience with RecSports.

As a member of the Outreach Team, not only am I in charge of our RecSports website, Facebook, YouTube and twitter accounts, but I also create and facilitate presentations on campus, organize wellness events, and take LOTS of photos and video. We work closely with the graphic design team and each member has their own specialty that they bring to the table. The Outreach Team consists of social media, wellness coordinator, membership, sponsorship and marketing assistant. We all tend to dip in each other’s responsibilities which is why I love being on this team! I will graduate in the spring with so much knowledge and experience relating to marketing, communications, promotions, event planning, leadership and so much more! If any of these areas interest you, I strongly encourage you to apply.

One last note, the winter 2012 Career Fair is February 22 from 11am to 4pm in the CH2M Hill Alumni Center. Be sure to bring a copy of your resume!

For more information regarding on campus jobs, visit http://oregonstate.edu/career/students/