By Mary Chuinard, Academic Advisor

How would you like to make bank for writing an essay?  “Show me the money” you say? Well this isn’t Jerry Maguire but I can tell you that the College of Liberal Arts scholarships for the 2012-2013 school year are open and receiving applications.

Our College has six scholarships just for CLA majors. Check out our website to see if you are eligible to apply for that money. Don’t wait because the application deadline is Friday, March 30^th, 2012.

Scholarships are worth the time you put in to them. Think about it this way, if you spend two hours working on a $400 scholarship that you receive, you are basically earning $200/hour for your time and effort. Make sure to utilize the Writing Center on Campus to review your application materials prior to submission so that they are as good as they can be!

There are many places to find scholarship money.  Just a few are listed below:

www.Fastweb.com (national level)

www.Getcollegefunds.org (state level)

http://oregonstate.edu/financialaid/scholarships (OSU specific)

http://oregonstate.edu/cla/cla-scholarships (College of Liberal Arts specific)

Remember to check your local charitable organizations (e.g. Lions and Elks clubs), your bank or credit union, your parents’ place of work or any other organization in which you have affiliation for other scholarship opportunities.

Application deadlines vary for all of the above scholarships. If you finda scholarship that you are perfect for but the deadline has passed, mark your calendar and apply next year.

Remember to check out our website soon to see if you are eligible for any of our College scholarships and get your application in to our office in Gilkey 213, by 5:00pm on Friday, March 30^th, 2012.

 

By Alison Blazer

Hello current and prospective CLA students! It’s a common goal among university students nationwide to want to fit some travelling into their college experience.  Even with so many eager students, only 3% of the OSU student body ends up studying abroad, on average per year. I, myself  began looking into study abroad options only 3 short months ago, and was just accepted to study abroad in Chillán, Chile this upcoming Fall! I’m here to tell you that although the process may seem daunting, Oregon State’s campus is full of support and resources to help simplify it every step of the way!

Step 1: Internship or Study Abroad?

Oregon State offers over 200 approved study abroad programs, in variety of locations all over the globe. Another, more hidden opportunity is IE₃ Global Internships. OSU allows students to intern in businesses around the world in order to prepare them for the global job market. Each program, whether it be a study abroad experience or an internship, has different benefits. That’s why finding the right program for you can be the trickiest part! Which leads me to Step 2…

Step 2: Attend a First Steps Meeting

The office of International Programs holds First Steps Meetings Monday through Friday, at noon and 4 pm in Heckart Lodge to get newcomers started on the right track. Attending one meeting is required in order to make an appointment with a Study Abroad advisor. You’ll sit down with students who have returned from studying abroad to discuss the basics of program options, financial options and how to apply. When I attended my First Steps Meetings, I found talking to someone in person made the process seem a lot more manageable. The students who facilitate the meetings know a lot about the process and the options available to students- they’re there to get you ready and excited about going abroad!

Step 3: Make Your Advising Appointments

This step is where some people start to lose steam. In the International Programs office, they require you to pick a location/region because advisors cover specific regions to better serve students. But there’s no pressure!  You can meet with as many advisors from as many different regions as you’d like. Not only will your advising appointment help you to be more confident in your destination choice, but advisors are practically brimming over with information about the various programs available in each country. They’ll discuss your interests here at OSU’s home campus, and how who you are can be incorporated into finding the right program for you. To make an appointment, call the International Programs office at (541) 737-3006. Once you’ve done that, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with your general academic advisor as well. Advisors in the CLA office can help you to examine your coursework and look at how studying abroad or interning abroad can fit into your degree. To contact the CLA Advising Office, call (541) 737-0561.

Step 4: Program Preparation

Once you’ve picked your program or internship, the remainder of your preparation is program specific! There are forms (financial, academic and health) that need to be filled out, and the application for whichever program you choose may require essays, transcripts, recommendations etc. Usually, each program will have it’s own individual checklist that helps students navigate this last leg of applying.

There are a myriad of programs available- including one that’s right for you! Don’t hesitate to talk to your academic advisor about the prospect of studying abroad, even if it’s a ways down the road in your time here at OSU. Get curious and get started!

 

By: Monica Racicot

Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

It’s never too late to volunteer! I have been volunteering since I was in elementary school. Giving back to my community has always played an important role in my life. When I moved to Oregon from California for school, I made it a priority to continue volunteering my time, even thoughI knew it wasn’t going to be permanent.

My first week at OSU, I participated in the ‘Day of Caring’. I had the pleasure of spending my morning with the lovely Corvallis Fire Department, helping with chores around the station. What a way to start my year! I spent my first winter term, helping out at the Family Tree Relief Nursery in Albany. Family Tree is a community-based child abuse prevention program, providing early intervention services at no cost to high-risk Linn County families with children under the age of six. Once a week I assisted the teachers with classroom and outdoor activities for the kids. I enjoy working with kids so it was a fun experience for me.

The Center for Civic Engagement is a great resource on campus for finding local volunteer opportunities. Here is how they suggest finding opportunities with them:

Step 1:
Visit the Center for Civic Engagement in Snell 158, on their website or on Facebook. Choose a service opportunity, and determine the time period- ongoing or a one time opportunity.

Step 2:
Contact the Coordinator associated with that service opportunity or the Center for Civic Engagement main office email. A representative of the CCE will contact you with additional information.

Step 3:
Pick up a Signup form from the Center for Civic Engagement in Snell 158 (or you may print it out from our website by going to “forms” on the right-hand tool bar).

Step 4:
Get out and volunteer!

Step 5:
Complete the Signup form and turn into the Center for Civic Engagement in Snell 158(or drop in Center for Civic Engagement Drop-Box located outside of the center’s office).

 

The CCE also offers fun, “alternative Spring Breaks.” They offer 3 trips that focus on 3 different philanthropic areas. Signups are closed now, but to get an idea of what they are offering this year, you could go to Yakima, Washington ($120) and focus on community and cultural engagement, San Francisco, California ($350) and focus on hunger and homelessness, or Newport, Oregon ($240) for environmental restoration. Prices for the trips vary because of location, travel needed, meals, and what you’ll be doing. The Alternative Spring Break program enables students to immerse themselves in a new and different community to learn its historical, sociological, cultural and/or political background.  To find more information, visit their website.

Another way to spend your Spring Break giving back is to take a trip with Students Today Leaders Forever’s ‘Pay it forward’ tour. Here is their spiel-

All STLF College Pay It Forward Tours travel to six cities across the country over the course of nine days.  We will carry out a service project in each of those communities visited; work with a variety of organizations and social issues over the course of the week.  Through evening activities and reflection, the Tour is an opportunity to build meaningful relationships and learn about issues affecting communities across the country and your own.  Each Pay It Forward Tour consists of up to 40 students, is entirely student-led, and is open to all college students regardless of where they go to school.

This year, OSU is headed down the coast of California, helping in Eureka, Santa Rosa, San Jose, Arroyo Grande, Carson and the incredibly gorgeous San Diego. The cost of the Oregon State Pay It Forward Tour is $450.  That amount covers all travel, lodging, two t-shirts, 1 or 2 meals per day, and more.  This includes a $125 nonrefundable down payment upon registration, with the remainder due prior to Tour departure. Although funds are limited, financial aid is available and selected on highest need and order of submission. If you’re interested in this trip, visit their website.

If neither of these options tickles your fancy, you can sign up to be on the CCE email list serv, or follow their great blog to keep yourself informed about upcoming opportunities.

Volunteering is not only good for others; it’s good for YOU too. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, gain important skills and experiences that you will need later on in life; make connections that could lead you to a job or career, and help you stay active in the local community.

Next Day of Caring is September 19, 2012! Mark your calendars!

 

 

By Randi Williams

Hello future teachers!

First of all, congratulations on choosing to become a teacher. I’m a senior studying Liberal Studies with an option in elementary education, and can definitely identify with all of you who have found a passion for teaching. Education within the college of Liberal Arts is a great field, but you may have noticed that there are little to no classes that allow you to spend time in a classroom unless you’re part of the college of Education also, and to someone who’s passionate about education and children this seems like a real downfall. We though have an alternative great option to give you real work experience and credits at the same time!

Classroom experience is an opportunity for those of us who want to be teachers in the college of Liberal Arts to spend part of our breaks volunteering in a classroom. You are there receiving a genuine full-day teaching experience the entire time your mentor teacher is working with students including before and after school planning. If you choose to do September Experience you’ll even spend a week in the school planning before students arrive. Not only is this a great way to earn some extra credits before our hectic lives at school start again, it can really give you a taste of what it’s like to be a teacher. All’s well and good when we’re learning about it, but spending all day in a classroom with students is an entirely different experience, and one that all potential teachers should have before they decide to spend the rest of their professional lives educating children.

I personally had the opportunity to complete two classroom experiences. September of my junior year at Oregon State I volunteered in a third grade classroom, and September of this year I split my time between a kindergarten and first grade class. I’ve had the opportunity to take some amazing classes throughout my college career, but I undoubtedly learned more from these two experiences than from any professor. Teachers in general are extremely passionate about what they do, and they love to answer questions and give advice to their mentees. Not only that, they are a great resource for the future when you have questions or need a reference. You’ll also be able to interview other professionals working in the school, an experience that will open your eyes to everything and everyone it takes to make a school run smoothly. I for instance talked with an ESL teacher and a reading specialist, who gave me some great insight into the challenges and the potential of students.

Though all of those opportunities to work with school personnel were great, by far the best aspect of classroom experience is working with the students. I was amazed how attached I became to these kids in just four weeks! Spending so much time with your students you quickly get to know each of them very well, which makes their achievements that much more exciting. I would often work with the students who were struggling, and the joy and pride they felt when finally understanding a concept is contagious, moments like those remind you why you want to be a teacher. It was also during my classroom experience this year that I fully realized the potential impact I could have on these children. One afternoon the first grade teacher I was working with stepped out to find a television for the class, and instructed the students to listen while Ms. Williams read a story. The minute those thirty eyes looked to me I realized that to these students I was their teacher, the person completely responsible for what happens in the classroom. A simple moment like that, where you realize the difference you can make in a child’s life, is something you have to experience in the classroom, not from a lecture or textbook.

If I could make one recommendation to students studying education, it would be to complete as many Classroom experiences as you can. Contact the College of Liberal Arts Advising Office in Gilkey 213, 541-737-0561, to get more information about signing up for a classroom experience.  The preparation we receive for teaching at Oregon State is wonderful, but nothing can compare to actually being in the classroom and seeing first hand what your future will be.

One final note, I would encourage any of you interested in teaching in economically disadvantaged school to look into Teach For America, a program that aims to close the achievement gap by placing teachers in these schools. Browse their website to get an idea of their mission and the opportunities they offer to teachers!