Part 2: Alumni Weekend 2014

Okay, okay. So I know I said I would post Part 2 of my Alumni Weekend experience last week, but please forgive me. I mean, it is summer for me; a time of no "to do" lists and no assignment deadlines that I'm trying to meet the night before cough cough morning of  it's due... so it sorta slipped my mind.

As a staff member, I attended the Summer Gateway Program kick off dinner - a feature on that to happen in the coming weeks! - last night and had the honor to meet and hear Mansfield Alum Freddy Coleman '87, @ColemanESPN, speak. On my walk home, I had that oh crap moment and realized that I still needed to post about Alumni Weekend! So here we go!

While making my rounds in Manser, I happen to see President Hendricks chatting it up with some alum and an open seat at the table. I knew right after asking if I could join the conversation that it was a good pick because I soon learned that these alum were friends with the President during his time as a student. Not even two minutes after sitting down, Jerry Wood '77 broke out his phone and pulled up a group picture of frat brothers from the seventies with the President and that infamous fro like the one Photo of the Day. President Hendricks is a brother of Lamnda Chi.

President Hendricks, left, at a student dance in 1978.
Borrowed from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania's Facebook page

Let me tell you, the alum that I spoke with kept me laughing the whole time. My favorite story, from Chester Nebrotski '75, a brother of then Phi Sigma Epsilon (Phi Sigma Kappa today), was about two sentences and his delivery was hysterical. "I was leaving a party at the Sig Tau house and I looked around outside and I had no idea where I was. HOW DO YOU GET LOST IN MANSFIELD."  LOL.

Susan Smith '77 was laughing the whole time when she was telling me about how students would take the lunch trays from Manser and use them as sleds down by the Maple hill. I then proceeded to tell her about how that's the urban myth around campus today of why we don't have lunch trays in Manser anymore. She got a kick out of it.

From left to right: Jerry Wood '77, Chester Nebrototski '75,
Susan Smith '77, and Guy Smith '76

The group continued to tell me stories about how Spring Fling started while they were all students, parties with dozens of kegs, and others that I probably shouldn't publish. The one thing that they reminisced of that I thought was cool was how Mansfield's non official slogan at the time was Mansfield: The Other MU, as a play on Millersville University.

Chester, Jerry, and Guy Smith '76, were/are all brothers of Phi Sigma Epsilon prior to it's national merge with Phi Sigma Kappa, which is what we have on campus today. We got on the topic of study hours and I was telling them how the brothers today have mandatory study hours each week. They all chuckled and explained to me their study hours. They started at 5 o'clock each day... around a TV for Star Trek. At 6 o'clock, brothers would either continue to "study" on a different channel that played more Star Trek or head up to dinner.

"They carried me, we carried each other."

I also had the pleasure of speaking with William Walsh '78, Thomas Howe '75, and several other Phi Sigma Kappa brothers that I must regret to admit that I did not properly take down their names. My defense being that I was so wrapped up in the good conversation! Please alumni - correct me if I'm wrong! - but I believe I also spoke with Michael Bense '74, and Charles Gordon '71.

Thomas Howe '75,left, with Bill Walsh '78, right, and friends.
I'll make sure to update this when I get their names, don't worry!

Bill Walsh was the first brother of Phi Sig to come back to Mansfield's Alumni Weekend. Since then, he organizes within his brotherhood every year for usually around 25-30 brothers to return during Alumni Weekend. They typically come up a day early to golf on their own, participate in the Golf Tournament at Cory Creek on Friday, meet up with current brothers of Phi Sig, and stay a day longer than the sponsored events by Alumni Relations.

Much like the sisters of DZ that I posted about in Part 1, the brothers stressed that we as current students do not understand what the relationships that we are currently developing with our friends while still in school mean. It won't be until after graduation, five, ten, even twenty years down the road when we will realize how strong the bonds we are making now will be. It'll be when we come back for Alumni Weekend and relive the memories that we're making right now, is when we will learn what being a Mountie really means. 

Before I wrap this up with Maureen Fallon-Walsh '78, Bill's wife, and the current students of Alumni Weekend, I'd also just like to share a key point to every alumni and their stories. Every table I had the pleasure of speaking with all said the same thing - it was a different time when they were here. Whether it was the technology, after WWII, or like with the brothers of Phi Sig, after Vietnam and many of the students were war vets. Everyone had a different experience and us, as current students, are in the same yet completely different ball park as them. 

Maureen Fallon-Walsh '78, left, Jerry Wood '77, center,
and an very goof ball of a friend. Sorry I didn't get your name!

Before I headed out of Manser, I was honored to speak with Maureen, this year's recipient of the Alumni Citation Award. Maureen is the first ASA sister to be given the award, and by the sounds of it, she really deserved it! The award is presented to an alum who contributes to society through civic leadership, philanthropic work, and professional leadership. She has a degree from Mansfield in both Criminal Justice and Psychology and has always been a major advocate for Special Needs Rights. And this isn't even her first award for her work! Outside of her professional life, Maureen loves the beach, shopping, reading, and is really involved with her church. She was such a pleasure to meet and I really enjoyed my time speaking with her! I know its sorta bad quality, but at the end of this post you can read even more about Maureen and her accomplishments after Mansfield as told by the Alumni Relations brochure. 

I would like to thank Denise Burg and Andrea Swain '02 again for inviting me along to the Alumni Weekend events! I can't wait till Homecoming weekend now to have the opportunity to meet and speak with more alum! I'd also like to give a shout out to the Student Staff of Alumni Weekend. Well, and recent graduate, Brad Veach '14, congrats Brad! 

As pictured from left to right: Brad Veach '14, Katie Muirhead, Craig Rose, Mitchell Sensenig, and James Scarantino. 

Part 1: Alumni Weekend 2014

Thanks to Denise Burg and Andrea Swain ‘02 from Alumni Relations, I was very fortunate to have been able to attend the Lobsterfest Dinner Friday night as part of the Alumni Weekend events.

Photo courtesy of Adam Murtland '12

Alumni began arriving in Mansfield on Thursday and were invited to an event filled Friday and Saturday both on and off campus. Friday’s events included the annual Golf Tournament at Corey Creek and the Lobsterfest Dinner. On Saturday, alums took part of the Alumni Reunion Luncheon where select alumni were inducted into the Society of Honors and the Class of 1964 presented their class gift. Saturday also hosted a Create Your Own Ice Cream Sundae at President Hendricks’s house as well as the College Place Tennis Ball Race.

Below, you can read stories I’ve gathered on Friday night from Mansfield’s very own alumni. Today’s post includes interviews with three lovely groups of alum: sisters from DZ, members of the Class of 1964, and a former majorette!  Make sure you check back tomorrow for another post with more stories from alumni, including some from and about President Hendricks!

Get out of your rooms. You know, we didn’t have computers or TV. We got to know each other and developed a close bond and everyone’s doors were always open. We would all sit in the lounge together.

These were the agreed upon words from “The Women of Culture and Adventure,” a group of alumni Delta Zeta sisters who I had the pleasure of speaking with Friday night at the Alumni Weekend Lobsterfest dinner. The women, names, basically finished each other’s sentences. They spoke with me about DZ taking up the entire fourth floor of Laurel, kayaking trips through the gorge and getting to Manser right at the start of dinner to get “prime seats” to scoop everyone out for the duration of dinner.

But more importantly than their stories of their time spent at Mansfield, was what they first spoke with me about. Over 30 years since they all had graduated, these women, along with others who were not in attendance to Alumni Weekend, are all still in touch today. Their children are all grown now and they still plan vacation together and meet up for lunches.

From left to right: Sharon Mokrynski Kendrick '81, Kim Soper '79, Linda Zastavny Berry '79, Donna Boehringer Zaun '76, and Wendy Hanchak Bocknovich '77

Diane Hess Bardsley, who celebrated her 50^th Class reunion this year with the class of 1964, told me about middle of the night fire alarm pranks by someone that they never caught. She explained to me that it was in protest of the President of the University at the time because he apparently spent a whole lot of university money on a new dog house for his dog.

Diane studied Home Economics while she was at Mansfield and was the 1963 Yearbook Editor. While I spoke with her and her husband, Vincent Bardsley, who is alum of West Chester University, they told me stories about how women had 7pm curfews their freshman year and 10pm curfews their sophomore year till the graduated when men didn’t have a curfew at all.

Now, this was during the era where North Hall served as the women’s dormitory. Men weren’t allowed in North Hall except for once around Christmas time and the same was true for the women not being allowed into the men’s dorms except for once around Christmas time… and now I have guy neighbors on both sides of me in Sycamore!

Janet Campbell Hoover ’64, added on by explaining how women couldn’t wear slacks except to The Hut. She spent her summer between her junior and senior year on campus and she reminisced about how her and her friends would put their trench coats on over their pj’s or shorts and head to The Hut for sandwiches.

I asked what The Hut was like when they were here. Diane and Janet painted a restaurant like picture for me, kind of like a student center too. Students would play cards, get sandwiches, and just hang out.

The two ladies told me about how every Monday through Thursday students would dress up for dinner in Manser. Like, I’m talking dressed up, heels, suits, everything, and not only did they have to dress up for dinner, but everyone had assigned seats and they would rotate your table every nine weeks.

I laughed to myself at the thought of this, not because of the complete change of how Manser runs now, but more because of how it seems like we self assign seats. I can picture Upper right now, with certain groups sitting at the same table or in the same area for every meal. Even my friends, we typically always sit in the booths over by the Grill.

  

I also had the pleasure of talking with two couples who were all Mansfield alum: Donald Mahon ’52 and his wife Mary Konsko Mahon ’53 and E. Edward Thompson ’56, a brother of Phi Mu Alpha, and his wife Doris Reigle Thompson ’54.  What was interesting about speaking with this particular group of alum was how their day to day life at Mansfield differed from ours today because a lot of students at the time were WWII veterans.

I spent time speaking with them about my experience partaking in Mansfield’s marching band my freshman year as well as updating them on current music ensembles on campus. Edward had a lot of questions about Phi Mu Alpha today so I tried to help answer them the best I could. While Mary was here, she was actually a majorette of the marching band! She said this to sum up her experience as a Mansfield student: 

Photo courtesy of Adam Murtland '12 

“We were so small. We knew everyone. There was a great deal of respect. It was a true Alma Mater.”

Mary Konsko Mahon '53, center, with fellow majorettes Marsha Earley Malinich '54, left, and Dorothy McCabe Gordon '54, right.

New Student Orientation: Welcome Class of 2018!

Hi Mounties! Well, the lovely founder of The Mountie Guide, Briana Bayer, has finally packed up her things in Mansfield and is off adventuring in the next phase of her life. I'd like to say congratulations on graduating, Bri, and thank you again for giving me this opportunity to keep the Guide going. 

Keep and eye out for an introductory post from me in the near future!  

- Erica

I'm staying in Mansfield this summer and working as the student worker for the Counseling and Learning Center in South Hall. Yesterday, I realized that a New Student Orientation happening and thought what a prime opportunity to meet some new students as well as a summer post for the blog! So, I grabbed a note pad and ran over to Manser during my lunch break to do some mini interviews. 

Let's welcome some new students!

Name: Lindsay Vincent

Major: Undeclared

Hometown: Towanda, Pa 

What brought her to MU: "Its close to home, I like the campus, and they have great nursing program I'm hoping to get into!"

What she's most excited for: Meeting new people

What she's most nervous for: Hard classes

Her favorite thing so far about Orientation: "I love how friendly everyone is and all of the information."

(I love how Lindsay already had on some Mountie gear!)

Name: Elizabeth Deuel

Major: Forensic Science 

Hometown: Jersey Shore, Pa 

What brought her to MU: "Its one of the only schools around that had my major. Its also close to home."

What she's most excited for: Meeting new people and the freedom

What she's most nervous for: Keeping up with her chemistry classes

Her favorite thing so far about Orientation: "Eating! I was so hungry! And getting my schedule."

Name: Kierstin Goodby

Major: Undeclared

Hometown: Jersey Shore, Pa

What brought her to MU: "I have a lot of friends who go here and I've met some really nice alum who liked it here!"

What she's most excited for: Meeting new people, being on her own from her parents

What she's most nervous for: Keeping up with classes, having enough free time away from schoolwork

Her favorite thing so far about Orientation: "Getting to know people! And everyone has been so friendly today!"

Elizabeth, left, and Kierstin, right.

Name: Brian Kircher; transfer student

Major: Criminal Justice

Hometown: Perkasie, Pa

What brought him to MU: "I know the area pretty well; my grandmother has a house close to here so I've been coming up this way for years."

What he's most excited for: Being in a new place, being able to meet new people, and doing something different with his life

What he's most nervous for: Exams - since they're such a big part of the course grade

His favorite thing so far about Orientation: "How helpful everyone is and how nothing is confusing. Even my schedule is nice and easy to read."

Additionally, I was able to chat with an Orientation Ambassador.

Name: Cody Carlson

Major: Communications

Year: Junior

Hometown: Elmira, NY

His favorite thing about orientation: "I love introducing all of the new students to MU and helping to get them antiquated with campus."

How he got involved with being an Ambassador: "My mom was one when she went here so I was sort of born into it. My leaders were great during my orientation they made me want to be the same way. They really made my transition great and I want to help do the same for the new freshman." 

Cody, right, with Assistant Director of Admissions, 

Matt Guagiardo, left. 

To see what the new students did during their orientation, you can check out the first year students schedule here and the transfer students schedule here. Or if you wanted to just check out the New Student Orientation homepage, you can do that here, as well as the Admissions home page here! Is that enough here's? 

What's Happening Wednesday: Student Film Screenings

One of my absolute favorite parts of the semester is finals week. I know what you must be thinking... "really?..." But yes, I love finals week... aside from all of the stress that comes along with it. Besides the large amount of studying you're hopefully doing, there's also a ton of opportunities to take a break and enjoy MU.

One of my favorite ways to take a break is to attend the student film screenings in Allen Hall. In the past few semesters, I've always made sure to make it to the film screenings for the Advanced Video or Post Production Editing classes. The videos I've seen are usually anywhere from 10-20 minutes long and some are documentaries, some are narratives. I've seen some seriously amazing talent from these screenings and I totally recommend you attend one of them at least once before you graduate.

Two of my favorites from the videos from today's screening are posted online so I thought I would share them with you! I can't even begin to imagine how much work went into the making of these films. They're creative, entertaining, and (warning) contain some strong language.

Thanks to Chelsea Simmers and Kyle Northrup for posting their videos online! 

 

We Are Miraculous from Chelsea Simmers on Vimeo.

Mountie Monday: Passing on the Torch...

Hey everyone! Sorry the few absences last week... I caught the plague that hit campus a week or two ago. For the last Mountie Monday of the semester, I chose to feature the lovely Mountie that will be continuing The Mountie Guide next semester!

(Me, left. Erica, right.)

First off, I would just like to say that I am so, so happy that I found someone to continue The Mountie Guide since I tried to work hard on it this semester. It would've been a little heartbreaking to just watch it die down. Even though I didn't want to be extremely picky about choosing who would take over The Mountie Guide... it was hard not to be! This blog is almost like my baby and I want to make sure whoever adopts it takes great care of it. I have no doubts in my mind that Erica will do just that.

Thanks Erica! I'm so excited to see the amazing things you do with The Mountie Guide next semester and hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Name: Erica Frank

Year: Junior

Major: History and Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations

Hometown: Hatboro, PA

Organizations: Public Relations Director of WNTE, Student Promoter for Sodexo

What made you choose Mansfield?

Erica: Originally, I just applied to Mansfield as a safety school in case I wasn't accepted into the other state schools I applied to. After I was accepted to all of the state schools I applied to, I made sure to visit them. I was dead set on attending IUP at first, until I visited their campus and it just didn't feel like the school I was meant to attend. As soon as I saw Mansfield from Route 15, I fell in love with it, just by looking at it. I went on a tour of MU and fell even more in love with it. It was so homey and just felt right.

Favorite professor or class and why?

Erica: Dr. K. Sue Young and Holly Pieper, for sure. They're both so fun and extremely personable. I seem to participate the most in their classes... probably because I'm really comfortable with them and they make it easy to be interactive during class.

Favorite event at Mansfield and why?

Erica: My favorite event would probably have to be when the music department puts on their Prism concerts. The Prism concert gives you a sample of almost each ensemble. It's interesting because you save your clapping until the end of the entire show and you just get to sit back and listen to the different varities of music that's being delivered.

Favorite memory from Mansfield:

Erica: I've actually dressed up as the Mountie before! I've always wanted to be a mascot and when I asked my friend that dresses up sometimes for it, he said I would be able to help out. The best part about being the Mountie is that no one knows it's you so you can dance and not be embarrassed. It's nice to just have fun with the crowd and go out into the field to increase the audience's support for MU.

What do you plan on doing with The Mountie Guide?

Erica: I'm interested in spotlighting a lot of different organizations on campus. At MU, there are so many options for clubs/organizations and I would love to expose them. Along with clubs, I think it would be interesting to spotlight different departments and expose any interesting things they've been doing.

Mountie Monday: The Spirit and Pride of Pennsylvania

Happy Monday, Mountie Nation!

For this week's Mountie Monday, I chose someone that I recently met and knew would be perfect for one of my last MM posts. Derek Smilowski conducts the marching band here at MU, which means he's the guy waving his hands in front of the band in order to teach the band their music. Derek grew up hearing his older sister play the violin, which originally inspired him to get involved with music.

Derek continued his love affair with music simply because it is purely human-created and notated. He pointed out how music is found in all cultures and civilizations in the history of the world and there has yet to be a culture founded that doesn't have some type of music that is unique to them. He (as well as I) finds it amazing that we can travel anywhere in the world, even without being fluent in a language different than our own, and still communicate through music. Another reason why Derek studies music is because it is one of the most human subjects out there and can be completely mood altering and relatable.

Name: Derek Smilowski

Year: Senior

Major: Music Education and Instrumental Performance

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Organizations: Kappa Kappa Psi (Music Fraternity), NAfME (national association for music education, Marching Band (drum major), Orchestra, Wind Ensemble

What made you choose Mansfield?

Derek: I knew that I wanted to be a music education major so I was in search for the perfect program. Mansfield was one of the first schools to offer a degree in music ed and that was back in the 1880's! What a reputation! Also, the quality of the marching band and other ensembles had a huge part to play.

Favorite professor or class and why?

Derek: Dr. Rinnert (the king as, as we call him) is the assistant director of the marching band and a professor of music education. He is an inspiration to me because he practices exactly what he preaches and is a phenomenal teacher. He teaches us exactly how he wants us to teach in the future and is more than fully supportive to the next generation of music teachers. He has helped guide me, not only in my experiences as a teacher, but also as a musician, conductor and more importantly, a person. Dr. Rinnert helped shape my life's philosophy, "it's all about the process, not the product."

Favorite event at Mansfield and why?

Derek: My favorite event at Mansfield was definitely the Light it Up Again weekend at MU. I can not tell you how much of a rush it was to conduct lead the marching band for the first time on our very own lighted field! The stands were packed and there was excitement in the air the whole night. It was an honor to be part of such a big event during my senior year at MU.

Favorite memory from Mansfield:

Derek: It's honestly hard to pick my favorite memory. My greatest memory is generally being here for four years. I've had so many great experiences and have certainly made life long friends. If I had to pin point one exact memory that was one of my favorites, it was when I won the student solo competition my sophomore year. Winning this meant that I got to prepare a major solo work for my instrument and be accompanied by our orchestra here in concert. Two of the other winners that year were very close friends of mine and I will always remember performing on stage that night and hearing my friends make some truly awesome music!

There must be a lot of pressure that comes with conducting... how do you deal with it?

Derek: I always make sure that I am overly prepared for the band's performance. Nothing is worse than going on feeling like you aren't prepared or ready for the show. We always perform at the Allentown Marching Band Festival in September where thousands of people are in attendance. Nothing tests your nerves more than trying to count off the band in a stadium filled to the brim with people. I try my best to pretend they aren't there and focus on what I can do to help the band sound its absolute best!

What's Happening Wednesday: Introducing the... Mountie Den

What's up, Mounties?! 

Last week, the Mansfield University Bookstore got a makeover. Well, the title and logo did, at least. From what I've heard, the actual bookstore will be receiving a makeover as well, soon enough! 

Every spring semester, a class called "Public Relations Workshop" is taught to (mostly) PR juniors/seniors. I've already taken this class and let me tell you... I've never worked so hard. This class gives PR majors an idea of what to expect when they enter the work force as a PR professional. For the class, you and your group (around four other students) are assigned to design a small campaign and plan an event for an actual business/organization.

Trevor Clark, Onyema Utti, Kate Younkin, Sally Reigle, and Quin Taylor were lucky enough to work with Connie from the campus bookstore. The main element (from my perspective) of their campaign was their decision to rename the bookstore. However, instead of just choosing a new name for the bookstore, they held a Twitter contest in order to let Mounties help decide what the new name of the bookstore would be.

After counting all of the votes from Twitter, the group hosted the Grand Unveiling Ceremony that was held right outside of Jazzman's Cafe. The whole event was incredibly professional and I was so impressed by all of the hard work that the group put into this class. I'm so happy for both the bookstore and the group for this successful campaign and can't wait to see what comes next for the Mountie Den.

Mountie Monday: MU Royalty

Hey, Mounties!

For this week's Mountie Monday, I chose to interview someone that is constantly leaving a lasting impression at MU. Kevonte McClain... Homecoming King, Captain of the basketball team, and student is someone that most Mounties have heard of by now.

I first met Kevonte during the Homecoming rehearsal and instantly felt comfortable with him. It was really nice to see such a popular athlete be supportive towards other candidates and humble about being nominated. While staying confident, Kevonte never seemed to be overly-confident about Homecoming and when they called his name as King, he was pleasantly surprised and grateful.


Name: Kevonte McClain

Year: Senior

Major: Philosophy (Pre-Law)

Hometown:Rochester,NY

Organizations: Men's Basketball (Captain), SAAC

What made you choose Mansfield?

Kevonte: I came to MU because I earned a scholarship to play basketball. Coach Miller sold me on on MU and the players were cool when I came to visit.

Favorite professor or class and why? 

Kevonte: Johnathan Rothermel because I love his teaching style and the way his classes are set up.

Favorite event at Mansfield and why?

Kevonte: Spring Fling because there are so many activities available and they usually have a good concert set up.
.
Favorite memory from Mansfield:

Kevonte: That would have to be winning a PSAC championship during my freshman year.

What does the title of Homecoming King mean to you?

Kevonte: It means everything to me because I feel like all of the friends I've made since I've been here are continuously supporting me and showing me love.

Friday Five: Five FUN Classes to Take at MU

Hi, Mounties! For this week's Friday Five, a close friend and sorority sister, Kate, suggested that I write about FUN classes that MU offers. I thought this was the perfect idea, especially since everyone has been picking out their schedules for next semester. Maybe these suggestions will even help you decide between one class and another!

Even though there are technically only supposed to be five... I couldn't choose between two of my favorite English classes, so they both made the cut. I tried to mix the subjects up a little because I understand that not everyone wants to take 5 English classes before they graduate... and that is exactly what my list of fun classes would entail.

(Photo Credit)

• Digital Photography (ART-3330)

"A course designed for the non-art major using a hands-on approach to learning the digital camera in acquiring images, in preparing them on the computer for print and in presenting prints in various formats." (Borrowed from WebAdvisor)

I can personally say that this class is a fun time. I'm currently taking it and... I'm a little obsessed with the camera we get to use. Is it bad that I use the camera more for personal reasons rather than school-related reasons? Oh well. Anyway, other than learning how to use an awesome camera, I've also learned how to use Photoshop! I definitely have a lot more of Photoshop to learn but I would say that I'm fluent in the basics.

(Photo Credit)

• Monster Lit (2299)

"This course focuses on analyzing and understanding the significance of monsters in mythology, literature, and film using a variety of critical approaches." (Borrowed from WebAdvisor)

Here's another class that I've actually taken myself! Even though I'm kind of a book nerd, I can testify that others (non book nerds) have enjoyed this class as much as I did. The books used in this course are the classic, monster stories that almost everyone seems to enjoy. One of my favorite parts about this class was being able to watch the movie adaptions of the books we read in class. 

(Photo Credit)

• Young Adult Lit (3386)

"This course focuses on analyzing literature written for the young adult audience, with a focus on the characteristics of the genre, emerging themes, and contemporary trends." (Borrowed from WebAdvisor)

And again... another class I've taken! What a surprise. You know what else is surprising? That I chose another Lit class. Actually... that shouldn't be surprising at all, if you know me. Anyway, let me first just say that the day and time for this class sucks. Bad. It's on a Saturday morning and most of you, after reading this sentence, have decided not to take it just because of the day and time. But seriously, this class was amazing. Oh, and Veronica Roth (author of Divergent) knows about this class and totally approves. I met her twice at book conventions and I made sure to mention that I got to read Divergent for a class... which she thought was awesome.

(Photo Credit)

• Persuasion (4401)

"A study of the psychology of persuasion and its use in a free society, and propaganda and its effect on our daily living. Prepares the student to evaluate persuasive messages, to use persuasion effectively, and to appreciate the ethics of persuasion." (Borrowed from WebAdvisor)

And yet again... another class I've taken before! I took Persuasion last semester and loved it. In general, communication courses tend to be pretty fun just because they're very open for discussion and are also interactive. The best word I can use to describe this class is "intriguing". The information isn't isn't life-changing but it certainly explains a lot. How can you not like a class that teaches you how to get your way?

(Photo Credit)

• Psych Disorders (3391)

"Provides an introduction to the history of psychological disorders as well as an overview of the symptoms, causes, and treatments of psychological disorders. Emphasis is placed on the biopsychosocial model of psychological disorders." (Borrowed from WebAdvisor)

Surprise! I've actually taken all five of these classes! It makes sense to choose classes that I've actually taken... especially if I'm going to recommend them because they're fun, right? Psych Disorders was probably one of the easiest classes I took during my time at MU, but that's not why it was fun! I've always been a fan of movies like Girl, Interrupted and Black Swan, where the main character has some serious psychological issues. This class gave me a chance to explore a little beyond those movies and learn about the actual disorders. It was... enlightening, to say the least.

What's Happening Wednesday: MU Drag Show

Hey, Mountie Nation!

So, last Friday night (that's a Katy Perry song, isn't it?) I attended the MU Drag Show, hosted by GLO (Gay and Lesbian Organization/Alliance). This wasn't my first time attending the MU Drag Show, so I (more or less) knew what to expect. What I remembered from last year was how the drag show was highly entertaining because of how real and raunchy the performers are. The performers don't hold back... at all, so be prepared. If you're easily offended by profanity, then maybe this show isn't for you. However, if you can take a little profanity, which most college students can, then I highly recommend you attend the next one!

(Photo credit: Adam Wood)

I wasn't sure if I should format this post as a review or a recap, so I decided to kind of mix them together and see what happens! In the beginning of the show, Tequila Daniels walked/strutted/danced out into the crowd to get us hyped up. Tequila plays (what I would assume) host, and does a fantastic job at it. She's probably the raunchiest of all of the performers, especially when she gets the crowd involved in her act. Let me just say that there was whipped cream involved on Friday... you can do what you will with that image in your head.

One of my favorite parts of the Drag Show is watching my fellow Mounties dress up in drag and put on performances for us. It's something that is so interesting to experience because even though they're still themselves, they seem completely different! With all of the makeup, outfit choices, and dance routines, you would never expect these performers to be the students that you surround yourself with daily. The transformation is almost magical.

My absolute favorite part of the MU Drag Shows, though, is the sense of community. Whether you're gay, bisexual, straight, transgender, etc., it doesn't matter. At the Drag Show, hell... at Mansfield in general, you're all just Mounties having a good time and living the good life. 

Till next time, my Mounties!

Mountie Monday: Hoopin' Through MU

(Borrowed from Canyon Hoops)

Hey, Mountie Nation!

For this week's Mountie Monday, I chose someone that I used to share an apartment with! If I were to be asked what my most vivid memory of living with Rosey Boone is, I would tell them about the times in our backyard (whether it was 70° or 40°) when she would practice her hula hooping.

Rosey first started hooping during her freshman year and loves it just as much as when she started... maybe even more! After watching her friends Deirdre and Angel hula hooping outside of Maple (Ah... good ol' Maple), she decided to give it a shot! Hooping definitely wasn't easy right off the bat and it took Rosey around a year to get her first basic trick down.

Hooping has become more than just a fun way to workout for Rosey, but also a way to relieve stress. While hooping, she can't think about homework or the struggles of a college student (lack of cash flow). It also serves as a form of meditation by "wiping away her worries and replacing them with joy!"

Rosey has recently been selected to participate in Hooping Idol! Hooping Idol is basically a Youtube version of American Idol, except they perform hooping routines. This week, Rosey had to choose a hip-hop song to hoop to, which was a little challenging considering that isn't the type of music she would usually listen to.

To support Rosey and her dreams, visit and "like" her Facebook and keep an eye out for updates!


Name: Rosey Boone
Year: Senior
Major and Minor: B.A. Music, minor in Creative Writing
Hometown: Bethel, PA
Organizations: President, Founder of Hula Hoop Club

What made you choose Mansfield?

Rosey: I chose Mansfield because it is a very similar town to where I went to high school.  I felt comfortable here, and after going to Choir and Music Theater Camp during the summer I decided it was where I wanted to go to school.

Favorite professor or class and why?

Rosey: It is really really hard to choose, but my top two classes have to be Global Art with Martha Campbell and Gender Politics with Bosworth.  I also learned a lot in Eastern Approach to Reality and I'm currently enjoying taking the English Senior Seminar with Dr. Harris.  I've really reached out of the box with my Gen. Ed. classes and I do not regret it!

Do you have any advice for students looking to start up their own club/organization?

Rosey: The one thing that I learned really quickly was to not be afraid to ask for help.  There is no such thing as a silly question, and it's easy to get lost in the paperwork and approvals and requests.  The ladies in the CCSI office are very nice and helped me so much with my first request.  A lot of the staff on the top floor of Alumni helped me figure out how to get started as well.  Also, it can be easy to get discouraged if your club doesn't have a lot of interest at first, but as long as YOU are enthusiastic about it, the people who you really want in your club will pick up on that and start participating more.  Your members feed off of your energy.  To some extent, you are going to have to do more work, put in more time, and maybe even some of your own money, but starting the Hula Hoop Club has been so worthwhile for me, it is so worth it!

Friday Five: Five Things to Add to Your Mountie Bucket List

Graduation? In less than a month?...

After realizing that graduation is so, so close, I decided to come up with a bucket list (Mountie Edition). Some of these things I have completed and others I haven't... yet. Whether or not you're graduating in a few weeks, I hope this bucket list inspires you to complete something on it or make your own. Even though four years seems like a long time... it isn't. It goes by way too fast, so you better get started now! A huge thanks goes out to my co-workers and supervisors in Admissions for contributing to this list!

1. Be the Mountie for a campus event
2. Paint part of your body to show support for an athletic event
3. Have your picture on mansfield.edu
4. Bake cookies with President Hendrick's lovely wife
5. Visit the top floor of North Hall Library

Already completed the above? Check out these additional items to check off your list!

• Audition for the musical
• Join one club that is related to your major and one that is just for fun
• Chill in a hammock on campus (bonus points: if you set it up near the president's house)
• Dance your ass off at The Hut
• Make friends outside of your major and clubs/organizations
• Personally get to know a faculty/staff member
• Network, network, network
• Study abroad
• Give a tour to prospective students
• Accumulate enough (free) t-shirts for every day of the week
• Spend the night in North Hall Library
• Write an article for The Flashlight
• Have flowers delivered to you during class [Valentine's Day ;-)]

What's Happening Wednesday: #reasonsiLoveMU

Hey, Mounties!

For this week's What's Happening Wednesday post, I thought I would feature something that the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has been working on. Since I'm a member of PRSSA, I'm obviously so excited to spread the word about this awesome contest!

This contest is kind of bouncing off of the #LoveMU idea that Trevor Clark came up with. Now, instead of just making a Facebook status or tweet about why you love MU, you can show everyone! Your Instagram post can be anything from your favorite coffee from Jazzman's to a picture of you and your favorite professor. The options are endless. 

In order to enter, you need to be following @prssamu on Instagram and include #reasonsiLoveMU in your caption. For updates or more information on the contest, be sure to check out the contest's FACEBOOK page.

Good luck, everyone! We're all so excited to see the reasons why you love MU. 

Mountie Monday: The Harrisburg Internship Semester

Happy Monday, Mountie Nation!

For this week's Mountie Monday, I chose to feature the Mountie that earned this semester's The Harrisburg Internship Semester (T.H.I.S.) position. T.H.I.S. is a competitive and paid internship through a stipend and is sponsored through the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). One applicant from each Pennsylvania state university is chosen to represent their school and this year, Kyra Venittelli, was chosen for Mansfield University.

 

Kyra was placed to work at the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, one of the smallest departments in the Commonwealth that employs around 110 people. She works in the Secretary's office, who is basically the head of the whole department. Needless to say, he is a very busy person and Kyra works under him.

Kyra is loving her experience in Harrisburg, especially because not many interns or even state employees can say that they work beside their department secretary. The tasks that Kyra is assigned includes attending departmental hearings, assiting in the reviewing and editing of materials for the Secretary and other members of the executive staff, attending departmental conferences, meeting with bureau directors within the department, becoming familiar with department programs such as PACE, OAPSA, APS, APPRISE, OPTIONS (etc.), and much more.

The main goal and purpose at the Department of Aging is to enhance the quality of life of all older Pennsylvanians by empowering diverse communities, the family, and the individual. Kyra and the department she works with does this through the many state programs they have to offer.

Name: Kyra Venittelli

Year: Senior

Major and Minor: Social Work. Minor: Sociology

Hometown: Jackson, NJ

Organizations: Alpha Sigma Tau: Served as Vice President, Risk Management Director, and Alum Liason ;Phi Alpha, Social Work Honors Society: Served as Treasurer; Pi Gamma Mu, Social Sciences Honors Society; Order of Omega, Greek Leadership Honors Society; Social Work Club

Questions:

What made you choose Mansfield?

Kyra: It was convenient to where my parents moved to in Troy, PA and I liked that it was a small campus, which I knew would lead to more leadership opportunities and strong relationships with the university faculty members.

Favorite professor or class and why?

Kyra: Favorite professor is Dr. Nancy Sidell. She is just so knowledgeable in the field of social work, and is the type of professor that will push you to do your best, and expects nothing less. She is the type of woman and professor that enters a room anc has an immediate presence, and effortlessly commands respect without even realizing it. She has taught me so much, especially in my practice course with her called Practice with Individuals.

Favorite event at Mansfield and why? 

Kyra: I really enjoy Homecoming. I love the football games, and when all the different Alumni come up from the University and my sorority. It's just a fun and busy weekend full of events.

Favorite memory from Mansfield:

Kyra: This is a hard one because I have so many. I have a ton of fun memories with the friends I made at Mansfield, especially with my sisters like Stephanie Zimmerman, Brianna Burkhart, Megan Webster, Alyssa Mackie, and Suz Adams. But looking past all the fun I had at Masnfield, my favorite memory of all is when I received my letter from the General saying that he was happy to congratulate me on being picked as the student representing Mansfield University for the T.H.I.S program. It's funny because that letter was sitting on my apartment's kitchen counter for two days because I thought it was a bill statement from the university so I was really trying to put off opening it! But when I finally did, I was so elated that I jumped up and down while my roommates hugged me. I was just so excited.

​So far, what is the most important thing you've learned from your internship?

Kyra: If anything, I have learned so much about politics and state government through this internship. Before I started, I knew very little about it, so it was pretty overwhelming and intimidating at first. I have met so many people through the process including several Department Secretaries, different members of the House of Representatives, Senators, and have been to several events where the Governor spoke. Another thing I gained from my internship is how networking is KEY. Networking in government (or any job) is essential, it happens all the time. I have met so many people through networking that have been so kind to help me out whether it was in regards to advice or contact information for potential employment opportunities. My advice to anyone looking for advancement in their careers, epecially college graduates, is to network with anyone and everyone, period.

Bottom line, this internship has taught me so much, and I feel like I have truly grown as a young professional through the experience. I feel like all college students, regardless of their major, should experience an internship and get themselves out there.

Five Reasons Why the Career Center is Your Best Friend

(Borrowed from Career Center)

Even though college can be a ton of fun, some students (including myself) tend to forget the main reason why we're even here. The main point of college seems to be gaining an education that will help you score your dream job. This week, I decided to talk about the Career Center at Mansfield. The career center will be your best friend at some point in your college career but I highly suggest you check it out sooner rather than later!

• Professional Clothes Closet

If you're stuck in a rut and can't fork out some cash to buy a suit for your interview, the Career Center has a closet that contains professional clothing of different styles and sizes. The Career Center understands that sometimes (meaning, a lot of the time) college students are broke. Suits are expensive but if you don't wear one for an important interview, it could be the difference between you and another candidate. Luckily, the Career Center is willing to help us out.

• Resume Tips

A few weeks ago, I scheduled an appointment with Nichole Lefelhoc to make sure my resume was up to par. It wasn't. I know it can be depressing to get a paper back from a professor with a bunch of red marks all over it, especially if you worked really hard on it! This is how I first felt but then remembered that I wasn't being graded. Nichole was there to help me write the best resume that would catch all of the employers' eyes. What Nichole wrote down on the paper was things I would've never thought about... but made so much sense!

• Mock Interview

Interviews terrify me. I'm not sure if they terrify you or not... but they should. Tough questions will most likely be asked during an interview and there is so much riding on them. Don't fret, though! The Career Center comes to save the day, once again! If you schedule an appointment for a mock interview, whoever is interviewing you will be alerted of the job you're interested in and will do their reseearch 

mock interview- practice.

• Mountie Career Connection

One of my professors once told me that one of the best things about Mansfield is how alum are willing to help current students out and give back. The Mountie Career Connection is a resource for both students and alumni/employers to connect for internship and career opportunities. 

• Additional Online Resources

The Career Center's website has so many online resources that I had no idea about! If you are starting to write your resume and want a few tips, then there are worksheets, step-by-step guides, and additional tips to help you out. Another interesting tab on the Career Center's website had information for life after college. This page has personal money management tips and salary & benefits information, and more. The resources provided on the Career Center's website is perfect if you just want some quick tips to save you a trip to Alumni!

What's Happening Wednesday: Senior Transitions Conference 2014

(Borrowed from Career Center)

What's happening, Mountie Nation?

This past weekend, I had the awesome opportunity to attend this year's Senior Transitions Conference. The conference sounded interesting enough and it was in Harrisburg. The last time I visited Harrisburg, I was in middle school. I figured it was about time that I graced the state capital with my presence again (kidding!)

I'm not going to lie... the early morning on Saturday (5:30 a.m.) was pretty rough. I didn't even sleep the night before because I had so many different things to do that night. With that said, as soon as I got on the bus, I passed out. A few (unconscious) hours later, we arrived! I expected our hotel to be located downtown but it was actually a few miles away from it, which I thought would suck... but ended up being relaxing, after all. After checking in with the conference and receiving our shiny and new leather portfolios from PSECU, we headed over to the main ballroom for some refreshments and mingling. At first look, you would think that this was a conference just for MU students. There were so many Mounties compared to the other schools' students. Still, it was nice to some familiar faces outside of the classroom.

(Photo credit: Ashley Wray)

After experiencing an etiquette lunch, which was definitely an interesting experience, we all got to choose which session to attend. The first one I chose was "Alternatives to the Workforce Panel", mostly because it was something that I've never given much thought. During this session, we learned about other options such as applying for the Peace Corps, Americorps, and graduate school. I already knew that graduate school wasn't something I was interested in, but learning about the volunteering opportunities was really refreshing. Personally, I don't think any of those options are for me, but it was amusing to hear about something after graduation that didn't involve submitting your resume to several different companies, waiting for a call.

(Photo credit: Ashley Wray)

The next session that I chose was called "Job Searching". There were other sessions that I definitely could've learned from, but this one seemed to be the session to make a priority. This session definitely wasn't as interesting as the first because the speaker went over some stuff that I've learned in my communication classes. The non-communication students were much more engaged in the presentation and had many questions for the speaker, which was great!

(Photo credit: Ashley Wray)

The last session of the day was "How to Brand Yourself". Again, I've learned a lot of the points the speaker was making from my communication classes. With that said, I didn't gain much new knowledge from this session but I could definitely tell that other majors did. If you're a communications student, I highly recommend choosing sessions that aren't within your comfort zone. Choose the session that you feel you need to be the most educated on, even if it doesn't sound entertaining.

After networking with students from different schools, professionals, and faculty of different schools, we were allowed to officially check into our hotel rooms and get ready for dinner out on the town. This might've been my favorite part of the trip because I love exploring cities. A few friends and I decided to grab some dinner from Arooga's, which was pretty good! Definitely check it out if you're in town and want to grab some wings and relax.

A few hours later, the bus arrived to take us back to the hotel where many students from different schools were mingling with each other. I lied before when I said checking out Harrisburg was my favorite part of the trip. This, networking with students from different schools, was my favorite part of the trip. Even though we all attended different schools, the other PASSHE students and my fellow Mounties instantly turned into a big family!

(Photo credit: Ashley Wray)

By the end of Saturday night, everyone was completely beat and ready to catch some z's. The next day was a much shorter one! Basically, our resumes were looked over and given tips, we had mock interviews, and ate some lunch while watching our keynote speaker. The keynote speaker didn't actually speak for that long. A lot of the keynote address was a documentary about doing what you love, which was completely inspiring. Even though I was seriously exhausted from the lack of sleep, I was sad to leave! Harrisburg was fun while it lasted and I almost wish we had one more night to experience the beautiful city.

Next year, if the Senior Transitions Conference is going on, I highly recommend you attend it! My experience was one I'll never forget and don't expect anyone else to, either.

A big thanks to Ashley Wray and the Career Center for allowing me to borrow some photos from the conference!

Mountie Monday: A Little Bit of Everything

Hey, Mounties! For this week's Mountie Monday, I thought I would feature a freshman since most of the MM posts are upperclassmen. Zach Rosetti is probably one of the most involved freshmen I've ever met. He's always running around campus to get to his next class, attend a meeting, or join another organization.

So far, Zach is really pleased with his experience at Mansfield! After personally getting to know his professors, the administration, fellow Greeks, and other Mounties, he's happy to say that he chose to join the Mountie Nation and wouldn't trade it for the world.

If you're a freshman, then you might know that the transition from high school to college can be a little shaky... but by getting involved and jumping out of your comfort zone, your transition will be a lot smoother. Also, he now has a lot of upperclassmen to look up to and use as resources, like Student Trustee, Zane Swanger and his big brother in SAE, Dan Cwieka.

When Zach first came to college, he did need to take a step back and take another look at reality. Even though it's great to get involved and have fun in college, he's learned the importance of studying and remaining focused. With the utilization of the Learning Center and Career Center, he's proud to admit that he's excelling in his classes and does around 18 hours of studying each week.

Keep up the great work, Zach! I'm excited to see what you do with the rest of your years at M.U.

Name: Zach Rossetti
Year: Freshman
Major: Liberal Studies... thinking about Music Education
Hometown: Carbondale, Pennsylvania

Organizations: Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Secretary of the Ping Pong Club, Treasurer of the Nerf Club, Mansfield University Mountie Ambassador

What made you choose Mansfield?

Zach: My high school band director was a Mansfield Graduate who encouraged me to visit the campus since I was aspiring to be a Music Ed. major. I visited campuses like Arcadia, and Penn State and thought they were a little larger than what I was looking for. I visited MU and fell in love with the place.

Favorite professor or class and why?

Zach: My favorite professor would have to be Dr. Monkelien. Dr. Monkelien, or as many of us like to call her mom, always goes out of her way if she sees a student struggling, I know this happened on more than one occasion for me while working with her on Les Miserables. She also makes sure to make every student feel at home and always lets us know that we belong at Mansfield University.

Favorite event at Mansfield and why?

Zach: My favorite event at Mansfield, would have to be Humans Vs. Zombies, (which happens to start April 11th this semester.)

Favorite memory from Mansfield: 

Zach: My favorite memory from Mansfield... again, another tough question. My favorite memory from Mansfield would have to be a tie between the applause during curtain call during the final performance of Les Miserables, and getting initiated into Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This group of guys always catch me off guard by living up to our creed and proving day by day that they actually are "True Gentlemen".

How do you balance all of your extracurricular activities AND classes?

Zach: Not going to lie, last semester my studies struggled and I was overwhelmed with all of the extracurricular activities I took on. This semester I cut a few of those activities out of my schedule and am using that time to write papers and study for exams in order to skip those all nighters.

Five Universities to Study Abroad at via M.U.

TGIF, Mounties! If you couldn't tell, there's kind of a theme going on this week with the whole traveling to other countries and what not posts. I like to think of myself as a travel junkie and take every (affordable) opportunity I can get. The only affordable opportunity that I never took advantage of was studying abroad via M.U. It's probably one of the only decisions in my life that I regret but if I had the chance to change my decision, here's a few of the universities I would consider going to:

 (Borrowed from imc-math.org)

American University in Bulgaria 

 (Borrowed from Wikipedia)

Åbo Akademi University (Finland)

 (Borrowed from ciee.org)

University of Hyderabad (India)

 (Borrowed from John Carroll University)

Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Italy)

(Borrowed from Chelis Education)

University of Ulster (UK)

Thanks to Dr. Oyallon for the information! Check out more of the universities available HERE.

What's Happening Wednesday: Mounties Celebrate St. Patty's Day in Ireland

This week's What's Happening Wednesday is something I'm kind of jealous over. When I say "kind of"... I actually mean very! The History Club at M.U., non-history majors, faculty, and alumni took a trip to Ireland over spring break. They traveled around the country to Dublin, Cork, Blarney, Cashel, Glendalough, and Ring of Kerry.Thanks to Heather Frattone for providing the pictures below and giving us the inside scoop on their trip!

First stop... Dublin! When I asked Heather about her most memorable moments were from her trip, St. Patrick's Cathedral was the first to come up. According to St. Patrick's website, it's located in the heart of Dublin and has been a part of Ireland's history for over 800 years! 

(Photo credit: Rachel Gulbin)

While in Cork, the group made sure to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in one of the most memorable ways possible. What better way to celebrate St. Patty's Day than in Ireland?!

Blarney's main attraction was the Blarney Castle which is around 600 years old! Even if you're not a history major, you have to admit... that's got to be amazing to see in person. The group got to tour the castle and climb 13 stories and kiss the Blarney Stone. Apparently, if you kiss the Blarney Stone, you'll never again be lost for words.

Last, but certainly not least... they visited Rock of Cashel which is one of the most popular attractions in Ireland. Even with a few small parts of construction, the castle was still breathtaking to see in person.

The History Club travels to a different country every spring break and the price isn't as steep as you'd think. With the student discount, a tour guide that travels with you throughout the entire trip, and being able to travel with some of your faculty and fellow students, these trips aren't something you want to miss.