Here is an entry from Gerald Thomas, who has been interning with The Source Magazine since the fall.
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Today is one of those days where I am working extremely hard to meet deadlines. I am here in Newark, New Jersey writing non-stop so that my future is somewhat secured. Attending round table meetings, consistently hearing that I am not good enough and networking is the daily routine. Here at The Source, they have one simple motto “If you want to stand out, don’t be different: be outstanding”. I wake up every morning at 5am to start my day, just because I want to be the best. My experiences thus far have been mind-blowing, this opportunity with The Source only started as a school job, however being so determine it became an internship, and I must add I am holding down my own weight.
Having an internship with The Source in my opinion is beyond words. This company is the second largest magazine of its kind, bringing a Bigger Better and Bolder persona and I am a part of that. In addition to writing non-stop, I find time to read four different books one being “Between Barack and a Hard Place- Racism and White denial in the age of Obama” by Tim Wise and this book will be the centerpiece of my final project entitled “The Crisis of America: It’s still a Black and White thing. The biggest lesson I can say I have learned thus far is to aim for success, not perfection. To never give up my right to be wrong, because then I would lose the ability to learn new things and move forward in my life. Even while writing this I still cannot fathom that finally reality is better than my dreams. I can only hope that in near future, bigger and better things will come because of this.
Gerald
Gerald Thomas
English/Philosophy 12'
Campus Rep Intern c/o The Source Magazine
Lauren Allen is participating in the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries Living Justice Seminar Program in New York City. The purpose of this event is to provide an introduction to the issues related to the health of women and children, and to foster discussion among young adults who share a common interest in the intersection of faith and justice. Below is part of a summary of her experiences during this program, as well as some pictures. Enjoy.
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Lauren is 1st on the left sitting
The next day we went to the CCUN, Christian Church of the United Nations I believe, owned and operated by the United Methodist women. They allow other denominations to have offices in the building. We had speakers come and speak to us about the disparities of health in various countries and right here in the U.S. We watched a movie when the bough breaks (I had already seen it, Dr. Rush showed it in our applied ethics class) it was a study done on how racial tensions cause African-American women to have a higher mortality rate than any other race. It is depressing and eye opening. The day before we had watched a movie called "In sickness and health" and it was about how no matter how much education or economic status we have we are still at a greater risk than any other race for health issues. We then had speakers come in and talk about poverty issues in other countries and the lack of resources.
Later that night during our bible study and debriefing we played a game the pursuit of happiness. And we drew a slip of paper from a basket that placed you in a certain community. I was in the poorest group. We had to build schools, hospitals, a government, houses, etc. Our community had no resources, so we had to be really creative. Then what would happen was that a crisis in the world would happen. And the people in the rich community had to make a decision and in our group someone had to die. So we were the first to lose a member, and then we lost another and then another. So our community was wiped out. Then in another community they worked together the poor and the rich to build a utopian society. It sounded good in theory, but had us thinking could this actually ever happen.
This “game” opened my eyes to what really happens in the world. I always viewed poverty as a mismanagement of resources. I believed that the rich would herd all resources for themselves or that the people would somehow do something wrong. I was shown that this isn’t the case. These people were never given the necessary tools to survive, and then the poor are the first to die.
- Lauren Allen
Here are more pictures from the Budgetball event in Washington, D.C.
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The Team: Jessica, Chris, Alex, Schrell, Joshua, Lameisha, and Byron
PSC Panthers versus the Miami Hurricanes
Touring D.C.
Debriefing the activity
With Dr. Bryna Helfer, Senior Director of Civic Engagement, National Academy of Public Administration
With Congressman Vic Snyder (Arkansas)
Here is an article about Budgetball from POLITICO.
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Rob Reischauer plays Budgetball on the National Mall. Photo courtesy of the National Academy of Public Administration and the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. (The student is PSC Junior Chris Bell)
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The Hill plays 'Budgetball'
By: Melanie Mason
June 14, 2009 07:48 PM EST |
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There was a new game in town Sunday on the National Mall.
Alongside the old standards of dodgeball and soccer, it looked like any other sport: players in gym shorts and brightly-colored t-shirts making diving catches and fast passes, jawing good-naturedly with referees and gathering in team huddles to talk strategy.
But the day’s play-by-play announcer quickly made clear this was no typical team sport: “Treasury’s going to deficit-spend in this budget session.”
This was Budgetball, a new game developed by the National Academy of Public Administration and the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. The goal is to raise awareness about the federal debt. And a few months after its inception, the game had its D.C. debut on Sunday with the “Budgetball on the Mall” tournament, featuring competitors from Treasury Department, the House Budget Committee and the White House Office of Management and Budget. Also playing were teams from local think tanks, as well as two college teams that earned a trip to Washington by winning Budgetball tournaments at their schools.
“From the federal government’s perspective, one of the great challenges we face as a nation is restoring and preserving fiscal responsibility. Part of that effort includes engaging American citizens about the issues and options involved,” Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said in a statement read before the games began. “This is why I support initiatives like Budgetball, which seek to broaden public awareness of the need for responsible financial behavior in our private and public lives.”
David Walker, the former comptroller general who is now president and CEO of the Peterson Foundation, said that Budgetball was a fun way to teach people financial strategies.
“You get physical and financial fitness,” Walker said. “Lord knows, we need more of both.”
Budgetball takes cues from Ultimate Frisbee, as players use quick passes to reach the end-zone and score points. But points can also be accumulated through smart management of “Budgetbucks.”
Teams can spend their bucks on “Powerups” – advantages such as an extra offensive or defensive player – or they can earn bucks by taking on “Sacrifices,” handicaps such as wearing a pair of oven mitts, or balancing on one foot whenever the player has the ball.
Angela Kuck, a player for the House Budget Committee’s “Budget Hawks” team, found the game a fun way to demonstrate the principles of fiscal health.
“The idea is not to have a deficit,” said Kuck, the committee’s Republican communications director. “If you spend your money on feel-good things, like an extra player, you get in the hole.”
Still, for all their financial know-how, teams from the House Budget Committee, the Treasury and OMB fell short against the teams from University of Miami and Arkansas’s Philander Smith University. The college teams battled it out in a close final match, with University of Miami ultimately talking top tournament honors.
The Miami players were secretive about their strategy—”take your sacrifices early” was all that one player revealed before his teammates cut him off. But it didn’t hurt that the team was comprised of flag football players and a track and field runner.
As Walker said, when asked to describe the ideal team, “You want at least one person who can add and think strategy. Then, you probably want five athletes.”
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Saturday, I was in Tallahassee moderating a panel featuring four international presidents of the Divine Nine Black fraternal organizations. The event was organized by InSpire Magazine, led by Dr. Lee Jones. I have known Lee for 15 years now, so I was pleased to participate in this event. The discussion was very open and honest, with the presidents indicating the historical strengths, but realizing that there are lots of problems that exist.
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Here is a copy of an article about our PR director, Sericia Cole, who was listed in Soiree Magazine as one of 27 Women to Watch in 2009.
Congrats Sericia!
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This is a good post from my friend, Dr. Marybeth Gasman. This is from Diverse Issues in Higher Education.
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Diversity at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
June 5, 2009 ·
 By Dr. Marybeth Gasman
Why is it that people assume that Historically White Institutions are diverse, yet in the same breath assume that Historically Black Institutions are not? And, when I say people — I mean all kinds of people — of various racial and ethnic backgrounds. If you take a look at the nation’s Historically White Institutions (HWIs), you’ll find that most are not that diverse unless they are located in urban areas. These institutions, although legally no longer segregated, are far from integrated — especially the more elite, selective institutions. If you look at the faculty of HWIs, it is not heavily integrated. Most tenured faculty members are still White and male.
However, if you look closely at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), you’ll find student bodies that boast considerable diversity — especially if you examine the public HBCUs. According to statistics gathered by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, for example, 8 percent of public HBCU student enrollment is White, 2 percent is Latino and 1 percent is Asian. Of note, over the past 30 years, Latinos have increased their presence at HBCUs by 124 percent. Moreover, the faculty at HBCUs, both public and private institutions, has always been diverse. HBCUs have opened their doors to the best faculty regardless of racial or ethnic background and continue to do so. Among HBCUs, Blacks (including Africans and Caribbeans as well as African Americans) make up roughly 60 percent of the faculty, with Whites accounting for 30 percent and Latinos and Asians the remaining 10 percent. It would be very hard to find this kind of diversity at most HWIs.
Yet, time and time again, HBCUs are looked upon as “segregated” environments that don’t represent the “real world”. If you have been studying the projected Census data, you know that HBCUs now represent the very real world of the future. By 2020, the percentage of people of color in our country will be 40 percent and by 2040 the percentage will increase to 50 percent. HBCUs are preparing students for a very realistic world.
In order to counter misconceptions, HBCU leaders must promote the diversity on their campuses. This is ever more important given falling enrollments at some HBCUs. Many students of various racial and ethnic backgrounds could benefit from the nurturing, yet challenging environments at HBCUs as well as the lower tuition.
Some worry that becoming more diverse will dilute the “HBCUness” of HBCUs — true, but I doubt that diluting will take place to any great extent. Culture runs deep and traditions can be maintained with effort. Just look at the nation’s Historically White Institutions — many have “integrated” but continue to, unfortunately, hold fast to only the culture on which they were founded. I have a feeling that HBCUs can maintain diversity — thrive from it — and still be the centers of African American culture that they have been for decades.
I want to highlight some of the neat things our students are doing this summer. Check out Miss PSC, Francennett Herrera.
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John Woodruff Fellowship for Social Justice Ministries
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The John Woodruff Fellowship for Social Justice Ministries at First Church was established shortly after Mr. Woodruff's death with a generous gift by his family. Following in the footsteps that John planted firmly in the areas of social awareness and concern for the "least of these," a summer internship for social witness will be funded from this fellowship. This intern will be working directly with Outreach/Mission Director, Anthony Falkowski and with Sr. Pastor, Michael Mattox.
FULL STORY:
http://www.fumclr.org/index.php?fuseaction=p0006.view&mod=24&start=1&rec_id=533&PHPSESSID=7baf413c7737612d8fbd42b770f2498f
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As part of our UNCF grant to increase capacity building in fundraising, we have held four events in key cities. The final event this year was held in Chicago this past Friday. Over 80 people came out, and was our most diverse event thus far. We of course had alumni there, but we had friends of alumni, current students, and prospective students. The alums got to hear from our current students, which was the highlight of the event because this was a very talented group of students.
Our new Miss PSC, Francennett Herrera, was in attendance along with her mom, and she worked with alumni in planning the event, including making phone calls. Other students, along with our admissions director, spoke with a group of prospective students, most of which will be attending this fall.
So this was a very good event for us. We'll visit four different cities during the next academic year.
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