Tuesday, April 27, 2010

I can't believe I have this opportunity at SMC

Hey all,

Where has the time gone? So much has happened since we last connected. I will only review quickly, because I want to get to my real topic.

Global Eyes Study Abroad Photo Contest - lots of amazing photos and I won first place twice!
Dustin and Abby's Show - Their senior seminar concluded with a great play by the 3rd graders
This Eye Blind Concert - awesome
Final Accepted Students Open House!
Burlington Brewery Tour for Erick's Birthday
P-Day
MLK Talent Show
Snow today?

Ok, so what I really want to talk about is the opportunity I'm going to have here at SMC as part of my degree requirements in the psychology program. There are a few options for senior majors: Independent Research for 2 semesters (working closely with a professor on a year of research); Special Topics in Psychology (learning about and doing research on a special topic, guided by a professor who specializes in this topic); and Practicum (a 2 semester internship course done for credit).

I have chosen to take Practicum Internship for my senior requirement. At first I was a little nervous, because it is a big time commitment, with about 8-10 hours outside of class time required. However, it's the best choice for me since my current interest is in Human Services. I really think Practicum will help me decide if Social Work and the like is really what I want to do with my life.

Burlington and the surrounding area is a huge place for human services to thrive, with a large poor, homeless, and mentally ill population, as well as other human services needs. Through Practicum, we are provided with a ton of amazing internship possibilities. Some of these include: residential and school settings within child, youth, and family services; adult behavioral services; DCF; juvenile rehab centers; hopital programs; women helping battered women/women's rape and crisis center; and more! In addition, we have the opportunity to find our own internship site as long as we meet the requirements.

During the meeting today I was amazed at how many people have really gained a lot from their experiences this year, and how many options there are for us. I am also so grateful to SMC for this opportunity, because some of these internships really are too good to be true, often offering jobs to interns during/after the semesters. SMC is one of the only schools on the east coast to offer this full year opportunity to students, so it's definitely going to give me a leg up after graduation. I'm excited to get started but have no idea what to pick yet. We'll just have to wait and see what happens with that.

Peace,
-Christine

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

What's New at SMC

Hey all,

So there's been a TON of stuff going on here on campus these past few weeks, and I was really busy this weekend. Saturday was the first of two Accepted Students Open Houses here on campus (This coming Saturday is the next one!) I was busy with the other coordinators, admissions people, and tour guides for a large majority of the day meeting students and helping out where I was needed. It was a crazy day but it was a lot of fun, and I LOVE meeting accepted students and helping them with their college decisions. Here's some photos from the day on Flikr.

Later that day I went to the a'capella show which featured all three of our SMC a'capella groups: Mike Check, the all male group, Sleepless Knights, the co-ed group, and the newly formed all female group, The A'caBellas. Right after that I went over to the Dean's List dinner for the poster presentations and then out to dinner downtown at Leunig's with Erick and his parents...delish. On Sunday a few of us spent the day looking at apartments and doing homework, so that was a good way to recover after a long Saturday.

Last night was a really great speaker event on campus: Rachel's Challenge. It is put on by the father a Rachel Scott, the first person to be killed in the Columbine High School Tragedy. The presentation was really moving and the gym was packed with students. Here's a few photos from this event on Flikr as well.

There have also been a lot of big moves academically here at SMC. We've got a new major: Environmental Studies (Environmental Science is also a major, and Environmental studies has a minor as well). Psychology is also going to be a minor now. AND we have a new language for next year: Mandarin Chinese. Check out our majors and minors list (not yet updated) for all of the other options we have already in place.

Two other big pieces of news. One, SMC is now SAT optional for all classes starting with current HS juniors. Here are two stories on that from SMC and the Burlington Free Press. ALSO, we've announced a program working with the the Albany College of Pharmacy (similar to our cooperations with UVM and Clarkson for engineering student). Check out the stories from SMC and the Burlington Free Press.

I think that's all for now. The week continues to be busy and I'll be out taking more photos this weekend as well. Check back soon!

-Christine

Monday, April 5, 2010

There's no place like home

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to check back in now that I've returned to campus after a lovely weekend at home with my family and friends. I hadn't been home since Christmas break, and even then I was only there for about 10 days (a few of those without luggage). I also hadn't seen my brother since December because I returned from training trip the day he left.

Thursday after class I got a ride down to Skidmore with a friend and spent the night with my brother there. We got dinner in their dining hall (they call it d-hall and it was delicious), did some work in the library, and then I met a ton of his friends. It was really nice to stay there and for the two of us to spend some time together, especially since he is always out with his friends once we get home.

Our mom picked us up on Friday and drove us back home. It was my sister's birthday so a few of us went to see "The Last Song". It was surprisingly good, though quite a tear jerker. After the movie we went home and colored Easter eggs. We got this really cool tye-dye Easter egg kit and they came out so pretty, I wish I had pictures. Oh and Mary Rose got her license this morning in case you were wondering...yay.

Saturday I got up at what I thought was the early time of 10:00 ish and headed with my dad to the DMV to get my big kid 21 year old license. Well, long story short there was a line out the door and we almost didn't get in, but my dad stuck it out and about 2 hours later I had a brand new horizontal facing license! Later that day I visited with some of my guy friends and we got some lunch at a great restaurant that serves all its drinks in huge mason jars. I obviously loved my giant jar of unsweetened iced tea, the key to my heart. Later that night my family and I went to dinner to celebrate the birthday's of the women in the family all together. I went right from there to go visit with my girl friends from high school for a few hours, and came home exhausted after that.

Easter Sunday we woke up, ate breakfast and candy, went to church, and headed over to my aunt's house to visit with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was a nice day and I ate WAY to much food and dessert. This morning I got up early to go to Target with my mom to get some stuff before I left. I have the family mini van up here with me now until the end of the semester (and I even got a parking space!) so that's pretty nice. It was a gorgeous day for a drive and I picked a friend up in Albany so it didn't seem nearly as long as usual.

So, here I am back at SMC. The weather is gorgeous and so I need to get my work done as soon as I can so that I can spend as much time outside as possible (SMC students LOVE being outside). I've got class registration this week too, so I'll let you know how it goes. Swim lessons are also ending, I'm giving a presentation in Italian, there's a Blogger Chat on Thursday, and this Saturday is the first of two Accepted Student Open Houses where I'll be running around doing a little of everything. If you're coming up, safe drive and I can't wait to see you here! (look for me!) and if not (or even if so) come chat it up with us on Thursday night!

Peace,
-Christine