Jaron's Blog
Name: Jaron Salazar
Major(s): Business Administration and Theatre Arts (Performance)
Hometown: Born in Dallas, Texas, but spent last 5 years in Benton, Arkansas
Extracurricular activities: Honor Student Advisory Board president, Student Government Association (SGA) senator, Eco Club, theatre, Resident Student Association
Hobbies/interests: Rock concerts, bowling, walking around Chicago, art, video games, movies
Class of: 2011
Contact Jaron with questions and comments: salajaro@dom.edu
Winding Down the Year
Date: 4/26/11
The show,
She Stoops to Conquer, went well. Those who saw it said it was an enjoyable experience. It
was hard work, but I managed to do my best as a character from the 18th century. The style wasn’t
the only challenge, the makeup and costumes presented me with a type of acting that I had not done
before. My face was painted white and I had a thick black wig on as well. All in all it was a good
show to go out on. As I turned in my senior project forms from the play, I joined the fashion
students in their feeling of relief and completeness.
I also recently finished my term as a Board of Trustee member. The last meeting allowed me to thank everyone for all that they have and will continue to do for Dominican. The invocation I did was completely made up by me. It contained a prayer and some insights to the Board as how my experience as a member was this year. This week I am transitioning the new Student Trustee to carry on in my footsteps. As a parting gift, I received a frame with my name etched in it at the top.
After the show and my last meeting, I finally made preparations for life after graduation. I did some hard thinking and realized that, although I want to stay in the area and start my acting career, it would be more beneficial for me and my family if I were to take a break. I have decided to go back home to Arkansas. This is a huge step from my original plans, but I know that when I return, my friends will be here to aid the transition.
Days Go By
Date: 4/12/11
After seeing the fashion show I thought about my own final project. This week She Stoops to Conquer will be revealed starting Thursday. All of the many rehearsals and sleepless nights are definitely worth the effort, for four nights of theatre. My passion for theatre allows me to dedicate myself and focus all my energy into the show. Along with the transition from rehearsal to performance, this week I will be attending my last Board of Trustees meeting. I get to open the meeting with the invocation and give all my knowledge over to the new trustee who is to take my place.
It has been a journey, and though I may not be completely ready to leave, I know I will always have my friends, family, and the confidence in myself to do anything I put my mind to.
Fun and Tradition
Date: 4/4/11
Campus Activities Board has a casino night every year. This is a night with a theme, which could range from pirates to cowboys. The Social Hall is turned into a casino with multiple types of gambling available. The more chips you win, the more tickets you get to drop into different raffle buckets in order to win awesome prizes. Though I’ve never won anything, I always had a great time.
Before I went to the casino night, I enjoyed the Dominican Dance Team’s performance. This year they had 18 dances, three of which were done by guest performers. As I can attest to, the dance team gets better every year. They were on fire, with quick costume changes and many dances full of high energy. The music and lights were very well orchestrated as well. The types of dances range from hip-hop/stomp, ballet, Irish dancing, and beyond. While I was there I noticed many girls who had graduated from Dominican came back to support their friends whom they had worked with before. I asked one of them and they said sitting back and watching filled them with multiple emotions.
The final event that is a Dominican tradition is the Candle & Rose Ceremony. Though the ceremony will not be until the final week of school, I want to mention it, because I was honored with the privilege to give my personally written speech at the ceremony. To anyone who wants to audition to speak, my advice is to be honest in your speech. My speech is not traditional in that it does joke around, but it is truthful of my experience.
Weeks in Review
Date: 3/29/11
At Dominican’s Job Fair I dressed in business attire, printed out some fresh resumes, took out my lip rings, put on a smile of confidence and shaved my five o’clock shadow. Though the job fair was smaller than the convention in Oakbrook Terrace, it did contain many important businesses who are looking for employees. I strolled around the tables for a bit, then decided to try my hand at the insurance business. I handed the gentleman my resume and he gave me his card. The next day I sent him an email, and then I received a call from him the very next day. I set up an interview time and got some ideas of how to prepare for the interview. Before I attended the interview, I made sure I had a notepad, resume, pen, Dominican folder and a list of questions. The questions show the company that you have done some research about their business. The interview process went well and I learned that the branch manager actually graduated from Rosary (now Dominican) College, small world. I hope to hear from him soon.
Then I attended two concerts. The first was actually an opera. Lohengrin was four hours long. Sadly to say I learned that I am not a fan of opera, at least not German opera, and I left after thee hours. Though I left early, I still enjoyed my time. During Spring Break, I attended the annual Trustee Benefit Concert and dinner. The programs that were handed out actually included a picture and quote from me, kind of weird, but makes for an interesting conversation piece. The concert featured the fabulous Camerata Ireland. The dinner afterward was fun, because I was seated with four Dominican Sisters and four men from a bank that helped support the university.
Inside the Board of Trustees Retreat: A Student’s Perspective
Date: 3/1/11
The board meetings were on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, the meeting was based on the Catholic Traditions of Dominican. The board focused on these traditions as they related to the school’s academic priorities of global citizenship, integrative interdisciplinary studies, civic engagement, research and scholarship. After the presentation, I inquired as to what the board felt was the Dominican Legacy that graduating students carried. As soon as that question was on the table, the focus turned from the speaker directly to me. I then talked about what I’m leaving with and the things that I felt are distinctly Dominican. The board members agreed with much of what I said because, as alumni, they had similar experiences. Though the times are different and not everyone who attends Dominican is Catholic, the Catholic traditions of community, social justice, peace and an understanding that goes beyond tolerance are still rooted in the core values that reveal themselves through a Dominican education.
On Saturday the meeting was based on the vision of where each member sees Dominican in the not-too-distant future. All of the ideas presented were to increase the quality, reputation, experience and community of Dominican. These topics were based in the desire to aid the students emotionally, physically and mentally. Though the ideas were large in scope, the board kept in mind important pieces of the Dominican experience, like small class sizes. In many ways the board set out not to reinvent the wheel, but to sand down the edges so it runs more efficiently.
After the meeting, I got to walk around for a bit before the evening social. It wasn’t until after the social I decided to go to the beach, located over a mile away. Before the beach, however, I thought it would be nice to walk around the hotel and meet some new friends. The first people I said “hi” to were terrified and went quickly to their room. I felt bad about that and went to my room to call them and apologize; it was only after I called that I thought I probably made the situation worse. Feeling rejected by the people at the hotel I walked to the beach, stared at the stars, took some sand and called it a night. I saw them the next day before I left and we shook hands with a laugh at the misunderstandings.
All in all it was a great trip, I got to relax and play a key role in making the connection between the board and the students.
Senior Theatre Project
Date: 2/15/11
Things were falling into place until after the review of a play that I wrote. I found out that it is more like a movie than a play. The problem is that it is very dreamlike and therefore causes major problems in the design portion. Victoria and I decided to keep with the theme of my play, but to choose one that was created for the stage. Though we will not be using my script, I plan to continue to write and develop it in a way that makes it work onstage. That aside, the play is sure to be a hit; we have a few plays in mind that we might be choosing. Our idea of environmental theatre has not changed. We plan to have the show run in the Social Hall will set it up in a way that allows for the audience to be in the world of the play.
To me the objective of theatre, along with a message or theme, is bringing people together. Strangers enter into the story together and share the emotions with one another. If you’ve ever seen a movie or a play in a theatre, then you know that you can speak about it afterward with anyone who was there, because you are all part of the collective. It has the ability to tear down walls and allows us to know that whatever the other person’s circumstances we are human, together.
Blizzard and Life 101
Date: 2/8/11
Before the blizzard hit though, I attended the Life 101 program. All of those involved did a great job answering all of our questions and staying later to have one on one chats. I gained valuable knowledge about how to manage my finances, find an apartment, and how to present myself in a business dinner interview. In the financial sector, I was informed about investments and the best pathway to payoff student loans. I participated in the section about apartment finding. In this portion of the program we were told about the tricks some apartments have to make their place sound better than it is in reality. The group also learned about contracts and how to properly rent an apartment. Lastly, we were made cognizant of how to act, what to say, what to do, and what not to do during a formal dinner or business dinner. All in all I say it was well worth getting up at 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday.
Final Semester
Date: 1/27/11
Though I was nervous about entering the real world, I found out that Dominican offers a lecture dedicated to life after college called Life 101. The lecture is this Saturday and will encompass all the information that a graduate needs. The lectures include information on graduation, Candle and Rose and ordering the regalia. It also includes hints on how to find an apartment, how to budget finances, business dinner etiquette, and job search strategies. With all the information and help that Dominican provides, I am sure that I will be well prepared for life.
This year started off good. I made my schedule over the years in order to only have to take four classes this semester. I did that so I could enjoy my time here and be able to take it easy. For the most part, I have been taking it easy, hanging out with friends, exploring parts of campus I’ve never been to before and focusing on my goals after graduation. Though I'm apart of multiple committees and am trying to work as much as possible, I’ve spared time to relive all the great memories made here. I thought about how much my life has changed and how I have grown. I look forward to these next few months and know that the future is bright and full of possibilities.
Global Perspective
Date: 11/9/10
On Monday, I woke up bright and early to attend a lecture from a member of the Grameen Foundation. I learned that the Grameen Foundation is an organization that helps fund banks in poverty stricken areas of the world in order to build small businesses and other such enterprises. The GF works with something called microfinance. It is the idea that giving loans to people in areas of high poverty, will help create peace, and yield positive return results. They do not give out the loans themselves, but give the funds to the banks in the poorest of locations in order for the banks to make the final decision on the disbursement of the loan. They do this so that the people who know the area are in charge of the funds instead of outsiders.
Then, on Tuesday I attended an honors dinner which had its focus on refugees in Africa and the problems in Sudan. We watched the movie God Grew Tired Of Us and heard a speech from one of the “lost boys” from the movie. Though it was my second time seeing the film, I learned and noticed more this time. The hope was that the film will motivate the students to spread the word and help in anyway they can. The rest of my time was spent in rehearsals for The Wiz.
Although I believe it is necessary to think globally and to help out those in the world that are less fortunate, I feel that it isn’t a must for everyone. The issue with doing things to aid those around the world, is that sometimes we forget how important it is to do things in our own community. Around campus people can be seen recycling, holding doors open, giving a hand, and being there for someone. This is important too and has a great impact on life at Dominican. Through Dominican a student has many opportunities to give their time to serving others whether it is across the world or across the hall.
Theatre and Wellness
Date: 10/25/10
The rehearsals for The Wiz are going very smoothly. Everything is starting to come together and look quite nice. Though I am not one for musicals, I am excited to say this has been and will be an enjoyable experience. The whole show is a huge spectacle, and will be sure to leave the audience astounded. As well as working on The Wiz, I was assigned, along with two other theatre students to be in a Reader’s Theatre production. Reader’s Theatre means, you do everything you would for a play, but you have your script in hand. The play was Mark Twain’s A Literary Nightmare, which went over very well. The three of us came together and put on an entertaining performance, which made some students who were made to attend for class, glad they came.
The weekend before the Reader’s Theatre show, I attended Harold Pinter’s Betrayal at the Oak Park River Forest Performing Arts Center. The show was awesome and though I have read the play, it took on a new life which was a delight to watch. The last thing that I have put forth time and energy to is my senior project in which I am working with a dear friend of mine. Our project is going to be a production of three one Acts on three different days. We are writing, directing, producing, and acting in the one Acts. it is a daunting task, but the feeling I get when putting my ideas to paper is well worth it and then seeing them come alive will be bliss.
To help the University connect better with its students, I was assigned to assemble a group of students to participate in a focus group session about the core curriculum. Along with having students on the major boards and committees that make all the decisions about Dominican, an external reviewer came and spoke with students from all different classes and majors to get an idea of how we perceive the core foundations and area studies. In the focus group I was in, I felt as if many issues that students were having were addressed, but many more could have been if there was more time. My goal as student trustee is to go out and find out what the students really want so that I may better serve them.
Within the past weeks, I have been so overwhelmed that I decided to make it a point to visit the Wellness Center at least once a week to help my body and mind relax. Sometimes I speak with a counselor, in order to feel the release of my stresses and frustrations. I always come away happy and refreshed. I enjoy it also, due to the fact that there is nothing that reminds me of school and my obligations in the Wellness Center. I can truly focus on myself and relax. It seems to me as if many students would do well if they were to use the resources of the Wellness Center to help calm them down. While on the topic of wellness I want to say that Sunday I participated in the Frank Lloyd Wright Race. The race was fun even though I was afraid to get up so early on a Sunday to run three miles.
Caritas and Veritas
Date: 10/7/10
Throughout the entire day, faculty and staff from all walks of life came together and gave presentations about how they implanted Caritas and Veritas in their work. The sessions were very insightful, and I was saddened due to the many sessions that ran concurrently that I wanted to go to, but was not able to attend. The three I did attend dealt with the motto in different ways.
The first was a background and informational session on the paintings in the Noonan Reading Room. The artwork displayed is very dark and ominous. The speaker informed the group about the idea of the clown, the conflict between outward and inward feelings or emotions. The paintings may have been dark, but they have a sense of light and hopeful undertones. Along with her presentation, David Perry presented his findings about the history of St. Augustine. He related St. Augustine’s work to the motto Caritas Veritas and showed the group about finding truth in history.
My next session was an administrative approach to Caritas Veritas. The panel consisted of three members of the Board of Trustees, each detailing how they make their decisions with Caritas and Veritas always in mind. I took this session to better understand my role on the Board of Trustees. I left feeling a better understanding of what is expected of someone in my position.
The last session was about the truth in Neuroscience. It was very enlightening, due to the ideas of erasing memory and how scientist can play with the mind. They were speaking about erasing traumatic memories from people to help them have a better life, and how destroying the memories brings forth the question of what is truth. With the ability to cause someone to forget, did something really occur or exist? They also touched on the thought of erasing more than the targeted memory and the effects that may have on the person.
All of the sessions spoke about how they use compassion and critical thinking in their processes to find the truth. The multiple ways of Caritas and Veritas caused the motto to become more than words but things, actions, movements, and life in general which makes Dominican so unique, because it is the way that we are taught. We are taught to view things with a critical eye while making choices that create compassion and harmony in order to find the truth.
The sessions ended with the Convocation ceremony, which is a Ceremony dedicated to starting off the school year and offers a prayer and inspiration to the students of Dominican.
One Last Time At The Good Ol’ DU
Date: 8/30/10
Four years later, I am now a senior. This week starts my final year here at Dominican. Before school started, I was a TORCH Leader to welcome the incoming freshmen. While going through the program I thought about my first time at Dominican. I looked back at all the friends I have made and everything I have accomplished. I felt a sense of pride in my ability to come out of my shell and make something great out of my life. I was remembering how comforting it was when the day after my great grandma passed away a Sister came to me and asked me how I was doing, and how that was all I needed to help me get through the day.
The feeling of compassion overtook me today, as I sat in this morning’s Mass. I looked at the people seated on all sides of me, friends old and new, and it was at that very moment that I realized that even though my family lived over 700 miles away, I had been with my family all along. Any need that surfaced could be met by a student, faculty, or staff member. As a tear slowly rolled down my cheek, I knew that I was home and that even after this year has passed Dominican will always be a part of my heart and soul.
June Summer
Date: 6/28/10
June has been a very busy month. My three main jobs involve Noodles & Co., Summer
Housing, and theatre. I also worked on being a July TORCH Leader.
The first week in June I attended a meeting four days long dedicated to preparing the summer TORCH Leaders for their tasks. For the month of June and July, there are three SOAR days for incoming freshmen. At the training sessions, each of the leaders learned more in-depth information about Dominican and its resources. We learned about the changes to the school for the coming year: things such as building improvements, housing, relocation of offices, and changes to the core curriculum, which was easy for me, because I was on the committee that voted and oversaw the curriculum. We worked together in groups and did many activities to get everyone acquainted with each other in order to help us work together better as a team. Due to the training, my knowledge of the school has doubled.
The first set of SOAR programs has passed and gone very well. I spoke with many of the students and they seemed very pleased about Dominican and what it has to offer, though I wish more students were theatre majors. The students had wide ranges of emotion to coming here for the first time to start their college adventure, and the emotions were from the extremely excited to the very timid, shy, and nervous people. No matter what they felt, the SOAR program did its join in making them feel comfortable and welcome. I believe each student left with a pep in their step and a smile on their face.
During June, we also had some fun with the alumni who came back for their reunion. They are always fun to talk to and to learn from. They have much insight and compassion for the school. I sat down with a few ladies and we spoke about the changes that had occurred since they were here last. All in all it was good to see that over the years their pride for the school has not lost any of its momentum. It is always nice to see that no matter the age, they come back and return to that college mentality of community, compassion, and adventure.
Throughout all of my business, Noodles & Co. has remained kind and allowed me to have a flexible schedule that fits perfectly for me. The culture and the environment are amazing. The staff is fun and full of life. The customers are grateful and always a pleasure to serve. I don’t think I could ask for more. (By the by I find it strange how grateful is spelled)
Lastly, but to me the most important is theatre. The play rehearsals are going
smashingly. The cast and directors are a delight to work with. Again I want to thank
Maggie Speer, a guest director in
Lend Me A Tenor, for alerting me of this part and recommending me. I cannot wait
until July 22, which is the first performance of our play. On a school theatre related note,
I have begun my senior project of writing and acting in a play. I am working with two of my
friends from the theatre department on this performance and it will surely be one to
remember. I will inform you of more, as more developments come about. Have a happy
Fourth.
Summer Housing Assistant and Other Fun
Date: 5/24/10
After the Candle and Rose Ceremony and graduation, we said good-bye to our senior friends. I wish the best to all my friends in their venture into the real world. I was excited to be a part of the Candle and Rose Ceremony, but was sad that I did not get to see graduation, though they did have a live stream of the event online, it was not the same as being there.
My plans for my last summer before my senior year are set up and my hope is to raise enough money to take a trip back home before the semester starts. I just finished my first week as a Summer Housing Assistant (SHA). It has been slow due to the lack of conferences in the first week. It should pick up with reunions and Summer Orientation And Registration (SOAR) programs. Though this week has been relaxing, it was nice to get a break from school and also to organize my summer room. As a SHA I will take part in aiding conferences and other programs into Dominican. I hope to meet many new people and to be the reason they keep coming back.
This Tuesday I will begin training at the new Noodles & Co. that was built in Oak Park a mere five minutes from the school. I look forward to working there and keeping the job through school. I told the manager about my experience with tutoring and mentoring students and was asked to help a co-worker become adjusted to working at Noodles as well as increasing his customer service skills. I am excited about this leadership opportunity. I plan to move up in the ranks in the company and become a manager who gets benefits like a 401K and health insurance.
Although we have not yet set the rehearsal time for Sherlock Holmes: The Last Adventure, a play I will be performing in this summer, I have been doing research on my character and the time period. I am thrilled to be working with one of my theatre friends from Dominican on this, my first, professional acting role. It will be the first time that I will be in a play that runs for more than three days. I hope to make friends and connections that will aid me in my pursuit of theatre.
Lastly, I was informed of an opening in the Resident Assistant job and am thinking about applying again. I have tried many times and feel that the fifth time is the charm. Dominican has opened many doors for me and I have jumped at each opportunity, which is why I am in the position I am today. All of the leadership roles and wisdom from my professors and faculty has helped is available for everyone who has a desire to take the chance. Each thing that I do I feel better prepares me for life after college and the more I get involved the more I feel I become a stronger candidate for what I want to achieve. All of these things build you as a person and gives you a broader sense of the world and how other people live it.
A Week Full of Good News
Date: 4/28/10
This weekend the theatre department had their end of the year party. At this gathering Krista Hansen awards two seniors who did exceptionally well their four years here. Everyone who has any role in the department is invited. There is food and drinks, and usually some other event that is done by the students. This year, the event was a slideshow full of pictures and videos collected from many years in the theatre department.
After the party, we were fortunate enough to get to watch senior, Kendall Monaghan, perform her senior project. She was amazing. It was a dramatic telling of her experience in London. The show was hilarious. It made me want to do my own show as well. After Kendall’s show, my director from Lend Me a Tenor told me of a play that needed an actor. The play will be performed in the summer and I am going to audition this Thursday. The next day, as part of my theatre practicum course, I was an artist liaison to the group Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet. They are from Louisiana. Their music, that was Cajun and jazzy, reminded me of home and gave me a taste for Creole food. The band was very kind and I enjoyed talking with them in the Green Room.
On Sunday I attended the annual Student Involvement Luncheon. This year it was on the Spirit Chicago, a four story boat that is located on Navy Pier. I had never been on a boat of that size before and had so much fun. The food that they served was delicious and after the awards ceremony, we got the rest of the ride to dance. To be involved in the Leadership Luncheon you must be involved in an organization and have a role in the executive board or be an outstanding member of that group. The ride and the food were free; the only cost was our time.
Along with student involvement, in the Student Government Association I was nominated to be the Student Trustee. The Trustee gets to meet with the school’s Board of Trustees and be the link to the students about what is going on around campus. Every other year the Board takes a trip to Florida, and next year happens to be that year. I love being involved and knowing the inner workings of Dominican. I urge all students to become involved in some way.
Next, from the Dean of Students Office, I got the position of being a TORCH Leader this summer and next fall. As a TORCH Leader you get to help incoming freshmen learn about and become acquainted with Dominican. I also was chosen to be a peer advisor. The peer advisor is a new position created in which a Dominican student helps a freshman adapt to college life. The position allows an upper-classman to act as a mentor to the new students.
Lastly, I was invited to attend an interview for the new Noodles and Company that is being built in downtown Oak Park.
This summer is going to be fun and full of wonderful experiences. My hope is that I can encourage someone else to come and enjoy the compassion that is shown by Dominican.
Title: End of the Year Events
Date: 4/13/10
This past week has been filled with many events that occur at the end of the Spring Semester. The main three events that I went to were the Exposition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Investigations, the Bloom Fashion Show, and "Exposed" the Senior Thesis Exhibition. Each of these events displayed the talents of the students across all majors. They bring together the community by showing the hard work and dedication of the students and faculty that worked together to produce amazing displays of the different majors.
The URCI was set up in Parmer Hall. The Atrium was full of posters from across the disciplines, showing their research. From 8:30 in the morning until 4:15 in the evening, students were assigned rooms to give speeches on their research. The final presentation was in the Social Hall. It was a Reader’s Theatre play titled "Women of Rochester" and was created by Kim Crawford. Before the performance Dean Carlson went up to the podium and told the audience that this day was his favorite of any, due to the innovative and exciting presentations. He spoke about how he felt it brought the community together and was an example of the University’s mission and motto. All in all, the day was a very successful and a proud moment for the students and faculty here at Dominican and those who joined us from around the community.
This year, the fashion show was titled 'Bloom". The set was decorated with over 4,000 flowers hand sewn to the backdrop. It also had a square path on which the models walked. The show went smoothly and there were many beautiful and interesting garments. Although I was somewhat forced to go, because my girlfriend was a model, I enjoyed it and did not mind paying the ten dollars. The price may seem steep, but when you think about all the money the students spent on fabric and supplies, it’s the least we can do.
The last event I attended was "Exposed" the Senior Thesis Exhibit. This was just the first group and the next group opens up on the April 25. It is free to go and worth the walk up to the fourth floor. This exhibit was about art. It contained photographs, sculpture, computer design, and drawings. One project was a computer program that displayed multiple Facebook posts, it would fade out all but one word that connected it, and then a new post would appear. Another one of my favorites was multiple panels that displayed the routes similar to the maps found on the “L.” This student created a new map with her thoughts, ideas, and observations. It was quite enjoyable.
Last week was very exciting and showed the ability of Dominican students to create wonderful works no matter what their major.
Title: Easter Break
Date: 3/31/10
Before I can go on break, I still have a test to take and give a presentation. The test is in Business Law, which is a great class taught by a very engaging professor, Wayne Koprowski. The presentations I have are in my theatre class. We have been working for a few weeks and will present today our interpretation of the Restoration period of theatre and the Comedy of Manners. I am very proud of this presentation because I did a lot of the work myself. I helped my group the most with writing the story, and when we all got together I was elected director due to my understanding of the story. I gathered props and cared for them live a stage manager. In this one project I have been all parts of a theatre production, except for maybe the light crew, because we are presenting in a room not a stage. The scene we are doing has all the necessary elements of a Restoration play, like fan language, clothes, and the poise in which they held themselves. Even though it was hard work and required a large input from my part, I am glad to be doing it and cannot wait to perform. It will be a good end to school heading into the Easter Break.
Title: Registration and Campus Fun
Date: 3/25/10
Before you attempt to register, be sure that your advisor has cleared your name, because if not then you will be running around the school looking for someone to sign your scheduling sheet. During all my work with theatre I forgot to speak with my advisor about classes for next year and could not register online. I went to the registrar’s office and was told I could do a paper form. I had to do this, because my advisor was sick. I filled it out and found an education advisor who could check my classes and sign the sheet for me. The result is that I got waitlisted for one class I really wanted to take, but I made it into all the other ones that are necessary for my graduation. I then sent an email to my advisor and told the classes I intended to take and she approved, and also released me online so now I can make adjustments if necessary.
This week is Spring Fling hosted by Campus Activities Board. On Tuesday, they had a real life game of Clue. I was Professor Plum. We had about five groups of five come over to the Priory Campus to play the game. Each team was briefed after a “murder” occurred and the six classic characters ran out of the room. Each team received a clue in the form of a weapon, and was told which room they were to be stationed in for the remainder of the time. The six characters rotated every ten minutes to the rooms to speak with the teams. The teams were allowed to ask three questions. It was our job, the characters, to confuse the teams while giving out little clues. In the end two teams actually told exactly where, who, and with what the murder was committed. The prize was "Clue", the game. The experience was a lot of fun and I hope to see more murder mystery nights. Along with that, CAB is also having their famous Casino Night this Friday. Basically what happens there is, you receive a set amount of tickets and coins. These tickets are used to place your name in a cup for the raffle. The coins are used to play the games such as roulette, poker, black jack, and the wheels. After one gets their fill of the games, you turn in your coins for tickets. As well as prizes, the event has free drinks and snacks. It is usually themed and people come dressed up, this year’s theme is the 1920’s. Overall, this week provides for a nice relaxation for students and faculty who help run the event.
Title: “The Black Box Experiment” play and Registration
Date: 3/22/10
This weekend was the final play for me this semester. It was a set of six plays by Sam Shepard. His work is based in realism and very gritty. By that I mean that Shepard writes and is all about the story and the characters. There are no big effects or need for an expansive set. “The Black Box Experiment” was perfect for this style. The Black Box Theatre means that the area has minimal set and lighting, a smaller budget and focuses on acting and performance. It is known to be experimental and that is where the idea to let the students direct the play comes in, because it is a way for new understandings of the scenes to play out. The show did very well and those who came to see it had great things to say. It was a huge relief to be able to adapt to different styles so quickly, and have people respond so kindly. Although I love theatre, I am glad to finally have some free time.
Monday is the day to start registering for classes for next year. This can be a difficult
process at times, but after going through the process for three years, I have got it down. I find
it best to set up an Excel spreadsheet in order to see when my classes are and to be sure they do
not interfere with other classes. It also helps to ask people older than you and in your major,
which classes they took. An advisor will be sure to see that all your core requirements are being
met, as well as the requirements for your major. Being in a junior or senior standing helps the
process, because you get to choose your classes before anyone else, and before they fill up. This
is important, because there may be some classes that you must get in to, to graduate on time.
Though it may be tough or confusing, there is always help available for anyone who asks.
Title: RA Process and Spring Break
Date: 3/15/10
Here at Dominican we normally have an early spring break. This year it was the second week in
March and I went home to visit my family in Arkansas. I had a great time and my girlfriend was able
to go and I showed her the town and area in which I grew up. Overall, it was a very warming
experience. The only downfall to spring break is that it is the time in which professors like to
hand out large homework assignments and projects, because of all the free time you get out of
class. With this in mind it is necessary to plan time to relax and also plan study/work time so
that you have a spring break that is enjoyable.
Title: Lend Me A Tenor
Date: 2/26/10
Another joy of theatre for me is seeing people who are not that comfortable in their skin, hyperventilating backstage, and stricken with paralysis from fear getting onstage and giving one heck of a great performance. There is something about an audience that is terrifying and exhilarating. As you stand behind the door waiting for your cue, you have butterflies in your stomach. As soon as the cue comes, door opens, and you instantly become transferred into a new world and you become that character with all the emotion and physical choices made to embody the character. It is like nothing else in the world. It is a rush, and the reactions from the audience feed your adrenaline.
The best part about doing it here is that you have your friends, family, peers, faculty, and staff come out and support you and your passion for theatre. After each performance I will receive an email from Sister Melissa Waters congratulating me on a job well done. The pain and torture of long nights, exhausting work, and endless reruns of scenes are what makes performance amazing and causes me to give my all.
Title: The Past Two Weeks
Date: 2/15/10
Much has occurred during the last few weeks, that I've been far too busy to stop and write my thoughts, but as I was released from my rehearsals early, I now have some time to recount the past weeks events. The main events that I have attended and participated in are the upcoming plays Lend Me A Tenor and BBE: A Journey Through The Heartland, the Committee On the Shared Undergraduate Academic Experience, interviews for the Resident Assistant position, and a wonderful Super Bowl party in which I was able to see the Saints win.
Lend Me A Tenor has proven to be most difficult in that I've never worked on a farce before. The acting style is big and fast. The jokes and situational comedy come non-stop. It is sure to keep the audience laughing the entire time. The cast is full of many wonderful actors and actresses that play their part well and have developed distinct character choices. This over-the-top cast makes the farcical work easier and very enjoyable. My only qualm with the production is that I had to shave my lovely facial hair and now my face gets chilly when I go outside.
The BBE or Black Box Experiment directed by the students at Dominican is coming along nicely and is the complete opposite of farce. It is a set of plays full of high octane drama that speaks about the struggles of the human condition. Sam Shepard writes these gritty, dark, and sometimes morbid plays about the not so glamorous side of life. The plays I'm in for the BBE tend to drain me emotionally, due to the difficulty of trying to get into the body of a character, but also the mind to understand their behavior. Each play has its own character, but many unifying themes.
On the topic of themes, in the last COSUAE the board discussed the multicultural core requirement. It was decided to allow the service trips to countries in need, to count as a multicultural credit. The board also got into a debate, which will hopefully be resolved at the next meeting, on what exactly the multicultural requirement states and how efficiency can be improved. I enjoy being on the board with all the chairs from different departments because I like being in the loop about what is going on here at Dominican University. They also like me being there as they feel a need to always get the student voice, and have started working on ways to get a collective student panel across the majors to fully understand how the decisions made in an office meeting relate to the academic experience. Just one more example of how Dominican cares.
I care for the students as well and that is why I tried out to be a Resident Assistant. My first interview was an individual interview in, which I came before a panel of two current RA’s and a member of Residence Life staff and was questioned on multiple topics. The topics ranged from what I would do in certain situations to what diversity means to me. Yesterday, I went in for the group interview. During this interview, you become part of a group that works on multiple tasks and the RA’s examine your performance as a leader, listener, and how well you get along with the others. It's going to be tough because there were so many worthy students in my group, along with the fact that 58 students applied this year, which is the most people to apply in a long time. Due to the amount of applicants, the Residence Life staff decided to have a third interview after making cuts. I should know within the coming weeks if I was chosen to dive deeper into the process. Either way, it is always a fun experience and helpful. It helps me prepare for actual interviews in the real world and also adds to my resume.
Title: All At Once
Date: 1/27/10
Along with homework, I am applying to be a Resident Assistant. I have worked with many people through TORCH and being a Summer Housing Assistant. I enjoyed it so much that I believe it would be a great idea for me or anyone who has a passion to help people and welcome them to Dominican to apply to be a Resident Assistant.
My day started earlier than normal with a photo shoot for a book of Acknowledgement. I was nominated and chosen as a Stand-Out Student. In order to get awarded, I would recommend that you get involved and try to make a difference on campus and to the community. I am also nominated to speak tomorrow on a panel of people who were chosen to share their story about what it is like to be you. President Donna Carroll will be the first to be interviewed and share her story. The people nominated were picked by the students and faculty who wanted to know what it is like to be the person they nominated.
Each time I am nominated for something I feel a great sense of accomplishment and pride. I work very hard to be sure that I have helped others and built community and friendship among the people at Dominican because it is my home and I want everyone to feel as welcome as I do.
Title: Back To School
Date: 1/15/10
Today begins the two months long non-stop rehearsal schedule. The cast has some old faces and some others that I have not yet worked with, and I am looking forward to a great show. Though I love theatre, it does make it hard to find a job off campus. The trick about working on campus is that you have to plan for a whole month. You work a maximum of 10 hours a week and get paid once a month. It has been hard trying to figure out how to pay for tuition, books, and living expenses by only working for the school, but it is nice to have a job.
The best part about working for the school is that they are very kind to your needs as a student, unlike some places off campus. I enjoy being a student worker and a theatre kid, but a little extra money would be very greatly appreciated. There are many places around Dominican, I’d say within walking distance that would be good places to work. The other day I applied to work at a café bistro. No word on my resume yet, but I have high hopes.
On the topic of resumes, I went down to the career center in Parmer Hall and spoke with my friend Jose, who is an expert on resumes. I brought in a resume I had created and we went over it. He told me what employers look at and how I can stand out as a potential employee. We made some changes and within a few minutes we were done. I took his advice and built one that looks quite nice. This semester is going to be a busy one, but I like a challenge.
Title: Winter Break Homework
Date: 12/23/09
I was happy that my dog remembered me, and now she won’t leave my side. Thursday, Christmas Eve, my family and I are going out with my grandparents for a nice dinner. I believe the rest of the family will come over to our house on Christmas day. I have no idea what the plan for New Year's is, but the day of is my friend’s birthday party. I head back to Dominican on the 12th.
Before I come back, I have some homework I need to finish. By that I mean, preparation for the spring semester. Not only is winter break good for relaxing, but also for buying books online and getting them shipped before school starts to avoid the high price at the bookstore. I have all the books I need, but I need to prepare for the coming theatrical season. I have to read three plays, build three characters and be mostly off book by the time school starts again. It is going to be a challenge, but it will give me something to do during all this downtime.
Another goal that I have for this break is to build up a stronger agenda and plans for the Honors Student Advisory Board. We started off with many plans and intentions, but everyone got so busy that many ideas went unfinished. I hope to get things straightened out in order for the spring semester to be the time where we define ourselves as a group, set goals for where we want to go and build more community among the honors students. I plan to do all this, and sleep . . . a lot.
Title: Finals Week & Break
Date: 12/18/09
In my other classes I had two tests and one paper due. My final grades were A’s and B’s. I found that it helps to continuously review notes instead of cramming the night before. It is less stressful and a quick review sparks knowledge that I can easily remember. Finals week is always the toughest time for students, but it is necessary to be sure and relax. To do well you must get enough sleep, eat well, and take breaks in between study hours. All in all my finals week was the least stressful when compared to what is has been.
For winter break I am going back home to Arkansas. It has been a full year since I have been home. I miss my dog very much and hope she remembers me. Though the holidays can get crazy, it is always nice to come home and spend time with my family. For Christmas we have plans to visit my father’s side of the family in Texas. This will be a vacation for my parents, and a double vacation for me. I can hardly comprehend the fact that I have not been home in a year. It is true what a teacher told me, as you get older the time goes by faster. I know it may seem strange, but I'm going to miss Dominican, it has been my home, and I have really found myself here. The people and places around Dominican bring with them pleasant memories. Though I'll enjoy the break, I cannot wait to come back, because Dominican has become more than a second home for me.
Title: Thanksgiving
Date: 11/28/09
On Thanksgiving Day I had two dinners. The first was at my cousin’s house and the second was at my girlfriend’s house, at which I watched the Dallas Cowboys win the football game. While at my cousin's house I called my parents, because this year everyone was at our house, and I got to speak to all my family in Arkansas. They basically handed the phone to everyone that was there. It was nice to reconnect, because I haven’t been home since December of last year, due to financial reasons and me working at school during the summer.
At my girlfriend’s house, I filled up again on turkey stuffing, mashed potatoes and apple pie. At dinner her mother spoke about all the things she was thankful for and I was one of them, due to the appendicitis I had in February. I also thought about what I was thankful for and mainly it was to have great friend and family around and that everyone is in good health. My favorite part of going over to her house during the winter months is the fact that they have a fireplace. I enjoy sitting by the fire drinking coffee and playing board games with the family. Once again, just like last year, the next day her mom asked me to help put out lights and build the Christmas tree, which is no problem, because I take pleasure in building and helping out in any way I can. Later that day I dropped my girlfriend off at Macy’s and walked around the Woodfield mall for a very short time. I got out of there quick, due to the madness that is Black Friday. Now I'm back at school and drinking in the peacefulness of silence.
Title: Catch Up
Date: 11/23/09
The presentation I completed today was a play that I wrote, in five days, about healthcare reform. It took about 12 hours to complete the play and next week I have to bring in an essay about theatre and how it is used to generate knowledge. I plan to separate the essay into three parts. The first, being about how theatre can cause change and influence people. Then, I will show examples of such plays like, The Laramie Project and Dead Man Walking. Lastly, I will talk about my essay and how and why I did what I did. That aside, I did very well on my auditions and got called back for both shows, Lend Me A Tenor and the Black Box Experiment, which we will be doing parts of plays by Sam Shepard. I am very excited and call backs went well. We will be notified next week sometime about which parts were assigned.
Life has been hectic and rough, but the important thing is to complete one task at a time and do it in parts. The other main factor is rest; sleep is good and so is socializing. Both are needed in order to be sure that you don’t get exhausted, least that’s what I do and it seems to be working.
Title: Macbeth
Date: 11/16/09
After months and months of preparation and hours spent practicing, the show is now over. I learned about stage combat and made new friends and deepened the relationships I had before. It has been said that all things must come to an end and I feel it is necessary for that to happen because if it did not, then there would be nothing to look forward to and the time spent would not be as sacred. Though Macbeth is dark and treacherous, I felt very comfortable with it and it became a part of me. It has been very hard for me and fellow cast mates to get out of a sad funk that we are in since the last show. It has been my life; it is my passion. Never before have I worked on a play that was as phenomenal as Macbeth. The cast was large and had about 30 people in it. In the cast there were six people who were professional actors brought in from the area. Being able to act with them onstage was a wonderful privilege. They taught me so much and increased my desire to follow my dream of becoming a professional actor. They were friendly and did not hesitate to give me knowledge about how to make a living acting. From where to start, to how to develop character and build a dynamic with other cast members, the professionals let me know everything I needed to be prepared for life after college. The entire cast became very close in our journey through the play process. After a play has ended I have always felt a sense of loss, but this was different in that it was my first time on the Lund stage and I put so much effort into doing my best and gave a bit of myself to my role. All of the experience I will take with me, but alas, ‘tis over and time to audition for the next semester.
Title: Halloween
Date: 10/30/09
Around Halloween there are many fun things to do at Dominican. Tuesday offered students the chance to decorate their own pumpkins. On Wednesday Student Involvement sponsored a pumpkin hunt. The pumpkins were small and plastic, and placed all around the school. The prizes for finding one ranged from candy to DVD’s and videogames. Thursday night the Eco club and Commuter Student Association sponsored haunted tours of the campus. While waiting for a tour group to leave, you were treated to food, refreshments, ghost stories, mask and pumpkin painting, scary music, and a ton of Halloween décor. The tours lasted for about 45 minutes and were set all throughout campus. Each tour was told of spooky happenings in different areas of the school as well as being scared by the spooks, who were the people, dressed up, that jumped out at you as you were walking through tunnels and such. On Friday, the Campus Activities Board will be showing the movie, Shaun of the Dead.
On Saturday, I will be dressing up like either a vampire or zombie and venturing into Chicago. There are many clubs and events going on Halloween night, and I have chosen to go to a gothic Halloween concert. This concert has a DJ from Berlin that flies in to play music for us fortunate souls. Her name is DJ Scary Lady Sarah. The concert is held at the Metro and you receive a discount for coming dressed up. There will be a raffle and a costume contest. Other people are going to go trick-or-treating because it is the last acceptable time for them to go, being that they are seniors and you cannot go trick-or-treating after graduation. All in all, this weekend is going to be lots of fun and I cannot wait to see where the night takes us.
Title: Mr. Dominican & Long Weekend
Date: 10/26/09
Last week the fashion club held its annual Mr. Dominican pageant. The pageant was started last year by fashion club and has become increasingly popular. The idea of Mr. Dominican is to poke fun at beauty pageants. The contestants are judged by their performance in a talent competition, modeling on the runway, and a question and answer segment. This year I was fortunate enough to be one of the contestants, and though I did not win, I had a good time participating. There were six contestants this year and their talents were contortion, monologue, Rubik’s cube solving, dancing, comedy, and stomp dancing. Each person did quite well in this part. The second part was the question and answer. Each contestant had a serious question and a funny question to answer to the best of their knowledge. The questions ranged from “What is your favorite part about being a student at Dominican,” to “What type of vegetable would you be, and why?” The last portion of the show was a modeling competition in which the contestants had two minutes to pick out a costume from a given assortment of items and describe why they chose it. The night was full of laughs and the winner was awarded a sash and crown by President Donna Carroll.
Last weekend we also had a long weekend. Most people went home, but I stayed on campus. There were not many events for this weekend at Dominican so I chose to go to Chicago for some fun Saturday night. I looked up some events that were taking place on Saturday through Metromix.com and I found a name that was familiar to me. I went to the Lakeshore Theatre to see John Caparulo, he is a common guest on the Chelsea Lately show and has many appearances on Comedy Central. He was hilarious and very friendly after the show. Sunday I had a six hour theatre rehearsal and finished up on my homework. All in all, it was a nice week.
Jaron and comedian John Caparulo
Title: Homecoming Festival
Date: 10/16/09
Here is a video that I took of some of the homecoming events. Some of the activities included a
"block party" in the Social Hall with a live band, food and games; laser tag; and the homecoming
dance. Watch the video to experience homecoming at Dominican. Watch closely for guest appearances
from some of the other bloggers.
Last week Dominican held the annual Homecoming dance as well as other festivities during the week. The week was full of multiple activities, one for each day. Each event is free to DU students and faculty. Sunday’s activity was cookie decorating in the common area of the dorms. On Monday there was a banner competition. Each student group participates by creating a banner for homecoming that has some relevance to their group or organization. The banners were judged and hung in the Social Hall. The team that won got points toward the club challenge award. Tuesday was the day that students were encouraged to “Pack the Gym” to support the women’s volleyball team. Campus Activities Board gave away free pom-poms and popcorn. Wednesday celebrated our love of sweets with free candy bars. Thursday’s event was Campus Olympics. The competition was set up with teams trying to best the others in Willy Wonka themed challenges. On Friday, there was a concert held in the auditorium. The band was The Smoking Popes, which is a popular local band in the Chicagoland area. Tickets for this event were $17 with a DU ID, which is a deal. Also on Friday, the Social Hall was set up for a live cover band, face painting, and beanbag games. Free cotton candy was handed out. In the newly renovated pool area there was a giant inflatable ship in which laser tag was played. Saturday had two events, the first being “Pack the Field.” This was to gather students to go to the soccer field to see the men and women’s teams play. Popcorn and pom-poms were handed out here too. The last event, the dance, was Saturday night. This year, the dance was held at the Priory campus auditorium. It lasted for about four hours, and the music ranged from popular current hip-hop to The Ghostbusters theme song to Brown Eyed Girl. I think everyone had at least one song they knew played, due to the range of the music selection. All in all, it was a fun week and it created more school spirit in the minds and hearts of the students. Go DU Stars!
Title: Zombies Everywhere!
Date: 10/7/09
Last week I was fortunate enough to be free from all obligations and had the opportunity to attend a free screening of Zombieland. This was no ordinary screening though, because it was free for those people who dressed up like a zombie. The screening was at the AMC River East theatre in downtown Chicago. The movie started at 9:45 p.m., and the walk was at 8 p.m. The walk that I am referring to was a pre-event to the screening. All of those who dressed up like zombies met at the fountain in front of Navy Pier. After signing a release form, we lined up, more or less, and walked, stumbled, rolled, and dragged our undead bodies through the streets of Chicago toward the theatre. We had about a full block and a half of people. The experience was like nothing else. Over 200 people dressed like zombies on a dark and stormy night (perfect zombie weather) worked their ways through the streets. Some people got into character so much they actually went up to the CTA buses and pounded on the windows. While crossing the street, the zombies had no regard for traffic signs and much honking ensued. Those walking down the sidewalks also had fun watching the army of zombies. The types of outfits ranged from slight discoloration to extremely bloody. Many people carried body parts and everyone’s clothes were ripped and bloody. It was almost like an adult Halloween. To add to the greatness that was the zombie walk through the town, the movie Zombieland was phenomenal. If I hadn’t seen it for free, I would’ve definitely paid to see it. That night was loads of fun, and I would recommend taking part in events such as this. I learned so much about zombie survival that I am now prepared for the “zombipocalypse.”
Title: Plans for a theatre major
Date: 9/30/09
Being a theatre major gets discouraging at times. I have many friends who are majoring in the sciences, math and business. Each of these I feel has many real world possibilities. They seem to have their life set up for what they are going to do after college. Some people look at my decision as foolish, but I see it as my passion. Though telling your parents that you are a theatre major, may send them over the edge, and have them ask why you aren’t doing something more practical, I feel that I am doing the right thing. My desire to perform got me to Dominican and it keeps my spirits up, even in times where I think about going out and getting a “real” job. Although it is hard to get into the field, I see that across the board. By that I mean, that all majors will have competition when applying for a career. I believe it is important to do what you like to make your life more fulfilling.
I know getting into acting will be difficult, but that’s what makes it fun and exciting. From auditions to malfunctions happening during opening night, theatre is full of spontaneity. I devour this. The chase makes the outcome even that much more intense. Even though I'm a theatre major, I have plans for when I graduate. By networking with faculty and friends at Dominican I have come to know people who are involved with theatre in downtown Chicago. I know other people who work for a production company, and that is their only job, shocking I know. My plan to start working with a smaller theatre or production company and work my way up, hopefully to a theatre like Steppenwolf or a permanent employee of the Zombie Army Productions. Though I wish I could do more to get involved, theatre takes time and it is impossible during school. I will continue to get my name out there and work on my skills, not only as an actor, but as a stagehand, director, scenery builder, and the like in order to present myself as a well rounded individual which will make me more hirable. The point of all of this is to say that no matter how unrealistic your major may be, if it is your passion, follow it and give it all you’ve got. There will be ups and downs, but the important thing is to never stop looking forward. Theatre is what I do best and what I love. It inspires me and gives me a confidence that makes me know that I can achieve great things, even though I'm “just a theatre major.”
Title: Honors board and theatre
Date: 9/22/09
These past few weeks have been crazy. As president of the Honor Student Advisory Board, it is hard finding a time when everyone can meet to discuss our plans for this semester. Our first meeting will be Monday, and we will go over specifics of our plans. Our plans include going on an outing to Chicago, a service project, debates, and ideas for the honors community. For the venture to Chicago, I believe we are going to go to a Shakespeare play and a concert. The service project involves raising money for our friends in Africa. The debates will be very informal. They will be started by a panel of one faculty member and two students on each side of a topic. That topic will be decided on after I survey people at the school. There will be a moderator to lead the discussions, but we want mostly for the audience to ask the questions. Our goal is to get people talking about issues, and it will be called “Finding Truth: Discovering Common Ground on Current Issues.” Lastly, we have ideas about giving special awards to those students who have completed the honors program, such as a pin or certificate. This is the first year that there has been an honors committee of students, and we hope to make a huge impact on the lives of those at Dominican.
The other big part of my time in the last few weeks has been working on the play Mac Beth. I separated the word in order to keep myself from bestowing upon the people of the play the curse that this play has a history of. According to legend, it is bad luck to say the name of the play, or quote from it unless in rehearsal or actual performance. That aside, these last few days we have been learning about stage combat. I have been trained in slaps, punches, kicks, how to fall, and also about safety. It has been very fun, and a little exhausting. The play will be set in a different time than what it was before. I believe it will be a very great play, so please come and see it November 13-15.
Title: TORCH and school starting
Date: 9/2/09
This year began very well. After all of the TORCH training, I was engaged in three days of festivities. It began with helping the freshmen move into the dorms. We stared at 9 a.m. and went till 4 p.m. The weather was nice, so I wasn’t uncomfortable. I did, however, get a few bruises. It was neat getting to meet the parents and informing them about the school. The next day was the day in which all of the freshmen got oriented with Dominican and the parents got to go on a type of orientation trip too. The skit we prepared went over well and had many students and parents laughing. After the skit, we walked around to different areas of the school to learn about policies, procedures, and where to find help if you need it. We also had some free time to get to know our group mates. My group was fun and very excited to be at Dominican. Next, we went to the liturgy in the Rosary Chapel and then to a dinner for parents and students. That night the students whom signed up for service day met to go over the specifics of the event.
The next morning we met at 9:30 in Parmer Hall to go to Thatcher Woods. It was great to see so many students excited and involved with helping the environment and the community. All in all, I would say we collected about 30 bags of trash. While there, I met many awesome freshmen. After lunch the freshmen met in the Lund Auditorium for Convocation. This is a welcoming ceremony in which the leaders of the school wish everyone a successful year and awards are given out to teachers for their work the previous year. Right after that is DU Fest, which is a celebration in the quadrangle, or the quad, full of inflatable games, food, music, and booths set up for some organizations on campus. It is always a blasty blast and I recommend everyone go.
Jaron helps another student clean up during the service day in Thatcher Woods
Whenever the welcoming weekend ends, school begins. My professors are very friendly and kind. I feel good about this year and what it holds. It is hard the first few days, but after a while you can develop a pattern for lunch, studying, socializing, and learning the quickest and most efficient way to get to class. Although I received homework in every class, I believe that because I am not over-involved I have achieved a balance in my collegiate life that will allow me to complete assignments on time and be prepared for tests.
Title: Vacation and TORCH training
Date: 8/29/09
Last weekend I had my first real vacation of the summer. I went with my cousin who lives in Chicago and her son to visit my other cousin in Ohio. The trip lasted about seven hours, but I was glad to see my cousin Sean, whom I haven’t seen in about three years. The first night we were there, Sean and I sat outside from 1 AM to 4 AM just talking about life, family, religion, philosophy, and the future. It was awesome to see how far we have come. After going to bed, the next day we went to Kings Island which is a wonderful theme park with many insane rides. Although I haven’t ridden a rollercoaster for many years and I have a fear of heights, I still went on the wildest rides. We stayed there all day. My two favorite rides were one in which I was laying down and the other was one was just a seat and you were strapped in by a pad on your lap, that was it. No buckles or anything, just a seat and a lap bar. It was very intense. The next day we headed back to Chicago.
On Monday I started my TORCH training. Every day I have learned more and more about the school. Every office has come to us and talked to the group about what they do and how they help students. We have worked together all week and have formed a strong group alliance. This will help us to be comfortable with each other and be able to know who to go to for answers to certain questions. We have also practiced our skit which was made to orient students to college and the experiences that come with. I feel that through our training we are all prepared to help the incoming freshmen in any way. We are rewarded for volunteering with a book store gift card, as well as the ability to meet new people and show them the way to adapt to college life. After this weekend I will talk about my experiences as a TORCH leader.
Title: Transistions
Date: 8/19/09
In the last few weeks my summer job with the school has ended. Throughout the process, I have learned many things about the school and what goes on during the summer. All in all, the conferences were interesting. We had people from all over the country and the world come here to Dominican. I got to speak with many of them about their thoughts on life, government, and other economical issues. I feel that my views on life have broadened. After the final clean up, it was time to move into my room for the fall and spring semester.
The move was somewhat easy due to a group of friends helping me. I still have yet to place everything in its proper location and have been living in the common area of the suite. Without a job, I am very bored and await everyone’s arrival to Dominican. Yesterday, I finally got all of my posters up and my computer equipment set up. The athletes and RA’s moved in the other day and have brought life back to campus. Some nights can get a bit scary being in a whole suite by myself.
Next week I start training for the fall TORCH and welcome weekend job. I received the script for the skit that we will do and have noticed that I play a large role. I am happy to get back into acting again. Along with acting for the welcome weekend, I am also preparing my monologues for the fall auditions. I hope to get a part in Macbeth, due to my love of Shakespeare. If cast, I promise to act my heart out.
This year I plan to get a job away from campus and not become too involved in groups around school. I am a junior senator for SGA and president of the HSAC (honor’s council) and I feel like that will be enough for me. I learned the hard way about being a workaholic, though I find that word confusing because there is no “workahol.” So here I sit getting prepared for another great year here at a school that has welcomed me with open arms and allowed me to be the best I can be.
Title: Honors Council, Rascal Flatts, and Zombies oh my!
Date: 7/24/09
The past few weeks I have been coming up with ideas on how to run and the objectives of the newly created Honors Student Advisory Council. I have also been working on a movie and went to a concert.
The current ideas for the Honors Council is to have awards for those who graduate and have went through the honors program, work on a service project, host student run lectures/discussion panels, and create community among those in the honors program by visiting Chicago theatres and museums. There is a great amount of pressure on me to do well and make a name for the group because it has just begun. I believe that we will be able to complete the tasks we set out to accomplish and hopefully do well for Dominican and the surrounding area. I plan to make the meetings a place for honors students to come together to meet other honors students and ask the seasoned honor students about honors projects and how to graduate with different distinctions.
To take time off from being president, I went to a Rascal Flatts concert. It was awesome and it was located in my favorite area of Chicago, Wrigleyville, at Wrigley Field. The performers before the headliner were okay, but when RF came out, they lit up the stage with 5 jumbo screens and fireworks. There was a point in the show in which they brought on stage a small child for what I believed was the Make a Wish Foundation. It brought a tear to my eye. The entire show was spectacular and it was crazy because I felt like I was home in Arkansas: the music, the thousands of people wearing plaid, cowboy boots, cowboy hats, and overall southern swagger.
The last bit of news from the last few weeks is that I got the offer to work on a small independent film. The group doing the movie is called Zombie Army, the same people who do the Statesville Prison haunted house and the Navy Pier haunted house. I found out about this from the costume designer here at Dominican who is part of the Zombie Army, which goes to show you that even though Dominican is small, there are many people who have connections who can hook you up. The movie is titled The Moleman of Belmont Avenue. I helped out by working with the crew to set up the sets and run errands. I worked 12-hour days, but got free food and the experience that will last forever, and look good on a resume. I got a chance to meet Robert Englund, the guy who played Freddy Krueger, but had to work my other job those days. It was still lots of fun though.
Title: The Taste of Chicago
Date: 7/2/09
This week I went to The Taste of Chicago twice. The first time was with my lovely girlfriend to sample the food. The second venture was to see The Barenaked Ladies play a free concert.
The great thing about the Taste is that it is free to get inside; the bad thing is that it is a bit pricy when compared to the amount you get. I got 24 tickets for $16. You can have a “Taste” size portion for four tickets, but it is just a taste. I spent nine tickets on five French fries and seven popcorn shrimp. When considering the ratio of tickets to amount paid, each ticket was worth 66 cents. The shrimp and fries were delicious. The prices are reasonable when you consider the free entertainment and shows. I also got a chocolate covered strawberry, crunchy shrimp, spinach pizza, cheesecake and a frozen popcorn ball. They were all quite delectable and many famous Chicago restaurants were represented there. Rockstar and AMP energy drinks were there giving out free samples. Pepsi had a Rock Band booth. They had a section for children and a Ferris wheel. Dominick’s had a stage set up for cooking shows. Emeril Lagasse was there for the opening of the Taste.
Two days later I went to see The Barenaked Ladies. The concert was awesome. They are one of my favorite bands, yet I had never seen them live before. I got very close to the stage and did not have to pay for it. They played many of my favorites and some newer songs. It was fun, although it seemed as if I was the only person singing along to the songs. After the show, they were at a merchandise booth signing autographs. The only thing I had was my shirt, so I took it off so that they could sign. I took two pictures of them, because the staff was rushing people through the line. I have the pictures of the band and my t-shirt on my facebook. All in all it was a great time both days. I recommend you visit and experience The Taste of Chicago.
Title: Sightseeing in Chicago
Date: 6/26/09
About a week ago my parents drove all the way from Arkansas to visit me while I am living at Dominican. We went out each day and did something different. I am writing about this because I feel it will help students not from the area to know about all that Chicago and the surrounding area offers.
To start off with, we went to two malls, the Water Tower Place and Oak Brook. There two other malls in the area as well, North Riverside and The HIP (Harlem Irving Plaza). The Water Tower Place in located on the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago. It is a mall with seven stories, it is an indoor mall, and it houses stores like Coach, Oakley, American Eagle, Macy’s, and Banana Republic. Oak Brook mall is an outdoor mall located west of Harlem Road in a suburb of Chicago. This mall/shopping center has stores like Crate & Barrel, Urban Outfitters, Brookstone, and Godiva Chocolates. North Riverside has a Spencer’s, Victoria Secret, and Game Stop. The HIP has a Hot Topic, Aeropostale, and a F.Y.E. The aforementioned stores are not the only ones located at each mall, but were listed as somewhat of a reference to the stores that are not located at the other malls. Though it was rainy when we went to the Water Tower Place, my parents and I had a great time and witnessed a live filming of a movie.
My parents and I also went to Navy Pier. There we walked around and checked out the many shops they have. Navy Pier houses the Shakespeare Theatre, a large conference room in which events come and go throughout the year, and a grand ballroom for special events. They have fireworks on display throughout the year as well. While at Navy Pier, we went on the Ferris wheel and played miniature golf. Boat rides are available at the pier, and during Halloween time they have a boat that has been turned into a haunted house—or haunted boat—you know what I mean. Navy Pier also has a movie theatre and an indoor garden.
Our next stop was Brookfield Zoo. Though the entrance and parking fees are high, it is worth the costs due to the extremely well developed environments that are used to house the animals. At the time we went they were offering an adventure in the past, called Dinosaurs Alive. The zoo has dolphin shows each week, as well as feeding and info sessions.
Our last stop before my parents left was to mill around a bit in the Wrigleyville area, which is located north of downtown Chicago. The area is one of my favorites due to the indie type stores and restaurants. Though I like all Chicago teams, I must say that I am a Cubs fan by default due to my love of Wrigleyville, where Wrigley Field is located. While walking around Wrigleyville, my parents and I stopped in at a bar for some pizza. We got to watch the last of the Cubs vs. Sox game that day, and as soon as the Cubs won, a loud cheering could be heard all around us. I told my parents that they have received the Chicago experience after seeing the hoards of excited fans running about the streets. While in Wrigleyville I also stop at the Alley, Hollywood Mirror, Belmont Army, Beyond the Wall, Beatnix, the local comic book store, and the videogame store. I enjoy venturing into the videogame store because they sell every type of videogame, starting with Atari and all of those other funtastic pixilated games (and yes I meant to write FUNtastic).
Some other points of interest in which we did not visit are Millennium Park, the soon to be altered formerly named Sears Tower, the John Hancock Building, the House of Blues, Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry, Natural History Museum, and the Chicago Art Institute with the newly completed Modern Wing.
As my parents departed, we all said our tearful goodbyes, for I shall not see them until the end of the fall semester in December. My hope is that the memories made keep until my return.
Title: Summer Housing Assistant
Date: 6/24/09
This summer I was fortunate enough to be offered a position working at the school. I am a Summer Housing Assistant. That means that I work at the desk in Coughlin Commons Monday through Friday, help setup for conferences and SOAR, and I also work on projects for Residence Life. As a desk worker, I answer the phone and direct people who come in where to go on campus. For conferences, I take part in checking people in and showing them to their rooms, as well as check out. I make the beds too.
The projects for residences life that I will be working on this summer include making orientation videos for students to view online. They will allow the students to understand the housing process, as well as tour their dormitory. I am also working on getting a DVD rental kiosk on campus by the fall semester. Another project that I am working on is an alcohol diversion program. The intent of this program is to deter underage drinking, and to inform students on how to handle certain situations. We seek to not make it a punishment, but more of a way of educating people about alcohol. One thing we are going to inform the students on are the ways to care for someone who is heavily intoxicated, and let them know what they should do instead of letting the person sleep it off.
One of my favorite parts of being a SHA is getting to meet the freshmen who come in for SOAR, Student Orientation And Registration, as well as the alumni that come in for their reunion. I met a freshman who was interested in and had done theatre and we had a lot to talk about. The freshmen that I have spoken to are very excited to come here. On the opposite side of that, the people who come for their reunions are equally excited about the Dominican experience. I have learned much more about Dominican through talking with the alumni. They spoke about how Dominican was and I showed them what is new. All in all, it is a fun experience to work here during the summer and I recommend those who love Dominican to apply for this position next summer.
Title: Reflections on sophomore year
Date: 6/16/09
It is hard to believe that my sophomore year at Dominican is over. It went by way too fast. Much has happened this year from demonstrations to surgery. I feel like I have made the most of it though. Last year I also decided to change my major, which can be hard to do with two years down, but the people at the Brennan School of Business were very helpful.
My sophomore year started off by me living in a Centennial suite with five guys I did not know very well, but thanks to 8-hour rock band parties, we have all become really good friends. I met a beautiful girl named Alyssa and we recently celebrated our 9-month anniversary. She is wonderful and likes to be involved just like me. She was in the Dominican dance team and modeled for the fashion show. Each of these things took many hours out of her day, but it’s what she loves. Next year I am getting another suite with the same guys, plus a few new people. I was happy to have Rick, James, Steve, Ryan and Jim as roommates. They have be able to be there for me when I needed help with homework, a buddy to play videogames with, a shoulder to cry on, someone to listen to my philosophical ramblings, and someone to drive me to the hospital. I could not have asked for a better mix of people.
I learned the hard way that being too involved can run havoc on your life. It seemed like everyday I had a meeting or some event to plan or execute. I enjoyed it, but realize now that these four years are very important and that I should allow more time for myself. I was usually too exhausted to go out with my friends, but I loved being able to meet new people and help influence their decision to remain at Dominican. I like the leadership position, because I am someone who believes in peace, brotherhood, and the universal human experience. As a leader I brought together people, who may have different opinions about things, to stand as one for the truth in which we all believe. I had to can the last sentence, so that I did not end it with a preposition, even though the prepositions have become socially acceptable terms to end a sentence with.
Every year at Dominican I feel as if I am growing not only through my knowledge, but something inside. I become a harder, better, faster, stronger, and more confident person. I learn about whom I am and where I want to go with my life. I learned that I want to open my own business one day and that an Italian major was not right for me. I became aware of where my time was going and have decided to only be involved in two groups next year, Student Government and the newly created Honors Student Advisory Board of which I will be the president. Each year brings more ups and downs as well as more knowledge and friendships to help me get through the hard times. I would trade nothing for the love and experience of attending Dominican University.
Title: Recognition and Rewards
Date: 4/14/09
It is sad because so many people do not get involved at school or campus events. They do not understand how rewarding of an experience it is. There are multiple groups to get involved with, each that has its rewards. One way that you are rewarded for your volunteer work is from the pride you get from knowing that you have helped someone else. Clubs and organizations are always rewarding their members with amazing events. There are even some times when you do not even have to be a part of the club to go to an event, though organizing the event is much more fun.
Eco club has their global warming café each year to raise awareness of climate change and new technology for a better tomorrow. The campus activities board hosts movie nights at least once a month for anyone interested. The resident student association holds an auction each semester to reward our members for coming to our events and meetings. The auction is an event in which the members use the fun money they have received throughout the year to bid on items. Being on an athletic team is rewarding. As an athlete, you build a strong sense of community in your team, as well as the support of the students.
For my work organizing the demonstration against hate, the university is giving me a Caritas certificate. Sometimes it can be hard for students to want to be the leaders of the clubs or organizations. Many times the benefits of being a member are not shared with those who run the meetings. Though it may seem like added stress, being a leader has its perks. Besides the ability to increase one’s resume and communication abilities, the school has a leadership luncheon each year for the leaders of the organizations. This year we are invited to Maggiano’s to eat for free. The leadership luncheon is a time for us to come together and recognize our accomplishments throughout the year. Awards are given out and the event ends with a dance. No matter how you decide to get involved at Dominican, just be sure that you are involved. It helps your make new friends, grow in many ways, and your efforts do not go unrecognized.
Title: More Leadership Opportunities
Date: 4/7/09
Along with all of the clubs and organizations that allow you to get involved, Dominican also has some other types of avenues for leadership. This summer I will be living at Dominican and working as a housing assistant. This job will allow for me to meet many international students as well as summer school students. I will act as a resident assistant and aid the students on my floor to get the most out of their stay at Dominican. I will help the school prepare for conferences and other summer events. I am very happy to have this position, because I enjoy facilitating the community of the residents. I will be able to advance my leadership ability. This opportunity is a way for students like me to be able to learn more about other cultures.
As well as being a summer housing assistant, I am also a TORCH leader for the fall semester. TORCH leaders help introduce the incoming freshmen to one another through a variety of ways. They facilitate orientation and aid students in moving into their dorms. TORCH leaders light the path for the incoming freshmen. They are trained to help students figure out their schedules, as well as show the students where everything on campus is located. They let the freshmen know who to talk to about certain issues. TORCH leaders also work to build community among the freshmen class. I am excited to meet the incoming freshmen as a TORCH leader. I will be able to divulge my knowledge of the school and how the school works. As a TORCH leader I want to entice the students to get involved and help revive the school spirit.
Another avenue for leadership is the student ambassador program. The student ambassadors show the students and parents around the school during the year and tell them of the school’s history. They give a complete tour of the school and answer any questions. Dominican has many opportunities for students to reach out and become a leader. I would recommend that to get the full experience. You can join a club, organization, or some other group that will allow you to better understand the inner workings of the school.
Title: Service Learning
Date: 3/25/09
At Dominican, some classes give you the chance to do volunteer work in the community. I was fortunate enough to get to work with the children of St. Angela’s School. I have never tutored children before, so I was a little nervous about what might happen. Every day I went into St. Angela’s I could be sent to help out with children ranging from first to eighth grade. For the most part I worked with second and third graders. These children are very smart and I can see so much potential in them.
My first day, I worked with two students to help them study for a science test. I made a drawing to aid in connecting the vocabulary. The next week I went back and saw one of the students and he proudly came up to me and told me he got an A on his test. That little moment gave me a sense of my ability to change someone’s life, and perhaps the world. I liked asking the children what they wanted to be and I received responses from a doctor to an artist. The gentleman that said he wanted to be an artist showed me some of his drawings, and they were amazing.
After going to St. Angela’s for a few weeks I began to get comfortable with the atmosphere and being able to have patience for the children’s attention spans. The only thing that I was very upset about was the fact that they were teaching these children that there are only eight planets. I was very disappointed and felt old due to the fact that I can say, “Well back in my day we had nine planets.” All in all, the experience has made me more humble and more able to feel a strong sense of accomplishment. Service learning has given me hope for a brighter future.
Title: Residence Hall Crunch
Date: 3/23/09
With the increasing number of incoming students and the rise in interest in Dominican, the housing on campus is in crisis. Last year all of Coughlin Hall, and every double and triple in Power Hall were reserved for incoming freshmen. The school opened up the option for a few apartments at a place called Bon Villa. Bon Villa then became a residence for graduate students only. The Centennial Suites have four rooms in which six students were to reside. Also, all of the international students had their own dorm.
This year, the rules have changed. Now Bon Villa is available for all residents. The Centennial Suites are now a mandatory eight-person suite, and the combined average GPA of all residents must equal 3.0 or higher. The dorms for the international students are now opened to all students. These decisions to solve the housing crisis were a bit drastic and aggravating. My friends and I were planning on living in a suite; then the rules for the GPA changed. Then, about five days before the housing lottery, Residence Life sent out an email saying the suites had to have eight people. We had five days to find eight people after we had already turned in our proposal for the six-man suite. When we did find the two people we needed, I turned in the form and Residence Life looked surprised.
Another thing that they did to help the housing crisis was to buy more apartments. They did get the apartments and called them Dominican Court. This option was told to all students, but the contracts between Dominican and the apartment people were not finalized, and now Dominican Court is a maybe. This year has been rough due to the increase number of people living on campus and Residence Life waiting to the last minute to solve the problem.
Title: Spring Break on Campus
Date: 3/10/09
This year for spring break I decided to stay at Dominican. I thought it would be easier for me to recover, and the only way to get home would be to drive, which I can’t do, or fly. Flying seemed like an okay option, but I was unsure how the plane ride would affect my healing wounds so I remained at Dominican. Staying on campus during spring break is better than staying on campus through Thanksgiving, because during spring break they actually have food available on campus. The only drawback to staying on campus is that out of the 600 or so residents, only 20 people stay on campus, so it can get a bit lonely. The solitude is good though, because it allows time for all of the big projects that the teachers give you. The quiet is beautiful and gives you time to reflect on things, like your future.
During this spring break I got to do something I haven’t done in a while due to my being busy all the time, I went to Chicago. Sometimes I forget how much I love Chicago. The culture, music, fashion, and variety of food are the reasons I came to the Chicagoland area. My favorite area to visit is the Wrigleyville region of Chicago. Wrigley Stadium, where the Cubs play, is how this area gets its name. They have many indie/goth clothing stores, as well as a plethora of ethnic restaurants. One of my favorite stores is Hollywood Mirror, which is a place full of kitsch and vintage clothing. They also play really good music. This area also has many clubs and theatres, but not just dance clubs, there are comedy clubs here too. The Metro, which is a music venue, is located in this area. I have been to the Metro a few times and have enjoyed it very much. It has a personal feel to it and the tickets are usually cheaper than other venues.
All in all, spring break has been a good time for me to relax and get to do things that would have not been in my schedule.
Title: Caritas et Veritas
Date: 3/3/09
It has been a while since my last blog, and a lot has gone on. The reason I was gone for such a long time was due to my appendix bursting and me staying in the hospital for 11 days. I have been out of the hospital for about 10 days and am glad to be back on campus, but I am very sore and moving extremely slow. This has caused me to be given the nickname Grandpa.
Now I told you about my visit to the hospital not just to explain my absence, but also to say that I truly love this school. While in the hospital I was visited by ten friends, two of whom came every day. I was also visited by Ms. Trudi Goggin, the Dean of Students here on campus. It was a very nice gesture for her to come see me, and it shows how much Dominican staff care. The next day I was visited by two members of the Residence Life staff, Jo Ann Hermanek and Rob Babcock. The other faculty member who stopped by was my Theatre Arts advisor, teacher, and my play director, Krista Hansen. She always has so many kind and deep words to say. Seeing all these people come to see me was amazing. I have been in the hospital before, but have never had any faculty or staff members show up to see me back in Arkansas. I received many cards and flowers. The members of my group, Resident Student Association, all signed a huge card for me, and the theatre students made a card for me as well. I was just amazed at the love that I felt. All in all the teachers have been very kind to me about making up work and excusing me from the last 15 or 20 minutes of class when my pain is too unbearable.
Right before going to the hospital RSA had our annual Battle of the Bands, and it was a hit. We had a wide range of music and a good turnout. The students that came had a lot of fun, and I believe we raised around $500 for the American Red Cross. And one great thing was that I met a local Chicago band who invited me to hangout with them sometime.
Another thing that happened was “The Laramie Project” play. I was no longer able to act in it due to my surgery, but I went to see it every night to support my cast. They did an awesome job and the crowd loved it. After opening night on Friday, it sold out for Saturday and Sunday. It is such a moving play and the best thing is that it is real; every word was actually said by a person living in Laramie Wyoming.
Along with the play for Sunday was a demonstration for peace against the hate of the Westboro Baptist Church. I was so proud when I saw about 160 people standing outside in the cold and the snow in silence. We stood in the shape of a peace sign and held hands. It was a very powerful moment. After about 40 minutes, the WBC people got in their van and left. When they left, one of the moderators announced this, and everyone cheered and hugged and then ran inside to get warm. It is hard to believe that my desire to stand against hate could cause 160 people from Dominican and the surrounding area to come out and stand together. Read an article about the protest here.
Dominican is my home and its message of CARITAS ET VERITAS, which means charity and truth is one that I strongly believe in. We are here to provide compassionate service to others and search for the truth in our lives. And the truth for me is that God hates no one and every human has a right to live without being discriminated against.
Title: Helping Out
Date: 2/4/09
In the past few weeks I have learned of the multiple possibilities to help out the community and in some ways the world here at Dominican. I have always had a strong desire to help those in need. I feel like my life is most successful when I am giving back to the community. I believe that by helping others I am helping myself as well to create a better world.
Here at Dominican, I am part of the Relay for Life and Up ‘Til Dawn, which is a group that supports St. Jude’s Memorial Hospital. I encourage all those able to attend the Relay for Life to do so. Here’s how it works. First you build a team; then, you come up with ideas to fundraise and send out letters to your friends and family. The key is to set a team goal and do your best to achieve it. Both the relay and UTD have events for those who signed up and helped out.
At the Relay for Life, you can buy a luminaria to honor those who have had cancer. The main idea is to walk around a track and keep a team member on the track at all times during the event, unless they are having a walk for survivors, etc. Sometimes you can get a sponsor who will donate money to the event. There’s usually free food and lots of good music and games to bring everyone together in the fight against cancer. At the UTD event, you basically stay up all night and day to send the message that cancer does not sleep and we need to help out all the time. This year they will have a pool table, air hockey, food, prizes, and the videogame Rock Band.
The events are always lots of fun and they bring together people from different ages and background. It is good to see a community come together to take a stand against cancer.
Title: Exciting Upcoming Events
Date: 1/29/09
Coming up in the next month will be many fun events here at Dominican. For example, this week there was a poster sale in the social hall. They have all types of posters and sell them for reasonable prices. Next week is the Resident Student Association’s Battle of the Bands. There will be eight local bands playing from 6-11p.m. We will serve pizza and have Battle of the Bands t-shirts for sale. Battle of the Bands is an event RSA does for charity, and this year the charity is the American Red Cross. The winning band will receive $750 as a prize. The types of music range from rap to folk.
Also next week is the Common Grounds presentation on creating a safe zone. The purpose of this is to inform students and professors about how they can make a safe zone for homosexuals to feel more comfortable talking to them about their problems. It is also an event that hopes to promote tolerance, peace and understanding in order to make the Dominican community even more caring and friendly than it already is.
Then at the end of February is “The Laramie Project,” the play in which I am acting. I started a counter-protest since the Westboro Baptist Church plans to protest against the play at Dominican. The counter-protest started as a way to get people aware of what was happening, and then it turned into a big event. We are expecting around 150 people. I will be going to meetings to talk about how we want the demonstration to go and when we can set up a non-violent training session to prepare the students.
Though I assume that we will outnumber the protesters by a large ratio, the principle of the matter remains the same. The main idea I want to convey is that this school is a safe zone for all people and to show how accepting Dominican is. It is about community, and people of all race, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, and cultural background coming together to say that peace is our belief. I hope to show to the town and the faculty, staff, and students of Dominican how strong our bond of friendship and compassion is for others, even though we are a very diverse community. The play and protest will be at the same time on March 1. No matter what the event is, the idea behind it is always the same: build community through compassion, understanding, fellowship and a search for the truth.
Title: Second Semester Begins
Date: 1/21/09
Back to school and back to finish off my sophomore year. The break was nice, but I’m glad to be back at Dominican. This semester started off, as most semesters do, full of things I need to get done. My main goals as of right now are Relay for Life, the play The Laramie Project, RSA’s Battle of the Bands, RSA’s auction, and finding new members for the executive board on RSA staff. It seems like a lot and it is, but I will manage my time so that it all gets done before the due date.
Helping out with the Relay for Life means a lot to me, because my mother had cancer and survived. The kickoff event is this Wednesday, but the actual relay will be April 22. Hopefully, there will be a good turnout and we will have many teams from Dominican.
As well as being in The Laramie Project, I am trying to start a protest of students and faculty against the Westboro Baptist Church, because they are coming to Dominican to picket the play and the school’s acceptance of homosexuality as a lifestyle. I feel very strongly about human rights, and I think a protest is a great way to build community at school.
Speaking of community, which is what Dominican is really good at, all of the students that live at school or I see in the hallways are nice, friendly and respectful. The school is very diverse, yet everyone here is accepting and respectful of others. That is the Resident Student Association’s mission, getting a diverse group of people to have fun together in friendship. I enjoy being in charge of RSA, and I get a sense of pride and accomplishment from my work. The one thing I would love to see on campus is more student involvement. Though we do have many members, I feel like some people who choose not to come to our meetings or events are missing out on an integral part of college.
It is easy to see why I and many other people enjoy Dominican, due to the involvement of students in giving compassionate service. The type of service we do is always fun and rewarding. From putting up sandbags to prevent flooding, cleaning up the park, raising money for Relay for Life and St. Jude’s, to offering lectures and seminars about world events and what we can do to help, Dominican is a school that cares.
Title: Discussing Curriculum
Date: 1/8/09
Last year I was nominated to serve on the Student Government Association. I accepted the nomination and am now a sophomore senator. In this role, I bring issues and concerns of my class to the board, which speaks to all the officials of the school and tries to address them in a timely fashion. As a senator, I am obligated to serve on another committee for the Student Government Association. The committee that I was offered and chose to be on is the university’s education and curriculum committee. This committee meets with the heads of the departments in the school and discusses ways to improve the educational process. We also try to figure out what majors and areas of study the students and the world desire. In order to increase the prestige of a Dominican University degree, we must be sure that all of the necessary and important classes are offered. We meet every other month and bring forth the important issues. These issues are based on areas like majors, core curriculum, professors and students.
The committee looks at the majors offered at the school and talks about what the students desire. We also look at the fields of study that are in high demand in the world. Each major at Dominican will allow students to learn all the ins and outs of a subject, while the majors that have little to no value are cast aside. The areas of study at Dominican have been evaluated and meet all requirements for them to be practical and important. Along with the majors, Dominican has a strong core curriculum. The core curriculum allows students to find themselves and have adequate knowledge of how the world works. Not only does each student get a strong knowledge of their major, but they also get an ability to look at the world critically and with logic and morality.
Dominican is determined to have enough professors who are extremely knowledgeable. They hire professors who work with the students in and out of class. The school’s educational committee is now working on having enough professors in each major to allow each student to be able to sit down and talk about specific areas of study. These professors will aid the current staff by serving as alternate guidance counselors when the student has trouble making an appointment with other heads of their major.
The last and most important topic that we talk about is the students. This is the area in which I have the most input. The heads of the departments want to know if the ideas of each class are shared throughout the curriculum. They want to be sure the students are learning things that they feel are necessary and up to date. The students on the board of education talk about the positive and negative aspects of classes we have taken. This is used to be sure that the teaching techniques are working properly. Although professors are important, the main concerns of the educational committee are on the students’ retention, knowledge and feelings toward what they have been taught.
All in all, the curriculum is solid and each class in every major allows for a strong, intelligent, logical and caring graduate. I have learned much from being on the education and curriculum committee. I am very critical in my everyday life, and I feel that the setup of Dominican’s educational process is logical and strong.
Title: Being a Theatre Major
Date: 1/5/09
Ever since I was a small I child, I have been interested in acting—although when I was younger I wanted to be a stunt double. Acting comes natural to me and I tend to portray different characters throughout my daily life, which is a little weird for some people. I enjoy building up a character and adding emotion and personality to him/her, because it helps me take a break from the stress of life.
Due to my love for acting I knew I had to get out of Arkansas and find a bigger city that had more venues for acting. That’s one of the reasons I chose Dominican, because they actually had acting as a major, and no school in Arkansas offered it. Though it is not the career that my parents want for me, I knew that I had to pursue it in order to be true to myself. Though it’s hard at times to stand up in a classroom full of nursing, business, graphic design, and education majors and say that I'm majoring in acting, I do it with pride, because that’s what my passion is.
This is my second year in the theatre department and my advisor and peers have told me that I have grown in my abilities. The curriculum for theatre majors has been created in order for all types of theatre majors, be you in performance, design, production, or scriptwriting, to get a sense of what everyone does and how it all comes together. It isn’t all fun and games, though it may seem that way. The classes are challenging. You start with the history of theatre and read countless plays. The history is your backbone to understand where you came from so that you know where you’re going. After that you learn the fundamentals of acting. In these classes you work on your breathing and using different resonators in your body to produce sound. One of the key things I learned was how to properly warm up for a show, audition, or even a class presentation so that my words are clear and precise. Next, it’s the set and scenery. Not only did I learn about how to build a scene and about safety in the theatre, but I also learned how to tell fine wood apart from cheap wood, which will help me later when I go to buy furniture.
There are also classes on costuming, makeup, marketing, dramaturgy, production, performance, and writing plays. The whole world of theatre is taught to you no matter what your concentration is, and I find that to be one of the best ways to learn. I now know how to work on a set and run the light and sound boards. I understand the struggles of directors and the challenges of a stage manager. All in all, this experience has taught me so much about the theatre and about myself. Each semester I have been in at least one play, and by doing this I learned how to play off other actors and what to do and not to do during the process of a production. I feel that I'm more aware of my surroundings and can understand my body enough to be able to mold it into any character I need. The greatest thing about theatre is that you aren’t just learning acting skills, but life skills as well.
Title: Going Home for Winter Break
Date: 12/17/08
After finals are over it’s time to head home for the winter break. You are free to leave whenever your last final is over. For students who have a long way to go, like I do, Dominican is very responsive to your needs. Though you are supposed to leave within 24 hours of your last final, they are accommodating to you if you tell them that you need to stay longer due to your plans. During the last week the shuttle from the main campus will take you to the green line (public transportation) whenever it is necessary, so that you can make your flight on time. They will also accommodate you if you need to come back before the school is actually open. Though I enjoy going home, I do feel like I am a guest at home and that Dominican is my real home.
The winter break between the semesters is the best time to recuperate and relax. It is perfect for gaining back all the sleep you lost during the year, at least that’s what I do. During the break, it helps to plan out your schedule of classes and the upcoming events you are aware of so that you can be prepared for them when they come. By knowing what classes you are taking and when the classes are you can study up a little on the subject and get your sleep schedule in order. Being an Italian major, I like to go through the things I have learned in order to brush up for the upcoming class. All in all, the break is good, but because I live in Arkansas, I really do miss hanging out with the friends I have made and touring around Chicago.
Title: What to do?
Date: 12/9/08
A huge factor in living on campus and enjoying your time here is finding things to do. The great thing about a small campus is that it is easy to make friends and everyone is close enough that visiting them takes little to no effort. To keep me busy during my free time I usually do one of the following: play videogames or board games, listen to music, watch a movie, or go to an event at school.
All of the things I do involve socializing with my friends. Playing videogames is a lot of fun especially when one of your friends has Rock Band or Halo. When the network for gaming is on at Dominican, you are able to connect to anyone at school or other players around the globe. Board games are fun too. It is easy to find the maximum number of players being on campus, and, depending on the game, you can learn about the other players. Usually every time I hangout with my friends I am listening to music and sometimes we even have dance parties. Movies are also a good way to relax and spend your time.
At least once every two weeks there are events going on at campus. The event can be a movie night, an auction, a casino night, a dance, a food social, or a board game night. The theatre department also has performers coming through and wonderful shows going on all year long—and DU students get a discount. The theatre has comedians, plays, singers, dancers and instrumentalists. Last year I did not have a vehicle, but I found ways to never be bored, which is why Dominican is comfortable and the right school for me.
Title: Crunch Time
Date: 12/5/08
About the last two weeks of school are the roughest. This is the time of year when all your big projects and papers are due. It is also the time when all of the organizations have big events for the students. The last two weeks are crunch time for getting everything done.
From my experience with being in clubs and having five classes, I have learned to manage my time well so that I do not go crazy. I have learned to take it one task at a time and to make a schedule of what’s due and when. I put things into my schedule and try to rank them according to the ones that take the longest and the ones that are due first. During this time I also schedule in some free time for myself. Setting aside time to read a book, play videogames, or socialize with friends is very therapeutic.
The great thing about Dominican is that there is a place called the Noonan Reading Room that is just in front of the Chapel and it is extremely quite. I have spent many nights in the Reading Room finishing my bigger papers. The room has outlets for your laptop but no internet, which is helpful to stay on task. I try to have breaks in between parts of my paper as well. The projects and papers are usually challenging, but they can be accomplished.
Dominican also has an academic resource center that will help you with your papers no matter what class it is for. Dominican also has tutors for every subject. If you ever need help, they are there for you. With all of this in mind it is easy to mange yourself and time in order to come through the last two weeks alive and confident.
Title: Coughlin vs. Centennial
Date: 11/25/08
This being my second year on campus I can now write about the pros and cons of living in both Coughlin and Centennial, two of the residence halls on campus. Coughlin is the residence hall in which most of the freshmen reside. My room during my freshman year was a good size and allowed for my roommate to fit his futon in it without it being too cramped. The key is organization of your furniture and appliances. We bunked our beds, which allowed space for my TV, microwave, refrigerator and floor lamp.
The warmer days were always so hot, yet they were bearable with the use of a window fan. The winter nights were fine, due to a great heating system. We had carpet in our room, which added to the homey feel. The community bathroom was not a problem for me and was easy to get used to.
In Coughlin there was a stronger sense of community, due to the doors to the rooms being so close to the ones across the hall, and the fact that the doors do not close automatically. I got to know everyone on my floor quite well.
Centennial Hall has air conditioning and heating. It has a mixture of students in all the grade levels. The rooms are bigger than in Coughlin, so space is not an issue. The trouble with Centennial is that the doors are spread further apart and they close automatically. If you lock yourself out, it costs $35 to get security to unlock it. This year in Centennial I have not been able to get to know many people on my floor. I live in a suite and usually hangout with my roommates in the suite. I hardly see the other people on my floor, and I feel that I'm in my own little community in the suite.
The great thing about a suite is that we have a microwave and refrigerator in the living room, which also comes with a couch, a table and five chairs. All Centennial rooms have a bathroom that is shared by a few people. Lastly, the Centennial beds have boards underneath them to support the mattress, while the Coughlin Hall beds have metal springs, which is much more comfortable.
Title: College Life in Three Parts
Date: 11/18/08
There are three main parts to life at college: residence life, academic life, and clubs and organizations life.
My residence life has been a great experience for me. I came to Dominican not knowing anyone. After my freshman year, my roommate became like a brother to me. I lived in Coughlin on the second floor. My life in Coughlin was like setting up a small community. I became friends with the other residents on my floor quite easily. My roommate and I found many common interests. Finding commonalities with people helps greatly in building relationships. Also, the Resident Assistant was very knowledgeable and friendly. He was a good listener and helped me when I had problems. Life in Coughlin was fun and a way for me to adapt to being on my own.
Next, there is the academic life of college. I quickly learned how to manage my time. I became aware of the events going on around campus and created a schedule that worked for me. Time management is the key to a successful college career. My classes were challenging but not impossible, and the professors were very responsive to my needs and welcomed after class discussion. I also learned organization skills. After my first semester I began to realize what my professors expected of me and how to complete tasks in an efficient and timely manner. One of the great things about Dominican is that for any class you have there are people to help you, be it math, science, foreign language, and there are also people to help proof read your papers and help you to create a resume.
Lastly, there is the clubs and organizational life of college. I feel that the best way to meet people and feel like you are a part of Dominican is by getting involved in clubs and organizations. By being in clubs I won lots of great prizes and met many awesome people. The clubs I became a part of were Campus Activities Board, Resident Student Association, and Ecology Club. Campus Activities Board is a group that sets up and creates events like movie nights, open mic nights, dances and casino night. Resident Student Association is only for residents and has meetings to create a sense of community at school. They also have auctions where you can win prizes using fun money, and a battle of the bands. Ecology club is a group designed to raise awareness about climate change, recycling and reusing our resources. They also have global warming cafes, which is an event in which people come together to talk about ways to save the environment. Along with all that, being in clubs allows you to meet many of the wonderful faculty and staff, which are great resources to have.
Title: Meet Jaron
Date: 11/11/08
Hey, I’m Jaron. I am a sophomore. I am majoring in theatre arts, with a concentration in performance, and Italian language. I am from Benton, Arkansas. It takes about 10-11 hours to drive to Dominican from my house. The only big difference between Arkansas and Illinois is the weather, but I love the cold and snow. Many people from the South thought that people in Chicago and the surrounding area would not be very friendly, but I have to say they were wrong.
I found Dominican through a college search engine on the internet. I finally decided to attend Dominican because of the range of majors they had and the fact that everything that interested me was offered here. Not only do I like acting and Italian culture, but I am also interested in culinary arts and photography. I have to say that the architecture of the school also played a part in my decision. I wanted to get into theatre and knew that Chicago had a rich theatre culture. I wanted to be near a big city but not in one, and Dominican is only 30 minutes away from downtown Chicago, riding the green line. The small class size and a chance to see how another part of the country works were all major factors in my decision. I also am a fan of the culture behind the Catholic religion. I wanted to start over and came to Dominican, 700 miles from home, without knowing anyone. I like to make friends and I'm kind of spontaneous; that’s why I chose Dominican.
The transition from high school to college was very easy for me. I had a great roommate who was like a brother. I met lots of people by getting involved in many clubs and organizations. I lived in the Coughlin residence hall, which was nice and homey. It is great to be five minutes away from any class. Though I was a little shy and scared of what was going to happen, I was and am optimistic. I made friends who made living here seem like living in a small community. The feeling of independence is overwhelming. You have no bed time, no one to tell you to do your work—you are truly free. It was great to be my own boss and control how and when I did my homework and where I went. Chicago is an awesome city that I visited at least once every other weekend during my freshman year. Dominican to me is a safe, friendly, diverse, and student driven college that goes unnoticed to many. Here I am at home. I would suggest living on campus and getting involved in the clubs and organizations.
