Eid is the most exciting time of the year after fasting for the month of Ramadan. Here’s how Rowan Blog Contributor Nene Diallo, a senior Public Relations major, celebrates Eid with her family.
First things first? The night before Eid, we break our last fast for the month of Ramadan feeling extremely joyful. We wake up early in the morning, around 6 a.m., to get prepared for prayer at the mosque.
What do we wear? Women wear traditional attire, whether it’s the Kaftan or pretty African-made dresses. The men also wear similar attire styled for men, ex. pants and long-sleeved shirt.
Kaftan and hijab attires
Prayer at the mosque? Prayer usually starts at 8 or 8:30 a.m. We arrive 30 minutes before to get settled and greet people. Usually the Imam do greetings over the microphone to enlighten and set the mood for Eid.
After prayers everyone hugs and embraces each other while saying “Eid Mubarak,” meaning happy Eid, as a form of joy, respect and union. The mosque we go to usually provides breakfast like donuts, coffee and juice for after prayers.
Prayer at a mosque
After the prayer? We go back home and take lot of pictures. We call other family members, greeting them Eid Mubarak. Then we eat some good food, usually chicken with plantains or some fried rice with sauce and vegetables.
After eating? We usually change outfits or some of us keep the same ones from the morning. We go visit other family members. They always have a lot more food prepared and ready for us to join. The food is probably the second best part of Eid.
The first best part? The treats you get from older family members. Traditionally, older folks gift the younger ones money, and it can add up to a very large amount after you receive it from a couple of family members. I remember once I received such a great amount that I went out to dinner three times that week without worrying about my other expenses because those were also taken care of from my Eid cash.
More food and more treats!
Last thing? After eating a lot, having a great time with family and getting a good amount of cash, we go back home and call it a joyful day.
Story by: Nene Diallo, senior public relations major
From this past Accepted Students Day, Rowan University welcomed hundreds of future students to experience what the campus has to offer with a vast array of different events, information on clubs and student life, and opportunities to meet other potential students. In our interviews with these prospective students, we uncovered their reasons for why Rowan could be their future four-year university and what college means for them.
The next generation of Rowan students brings an exciting perspective eager to take on new challenges. Whether they are freshly graduated high school students or transfers, many of these students are still pondering their own choices as to where to head for their higher education; but in our conversations, we learned of their own dreams and aspirations.
For some of the students when asked “Why Rowan?” or “Why college?,” they had an immediate response in regards to their future careers. In the case of future international transfer student, Sophie O., she was drawn to Rowan’s Psychology program. Transferring from Delaware County and originally from Nigeria, Sophie is fueled to help others and future teenagers who do not have the resources to cope with their own mental health issues.
Sophie O., is an international transfer student from Delaware County and Nigeria who is planning on majoring into Psychology at Rowan.
Already, students are preparing their own core values for their future career and are motivated by empathy in creating a better environment for all.
In another conversation with Vivianne N., an accepted student who was drawn to the university due to her family’s own heritage with the school, we learned of Vivianne being unsure as to what to expect for the future. But as she says in her own advice to students, she believes that “students should make a stable plan and live accordingly to it.” Vivianne is a future Rowan student who is entering the Graphic Design program.
Vivianne N. is a future Rowan student who is planning on enrolling into the Graphic Design program.
Outside of thinking of their careers, many students are ready to embrace the college lifestyle and eagerly awaiting the different opportunities that can be found in extracurriculars. For accepted students Stephen L. of Collingswood, NJ (Camden County) and Skyler G. of Wayne, NJ (Passaic County), both are anticipating exploring the different intramural and club sports that the campus offers such as tennis and field hockey.
In our conversation with future Engineering student Colvin A. and and Physics major Victor A., we learned of their shared excitement in finding out about the different activities that Rowan has. Specifically, Colvin and Victor are especially looking forward to seeing the Robotics Club and possibly joining an intramural sport.
Victor A. (pictured on the left) and his friend Colvin A. (pictured on the right) are enrolling in the Physics and Engineering programs, respectfully.
Outside of these factors, many students are also paying close attention to the financial portion of college. Many students are choosing Rowan due to it being close to home as well as the price of tuition. These components bring out difficult conversations, but many students are ecstatic over the various opportunities that Rowan has to ease the financial burden that comes with college such as in grants and scholarships.
For Dylan S. of Pittsgrove, NJ (Salem County), our interview with the future Education major with a concentration in Mathematics provided insight as to his own viewpoint on what scholarships mean for himself. We learned of his welcoming of these different chances of scholarships and treating more as challenges for himself.
During the Accepted Students Day fair, there was a reoccurring sense of pride in all of the students and parents attending. Even if Rowan won’t be their home for university, students and parents were enjoying themselves, happily checking out all of the different booths and venues at Bunce Hall. Students and parents were, and are, welcomed with open arms by Rowan University, allowing them all to enjoy an afternoon on campus and experience Rowan even for only one day.
This article is part of a running series with Rowan University’s Wellness Center. This collaboration aims to educate students about personal well-being options. For further updates, follow @RowanUWellness on Twitter, Instagram orFacebook.
For the majority of people, it is safe to say that we have an inner dialogue in our head that goes off throughout the day. That little voice can be perceived as our self-talk, which is the given name to our internal monologue.
Internal monologue is described as a combination of both conscious and subconscious feelings, thoughts and beliefs.
Self-talk is a natural process. Often, it can be seen as playing the role of many characters in our minds such as the critic, motivator and the conscious/ego. What we say to ourselves in a given moment, helps us frame or shift perspectives from ourselves as well as others.
According to Psychology Today, whether your self-talk appears to be positive, negative or instructional, it still affects our actions and behaviors. This can be seen as dependent on the different formations of evidence that aligns with our own personal values and beliefs, but the evidence that you choose to focus on is what helps influence and reinforces that said belief.
We make ourselves believe in certain notions; for example, that those around us think we are “weird.” Well, what’s the evidence for that? If we haven’t done anything “weird,” there’s nothing to back that thought up. In fact, the truth may be that the reason we haven’t been approached by a person is because they are just as anxious to make conversation as we are.
So, what are we really telling ourselves? Think of it this way: choice of words matter. Whether it’s the dialogue going on in our head or if we are communicating with someone, the same way we may hurt someone’s feelings by making a negative comment can also hurt our own feelings as well.
Instead of “I’m so stupid I did that and didn’t realize,” maybe try “I made a mistake, that’s okay — it’s part of being human. Next time, I’ll be more cautious.” It’s both the concept of reframing and allowing ourselves some grace that will help us maintain healthy self-talk.
Story by: Maria Espejo, senior psychology major, Wellness Center intern
Photography by: Stephanie Batista, junior business management major
Produced by: Lucas Taylor, senior English education major
Senior year is full of lots of “lasts” — your last first day of college, your last Homecoming week, your last exams, etc. Today, Rowan Blog Contributor Loredonna Fiore reflects on her last Hollybash event experience.
This spring, Rowan University hosted its annual Hollybash event. For those who don’t know, Hollybash is a festival that Rowan After Hours and Student University Programmers host as an end-of-the-year celebration for students. The event has food vendors, carnival games, and a live performance by a musical guest.
As a senior, it was bittersweet to come to my last Hollybash event, but it ended up being my favorite one yet. At check-in, everyone was given reusable Hollybash bags and $10 worth of food vouchers to use at the various food truck vendors at the event. After checking in, my friends and I went straight to the inflatable obstacle course.
The fun continued as we headed to the mechanical bull and bubble-blowing station. As you can see, the weather was beautiful and the good vibes were high.
We then headed to the axe-throwing station, where a representative from Primitive Axe helped us aim and throw the axe right on the bullseye.
Later on in the evening, we came back to check out the live performers. Performers included a band called Earth on Fire, Yung Joc, and the headliner, Noah Cyrus. My friends and I ended up getting a spot right in the front row, so we got to be up close to all of the performers. Noah by far was my favorite.
This event really made me feel connected to the Rowan University community. Seeing everyone come together to play games and listen to live music made the campus seem so small and unified. Getting to attend this event for free made me feel so lucky and #RowanPROUD.
Dawn was juggling her responsibilities as aresident assistant and student all by herself. This year, she decided she was ready for a companion that she could take care of. “I felt like I had a lot of love to give and wanted to direct my energy into something good,” she says. “That’s why I adopted Reggie.”
Dawn with Reginald
Reginald, Dawn’s cat, is a 12-year-old senior adoptee from Homeward Bound Animal shelter.
“I wanted to adopt a senior cat because they are often overlooked by other families,” Dawn explains. “Usually, people who adopt want a young animal, so senior pets have trouble finding their forever home. I wanted an older cat so I could make its older years the best it’s ever had.”
Before adopting Reginald, Dawn had to go through a thorough ESA (emotional support animal) approval process.
“I looked up the Rowan ESA policy, saw that I qualified, filled out the necessary paperwork, and turned it into the Academic Success Center [now called the Office of Accessibility Services]. The people were very helpful. I worked closely with [staff members] during my process, and [they were] awesome.”
John Woodruff, director of the Office of Accessibility Services, talks about this process in a bit more detail.
“There is an online registration form on our website that students must complete. They are then responsible for working with their healthcare provider to fill out a three-page application form to request an accommodation for an ESA. A dog, cat, lizard, or rabbit are all animals that can be an ESA. After the application is complete, our office shares a link with the student that connects them to a portal where they can upload any documentation necessary (a formal diagnosis, an emergency contact for the desired animal, the breed/name of the animal, etc.),” he says.
Now that he is approved, Reginald is living lavishly in Dawn’s Rowan Boulevard Apartment. “I think theRowan Boulevard Apartments are really suitable for an ESA. My apartment is a great size and has multiple rooms that he can walk around in.”
Aside from being adorable, Reginald has helped Dawn become a better student. “Reggie wakes me up for breakfast in the morning, so it helps me to get out of bed and get my day started nice and early. With him, I have a reason to get up and be productive,” she says.
Reginald has helped Dawn in more ways than one.
“When I feel overwhelmed with school or anything really, he comes and sits next to me. Just having him there gives me so much comfort. I joke and say that he is an ESA to everyone, too. My friends or residents that come and pay him a visit love him. He makes everyone’s day better.”
“I am really grateful Rowan gives us the option to have an ESA. It makes me feel very supported and valued as a student who is juggling a lot.”
This article is part of a running series with Rowan University’s Wellness Center. This collaboration aims to educate students about personal well-being options. For further updates, follow @RowanUWellness on Twitter, Instagram orFacebook.
At any given moment, around 800 million people are menstruating. From this, we can determine that about 26% of the human population are menstruators. In addition, this number is trending to increase as the onset of puberty continues to occur at younger ages.
Period poverty can be defined as a public health crisis that refers to the lack of access to menstrual hygiene and care products each month as well as inadequate education about the menstruation process.
These deficiencies lead to unhealthy, or even dangerous, menstrual hygiene practices. The lack of menstrual products in circulation also leaves the well-being of millions of menstruators unable to execute their day-to-day tasks comfortably and even possibly lead to crucial harm to the body. As a result, menstruators across the globe are missing out on school or work activities, sometimes for the entire duration of their period.
Period poverty is typically caused by menstruators being burdened with harsh impurity stigmas as well as suffering from economic inequalities. For example, in Pakistan, a 2017 poll indicated that 49% of young menstruators had no knowledge of menstruation before their first period. It is also common practice in Pakistan to use rags and cloths to take care of menses which are often shared between family members, leading to high risks of infection. In Ethiopia, 75% of menstruators do not have reliable access to products leading to 25% of menstruators simply going without using any. For most Ethiopian menstruators, sanitary products cost an entire day’s pay. The Period Poverty, which is already burdening Scotland, has undergone an increase due to the COVID-19 emergency, with 1 in 4 menstruators having experienced infection due to the lack of access to sanitary menstrual products.
A common misconception is that Period Poverty is a “far away” problem that only occurs in developing countries. In reality, Period Poverty is just as much of a public health crisis here in the United States with the main cause being due to impoverishment and economic inequality. In fact, 27 out of 50 states currently enact a luxury tax on menstrual products. As of 2020, 1 in 4 American menstruators struggle to afford period products leading to 1 in 5 menstruators missing school, work and day-to-day activities. COVID-19 has undoubtedly only inflamed these statistics along with the national poverty rates.
So, what can be done to combat Period Poverty? There is a lot more to understanding why Period Poverty happens, such as policies, legislation, systemic and economic inequality, that complicate the process of rectifying these problems.
Currently, there are countless organizations making efforts to ease the burden for impoverished menstruators. Some exceptional ones include Happy Period, Hate the Dot and Code Red Collective. Period Equity is a notable organization of lawyers who are dedicated to eradicating the tax on period products in the U.S. through policy, which would be a huge stride towards economic equality efforts.
Menstruation is such a common and relatable process that menstruators are typically told they should be ashamed of. Yet, it is quite literally the essence of human life that gave everyone existence. With that, everyone should be encouraged to remember that menstruator rights are human rights, and the unspoken burdens of Period Poverty are humanitarian issues that deserve to be heard.
Randy Bushman, a Rowan University alumnus who graduated with a degree in Computer Science, decided his alma mater would be a great fit to pursue his master’s degree. Now, this Rowan Global student is poised to begin his career at a world-renowned research institution just a few hours from campus. Read on to learn how Randy’s education and internships prepared him for his next chapter.
Randy gained a lot of valuable research experience while earning his undergraduate degree. Along with his coursework, he developed relationships with his professors that turned into opportunities.
“The computer science department has a collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb, a pharmaceutical industrial company,” he explains. “A professor recommended me for an open research position during my undergrad, and I got a position designing software analysis for nuclear chemistry.”
His momentum did not stop there. Randy learned of a scholarship opportunity called SFS: Scholarship for Service.
“Basically, SFS is a program that offers tuition remission in exchange for employment with the government. My professor recommended me for the scholarship, I interviewed for the position, and I landed it. I was actually able to start taking graduate-level courses my senior year of undergrad and got them paid for.”
This summer, Randy fulfilled his part of the deal and worked for ACE (Advance Course Engineering). ACE is a military-oriented internship that focuses heavily on cybersecurity, cyber warfare, teamwork and leadership.
“Through ACE, I got to work with people in the Air Force. I learned a lot about cybersecurity and cyber defense. I was able to apply a lot of what I learned in class throughout that experience,” he says. Now, Randy is pursuing his master’s in Computer Science, completely funded by the SFS.
“Grad school is definitely challenging. The major difference is that there is a lot less work, but it is a lot more difficult. I really try to keep on top of studying all of the material to make sure I don’t get off-track,” he says.
Although the program is challenging, Randy spoke about how supported he felt by professors in the department. “The faculty here are just great. They introduced me to so many opportunities that I didn’t know existed,” he says. “What I learned in class also really prepared me and gave me a solid foundation that I applied to each internship.”
Looking ahead, Randy already has a job lined up after he graduates this spring.
“I got a job offer at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab doing cyber defense. I am so happy to start this new chapter with so much experience that I gained from Rowan University and my prior internship opportunities.”
In this edition of #TRANSFERmation Tuesday, we learn more of Music Industry major Emileigh Zane of Penns Grove, NJ (Salem County). In this exchange, we learn more of her own experience as a transfer student as well as what motivated her to pursue a career inside the music industry.
Why did you pick Rowan?
I mostly picked Rowan for their music industry program. There are not that many schools that do have a music industry program. I know that in the state of New Jersey, only [two other schools] have one. So because Rowan is so close to me, I went through with it. I only live 40 minutes away from here, so I liked that aspect here that was somewhat close to home but still far enough away where I’m not too tempted to go home all the time (sorry Mom and Dad!). I really liked the program and what they were offering. I know a lot of people who have gone to school here and I’ve heard a lot of great things about it, so that kind of pushed me to go forward with that direction.
Could you describe the journey it took you to get to Rowan?
The transfer process was actually super simple because I went to Rowan College of South Jersey, which is the school that Rowan is associated with. The transfer process was super easy, I just had to apply to Rowan. I’m pretty sure all of my credits transferred over because of that affiliation between those two schools. It was super simple and I didn’t have any problems.
What aspects here at Rowan made you know that this was the place you wanted to be?
I like how many opportunities there are for involvement at Rowan. There are hundreds of clubs and Rowan After Hours. I’ve always been the type of person who’s been super involved at school, especially at high school. I was the girl that was in every club. I went to a very small high school so it was okay that I was involved in a lot, it was like a sense of community with everyone. I was a part of clubs that were focused on the arts, athletics and even academic-oriented ones. Looking back, I can say that I was really involved over there.
When I got to community college I knew that I still wanted to be involved. So, at RCSJ (Rowan College of South Jersey), I was on the track team and it took up most of my time there. It was really fun, I met a lot of great people there.
When I got to Rowan University, I knew that I wanted this type of place where I can be involved and meet a lot of new people from it. I also really like Rowan’s campus. It’s a great medium-sized campus; it’s not too big and not too small. The fact that there are a lot of good food places nearby is great too!
With being a transfer student, how included do you feel with the different events/clubs here on campus?
I feel super included, I’ve never really felt different as a transfer student. The only real disadvantage was that people have had more time to explore on campus than I have. Sometimes it takes me longer to discover new things on campus, but for the most part I feel like the school does a pretty good job about advertising all of the opportunities for students. I had an easy time just coming right in and finding clubs and groups that I wanted to be a part of on campus.
What drew you to your major?
I would say the big event that drew me to my major was when I was at Warped Tour in 2018. I was with my cousin and her girlfriend and they had entered this raffle to win backstage passes for one of the performers. They ended up winning the drawing so all three of us got to go backstage at Warped Tour and I got to see what happens behind the scenes, like the walkthrough location or the area where everybody is eating. During the tour, our guide showed us where even the green rooms were at and then we got to be backstage while 3oh!3 performed.
Just seeing the environment with everybody working backstage like the lighting crew, the audio crew, the guitar technicians, just seeing it all from that perspective and seeing them perform with the crowd had captivated me. I knew that I wanted to do this and this was what I wanted to do with my life.
After her experience with Warped Tour, Emileigh Zane became aware of how a career in the musical industry field could be her calling.
How do you view your major making a difference for others?
I think my major is very helpful, especially to people that are already trying to pursue it. If they are an artist themselves, you really get to see all of the behind the scenes things that really aren’t talked about. It’s not the fun stuff so it’s not what people are usually talking about. The music industry is a very traditional type of business. It’s really easy to get screwed over in the industry and make mistakes such as in the case of ambiguous contracts or labels. It’s started to change a little bit but just knowing how it works and learning how to take advantage will really boost your career with which I consider as super helpful. For example, there’s this one class called Music Publishing and it has to do with ownership of a song and how licensing and rights work with your song.
I think that my major teaches you a lot of things that you would have to learn the hard way if you didn’t take the college route. You can take the proper precautions for starting your career or even if you just want to work on the business side of things, the teachings that we learn all deal with preventing common mistakes and setting ourselves up for future success. Just learning how to get the most money possible for yourself and your artist is great, but also learning without the whole trial and error experience is even better.
What has Rowan done to prepare you for the future, aka, post-academia?
I think that my major in particular has done a great job of giving me a lot of hands-on, relevant experience. I’m currently in a touring and concert promoting class, and it teaches us what it actually takes to put on a show. But then the other part of that class, and what I think is most helpful, is that we get to put on two shows as a part of that class as a part of our grade.
For our capstone projects, we have the freedom to do a lot of different things, whatever you’re interested you can do for the most part. For example, a lot of artists that I’m friends with do an EP (Extended Play) or album and other people have started artist management companies. For my capstone project, I’ve decided to do a one-day music festival called Better Now Music Festival. Currently, I’m looking for a local venue to book the show at as well as looking at many different local and semi-local artists. There’s still a lot to plan, but I also really like the idea of having a lot of activities, food trucks and some tables with helpful resources. It’s like my own little homage to Warped Tour in a way, I guess.
What have been your favorite moments so far on campus?
My house shows with Rowan Alt (@rowanalternativemusic) are the most fun and enjoyable thing that I do on campus. I also went to see the Rowan jazz concert that they have every winter and spring. I went to one in the winter and it was really good. I was really surprised, I didn’t realize that the students were as good as they were. That jazz festival was really fun. Just getting to be involved with Rowan Music Group, that was really cool by itself too. If I could describe it, It’s like the Rowan record label that a lot of people don’t really know that we have, but we have. I have a lot of fun just hanging out with my roommate too, we’ll just be hanging around at our apartment.
What’s the most interesting thing that you had learned during the transfer process?
Most things that you may need help with are a simple ask away. I feel like a lot of people don’t realize that there are people out there willing to help you. Knowing how to ask for help in a nice way can get you pretty far.
With everything that you know now, what advice would you give to your high school self in regards to college?
To just stay organized. I’m already a very organized person, but I think staying organized is really important because there are so many things that you’re trying to juggle between school, taking care of yourself and being involved. Just make sure that you are aware of all of the opportunities and that you take advantage of them. It’s very important to the entirety of the college experience.
Story by: Lucas Taylor, English Education major
Photography by: Valentina Giannattassio, first-year dance and marketing double major
Today, we feature Abbigail Ealer, a first year History major from Washington Township, NJ. Abby is in the Honors program and a mentee of the Bantivoglio Leadership and Service Training (BLAST) peer mentoring program, which pairs upperclassmen with incoming Honors students to help guide them through their first semester in Honors and at Rowan. Abby speaks with us about her experience in the program and her first year of college.
What was the transition to college like for you? How did you push through any challenges?
I was definitely nervous. This was the first time where I’m going to school with people I don’t know. I’ve gone to Catholic school my whole life, so from grade school to high school I’ve known everybody. It was very weird going to classes like American Government where most of the students were upperclassmen and I didn’t know anyone.
On your busiest day, what responsibilities do you find yourself juggling?
Wednesdays are definitely my busiest day of the week. I have three classes and I have BLAST at night. As a commuter, I drive all the way to campus for my classes during the day, then have to drive back home at night. My BLAST group gets out around 7:30 p.m., so I don’t get back home until late. It’s really hard to get any work done that day.
What are the three classes you have that day?
I have Western Civilization at 9:30 a.m., American Government at 12:30 p.m., then Honors Comp II with Prof. Flocco at 2:00 p.m. I have a break in the middle of the day between classes and BLAST and I usually spend that time with my sister (who is also a Rowan student) or with my friends.
What have you enjoyed most about BLAST?
Honestly, friendships are the most valuable things. The mentors give us really great and helpful advice, but I’ve made some really great friends that have been super supportive and helpful. I’ve talked to them regularly outside of our group after finding out that we have classes together. They’ll even walk me to my car after our meetings. They always invite me to come with them to different events on campus, which is really sweet and inclusive.
How are your mentors?
Our mentors are great and they are also becoming my really good friends. I think it’s helpful to have friends who are upperclassmen because they can serve as a guide to us younger students.
Tell us about a moment that made you feel like Rowan was a good fit for you?
There was this Honors event that I went to where we were able to meet the deans of our college. I’m a history major, so my college is the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. I met this girl at the event who was in the same college. She overheard me talking about how I was interested in Museum Studies, which happened to be an area of interest for her as well. She said to me, “I’m doing the same thing! Let me get your number,” and she spent thirty minutes just giving me all the information she could about the program and typed it all up in a google document. That moment made me realize that this university isn’t just a school. It’s a community. People want me here, they want to help me succeed. Not just faculty but the students as well. It was just a really wonderful moment and made me feel like I belonged.
What advice would you give to a high school student about choosing the right college?
Go with your gut. That’s what I did. I almost went to community college to save money, but I just felt like that wasn’t the path for me, so I came to Rowan. I don’t think if I went down any other path that I would be as happy as I am now.
Today we talk to senior Psychology major Kya Riley, a commuter from Sicklerville, NJ (Camden County). Kya discusses her experience at Rowan the past four years and her future plans within the psychology field.
Why did you choose to study psychology? Have you always wanted to pursue a career in psych?
I chose to study psychology because I am really big on mental health and understanding mental health and how it can vary by individual. I am someone that has struggled with depression and still do. My personal experience with mental health is what really got me interested in psychology and mental well-being to begin with. In the psychology field, I am interested in becoming a counselor for kids and teenagers within a school environment.
Why did you choose Rowan to study psychology?
I chose Rowan when I was in my college search mainly because I wanted to be close to home.
Most memorable experience at Rowan so far?
My most memorable experience was probably when I lived on campus freshman year and experienced more school life as a campus resident. I remember going to one of the events where the sororities join together at the event fairs and informational sessions.
What would your dream job be as a psychology major?
I do want to start off at first in school counseling. However, my dream job within this field would definitely be opening up and running my own practice and give counseling to kids and teenagers.
What class at Rowan have you found most challenging, interesting, difficult?
A difficult class for me was definitely Psychology of Scientific Thinking. Another class that was difficult for me was Intro to Sculpture. A class that was interesting to me was Human Exceptionality.
How do you think Rowan has prepared you for your future endeavors?
I have learned a lot over the years from my experience at Rowan that I can utilize in my future endeavors and in my future work life. The most important thing that I have learned as someone who will be entering the human services profession is that you must have an open mind and learn to alter your thinking. It is a profession that you need to be understanding of everyone and everything.
What is something interesting that you have learned this semester within a specific class?
I am in a classed called Psychology of Women and Cultural Experience. In the class we learn about gender stereotypes and I thought it was very interesting and informative.
What does a typical day for you look like?
My schedule really changes day by day depending on my work schedule. In a typical day, I wake up in the morning, head to campus for class, and then I go off campus and head to work. After work I head home to relax for a little before I head back to campus for my night classes. Before heading home for the night I either spend time with friends or hang out with my boyfriend.
This article is part of a running series with Rowan University’s Wellness Center. This collaboration aims to educate students about personal well-being options. For further updates, follow @RowanUWellness on Twitter, Instagram orFacebook.
College can oftentimes be perceived as an extremely stressful and busy point in a person’s life. More often than not, students can find themselves overwhelmed with an ever increasing workload. Between home life, classwork, employment outside of school and personal free time, it can be very difficult to find time in the day to fulfill all of these responsibilities while also attempting to find a balance with one’s personal life.
As a result, more students have been making the effort to make more time in the day as many students have been sacrificing their nightly amount of sleep to find more time. While this can increase available work time, decreasing the nightly sleep duration in actuality can become detrimental to every aspect of a student’s life and potential career in academia.
To state the obvious, sleep is a necessary component of our overall health. During sleep, our bodies release toxic wastes, restore energy and repair cells. These basic bodily functions serve as a refresh button for our bodies, allowing for that newly found energy after a refreshing night’s sleep.
Not only does sleep benefit our physical health, but it is very closely connected to mental health as well. Inconsistent sleep patterns can cause strain on social activity and ability to focus on daily tasks and activities. The recommended amount of sleep for persons over the age of 18 is between 7-9 hours nightly; however, this can vary depending on the individual.
Existing research on college students and their sleep habits suggests that a lack of sleep can be a common factor in increasing depressive symptoms. In addition, people suffering from depression also tend to have disrupted sleep patterns, leading to a cycle of worsening already existing depressive symptoms (Dinis & Bragança, 2018).
Although college can be a busy time for the majority of students, time management is an important skill to have. Regardless of how tempting it can be, cutting down on nightly sleep will only cause more trouble than it’s worth.
References
Dinis, João, and Miguel Bragança. “Quality of Sleep and Depression in College Students: A Systematic Review.” Sleep science (Sao Paulo, Brazil) vol. 11,4 (2018): 290-301. doi:10.5935/1984-0063.20180045
With today’s feature, we highlight Sarah Atai, an international student from Uganda studying at the Rohrer College of Business. Sarah is in the works of completing her certificate of graduate study (COGS) for the business school and has aspirations of pursuing her MBA in the fall semester. In this discussion, we learn of Sarah’s non-profit work in her native country of Uganda, which formed her decision as to why she selected Rowan, as well as what the College of Business means to her.
I understand that with you being an international student you must have had a wide variety of choices as to where to spend your higher education, what aspects here at Rowan helped you make your decision?
So I originally wanted to do my MBA, but while I was looking at all the different schools of course there’s so many factors that hindered my going there, but I liked the fact that Rowan had this particular business certificate and according to them just from just reading the website they clearly put it out there that the certificate would give you an insight on the MBA/MS would entail. I think to me that is what I was looking for because as much as I wanted to enroll for the MBA, I was quite hesitant as to what I wanted to focus and major in. So I thought this would give me time to play around and grab a hold of myself to understand and make sure of what I really wanted to do. So, I thought the certificate would be the best alternative at the moment and that is why I enrolled. From the time I enrolled I was very grateful for the decision because of how great the professors have been and how informative the classes are.
When did you realize that you had an interest in business?
It was after working with the ministry that I got to fully realize that I think my passion for business is something that I can use later and to actually help out with non-profits. That is what pushed me to go back to school again because I really wanted to help out different ministries. I wanted to go out and be a part of the solution instead of waiting for it to come.
In what ways has the College of Business prepared you for the next step in your professional career?
Just sitting through the classes has really opened up my mind into the actual business world. I like the way that all of the classes that I’ve attended relate to the day-to-day world, like the actual career path. Of course there’s a point in time where we learn of the different elements of business but compared to learning and gaining some of the knowledge and relating that to current events, it has helped me realize and fully understand as to where business is actually made. I chose to opt for the certificate because I didn’t want to get into the MBA and get frustrated. But I think the certificate was the best blend for me to get the confidence to get the actual MBA.
How was your experience with your non-profit in Uganda?
So the ministry that I used to work for, the Children Alive Ministry, is a non-profit and it is a part of one of the communities in Uganda. We work with children and run school programs. The afterschool model was based off of one of the organizations in the United States called Avenue Promise from somewhere here in New Jersey. We borrowed that model and tried to edit and integrate it into our own culture and see how it could fit for the community that we work in. Just choosing to work with these children was great to see how happy they were just going to school. We wanted to empower the parents through us looking after the children and have them create their own small businesses while we are giving their children different avenues of opportunity.
What is your fondest memory here at Rowan?
My fondest memory I would say would be my time that I have spent here with the business state programs. So the past semester the department had held different networking opportunities for the college of business. I think I would say that I loved each and everyone of them that I got to attend or had the opportunity to attend. I mean it’s unfortunate that I didn’t get to attend all due to the schedule or if something came up but I would say that I loved each and every networking event even when it was online. I appreciated talking to the different analysts or the guest speakers that came who spoke of their wisdom and experiences.
For me, it is something that I could never have and was more than I could have asked for. Especially the people that were brought in for the panels; these were people who had really done so well with their lives as far as careers are concerned and just getting to hear from them was great. I would say that to me, it has been the most memorable just attending all of the different events and getting more wisdom and insight into what I really want to do. Hopefully, if I continue the MBA I hope to learn from the different people that are involved.
What words could you offer to other international students that are thinking of choosing Rowan for their higher education?
I would say if anybody was confused and did not know what to do, I think that if they gave Rowan the chance that they would never regret it. Rowan has a great support system. I’ve looked at the different organizations and clubs and haven’t had the opportunity to look at them all but looked at the different websites and was amazed at all of the information and how they reached out. I’ll say that Rowan has great resources, the professors are very supportive and willing to work with individuals regardless of their situation.
In my experience, my professors have been extremely open with communication and how they reached out to find an understanding of my perspective. From the very first class I loved how the professors had stressed how communicative and willing they were to help or listen to me. To me, this handling of these highly accomplished people to just talk and share insight to help us students move forward is something that I had not experienced before. The different resources and all the stuff to understand who and what you are is always available. It just depends on yourself to take the keys and start up the ignition and give Rowan a chance.
Why did you choose to study Mechanical Engineering? Have you always wanted to pursue a career in this field?
I would not say I have always wanted to be a mechanical engineer. The main reason why I wanted to be an engineer was because I have always loved building stuff. As long as I was able to play with toys, I always had Bob the Builder toys and things like that, and this is what initially struck my attention.
What really made me decide to become a mechanical engineer was because of a class I took freshman year of high school called Electronics I. In this class we learned the basics of engineering design and electric circuit analysis, which is how I fell in love with innovating, crafting and designing things. I think it’s awesome how you can go from having nothing to developing something that works and can be utilized.
The one project that I think stood out to me most was when we built a speaker that you can plug into your phone. We built it completely from scratch, and I just really loved that project; it inspired me to take Electronics II the following year. I also took a 3D modeling course in high school that also made me realize I was very interested in engineering as a major.
Matthew Beck
Why did you choose Rowan to study Mechanical Engineering?
I have a few reasons on why I chose Rowan. Location wise, Rowan is close enough to home to where I can go home whenever I want, but also far enough from home to where I feel independent and on my own. I also like Rowan’s proximity to all the major cities of where I would potentially like to work in the future like Philadelphia, New York or even Washington DC.
The price of Rowan was another huge reason why I chose this university. The price of Rowan is one that I couldn’t really beat when comparing it to other colleges and universities.
In general, the mechanical engineering program within the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering really stood out to me. I visited a ton of schools and I even applied to 11 different schools, and Rowan’s facilities and opportunities really stood out to me. When I was looking, Rowan had one newly renovated building and one brand new building for engineering, and it was cool to know it was rapidly expanding.
I also was able to make connections with the administrators very quickly here. The Dean of the college at the time was a really good resource to me. He had an open door policy and was always guiding me and answering all my questions thoroughly.
How would you describe SGA (Student Government Association) to someone who is unfamiliar with it?
Student Government Association (SGA) is kind of like a governing and advocating body for students. The way we operate is kind of like a small business that oversees and kind of manages all the clubs and organizations on campus. We take our budget and we allocate it to all the clubs and organizations, so we help them make their events, make reservations, approve reservations, help them order food, and help provide them with all the resources that they need.
We also advocate on the behalf of all the clubs and organizations. Any student at Rowan University always has the support of SGA. At any time anyone can come into our offices and we would be happy to help them and assist them with their needs.
What is your role within the Student Government Association?
My biggest responsibility is making sure all operations associated with SGA are running smoothly. We have 14 different executive board members ranging from Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and more. My daily task is to make sure that everyone is held accountable and doing their specific tasks.
Besides this task, I am able to pursue my own personal initiatives. I take time out of every day to answer my emails, to go and look at my initiatives, meet with administrators, and other tasks that voice student opinion.
What are your goals and aspirations for the future of this association?
In general, I just want the students to be heard. One of the things that we are really focusing on as an organization is promoting the SGA so that people know who we are, what we do and how our actions can help the students. We have spent a lot of time brainstorming how we should promote and advertise ourselves. Overall, I just hope that we make the most positive change to the lives of the students at Rowan that we can.
How did you get involved with SGA?
This is actually a funny story. In high school, I was not involved or really interested in student government. I was always a person who preferred to keep their head in the books and to keep themselves out of the spotlight.
One day I decided I wanted to learn more about a certain club on campus. All I wanted was to receive more information on the club, and I was unaware of any information about the meeting that day.
It turned out that there were SGA elections that day so the meeting was canceled. I was all upset sitting there because I wanted to hear more about this club and I thought it was rude to get up and leave during the elections, so I decided to just stay and listen and to vote for the elections. I got to the end of the elections and no one ran for SGA Senator so they asked if anyone in the audience was interested in taking on that role. At the time, I was interested in the club and I kind of just said yes. I think it’s funny that because I even joined the club, I was on the executive board.
As the Senator, I went to the senate meetings every other Monday. I really enjoyed the experience and from there it just went on for me. I stayed very involved over the years and eventually I ran to be SGA President. This challenged me to step out of my comfort zone and a way to make sure I was giving my best to impact the lives of the students.
What have you gotten out of being part of SGA personally and professionally?
I think a lot of the soft skills of working with administrators, working in and opening myself up to the business world, really contributed to how this experience helped me professionally. When I first started SGA, I was timid and was not used to the working world. This experience provided professional experience and equipped me with knowledge that I will be able to utilize in my future professional environments. Working with the Board of Trustees was an awesome experience. The board is composed of some of the most influential people at Rowan University, and it was really cool to network with them.
Personally, I think this experience has definitely helped my public speaking skills, communication skills. It has expanded my comfort level and expanded my knowledge on simply dealing with people. This experience overall has truly expanded so many skills for me.
How do you think your leadership role within SGA has prepared you for your future endeavors?
I think SGA has prepared me tremendously for my future endeavors and plans. First off, I think this experience is really going to help me when I aspire to move up in an organization. I have a good understanding of how a large organization like Rowan University runs.
I also think it will help me in my career because I already have a lot of experience of managing 15 plus people within SGA and then trying to help and guide an entire student body with the help of my colleagues.
By major, I am an engineer as previously mentioned. This summer I will be entering into a very technical role at Lockheed Martin. I think my role within SGA has made me realize some things I would like to do in the future and the settings I would like to work in.
What does a typical day for you look like?
I like to make a habit of wellness everyday. With that being said, I like to have at least 30-60 minutes a day of mindfulness, or physical activity or even time to just take a walk outside in fresh air. I blocked off my mornings everyday from 7:30-10 a.m. to just have that time and the space for that. I have learned that the more things and responsibilities I have picked up, the more I value that time for myself and my wellness in my mornings.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I am usually pretty busy with SGA, so I will head to my office hours from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. During this time I usually have 3-4 meetings for the day. On Monday nights I have executive board meetings from 5-7 p.m. and sometimes I also have night events that start at 7 p.m.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are similar. I start with my wellness routine, then have class basically from 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Overall, my days are pretty jam packed and busy from the morning all the way till around 9 p.m.
Whether you’re a Phillies fan or not, Citizens Bank Park is an awesome spot 20 minutes from campus to visit. Watch a baseball game, enjoy the concessions and indulge in some great ballpark food.
Citizens Bank Park is home to the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team. This year’s Phillies baseball season has just begun, so there is plenty of time to catch a game or two before the semester ends.
At Citizen Bank Park, visitors can enjoy a wide range of food selections. Chickie’s & Pete’s®, P.J. Whelihan’s, Shake Shack and Boardwalk Eats are some classic restaurants that offer a mix of Philadelphia cheesesteaks, sausage, and peppers sandwiches, crab fries and hot dogs.
If you have any more room for dessert, a classic Citizens Bank Park staple is to get ice cream served in a plastic Phillies baseball cap.
Rowan University student Thomas Cardona at a Phillies game
Aside from the great food, Citizens Bank Park has shops that carry a ton of Phillies memorabilia and merchandise. Some items available include jerseys, hats, t-shirts and stuffed animals available for purchase to commemorate your day at the ballpark.
Rowan University’s location allows students to travel to Philadelphia easily. A quick 20-minute drive or train ride away will take you directly into the city and allow you to see all of the great sites it has to offer.
This article is part of a running series with Rowan University’s Wellness Center. This collaboration aims to educate students about personal well-being options. For further updates, follow @RowanUWellness on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. With the life that we are given, it is easy to want to do tasks for the benefit of others. But, as […]
Today we highlight Kayla Bowe, a senior Theatre major from Swedesboro, NJ (Gloucester County). Kayla is also minoring in Psychology, has concentrations in Acting and Pre-Teaching, and has a certificate of undergraduate study (CUGS) in Shakespeare Studies. She discusses her major and goes into detail about her involvement in several clubs around campus.
Why did you choose to study Theatre?
I went to a technical high school, and you pick a concentration. I chose theatre. Even though I was passionate about theatre, I was unsure of what major I wanted to pursue in college. I talked to my theatre teacher and she told me I could teach and study English. She explained I could be a theatre educator. This instantly sparked my interest. She then informed me on the colleges that had programs that fit both of those interests of mine. My professor went to Rowan and expressed that Rowan would also be a great school for my interests.
Is that why you came to Rowan?
Yes and no. When I looked in the colleges with 4+1 programs, I learned that Rowan was one of the very few schools that offers theatre education. But I was originally committed to another university. The summer before my first semester of college in June, the university reached out to me and said they had no more housing. They expressed that I needed to commute or find off campus housing. I instantly started panicking and I called Rowan’s Office of Admissions. I explained my situation and how I could not attend the university I intended to; I asked if I could enroll to Rowan since I was already accepted into the university. Admissions said yes, and within that short timeframe I was enrolled as a Rowan student.
And I was so thankful and kind of blessed that that happened because I think I’m way happier here than I would have been at the other university.
Kayla Bowe
What’s your favorite moment or happiest memory here?
I have had the privilege of being in a lot of very fun shows here. I was in a show called “Failure: A Love Story.” From this experience I got to like being a professional swimmer and swim on a rolling stool. This was the first time I had the opportunity to be something so abstract and surrealistic. It was one of my favorite roles to this day. The show was also a student-run production directed by Maddie Roberts. It was a super awesome experience.
What’s your typical day like at Rowan?
I am a TA for one of the theatre professors in their Intro to Performance course. So I usually go to that in the morning and assist Melanie Stewart. During this I help lead theatre games. I also am a federal work study student. So sometimes I work in the associate dean’s office in the College of Performing Arts or I work in the box office of Pfleeger Hall. Finally, I go to either On Camera Acting with Michael Dean Morgan, or I do Shakespeare I with Dr. Falck (which is one of my favorite classes I’ve taken here.)
What is your favorite class?
I loved all my psychology courses, which was I chose to minor in psychology. But having a CUGS in Shakespeare was the best decision I ever made mainly because of Dr. Falck. I believe she is an amazing educator and simply a genius in the theatre world. She’s so smart when it comes to like dissecting Shakespeare pieces, and the dramaturgy behind them. I learned so much just by having a CUGS in Shakespeare.
What’s your favorite Shakespeare piece?
That’s tough. I’ve discovered so many new ones I’ve come to love. I found a new appreciation for “Othello,” despite the controversy behind it. For those who don’t know Othello, it’s about a Black man who was a head general and he ended up marrying a white woman. Throughout the show he’s just slandered and heavily criticized, and because of this he ends up going crazy. But I think now with production of Othello, it’s about reclaiming the Black point of view of Othello and making it personable, real, and not just some blackface character that would have been done hundreds of years ago.
On a lighter note, I enjoy the comedy show titled “Twelfth Night.”
Is there anything you want to mention or highlight about your time here at Rowan?
The most important thing, I think, for me, was just getting involved because I couldn’t imagine what my years of college would have been like if I wasn’t involved in all the clubs that I’m in and the programs I’ve done. These extracurriculars take up all of my time and without them my college lifestyle would be very uneventful. I am part of a lot.
I’m president of Campus Players, which is a theatre-based organization. Within this we do workshops and a senior showcase for the senior theatre students. And we also do the banquet of theatre and dance artists, which is basically just an end of year celebration for theatre students and the professors. I’m also vice president of Alpha Psi Omega, which is the theatre honor society on campus. Anybody can be a part of it, you don’t have to be a theatre major, you just have to have a year of experience of theatre. And that’s always fun.
And I also am a part of the Chamberlain Student Center Advisory Board, which they started during COVID. It’s interesting to hear what all the other colleges are doing and their opinions on the changes that are trying to be made in the student center and within student life on campus.
Final thoughts?
You don’t have to be in the theatre department to be involved in what we do. Our mainstage season is open to anybody. Our student-run Lab Theatre productions are also open to anyone. Any student can also take theatre classes. If you want to be involved just reach out, we’re friendly. We don’t bite!
Today we feature Emily Ward (she/they), a freshman from Mullica Hill, NJ. Emily is majoring in Physics and has a minor in astronomy. Emily discusses how their involvement in PRISM supports them while being a Rowan student and their journey through recognizing and being open about their identity. Story by: Natalie DePersia, junior public relations […]
Check out where senior Public Relations major Jennifer McGraw feels most at home on Rowan University’s campus! Like what you see? LEARN MORE Video by:John Hunter, junior radio, television, and film majorBrian Seay, junior sports communication and media major
With Rowan Blog’s latest release of #PROFspective, we converse with Lucas Taylor, a commuting senior Englisheducation major from West Deptford (Gloucester County). In our discussion with Lucas, we learn of his unique Rowan experience with his new job as a producer for Rowan Blog as well as his own motivation for pursuing higher education in English.
What inspired you to choose your major?
I originally didn’t want to be an English major; I didn’t really find it all too interesting until my senior year of high school. I was always good at writing and analyzing texts but never really took an interest in it until my teacher at the time had seen how proficient I was at it. She saw through me being lazy, and I suppose in a sense, that resonated with me. I wanted to do well to make her proud and at the end of the year I kind of realized that teaching was something I could spend my life doing. I owe a lot of my college career to that teacher and hope she’s doing well with her own life.
How does your field impact the world? What impact would you like to have on the world in your field?
I think teaching is a very admirable occupation. My mother is an art teacher herself, and I learned all of the different tribulations that she goes through with teaching almost hundreds of kids a year. Yet, she’s always so happy and proud to teach all of them. Mainly, I want to be able to reach out to kids like me who really didn’t have an ideal path for the future and show them the different paths that they could take.
How are you involved on campus?
I’m a newly hired producer for Rowan Blog and I have to say it’s pretty exciting. With Covid indirectly wiping out 2-3 years of my college career, I really haven’t spent all that much time on campus. I’m a commuter so I don’t really get around to traveling so much around campus. So far, this job has had me go into buildings that I’ve never even seen and meet with people. It almost makes you feel like a first year all over again.
Could you share a moment you’ve experienced in which you have felt that Rowan is a welcoming environment for you?
Coming into Rowan, I already knew that I had a lot of really close friends that were also going to be attending. I wouldn’t say that there is a specific moment but I guess you could call it a collection of experiences. Whether it was my buddies and myself going to grab a pizza and goofing off in one of the buildings at Holly Pointe or just meeting different people with every new class I take, it’s a different ordeal every time which I find pretty fascinating.
Tell us about one moment that made you feel like Rowan was the right fit for you.
Honestly, there was this one moment where I had just bought a new car to start off my first year here at Rowan. If I remember right, it was like a 1998 Camaro and I had thought it was the coolest thing, especially since it had that retro looking t-roof. I was going to pick up my friends and grab something to eat as a first trip with the car and it didn’t start for some reason. While I was calmly freaking out I was surprised over the amount of students that actually were coming up and asking me if everything with the car was alright. It was a very humbling experience but something that made me feel really included with the entire population.
What would you share with a future student interested in your major?
You really have to appreciate the different classes that are offered in the major. There are so many different welcoming professors such as Professors Falck, Meadowsong and Tucker that really make you invested in what you’re learning. I think with English there’s always something new to learn or even just interpret based on what you think a source is trying to convey which makes it almost tailored to however you want to believe. All in all, I would just say to keep up with reading and not to slack off too much.
