Today we speak with Miles Cordero, a junior psychology major and passionate anthropology minor from Freehold, Monmouth County, who lives off campus. Miles will share his #PROFspective with us on what it’s like to be a Rowan University student and how he’s getting the most out of his college experience as a Rowan Prof.
Name: Miles Cordero
Major: Psychology within the College of Science & Mathematics
Minors or concentrations: Anthropology
Year: Junior
Hometown and County: Freehold, NJ (Monmouth County)
Housing: I rent a house close to campus.
Do you work on campus?
I work in the Campbell Library as a library assistant, Rowan Rec Center as a program monitor and Rowan’s Museum of Anthropology as an intern assistant. In the summer I work for Conference and Event Services for Rowan as well.
Do you have an off-campus job?
I work for a company called Mom’s Catering. They distribute food to events all around Jersey.
Why did you choose your major/minor?
My passion is my minor, anthropology, which is the study of humans and life. I feel like humans keep making the same mistakes. The fact that we cannot have diversity in the year 2016 blows my mind. I want to have an equal planet where everyone has the same opportunities. You are not better than me and I am not better than you. We are all equal. We need to start acting like it. But instead, people worry about wrong things, remaining one important issue: equality.
My goal is to bring people together and to remind them that we are going to need all the help we can get to continue the human race. To continue as a civilization. To look back on the past and see the mistakes that were made and how we can make a brighter future. I want to make the world a better place. Permanently. We are always evolving as a nation and we cannot keep making the same mistakes. We are digressing instead of progressing.
One reason why you chose Rowan?
I enjoyed the small scale area, but now I am excited to grow as the campus grows. I want to be a part of the growth and the development process of Rowan University. It is also close to Philly, so I can fill my cheesesteak craving.
My Typical Day as a Rowan Student
Tuesdays. I dread them. The start of my terror. Getting out of bed for my 8 a.m. Public Speaking class. At first, I did not know how I could keep this up all semester. Now I am happy that I have. I am a better public speaker and I love my professor for everything he has done for me. Professor Paul Viggiano knows his stuff. After that class, I will go back to my girlfriend Rachel’s apartment in 220 (what 220 Rowan Boulevard is known as) and nap until my next class. I nap there because it is closer to campus than the house I rent.
Later I have my Museum Studies course with my wonderful professor Dr. Jane Hill. She is a genius. She is hysterical. She helped me become the person I am today. And no, I am not just saying that because she is my boss. She and her colleague Dr. Maria Rosado are responsible for the Museum of Anthropology at Rowan University (MARU, room 205 Robinson Hall come check it out), and they hired me as an intern. My goal is to help the museum rise to its full potential, which I know it can. In my Museum Studies course I learn all the fundamentals that go along with the world of museums: the behind the scenes, the designs and the nitty-gritty details. They excite me. They intrigue me to be involved in this world of museums. We are so obsessed with technology and social media that we forget about wonderful museums full of knowledge and wisdom that are all around us.
After Museum Studies class, I usually stay in our lab, in the room next door, to get some work done for the museum or just to do homework. It is a calm and relaxing atmosphere. My job is to help students who come to the museum to get the full experience of what we have to offer at MARU. We hope to have a bigger and designated spot for the museum sometime soon, but right now we are located in a classroom.
Around this time, I usually go to statistics tutoring because I am awful at math and need all the help I can get. I also go to tutoring on Tuesdays because I have my Stats class on the same day from 5 to 6:15. This class is challenging and I wish I was better at it. Once I get out of Stats, I head over to my second job at the Rowan Rec Center, where I help students with the fitness classes. I also work on the intramural field to make sure things go perfectly. I am trained in CPR so in case of any emergencies I will do my best to help out anyone who needs it.
I love interacting with the students at the Rec. It gives me a better read on the population here at Rowan. At night I will sit in front of the intramural field and make sure that everything goes smoothly. I will lock up the field or leave it open when my shift is over, depending on the events for that evening. My last stop is the Rowan Library. This is my third campus job and I work from 9 to midnight. This is around the time where I finally eat and do my homework. The library at Rowan is so quiet and peaceful at night. Perfect opportunity to get work done. I am a library assistant at the PAC (Performing Arts Collection) desk. I am trained to help students locate any items on the floor and also checking out materials. No one is going to steal anything on my watch! This is every Tuesday for me. I love being busy and I love helping others. I love being available and I am here to do my best. I hope all of this hard work pays off in the long run.
Story organized by: Jen Green and Natalia Panfilova