tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55172734027201765022024-03-24T23:09:06.873-07:00CASL Alumni Blogcasldeanbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10870881686896153957noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-14213280643595777502018-05-18T09:27:00.001-07:002018-05-18T09:28:07.786-07:00Maria Corso: Finding Film (final) In the final post from CASL alum Maria Corso, she explains why she opted for an all-female crew for her short film, and how the classes she took at CASL effected her career as a filmmaker and director...
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In my opinion, the most important part of being a filmmaker is a deep understanding and knowledge of film history (including the history that’s being created as we speak). I truly believe that through the courses I took in CASL at UM Dearborn, I was able to increase my base knowledge of film into an entirely new and expanded perspective, one that has instilled in me a desire to continue learning well past graduation and has informed all choices I’ve made in my career.<br />
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In a history of documentary class, I had my first real direct-something-and-show-it-to-my-peers moment. Our final project was a to make our own documentary. I remember the Professor coming up to me after class and complimenting me on the interesting perspective I had chose to shoot it, which was incredibly encouraging. This class also opened me up to documentary as a medium, something that initially didn’t interest me, but I eventually came to love and realize how it completely influenced narrative filmmaking.
I also recall that it was through this class, a group of us were offered the opportunity to visit a television <br />
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shoot that was happening on campus. The now cancelled series, “Detroit 187,” was shooting a few scenes in one of the buildings and we were given a tour of the set. We got to chat with crew members, getting a sense of what everyone’s job was and were also able to watch a few scenes get shot. This was one of the first sets I had ever been on and it was a really thrilling thing to be a part of.<br />
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World cinema is also something incredibly dear to me and the introduction to it was the German cinema classes I took. One was a history of expressionism and the other was specifically about women in Germany. Its important to not only get a perspective of what was going on in cinema in certain times in our world history, but also how countries influence and are inspired (and directly copy) each other. My professor was so incredibly passionate and knew exactly which films to choose, and her enthusiasm made me enthusiastic. I still love watching German films and think about that class.<br />
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On my short film, it was a non negotiable for me to have an all female crew. There is a terrible disparity in the <br />
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industry and I would not be part of the problem. I also chose to tell a story with a female protagonist. I credit this to a class I took at UM on film and feminism. Seeing how many films (even those about women) came from male perspectives and how many of those films have unfavorable or sexist views, was eye opening. We are so used to it, we don’t even realize it. This class inspired me to change that and was a huge influence on my directing decisions both pre and post production.
A lot of the classes revolving around script writing have been incredibly helpful to me. Not just the script writing workshop class (in which we wrote one feature film script over the course of a semester), but in the journalism and writing for electronic media classes offered. Its important to know how to write short form and long form, not just for film and tv, but for print as well. Both of these classes also involved having our work read aloud and critiqued, which I found incredibly helpful. It may sound good on paper or in your head, but listening to it in another voice is essential for getting the true feel for what you’ve written and more importantly, how its interpreted.<br />
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While these classes were more geared towards my field, a lot of the CASL classes I took may not have been directly about film, but helped to make me a better filmmaker and storyteller.
For example, I took multiple English classes, ranging from the fairy tale to American contemporary, to British literature, to dramatic plays, to the writings of women in the Renaissance. The most essential part of filmmaking is story. Without a solid story, you cannot make a good film. These classes helped me to understand story structure. They also helped me to gain more insight into different perspectives from around the world. Hearing voices other then your own, opens your viewpoints and gives you an insatiable curiosity. Reading helps make you a better storyteller.
One of the most interesting classes I ever took in the CASL program was a class about the psychology of theater. It ranged from discussing why actors make the choices they make to what goes through our heads as an audience when we watch or hear something. We also looked at the psychological concepts present in a lot of plays. It was fascinating and it has not only helped me in how I approach and interpret material, but also how I directed my actors on the set of my film.
Art was a subject that I didn’t know I had a very real interest in until taking Modern Architecture and Western art at UM Dearborn. I was so passionate about it, in retrospect it should have been another minor for me. Regardless, these classes taught me about colors, shapes, and composition-all essential filmmaking concepts. While paintings, sculptures and buildings aren’t the same as digital images, they all apply the same basic principles of creation. I often go to art museums when I’m feeling uninspired. Physical art really feels like the closest tangible thing to the visual medium of cinema.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-32494049742282959592018-05-16T14:37:00.001-07:002018-05-16T14:37:43.239-07:00Maria Corso: Finding Film pt. 2 CASL Alum Maria Corso shares more in part 2 of "Finding Film". She discusses her love of directing, her first film, and why passion is so important...<br />
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When I started at UM Dearborn in the fall of 2008, I was undecided as to what exact area of film I wanted to pursue. I had done theater both inside school and outside since the seventh grade and out of that had evolved a deep love for cinema. I knew film was it, I just didn’t know what part of it yet. There are so many different jobs from pre to post production and choosing felt like a massive decision to undertake. Even upon graduating, I had under my belt all this great film, television, and journalism knowledge that I had acquired and still couldn’t quite narrow it down.<br />
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Finally I decided on producing. After my internship, however, I realized that it wasn’t for me. It was far too focused on monetary decisions as opposed to creative decisions. During my last few summers in college, Michigan’s film industry was growing steadily. I worked on multiple productions as a background extra <br />
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(basically you are paid to populate a scene, surrounding the main actors and trying to make it look as realistic as possible). While I was no longer interested in acting, extra work allowed me to be a silent observer of all things happening on set-seeing how directors work, writers work, lighting, cinematography, etc.<br />
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After my internship ended, I realized being on set was what made me most excited. I set out to gain experience as a production assistant (you’re responsible for going on runs, helping organize background extras, and doing any other general on set duties as needed). I thought through this work I could ultimately work my way up to being an assistant director and ultimately that was where I wanted to end up.<br />
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By 2017, I had done some production assistant work and still had the plan to be an assistant director, when I had a realization. Every time I was on a set, I saw myself watching the director more closely than any other crew member and saying to myself 'I could do that…but better.' Directing was what I had wanted to do all along-it just took me awhile to get there (experience wise, knowledge wise, and through my own mental blocks). It took me until the summer of 2017 (five years after I had moved to Los Angeles) in order to decide on not just becoming a director, but the first story I wanted to tell.<br />
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I directed my first short film December 2017. The shoot took place over three days, with an all female crew on location in Los Angeles. We raised half the money through Indiegogo and the rest came through me personally (credit cards aren’t the best, but they are good to help you make your passion project!).
Although I felt incredibly prepared (we had planned out everything, rented gear, etc.), upon Day 1 of arriving on set, I was incredibly nervous. I just wanted to do a good job and for everyone to have an enjoyable time on set. And of course, for the movie to be good. I’m not usually a quiet person, but for the first time I felt myself being quieter than usual. I was out of my element. I had never professionally directed before-I wanted to respect everyone’s job and give them space. But I had to learn that as the director, I have to be the most vocal. As the day went on and the shoot progressed, I began to feel at ease. I was more vocal about what I <br />
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wanted and didn’t want. I listened to opinions but ultimately I made decisions. I created an environment that was controlled, but allowed everyone to be creative and be their best.<br />
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We are in the editing phase now and looking at the footage, I’m incredibly proud of not just myself, but of every single person who worked on the project. I’ve had the members of the crew and cast reach out to me and my producers saying it was one of the most relaxed and enjoyable sets they had ever been on. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to surround yourself with passionate people. Passionate about their personal role on the project, but also passionate about the project itself.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-80233916428228583262018-05-07T11:13:00.004-07:002018-05-07T11:13:42.889-07:00Maria Corso: Finding Film Meet Maria Corso, a 2012 CASL alum who LOVES to direct films. How did she get her start? What were some of her challenges?
Find out in part 1 of her blog post...<br />
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I have always had an affinity for California. My grandparents had a home there and I visited multiple times throughout my high school and early college years. However, it didn’t really hit me that California was the place I wanted to live until deciding that working in the film industry was the career path I wanted to pursue. In the years I was at the University of Michigan Dearborn (2008-2012), the state was experiencing a surge in film productions due to a generous tax incentive. That incentive was unfortunately very short lived and upon graduation, I realized there would be no chance of me finding steady work in my home state.<br />
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I graduated in the spring of 2012 and by October of the same year, I had moved out to California
I <br />
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had the great fortune of being able to stay with my grandparents in their home, rent free for
my first year. However, their home was almost two hours away from Los Angeles. For that first
year, I commuted to the Los Angeles area a few days a week. I did not go with any job prospects,
merely some savings I had accrued from working part time jobs throughout college. I had two
unpaid opportunities lined up. The first was a week of volunteering with the AFI Film Festival,
literally a few days after I had moved. The second was an internship with Cross Creek Pictures, a
production company that has produced films like Black Swan, Everest, and most recently,
American Made. There I was a script reader and also did some receptionist duties.<br />
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I eventually moved on to many other positions and companies (and moved to Los Angeles
itself), some great some not so great. The industry is incredibly hard to break into when you
don’t know someone already in the business. I’ve found that through taking on some of these
smaller positions, they have led to bigger and better ones and helped me gain insight and
experience along the way.
For example, volunteering with AFI helped me to be hired for a screener position with them a
year later. They also helped me narrow down exactly what I wanted to do in the industry. When
working at Cross Creek I realized that producing (what I initially wanted to do when moving to
Los Angeles) was not something that interested me at all. I wanted to be involved in film in a
more creative way and a less business oriented way.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-41932609964184957442018-03-14T16:48:00.002-07:002018-03-19T06:08:46.849-07:00This month’s featured alumni is Emily Chippa, a December 2017 graduate who majored in Psychology. Emily came as a transfer student from Schoolcraft College.<br />
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<b><i>Although your graduation was recent, what’s some/one of your best memories or experiences as a CASL student?</i></b><br />
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<b>Emily Chippa:</b> I enjoyed Dr. Hymes’ Social Psychology lab and and my internship with Dr. Loeb (a Psychology professor) because this helped me to receive a position with Career Services on campus.
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<b><i>What courses did you take and how were they beneficial in the classroom and beyond? </i></b><br />
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EC: </b>I took a lot of courses that made me self aware which is helpful in an office setting where you’re trying to understand people and help people grow and you want to fine tune general procedures and policies to each individual. So, courses like Gender Roles, Psychology, Sociology, Personality Theory; these try to help you understand how people work.<br />
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<b><i>In your opinion, what makes CASL student’s unique and how has that affected you? </i></b><br />
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EC:</b> CASL students have a strong sense of teamwork which is good because companies like that. Within the Talent Gateway and Career Services, it is meant to make people more aware of their soft skills. This is also why I decided to do an internship because it took me outside of my comfort zone. [Working in Career Services helped me] realize I absolutely love this office and working with students.<br />
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<b><i>Why did you choose to major in the Liberal Arts field? </i></b><br />
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EC:</b> I have an intrinsic want and need to help people. I love to see people grow and succeed and achieve things they want out of life. I don’t think there’s another career that allows you to do that besides Liberal Arts. I decided on psychology during my junior year of high school. At that time there was someone who was struggling with mental illness and I wanted to be able to understand more and help others that were suffering with the same thing as the person I was close to was struggling with. Being an advocate for that type of change has furthered my drive to want to be in the psychology field. Also, human beings are so unpredictable. In Psychology and Sociology, we can understand how humans act and how we think. These fields are vital to our society and our success as human beings.<br />
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<b>Additional thoughts to share or advice? </b><br />
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EC: </b>I’m proud I was able to push myself outside my comfort zone and I was able to succeed in what I wanted to do. It took me over five years to get my B.A. and I worked part-time and took full time classes. But I want to let other students know it’s ok to take a little while. Don’t compare yourself to other students. School is hard and you will only survive if you really really want to.<br />
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<b><i>Interview Compiled by Leah Olajide </i></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-32614585029021401382018-02-26T11:25:00.001-08:002018-02-26T11:25:37.640-08:00CASL Alum: Non-Traditional Grad, Degree Worth the Effort <b>Recent CASL Graduate Vunisha Lawson shares what earning her Bachelor's Degree as a non-traditional student means to her... </b><br />
<b><br /></b><b>Year of Graduation and Major:</b> 2017/Behavioral Sciences<br />
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<b>What did you enjoy most about your time as a CASL student?</b> Out of all the great memories I’ve<br />
had as a CASL student, my most enjoyable time was during my internship. I learned so many<br />
things that can be applied to my professional, as well as, my personal life. It was also a time for<br />
me to get out of my comfort zone, be more vocal, and take chances.<br />
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<b>What event/experiences made your college career unique?</b> My college experience has been<br />
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earn a college degree. It was definitely a challenge with work, attending classes, and completing<br />
assignments. Earning a Bachelor’s degree has been a goal of mine for quite some time now.<br />
With a little prioritizing, and a strong desire to work in a career field where I can help people like<br />
myself to pursue their aspirations, I was able to do just that.<br />
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<b>What advice would you give to CASL freshman?</b> Get involved in student organizations and other<br />
events on campus. They are great way to meet new people, and network. Also, do as many<br />
internships as possible. You will not only gain more experience, but you’ll also get a feel for<br />
what career is best for you.<br />
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<b>Why do you value a liberal arts education?</b> The thing I value most about a liberal arts education<br />
is that the courses are so broad. My particular degree required that I take several classes in<br />
Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology. I had the opportunity to tailor my courses to one<br />
specific career. However, liberal arts programs give you an opportunity to gain a considerable<br />
amount of knowledge and experience that can be applied to several careers.<br />
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Interview Compiled by Leah OlajideUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-61985022004019183912017-12-13T06:06:00.001-08:002017-12-13T06:06:26.854-08:00<h3>
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Over the years, many University of Michigan-Dearborn students
have turned their tassel and officially been welcomed to the Michigan Alumni
Family. However, while many become alums in title, there are those who choose
to make the title work for them as they give back to their alma mater.</span></h3>
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<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In this month’s alumni blog post, we meet Theresa
Sommerville, a 2016 CASL graduate who studied Psychology and Women's and Gender
Studies and minored in Communication. She works as a supervisor at a Social
Services Agency, and remains connected with the University by serving as the
Chair for the African American Alumni Affiliate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CASL:
<i>Why do you value the education you received as a CASL student? </i><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Theresa
Sommerville:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, serif;"> Being a CASL student was the best decision for me. In a
world where STEM is taking over, Liberal Arts degrees are often forgotten or
not sought after. Being in CASL, I learned valuable skills in writing, reading,
communication, project management, organization and critical thinking. These
are skills that everyone needs, regardless of your degree path. I also learned
business strategies, analytical statistics, and other key skills that others
forget can be learned with a CASL degree.</span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CASL:</span></b><b><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b><b><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i>Why do you believe the liberal arts and
humanities are valuable? </i><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Times","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">TS:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: Times, serif;"> Liberal
arts and humanities are valuable because we are growing into a more social
world. Top executives in STEM have to meet with people just like the top
business professional. We learn valuable skills in the liberal arts and humanities
that easily become a part of our everyday work and social lives. That's what
liberal arts and humanities gives us -- the tools to make it happen in the social
workplace.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Interview Compiled by Leah
Olajide <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07194532138234462777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-2871318114711305372017-08-31T08:05:00.004-07:002017-08-31T08:05:32.493-07:00In this interview, CASL Grad Jessica Strachan discusses how her liberal arts degree has shaped her academically and professionally by Leah Johnson<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PH9TdGfIheg/WaglKh24F9I/AAAAAAAAFLY/CFz_FoqCEpIqUQcTbNcmjLhGbWODMK5fgCLcBGAs/s1600/jessicastrachan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PH9TdGfIheg/WaglKh24F9I/AAAAAAAAFLY/CFz_FoqCEpIqUQcTbNcmjLhGbWODMK5fgCLcBGAs/s320/jessicastrachan.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">-What year did you graduate and what was your major?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">J.S.: 2009 B.A. I majored in communications-journalism and behavioral sciences. I earned my M.A. from UM-Flint in social sciences in 2011. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">-What Clubs/Organizations were you part of while on campus? </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">J.S.: President of Amnesty International, a writer for the Michigan Journal, member of Campus Video. I also worked in Admissions & Orientation, was an orientation leader and later worked in Institutional Advancement, developing the framework for the campus' Student Philanthropy Council. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">-Describe the current project you're currently working on and how it relates to campus and the Dearborn Community</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">J.S.: Right now I have the pleasure of covering the people and projects contributing positive things to the city of Dearborn, a community I feel very connected to from my undergrad experience at UM-Dearborn. I'm the project editor and engagement manager for Metromode Media's On the Ground Dearborn program, where we are embedded in the community for three months to promote the initiatives and leaders driving vitality within the city.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">-How has a liberal arts degree from CASL helped you personally and professionally? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">J.S.: One of the most valuable experiences from my liberal arts degree was the school's emphasis on gaining professional experience as a student through internships. As a new writer, I was ahead of the game with a full portfolio of published work at local news stations thanks to the opportunities I had from CASL's internship program. I'm passionate about the arts and social sciences and in each piece I write, I'm able to pull from my interdisciplinary education at UM-Dearborn. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-13617500287024797272017-06-20T05:55:00.000-07:002017-06-20T05:56:44.426-07:00The Youngest (potential) CASL Students <div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uR3CRHREUm0/WUkaXT-R2WI/AAAAAAAADYs/Fdl7Zf23W8gCBbNZJNXtpXqD3eIF77UsQCLcBGAs/s1600/Alums%2Band%2BNieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uR3CRHREUm0/WUkaXT-R2WI/AAAAAAAADYs/Fdl7Zf23W8gCBbNZJNXtpXqD3eIF77UsQCLcBGAs/s320/Alums%2Band%2BNieces.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Two future Wolverines decided to skip attending a Headstart program and advance straight to college at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">In early June, my niece Malaya, and my good friend Veronica’s niece, Ryleigh, met for the first time on UM-D’s campus. Veronica (Ronnie) and I had been arranging the perfect time for our almost-one-month-apart nieces (Malaya was born May 19, 2016 and Ryleigh was born June 22, 2016) to meet. Campus was the perfect setting. Our nieces enjoyed meeting professionals in the administration building, me and Veronica’s academic advisor- Traci Ballard, and had lunch in the bustling University Center during a large Welcome Event in progress for new students. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Another highlight was taking Malaya and Ryleigh to CASL and letting them sit in the lecture hall where Veronica and I had our Journalism classes and Psychology classes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Of course, these young minds had no idea they were on a college campus, or meeting major stakeholders on campus, or that they were being groomed to follow in their auntie’s footsteps. I will share those things with Malaya later, and I’m sure Ronnie will do the same with Ryleigh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U2yN-R333WY/WUkaiEoL59I/AAAAAAAADY4/peEKkS6IKN0n8dWnOcTrjcuPjdQB73xJgCLcBGAs/s1600/Nieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U2yN-R333WY/WUkaiEoL59I/AAAAAAAADY4/peEKkS6IKN0n8dWnOcTrjcuPjdQB73xJgCLcBGAs/s320/Nieces.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">What is important is that we exposed them to opportunity and the importance of learning, even at a young age. Opportunity and being a Lifelong Learner is what UM-D represents for myself and I can confidently say it represents the same for Ronnie too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Alumni typically keep in mind college memories, and are encouraged to give back to their alma mater. However, part of giving back includes investing in future generations, especially your own family members. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">In due time, Malaya and Ryleigh will grow up and realize they are two beautiful African American women. Perhaps they won’t have to contend with various social, or racial issues that are present now. Maybe they will or won’t be interested in the stories Ronnie and I can share from our days as students at Michigan. Whatever the case, Veronica and I have given them a foundation, and maybe years from now our nieces will agree that blue is the best color to bleed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Written By Leah T. Johnson <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Leah and Veronica are CASL ’11 graduates with degrees in Communication.</span></i></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-83492893959526138402017-05-07T14:15:00.002-07:002017-05-07T14:15:59.712-07:00How did CASL prepare a Journalism and Screen Studies student for a diverse career? Meet alum Matthew A. Laurinec, a 2013 (JASS) graduate) with a Public Relations Certificate. He also coaches Lacrosse for UM-Dearborn. By Leah Johnson<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Being a CASL Student
afforded you what opportunities</b>? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Matthew Laurinec:</b>
As a CASL student you have the opportunity to take a variety of different
internships. The entire program works together to place you based on your major,
and you can get experience in a lot of different fields. The resources such as
the Writing Center, and other labs in CASL really helped too. After graduation,
I came to appreciate just the connection to the different professors that I
dealt with on such a personal level (that’s really credit to UM-Dearborn as a
whole, not just CASL). It just seemed like they [the CASL professors] were
always more available. Some of my favorites were Professor Schaefer
(Investigative Reporting), Professor Kiska (Intro and Advanced Journalism),
Professor Gilmore (Video Production/Screen Studies), Professor Ward (Speech). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>How did CASL prepare you
for your current career? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>ML:</b> I’m currently
the Producer of the Blaine Fowler Morning Show 96.3 WDVD out of the Fisher Building
in Detroit since the fall of 2013. I started with an internship there. I’d already
graduated and I found this internship on my own. What’s great is my degree
really went a long way. The fact that I had a degree in multiple fields made it
something that was a lot more desirable to them. The UM degree carried a lot of
weight in the decision process to bring me on. I got a part time job while
interning and then the producer position opened up. Now I’m fulltime and I’m on
with them every morning. My degree has given me a lot of different aspects of
knowing different parts of the job. For example, I’ve used my PR certificate
for dealing with certain press releases. If articles need to be written I can
use my journalism experience to write it. The wide range of skills I learned
from my degree have helped me be valuable to the company. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Did you always know
that you wanted to major in journalism? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>ML:</b> I didn’t
always know. I thought I was going to do teaching. I had a good relationship
with my high school English teacher. But I got into the love of journalism as
my love of Michigan football got me into the press box and on the field. That’s
what turned me onto the idea of being a sports writer. I got involved with the
Michigan Journal on campus writing sports. Then I was the Sports Editor, then
the Editor in Chief and then the Managing Editor. So, as I was moving along the
way with that I found a love for writing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Do you have any
regrets about selecting a liberal arts field of study? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>ML:</b> No. I have no
regrets about choosing this degree. My degree has opened many doors that even
if I decide to leave the radio station I could anywhere and have my degree be
valued. <o:p></o:p></div>
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At first I thought I would not have a job, but I think that
I was prepared that I knew what I had done and that I had earned a Michigan
degree and that eventually it all worked out. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>What advice would u
give to current CASL Students who may be undecided if they want to remain in
the Liberal Arts field? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>ML:</b> I think in Liberal
Arts you have a vast career path. My focus was print journalism. But after
college, I got into another side of journalism. I thought I was going to write
for a newspaper or sports team. The classes you take in CASL are crossover
classes and you’re forced to be put into situations that will help you in your
career. The degree you’re earning is more valuable than the major you get it
in. It’s got a lot more weight to it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Try a lot of different things when you first get to CASL.
Also, don’t be afraid to work for free at first. Many people think as soon as they
graduate they need a job paying six figures or else they’ve failed. My friends
may be ahead of me financially. But some of them are also doing things they
hate. I genuinely love going to work because I promised myself I would not work
a 9-5 schedule in a cubicle, but some people get so set on that. Go do what you
want and pursue it and I guarantee you’ll be a lot happier. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-68140158811449032242017-04-01T03:32:00.000-07:002017-04-01T03:32:26.565-07:00Liberal Arts Encourages Community Consciousness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67-raTFCigU/WN-BOm7K4TI/AAAAAAAADVg/6s2OeeGyOAk2833wNU8ZhnQzGnoyC145QCLcB/s1600/charday%2BWard%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67-raTFCigU/WN-BOm7K4TI/AAAAAAAADVg/6s2OeeGyOAk2833wNU8ZhnQzGnoyC145QCLcB/s1600/charday%2BWard%2B.jpg" /></a>Charday Ward</div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
following one-on-one interview delves into the meaning and value of the Liberal
Arts field of study. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After
being homeschooled from 1<sup>st</sup>-12<sup>th</sup> grade, Charday Ward
graduated from CASL in 2010 having majored in English and minored in African
and African American Studies. She currently works as a Community Developer in
Detroit, and is convinced her liberal arts back ground has widened her world,
personally, and professionally. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Charday
shares her story below… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What
did you enjoy most about your CASL student experience? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Charday: I enjoyed my
African and African American Studies (AAAS) classes and all the perks that came
along with being in that program. The Souls of Success retreat was one of the
highlights of my college career. Also, meeting campus guests like legendary
jazz artist Ken Cox, poet and activist Sonia Sanchez, international theater
director Aku Kadogo, and renowned jazz percussionist Jerry LeDuff had a major
impact on my life. These were my professors' personal friends and they brought
them to our campus to enrich our college experience and inspire us to be world
changers and creators. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How
has your liberal arts degree helped determine your career choice/path? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Charday: My liberal
arts degree shaped my career choice/path by making me an extremely well-rounded
person who can do so many things in so many different fields. Shortly after
graduating from UM-D, I went into education and now I work as a Community Developer
in Detroit. I hope to one day serve in a political office and I know with a
background in liberal arts I have the knowledge and experiences to effectively
serve my community as a legislator. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How
has your liberal arts degree shaped you as a person? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Charday: My liberal
arts degree and the material studied in my programs inspired me to become a
community minded individual and to do whatever was in my power to positively
influence people in my community. It shaped my perspective of the world around
me and made me a great teacher of English, African-American History and
Writing, and also prepared to me effectively work in the Detroit community as a
Youth Coordinator for a community development corporation. Studying liberal
arts also awakened the creative side of me, and exposed me to literature and
humanities that inspired me to become an emerging playwright and poet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do
you think people misunderstand the value of a liberal arts degree? And if so,
how do you help to adjust their understanding? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Charday: Yes, I think people
misunderstand the value of a liberal arts degree. Sometimes a liberal arts
degree is mistakenly considered "easy" or "unfocused." However, I feel that it made me well-rounded, taught me the ways of the world, and
prepared me for work in the service field. I always advocate for a liberal arts
education, especially when I am advising young people. I encourage them to
study literature, history, communications and writing because it will help them
to be successful in almost any career. <span style="color: #500050;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Did you do
anything exciting to celebrate Women’s History Month? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Charday: Yes! I had the
opportunity to conduct a workshop with some young ladies at Alternatives for
Girls. We had a very invigorating discussion about women's equality and
what needs to be done to solve some of the inequities that women face in
America. It was an extremely inspiring conversation and it moved me to continue
the discourse in other spaces like it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Interview conducted by Leah T. Johnson, CASL 2011 <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-83698660806716364082017-02-23T06:56:00.001-08:002017-02-23T06:56:33.892-08:00A Personal Reflection on Black History Month<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">“If a
race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible
factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being
exterminated.” Dr. Carter G. Woodson</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This is the second year in a row where I have
sat back, put my feet up (figuratively speaking) and waited for a Black History
Month moment to come to me (literally speaking). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s true I go through my annual rituals of
selecting my Black History Month readings, I talk to my family and others about
some of my favorite African American historical icons, and I either visit or
reminisce about the insightful and educational times I had at the Charles H.
Wright Museum of African American history. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This year was no exception. However, I recently
confessed to my dad that I don’t feel very “Black History Month-ish” this time
around. I was shocked to hear that he felt the same. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">We spent time trying to determine the answer to
the burning question ‘why?’ ‘Why do we feel this way?’ Is it because of the
political climate of the country that makes it challenging to want to celebrate
achievements of Black Americans since an African American family no longer
occupies the White House? Could it be because the leader of the free world
speaks of a certain black, male abolitionist and historical figure in the
present tense, and as a Detroit Free Press columnist wrote that “we can only
laugh when a young white boy grows up to be president in 2017 and thinks he can
invite Frederick Douglass to the White House for Dinner?” And in addition, the
White House press secretary believes that the “contributions of Frederick
Douglass will become more and more.” Is it because of the tired complaint of
many African Americans that February is the shortest month of the year, and
therefore doesn’t give us much time to plan events/activities to celebrate? Is
it because my dad and I are just being lazy this year? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">We never answered the ‘why,’ and I’m happy we
didn’t dwell on finding the answer because if we had done so, we may not have
discovered what steps we can take to change these un-celebratory feelings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Interestingly, my dad said, “if we forget to
celebrate this year and let this year pass by, then it’ll be easy to do it next
year and the year after, until soon, we won’t see the need to recognize this
month anymore.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">That statement worried me. No way can this
happen. Not to me. I’m the same girl who worked at the Charles H. Wright Museum
writing stories and educating many of various ages and backgrounds about the
African American experience. I’m the same girl who looked forward to the Black
Student Union events on campus during February. I’m the same girl who made it
mandatory to print a Black History Month series in the campus newspaper. I’m
the same girl who discussed the Negro National Anthem, the Renaissance time
period, and many other African American topics with fellow students. I’m the
same girl who believes, as does my dad, that Black History is American history.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Although I’m that same girl and I did all these
things, February 2017 forced me to realize that I need to do more. I’ve
realized what made Black History Month so special to me the past few years is
that it’s not passive, it’s active. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As the month comes to a close, I’m more alert to
ways to become more active; perhaps it’s writing or reading an article,
creating a Black History Curriculum to be taught in the community stretching beyond the month of February, or
attending special events.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I can no longer expect Black History month to be
a feeling. It is a month of purposeful action that can and should easily
translate into daily living. Leah Johnson <a href="mailto:ltaishaj@att.net" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ltaishaj@att.net</a> </span><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-50254772497187602382017-01-07T09:11:00.001-08:002017-01-07T09:11:16.340-08:00Unprepared For a Vital Lesson<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Black History Month and Women’s History Month came early this year. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It was completely unexpected. I was ill-prepared, and launched into space via the new film</span><span style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><i style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hidden Figures</i><span style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This movie gave me an early present in the form of a history lesson I didn’t know I needed, as I watched the story of three African American women who worked for NASA. at the Langley campus in Virginia and helped launch America into space. </span></div>
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<br style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.2em;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Admittedly, I’d become a little irritated with films about Africans/African Americans Hollywood has created and pushed into mainstream for the past few years. Of course, it’s great for the seasoned black actors and the rising stars. But I wondered ‘how many times does the story of the fight for civil rights need to be told? How many ways does it need to be presented in film to prove that black history is American history? Is all this hoopla surrounding black films really necessary?' Enough is enough already. </span><br style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.2em;" /><br style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.2em;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">In addition to those feelings, I’m still frightened of the movie Apollo 13- a movie I saw when I was way too young. I remember my heart pounding through the entire film as it was too suspenseful for my nerves. I’d since turned a cold shoulder to movies about outer space. </span><br style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.2em;" /><br style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.2em;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>Hidden Figures</i>, however, removed my growing dismay toward black films, and I settled comfortably into the film’s setting at NASA. This movie is about much more than astronauts and rocket ships. It’s about education. <i>Hidden Figures</i> makes being educated extremely appealing. It makes having a brilliant mind- and not being afraid to use it- attractive. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">In a selfie-obsessed world where young people run to take the perfect picture in the bathroom mirror, <i>Hidden Figures</i> shows the opposite. For those women running (sometimes literally) to the Colored bathrooms at NASA to relieve themselves also meant putting brains over boys, and it was their brains that made them truly beautiful. Even in bathroom stalls they calculated numbers, looked beyond the obvious math problems, and vied for positions and pay they knew they deserved. These women were the first of their kind as Mathematicians, Engineers, Supervisors, and Influencers on the operations and success of NASA. The film gives just enough details about their personal lives, including their husbands who loved them and were attracted to their wit, perseverance, and intelligence. </span><br style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.2em;" /><br style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.2em;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Considering that my alma mater unveiled its upgraded Science Building last year, it was perfect timing that the University offered pre-screening passes to <i>Hidden Figures</i>, and a special program highlighting the S.T.E.M. field. I brought my dad as my date, and I felt a sense of pride, and a deeper respect for education after seeing the movie. Having degrees and letters associated with one’s name is only for prestigious purposes. Rather, the goal is to never stop learning (which is something my dad has taught me) and to be unapologetically smart like Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson, whose names are no longer hidden. Leah Johnson </span><a href="mailto:ltaishaj@att.net" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 11.52px;" target="_blank">ltaishaj@att.net</a></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-23455058728800449862016-12-12T04:54:00.000-08:002016-12-12T04:54:29.614-08:00On Turning Mistakes into OpportunitiesThe Greenbean Casserole. Not just any ole Greenbean Casserole, but THE Greenbean Casserole. Definite article required. La pièce de résistance of the Thanksgiving Table. (Fancy,huh? I learned French back in the 1980s at UM-D from Halina Loukopoulous Minadéo, Dr. Crapo, Madame Shea et al) THE Thanksgiving Greenbean Casserole was my only assignment. And I messed it up.
“I don’t need a measuring cup.” Confident in my over-confidence, I eyeballed a cup of milk using the 10 ounce Cream of Mushroom Soup can. Yes. I eyeballed it. Just like my UM-D Calculus Prof would eyeball derivatives. Yep. I eyeballed a cup of milk: One and a half 10 ounce Cream of Mushroom Soup Cans of milk. YesireeBob. Wait. What?
“That looks runny, add more Green Beans.” Said Mom. “…and more onions.” “Here’s another can of Cream of Mushroom Soup. DO NOT add any milk.” “Here’s a bigger casserole dish.” “What did you do?”
Overcompensating for my psyche’s rising Defensive Whine, I mustered up a snarky “I read the directions.” My science training from UM-D and beyond required an explanation. So did my Mom, but she was willing to let it go as she looked askance at me and took a restorative sip of her Cook’s Drink. “16 ounces in a cup, right?” I said, seeking maternal approval. My mother sighed a sigh that mentally thumped me upside the head. “No, 8.”
How could I be so stupid? 16 ounces in a cup?!? So I back-peddled with“Well I was trained in the Metric System.” Which precipitated another maternal sigh. “Simple things confound the complex mind.” That one deserved a real thump. We started laughing.
Mom just said “Now we’ll have twice as much.” Although she was gracious about it on the outside, she slid me a look that said “dumbbell”. I just know it. She’ll never admit it though. My mistake of doubling the recipe became an opportunity. You see, we had a guest at our table who had never had the typical Thanksgiving feast of turkey and all the accoutrements. His favorite? The Greenbean Casserole. Guess who joyfully got all the leftovers? Yeah, we doubled it on purpose. `
Alison Tasich (Class of 87)
Alison Tasich received her BS in Microbiology from UM-Dearborn in 1987. She went on to earn an MA in French at Wayne State University and a MAT in Biology, Chemistry, and French from Wayne State University. She now works as a Biology, Chemistry, and French teacher for the Crestwood School District in Dearborn Heights.
casldeanbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10870881686896153957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-63376265572284748902016-09-27T15:31:00.001-07:002016-10-03T10:25:02.367-07:00Falling for FallFalling for Fall
It's as if my body knows it's the Fall of the year.
I naturally begin to crave a slower pace of life, and familiar routines that begin in September.
While I am five years removed from my alma mater, the University that's known for giving graduates the "Degree that Makes a Difference," I crave the college life. Well, not the exams and writing papers part. But, it's as if I secretly envy students who get to press the "re-start" button, or "new start" button as they begin or continue their college journey. Which is why I always seem to find my way back to campus during the beginning of the Fall term.
Recently I returned to campus to sit on what feels like my 1 millionth panel as an alum, and I can honestly say that sharing my story and experiences never gets old and it's never a burden (even when it means coming on a Friday-yes, Friday- evening). I view it as an opportunity to give back and connect with those that will soon join me as part of the Maize and Blue alumni family.
The weekend was the only thing that separated my visit to campus again as I returned on a Monday afternoon for a meeting. I'm laughing to myself as I think about how I became one of the "Strollers" on campus that Monday afternoon. When I was a student, I could tell who were students too. We had a certain look on our face and in our eyes that we maintained as we walked to class. We had a certain strut or stride in our walk. We definitely didn't stroll across campus because we knew we had somewhere we needed to be. Well, as I mentioned, I became a Stroller. But, I couldn't help it! I strolled though the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters; after all, that building was where I took majority of my classes. That college is synonymous with my college education. That college (which has the acronym CASL, pronounced like castle) is where my parents would pick me up from when I first started as a student and they would say "How fitting that our Princess is taking classes in CASL." Princess, Castle/CASL, get it? I digress. CASL was also where I taught for a Summer program about three years after I graduated. I could go on and on about the memories.
While in CASL, I found myself looking at the offered courses, new and old. I looked at the names of the professors, some I knew, some I didn't know, some who taught me. I couldn't help but notice that some Professor's names were missing, in particular Dr. Rahman, who passed last September, and taught many of the African and African American Studies courses. The lack of his presence on the campus still lingers, and I doubt it will ever dissipate.
The stroll around CASL reminded me of the struggles to pass my math course, and my triumphs in my composition, communication, and psychology courses. It was also in CASL that I declared African and African American Studies as my 2nd minor. It has since become a Major on campus.
But most importantly, my stroll reminded me of tranquility. That somehow no matter how chaotic things became during my college years, my first years as an alum, or even things in my personal life, I've always weathered the storm.
Surprisingly, Fall is not my favorite season, primarily because it signifies the end of Summer. Instead, Fall (especially Fall at my alma mater) signifies new beginnings and it does its job reminding me to slow down, be tranquil, and prevail despite all odds.
Regards,
Leah Johnson | ltaishaj@att.net
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casldeanbloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10870881686896153957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-66912108887771027112016-06-07T17:57:00.000-07:002016-06-07T17:58:10.117-07:00Why was UM-Dearborn important to me?Why was UM-Dearborn important to me? My happy memories of campus are many and varied, from hanging out at the ROC on a Friday night, to wandering the Fairlane Estate to clear my mind, to standing in line in the COB to fill out paper registration forms, to the occasional fancy lunch in the Pool, to some shenanigans in the CAB I’m wiser not to share. If I had to point to the campus characteristic that mattered the most, though, it would be the opportunity for independent intellectual growth.<br />
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I came to campus intending to major in chemistry with an ambition to ultimately pursue a Ph.D. Second semester general chemistry with Dr. Potts solidified that goal. He was an entertaining, engaging, and challenging teacher, and by the end of the semester I decided I had to do research with him. I still remember fondly the first meeting in his office, in the spring of 1983. Dr. Potts welcomed me into his laboratory, explained the problem in gold chemistry he was trying to tackle, and gave me the freedom to choose my own directions to solve it. There were many, many stumbles along the way, but Dr. Potts was always patient, encouraging, willing to allow me to try new things, and generous with his time in teaching me new techniques. He introduced me to the literature and to the professional scientific community of chemistry. He taught me how to blow glass (and let me learn the hard way the difference between hot and cool glass). Along with a couple of my classmates, he led me to Chicago in the spring of 1986 for my first American Chemical Society national meeting, an overwhelming and thrilling experience. Hard to believe that 30 years hence, those semi-annual meetings remain a fixture of my professional life.<br />
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While Dr. Potts is the singular figure in my Dearborn experience, he is by no means the only one to help my journey of growth. As my laboratory skills improved (slowly), I managed to secure a job doing preparative work for the general chemistry laboratories, and that on-campus job both brought some much needed income and an excuse to spend even more time around the labs. Linda Grimm and Bob Quattro ran those laboratories like a top and were great bosses and mentors. My other chemistry professors---Otto, Donahue, Decamp, Bazzi, Tai, …---drilled all aspects of chemistry into me and prepared me well for the rigors of graduate study. Among my many other professors, I have to single out Prof. Brown (Math) and Prof. Prentis (Physics), whose elegant presentation of difficult topics continue to inspire both my own research and my teaching style. And of course I cannot fail to mention the many, many UM-Dearborn friends who made the days and the nights so much fun.<br />
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After receiving my Ph.D. from Ohio State in 1991, I returned to the Dearborn area for a position in the Ford Research Laboratory. I soon came to miss the academic life, and in a display of shockingly poor judgment, the Natural Sciences department welcomed me back to teach General Chemistry in the evenings. Imagine my excitement to be back to my old stomping grounds, but on the other side of the desk! I soon discovered the joy of working with students, hearing their stories, helping them learn and grow, and watching them master new material. During the day I worked with a world-class group of Ford scientists and engineers, building my research portfolio, and in the evenings I honed my teaching skills. That combination of experiences put me in the position to return to the academy full-time in 2004. Years at Ford made this chemist look like a chemical engineer, and now I teach and do research at the boundary of of two in my faculty position at the University of Notre Dame.<br />
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I have had many good breaks and great mentors along the way. But the people and the environment at UM-Dearborn gave me the solid foundation to build on.<br />
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<i>Written by: William Schneider</i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517273402720176502.post-18115822551077772582016-02-26T06:50:00.000-08:002016-02-26T06:50:08.153-08:00UM-Dearborn: The Road Best Traveled<div class="Body">
SNAP your fingers…that’s how fast my thirty-year career in
R&D seems to have passed, but that’s a good thing, a GREAT thing! Now in my first year of retirement, I have
the opportunity to reflect upon how I got here…what and who were my greatest
influencers…and how I can give back! <o:p></o:p></div>
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At age 18, it is impossible to know where your life will take you
and even more difficult to appreciate the significance of your earliest
decisions. For me, as a quiet
individual, the thought of attending a large university was daunting; living in
a crowded, cookie-cutter dorm room quite frankly, scared me to death. The appeal of UM-Dearborn was refreshing…a
smaller campus, intimate class sizes, excellent faculty with a genuine interest
in shaping our LEADERS and BEST, and a MICHIGAN degree! Although I was accepted in Ann Arbor and at
State, my first and in retrospect, my best decision was made…I would attend
UM-D!<o:p></o:p></div>
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As a Freshman, I entered UM-D without the slightest inkling that
I would become a chemistry major and pursue a philosophy minor, as a matter of
fact, I was quite certain that I was destined to be a medical
technologist! So what happened? CASL happened…and it happened fast! By the end of my Freshman year, Drs. O’Shea
and Potts had inspired me to love chemistry, and Dr. Dutton (Philosophy) had
seeded my lifetime love of problem-solving and critical thinking! I departed on a road that I never knew
existed and the opportunities were endless.
I was fascinated by the course work, was able to conduct laboratory
research on various topics with five different chemistry faculty members, and
worked in the Department of Natural Sciences as a stockroom attendant, lab
assistant, and exam grader. The
availability of this “hands-on” experience prepared me well for graduate
school, but it was the guidance of Dr. Bertrand and his wife Charla that
further propelled me to study under the world renown atomic spectroscopist, Dr.
Velmer Fassel, the Assistant Director of the Ames Laboratory at Iowa State
University. You see, Charla had worked
for Dr. Fassel, while her husband (Dr. Bertrand) was in graduate school at ISU
and she highly recommended Fassel, which gets back to how grateful I am for
faculty that truly had my back! We still
exchange Christmas card to this day!<o:p></o:p></div>
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With the foundation that CASL afforded me, how could I help but
be anything but successful? I thoroughly
enjoyed my career in R&D for The Dow Chemical Company, Michigan Molecular
Institute, Caltech Industries, and most recently, an Associate Research Fellow
with The Clorox Company. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But the story doesn’t end there!
My husband is also an UM-D CASL (and ISU) chemistry graduate and
continues to enjoy his career in R&D at The Dow Chemical Company. We are also very proud that our two boys
decided to attend UM-D. Our oldest
graduated in 2014 with a degree Computer Science and Mathematics…he is now
employed by a software development company in Troy, MI. Our youngest is currently a Sophomore,
pursuing a degree in Earth Science (Geology) and Anthropology. We are truly a UM-Dearborn Family!<o:p></o:p></div>
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As for giving back, we have always felt it has been important to
provide annual financial support to UM-D.
More recently, I have been a member of the CASL Dean’s Advisory
Board. Being connected to UM-D again has
been so refreshing. Watching my children
flourish and grow at UM-Dearborn has been delightful. Thirty-seven years have passed since I
attended UM-D and still, the key elements that attracted me to this university
have remained true, 1) a smaller campus, 2) intimate class size, 3) dedicated
faculty, and 4) a MICHIGAN degree. These
are elements that truly make UM-D unique in a sea of universities!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’d be happy to chat more about my experiences at UM-D and can be
reached at the e-mail address below.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the words of the great Robert Frost, <o:p></o:p></div>
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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— <o:p></o:p></div>
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I took the one less traveled by, <o:p></o:p></div>
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And that has made all the difference.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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…The DEARBORN DIFFERENCE!
GO BLUE!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Kim LaFreniere, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>CASL, 1979</i></div>
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kim.lafreniere@yahoo.com</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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