Network News Feb 2019 : simplebooklet.com

Contents Welcome back to campus I hope everyone had a great restorative break I am so excited to jump back into the Network News this semester We have so many great stories to tell I can t wait to share all of the wonderful events and accomplishments of students and faculty Zoe Naglieri Prescod 20 In this issue we explore the opportunities Bay Path has on campus in the community and via study in countries around the world We hope that you read the stories with a new curiosity about exploring the campus and world around you Mia Ryder 19 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Note from the Editors Essay Contest Campus Announcement Study Abroad Khalia Albury in China SCLP Tips for Success with Andrea Hill Cataldo Open House and Internship Panel Internship Success Stories Helping Hands Student Choice Awards Congratulations Langston Hughes Project Female African American Artists On the Move Turner Syndrome Awareness Month Native American History One America Trip Peter and the Star Catcher Check out the story in this issue regarding the COMMunity Awards A special thanks to Melissa Velardi far left Laurie Cirillo far right at podium Mia Ryder Network News student editor and Zoe Naglieri Prescod not shown for the great collaboration on this publication In the photo Bay Path Board member Andrea Hill Cataldo third from right receives a recognition award Allison Gearing Kalill Bay Path s Vice President for Development and Planned Giving shared her words of inspiration Network News is shared by the Sullivan Career and Life Planning Center and Student Newsroom

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Study Abroad Khalia Albury Now studying abroad in China Tsinghua University I am making my dream come true Khalia Albury Khalia Albury is the daughter of Deborah Albury and Martin Willis Inspired by the Disney movie Mulan Khalia yearned to learn more about the Chinese culture and Mandarin Chinese language In kindergarten she would watch Sagwa the Chinese Siamese Cat During the show she would have her notebook beside her and try to write like Sagwa At the Robert M Hughes Academy Charter Public School RMH in Springfield Massachusetts Khalia made up her mind in second grade that she was going to China At RMH she enjoyed spending time with Board of Trustee member Amy Hughes who spent many summers teaching in China Also when her family went to Century Buffet in West Springfield to celebrate her placement on the honor roll Khalia would not only enjoy a delicious meal but practice her Chinese with Jessica the owner of the buffet and the servers Albury officially began taking Chinese courses in sixth grade at Van Sickle Middle School She took the class in seventh grade as well but unfortunately in her eighth grade year the class was cut thus forcing Khalia to study independently Khalia took Chinese courses throughout her time at Springfield Central High Schools Jiayin Li was her Chinese teacher for the first two years Photo credit ImmerQi Bay Path s Khalia Albury far right is shown on site in Beijing with her peers John Carlson from University of South Carolina Columbia in South Carolina and Payton Walker at Kalamazoo Valley Community College in Michigan Mrs Li introduced Khalia to Springfield StarTalk Chinese Camp Suhong Chang was Khalia s Chinese teacher for her remaining two years Khalia is now a junior at Bay Path University double majoring in accounting and operations management as well as minoring in forensic studies She plays for the university s volleyball team as a defense specialist is a Student Learner Assistant for Dr John Jarvis s ENG 114 is the secretary for the Women in Business Club and the treasurer for the Student Government Association Khalia has participated in multiple Bay Path University theatrical productions For the past five summers she has been a Teacher s Assistant for Springfield StarTalk Chinese Summer Camp Before being an assistant at the camp she was a volunteer

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Are you ready to get your career on track The spring semester is a great time to get your career on track with internships informational events job shadows and more Take a look at this special section that gets you focused on SUCCESS Internship Planning Sessions Need a summer internship Start planning NOW Most students in our Traditional Program have an internship requirement as part of the degree program Students are strongly encouraged to begin their internship planning process by February 1st for summer internships April 1st for fall internships and October 1st for spring internships Monday March 4th 3 30 p m in the SCLP Center in Blake Student Commons Lower Level Wednesday March 6th 2 00 p m in the SCLP Center in Blake Student Commons Lower Level Tuesday March 19th 9 30 a m in the SCLP Center in Blake Student Commons Lower Level Friday March 22nd 9 30 a m in the SCLP Center in Blake Student Commons Lower Level ATTENTION Sophomores and Juniors Just starting to plan your internship Register for a Planning Session via the CDCN SCLP Drop in Hours Get on the spot help Mondays 11 30am 1 30pm Wednesdays Thursdays 11 30am 1 30pm Fridays 11 00am 1 00pm Stop in to get help with any of the following career development services cover letters resumes CVs Internship site search employment search mock interviews LinkedIn Internship Reflection Internship Reflections These sessions celebrate the internship experiences of our students and that the whole community is invited drop in to listen to students as their share their learning Sessions Wednesday March 20th 2 00 p m Friday March 22nd 9 30 a m Monday March 25th 3 30 p m The above Reflection Sessions will be held in D Amour Hall Room 5 7

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4 TIPS FOR SUCCESS WITH ANDREA HILL CATALDO By Mia Ryder Andrea Hill Cataldo is the president of Johnson and Hill Staffing and is apart of the Bay Path Board of Trustees She was recognized at the most recent COMMunity Celebration and Awards Night at Bay Path University Andrea s life work and service to Bay Path and the business community has continued to help guide women to the right path Through her own life she has become incredibly successful and shared her top four tips with me for success 1 INVEST IN YOURSELF You can achieve what you believe you are capable of 2 DRESS FOR THE JOB YOU WANT NOT THE ONE YOU HAVE It is better to be over dressed than under dressed 3 BE MINDFUL OF YOUR CHOICES You never know where one opportunity will being based on the choices you make 4 BE AUTHENTIC 8 It is important when going into a interview to be the best version of yourself that you can be

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Admissions Open House Bay Path Students share their Internship Experiences On Sunday December 2 the Office of Admissions Financial Aid held an Open House designed for prospective students to learn about Bay Path During lunch guests were able to hear a student Q A panel facilitated by the Sullivan Career and Life Planning Center share their internship experiences The event was a fantastic opportunity for students to ask questions about internship preparation learning goals career paths course preparation and words of wisdom from our students Our panelists and their internship sites included Elizabeth Demerski 18 Eastern States Exposition Oxana Sinigur Rovithis Realty Justine Murphy Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Kiersten Grover State of Connecticut Sharette Bello Suazo 18 Hampden County House of Corrections and Megan Benway 18 Maine Department of Health and Human Services We are grateful for the opportunity to work in partnership with the Office of Admissions Financial Aid Shown on the stage from left to right Dawn Bryden Dean of Admissions Melissa Velardi Graduate Intern for SCLP Elizabeth Demerski 18 Oxana Sinigur Justine Murphy Kiersten Grover Sharette Bello Suazo 18 Not shown Megan Benway 18 Check out these other opportunities with SCLP Career Fairs off Campus Westfield State Job and Internship Fair Wednesday March 6 snow date March 21 2019 1 3 p m UCONN Stamford Spring 2019 Career Fair Thursday March 7 2 5 p m College Career Centers of Western Massachusetts Career Tuesday March 26 12 2 30 p m UCONN Spring Career Fair Thursday March 28 11 a m 3 p m Bay Path Career and Internship Fair Get going NOW To a job fair or Career Event Wednesday March 6 2019 11 00 a m 2 00 p m Employers will be on site recruiting for jobs and internships in the Atrium of Blake Student Commons Wake Up with Communications Career and Networking Event Wednesday April 17 2019 7 45 9 30 a m in Breck Suite Wright Hall More information about all of our event can be found on CDCN Handshake 9

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Internship Success Stories Sharette Bello Suazo focuses on Criminal Justice and Corrections She wants to remain engaged with the community while focusing on areas including but not limited to human Sharette Bello Suazo s internship at the trafficking domestic violence sexual Hampden County Sherriff s Department assault and substance abuse Sharette offered her a new experience within the offers a few key components of advice field of Criminal Justice and Corrections The first is to make sure you leave an Her site was at the Pre Release Center impression By interning at Pre Release working with incarcerated men She was she developed new relationships with able to practice her skills in interviewing prospective job opportunities Second you utilizing her second language in Spanish should not be afraid to step out of your and upholding confidentiality agreements comfort zone Her supervisor challenged her to conduct interviews in Spanish and The type of work that she completed at learn how to sit in a unit and talk with the her site offered her opportunities to talk residents With these activities she with individuals about their experiences gained knowledge and confidence by and their plans to re integrate into society being open to new challenges outside of This dialogue helped Sharette narrow her comfort zone Third you should down career options and the type of work always maintain a good relationship with she wants to complete your internship site Psychology in the classroom Ciara Antaya was able to utilize her degree in psychology during her internship at Anna s Family Daycare By assisting with daycare routines for five children from three months old to age 4 Ciara used problem solving skills and effective discipline methods for a variety of mostly antagonizing situations between the children Ideally the kids would work well together she said I learned that much more work goes into a single day at the daycare than she initially thought Through teamwork and communication Ciara s and Anna s knowledge and routines complimented each other very well which offered a lot of balance throughout each day 10 Sharette sees her site supervisor once per month from a volunteer program through the department Through her network she was able to ask for references for a job application and use them as a resource to ask questions Networking through one of her professors here at Bay Path helped Sharette to find this internship opportunity and thrive Ciara has had a lot of exposure working with different age populations while studying for her Psychology Degree with a Minor in Criminal Justice here at Bay Path One of her co op experiences provided her the opportunity to work with adults After completing her internship at Anna s Family Daycare Ciara knew that she wanted to continue working with children through DCF or a similar organization or possibly working to transition teenagers into adult therapy No matter which path she chooses Ciara is grateful for her internship opportunities thus far She recommends that students select an internship that they like instead of one that is considered the last option She suggests that you give yourself enough time to find an internship site Keep an open mind and don t wait until the last minute

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Internship Reflection By Brooke Moye Savannah Delgado My internship has made me sure that I want to work in the human services field Q Reflecting on how you identified your internship site what skills and knowledge have you learned about searching for jobs or Interview by Brooke Moye applying to graduate school A I learned that it is all a process It is all Recently I sat down with about preparation and putting in your time Savannah Delgado to discuss You have to be patient It is not always going her internship She completed to be how you want it and when you want her internship over our winter You have to be patient and keep trying break 12 21 18 1 18 19 at the Coachella Valley Rescue Q What learning experience from your Mission in California internship stands out the most Why This mission serves local people experiencing homelessness hunger and life challenges through emergency services recovery programs and community outreach Emergency services like hot meals and safe shelter Medical care Clothing Vocational training Recovery programs that transform lives A The most critical thing that I learned was time management I was given a specific deadline to create Memoranda of Understandings with every hospital in the county with the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission Center CRVM It was necessary to complete that task because it was in response to a bill that the Senate that passed If I did not complete the task on deadline CVRM clients would not have the resources they need Q What professional skills did you gain from your internship that will serve you in your future career path A The professional skills that I learned from my internship was being able to write memorandums of understanding donation letters intakes and collaborating with other organizations Q How did this experience impact your career choice A I learned that I don t want research or an office job My internship has made me sure that I want to work in the human services field Q What do you now know about the industry that you didn t know before i e trends pinpoints growth areas etc A I realized that this industry relies heavily on other organizations and the community Most of the resources for CVRM come from these organizations Q What advice or feedback do you have for students who have their internship experiences ahead of them A The advice that I have for students is to get an internship as soon as possible Students should have a strong cover letter resume sales pitch professional references and two forms of identification for background checks

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Helping Hands Pre OT Health and Human Services Career and Networking Event By Sam Leduc Bay Path University students and a panel of eight field professionals gathered in Breck Suite on Wednesday November 28th for the FA 18 Pre Occupational Therapy Health Human Studies Career Networking Event organized by the Sullivan Career Life Planning Center The event was moderated by adjunct professor Jennifer Gladu M S CIM 09 To start the evening each panelist was asked to introduce themself and provide a bit of insight into their career as well as any advice they wished to give Thank you to everyone who attended and presented Key Takeaways from our Panelists On finding their career calling Occupational Therapy has everything I ve wanted in a career but I didn t realize it until one of my professors brought it to my attention It was crazy to see that all my dreams had a title to it On how they received their current position I found my clinical love for hand therapy while working in a clinic Now I am a certified hand therapist and OT always has something new to try I originally wanted to work in geriatrics but then after completing my fieldwork I decided on pediatrics Advice to students Be attuned Know your clients Be in sync with them to know when something is off Try your best to put yourself in their shoes Be a lifelong learner You want to be better for your clients and be mindful of your surroundings and operate through a social justice lens Prospective students were encouraged to work with different ages because each population gives you a new perspective Congratulations to these students who have completed their internships and those who are still in progress Keep up the great work Alexis Lavoie Amanda LaDouceur Angelina Glass Bianca Cotton Brooke Moye Carla Cabrera Chastity Ramos Chelsea Caron Ciara Antaya Correnna Garner Eliza Lopez Estefania Cabrera Fatima Shahan Fatina Martidis Gulkhanym Tasayeva 12 Jennifer Godaire Jennifer Yekel Jessica Nieves Kassandra Pepper Kathryn Sadakierski Keeanna Vazquez Khouloud Mandour Kristina Tran Kyra Duggento La Tieya Palmer Leah Sheets Maria Asiimwe Marissa Sarna Mccarthy Maryanisa Del Rio Megan Fabiano Shown above not in order Dr Beverly St Pierre Director of Occupational Therapy Program at Bay Path and Occupational Therapist Kayla Weller Mental Health Occupational Therapist Jacqueline Johnson Chief Operations Officer at the Center for Human Development CHD Kimberly Bourque Early Intervention Occupational Therapist at Shriners Children s Hospital Samantha Fazzino MOT student at Bay Path Amanda M Rodriguez Mental Health Occupational Therapist for DCF and Dr Jennifer Gladu Adjunct Professor at Bay Path Melanie Costales Nicole Hayward Nicole Larson Olivia Evans Qualazale Jones Riley Foley Sarah Wasilewski Savannah Delgado Shelby Matheus Sydney Daddario Taylor Heinbokel Vanesa Monsalve Bay Path University Professors

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Student Choice Awards celebrates COMMunity at Bay Path By Mia Ryder On December 7 2018 in Mills Theater the Communications Club hosted their second annual Student Choice Awards with special thanks to all of the supporters and volunteers including the Sullivan Career and Life Planning Center and all of the faculty and staff who presented awards 2018 awardees provided heart warming stories of gratitude These incredible women included Andrea Hill Cataldo pianist Ruth Bass Green and activist Yoko Kato The evening also paid tribute to the hard work of Communication students from starting a student run magazine to hosting several events the energy never died down There was also recognition for the campus such as sports teams WELL courses science majors the performing arts diversity and inclusion and a special media pitch competition from NAMIC National Association for Multi Ethnicity In Communications This event founded by the Undergraduate Communications Department offered audience members an interactive and entertaining evening while giving students and community members the recognition they deserved With support from several organizations around campus including the Sullivan Career and Life and Planning Center the event was a successful night for every discipline 13

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Congratulations Student Choice Awards for Sports Presenter Steve Smith Awardees Bay Path Softball team Marissa Sarna McCarthy Jai Ruiz Katrina Peck Madison Goodhart Taylor Feraco Lilly West Felicia Gaillardetz Camielle Keith Kayla Vance Rebekah Walker Student Choice Awards Leadership Well Peer Mentors Presenter Professor Maria Luisa Arroyo Maryanisa Del Rio Anissa Nieves Sophie Kerr Angelica Martinez Megan Griffin Tess Gordon Lilly West Irej Bashir Amanda Brown Student Choice Awards Student leadership Presenter Michelle Mirti Awardees Morgan Smith Sophie Kerr Angelica Martinez StudentChoice Awards Volunteerism Presenter Dr Yadilette Rivera Colon Biology Awardee Joanne Nazario jonazario baypath edu Presenter Gina Semprebon Biology Awardee Lilly Uttecht 16 Student Choice Award Leadership Individual Presenter Anissa Mia and Jada Awardee 1 Jordan Chmura Awardee 2 Victoria Fococelli Comments Dr Jarvis Multicultural Affairs Elizabeth Cardona Presenter Elizabeth Cardona Award 1 Champions of Diversity inclusion Award Morgan Lyall Carol Sanchez Victoria Thomas Alissa Vazquez Angelica Martinez Tenzin Tsepal Tenzin Telsha Le Nygen Thi Anjuli Thapa Morgan Harris Carly Laskowski Aleeta Rampertab Award 2 Champions of Community Building Melanie Costales Victoria Thomas Performing Arts Presenters Kevin Barlowski Bobbie Tomasulo Awardees Cast of We Will Rock YOU Tina Conley Megan Fabiano Sierra Cannon Alexis Clites Kristina Tran Louise Schutz Kyla Thomas Paige Neylon Sydnie Smith Kyra Duggento Anico Abshilava Hannah Cournoyer Samantha Leduc Sarah McCarthy Khalia Williams Student Choice Awards Special presentation Presenter Dr Andrea Hickson Awardee Tess Gordon Student Choice Award Sciences Psychology Presenter Kathryn WiezbickiStevens Ed D Awardee Ysabel Garcia University Communications Presenters Robin Rawson Karen Woods Award Dedicated Journalist Mia Ryder Creative Communicator Zoe Naglieri Prescod Special Award PSA Proejct participants II Network News Magazine Presenters Prof Janine Fondon Dr Courtney Patrick Weber Laurie Cirillo Melissa Velardi Award Newsmaker Award Newsroom staff NAMIC Media Pitch Competition Winners Presenter Kamilah Avant President NAMIC New England Chapter Awards Award First Place Award Second Place Award Third Place Section Two Video Presenter Dr Demetria Shabazz Awards Award The Lens award for video photo storytelling Andrealis Martinez Padilla Award Best Special Event Video Ileah Duhart Flor Castillo

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The Langston Hughes Project A NIGHT FILLED WITH MUSIC POETRY AND POWERFUL STORIES OF LOVE PERSISTENCE AND IDENTITY By Amaya Thornton and Zoe Naglieri Prescod Many people were in attendance at Mills Theater on Thursday February 12 for The Langston Hughes Project Ask Your Mama 12 Moods for Jazz The event opened with a rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing by Bay Path students and was followed by the presentation of original poetry by members of the Bay Path community Musician Rob McCurdy performed an outstanding tribute that honored the late and astounding poet Langston Hughes The artist and his band went through 12 moods reciting Hughes works Jazz music vibrant images and Hughes poetry were all used to bring this piece to life Anyone with an appreciation of arts jazz and history would praise this tribute The entire event was educational fun and a great time for families faculty and students A delicious soul food dinner preceded the show and followed by a reception with a diverse hors d oeuvres and a 3 panel exhibit of African American hidden figures A special thanks to the event sponsors as well as the 2019 planning committee for curating this commemorative event Enlightening You get a taste of everything with the jazz and music Janice Curtis I loved the interaction his scats and the slideshow I particularly liked the Cha Cha mood Khalia Albury 17

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February is Turner Syndrome Awareness Month Since the Turner Syndrome Society of the United States TSSUS celebrates Turner Syndrome TS Awareness month in February I thought it would be appropriate to write about what TS is and my experiences with it What Is It TS is not hereditary it is just something that happens during the development of the fetus and occurs in only 1 in every 2 000 4 000 girls It is a chromosomal condition where a girl instead of having two X chromosomes is missing a part of a whole chromosome in some or all of the cells in her body About half of those with TS are missing the X chromosome in all of the cells that are tested usually blood cells About 30 of those with TS have what is called mosaicism This means that some cells have the complete number of chromosomes and the other cells are missing an X There are a lot of students who have different abilities and disabilities Some students have various illnesses and others face chronic conditions Let s support all of the students who might have to address health issues This month I wanted to share some information about Turner Syndrome By Lauren Paul There are actually a lot of symptoms with TS these symptoms include Medical concerns chronic middle ear infections hearing loss distinctive heart liver and kidney abnormalities autoimmune disorders such as underactive thyroid and celiac disease difficulty with nonverbal communication skills spatial relationships such as driving or riding a bike and executive functions Facial appearance such as down turning eyelids low set and prominent ears small jaw high narrow roof of the mouth Other characteristics neck webbing short thick neck short stature delayed puberty reduced fertility lymphedema puffy hands and feet turned up nails short roots of teeth And even more My Story I was diagnosed with TS when I was about 12 much later than most girls with TS I was seeing an endocrinologist about my hypothyroidism and the discovery of my TS came through a blood test The day I got the news my dad picked me up from school and I walked into the house My mom was at the table looking sad I ask her What s wrong She tells me about my diagnosis with TS I get upset and my dad comforts me I ended up having a lot of doctor visits I had to see a cardiologist for my heart an audiologist for hearing and a nephrologist for my kidneys I still have to see these doctors but less frequently now because everything is fine I do have to take medications One of the most critical medications is birth control I take it for the estrogen so that I can have a menstrual cycle I was unable to have a natural menstrual cycle so I was put on a birth control pill at around 13 This is my story 21

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Native American History Native Literature and Native People Come to Campus in Unique HCC BPU Learning Community A Note from the Editors Dr John Jarvis Professor of English and Cultural Studies has been teaching Native American History at Bay Path for 15 years This semester he is getting a lot of extra help to do so Through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities NEH Professor Patricia Kennedy of Holyoke Community College HCC has joined him in an innovative new approach to teaching Native History and Native Literature all in the same course As part of an NEH project at HCC entitled The Common Good Kennedy and Jarvis have developed HUM 270 Native American History Literature a six credit course where students get an in depth engagement with both the history of the original inhabitants of America and the unique body of literature that grows out of that often troubled history Dr Jack Mino and Dr James Dutcher faculty leaders at HCC pioneered this innovative approach to learning over two decades ago and it now includes partnerships with Amherst College Smith College Mt Holyoke College Hampshire College and the University of Massachusetts Bay Path is the newest partner to join What I especially like about this combined course Jarvis says is that the history part teaches students what really happened to the first peoples of America and the literature part shows how they made sense of and resisted the profound destabilization of their worlds that white Europeans brought Jarvis also values the link between America s past and present that the course makes It is a way to give students a look into the roots of ongoing American issues of violence racism hate crimes discrimination and the current national debate about illegal immigration To explore these connections between 22 past and present the class considers such historical questions as Were the pilgrims who waded ashore at Plymouth Rock in 1620 legal immigrants If so who decided they were legal But it is not just the combined course content that is unique the students in the class are also a combination Holyoke Community College students make up over half of the group With Bay Path students they form a Learning Community that brings together teachers and resources from both institutions to support their success Speaking of her classroom experience so far HCC s Christina Vultaggio writes I absolutely am loving going to Bay Path University for this class As a student who hasn t been back in college in 8 years it is giving me a chance to experience a new academic environment I am enjoying how comfortable the small class size is and the realness of the lectures Learning both Native History and Native Literature at the same time has been very beneficial and I know I will learn so much in this class I m really looking forward to the rest of the semester Fellow HCC student Nicole Perry adds I feel like we are getting a full picture of Native American culture and what they have gone through by reading different types of assignments I also really enjoyed the guest speakers They brought everything to life and it was really cool to meet someone from the tribe that we had just read about the night before

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A Note from the Editors continued from previous page HCC BPU Learning Community I enjoy having the HCC students in the class It s a different dynamic than what we Bay Path students are used to seeing as it s like a normal classroom with male students Kevin Banks Bay Path student Kevin Banks says this of the course I enjoy having the HCC students in the class It s a different dynamic than what we Bay Path students are used to seeing as it s like a normal classroom with male students It helps us on how to interact with each other better and strengthens our connection with students from another school which could help us out in the long run HCC Professor Patricia Kennedy appreciates the substantive impact that a 6 credit combined course has upon student engagement The collaboration allows for more deep learning she points out There s more time on task and by the end of the semester students are experts on a particular topic Kennedy sees other benefits that the course brings as well It s a confidence building experience which exposes students to the joys of focused study and research It s also great for students to see two different professors collaborating and learning from each other Dr Kris Barnett Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of Liberal Studies at Bay Path echoes Professor Kennedy s points I am thrilled with the HCC BPU faculty partnership she stated in particular because it brings a richer learning experience to students Dr Jarvis is able to share his deep passion and expertise in Native American History with a wider audience and his faculty partner from HCC adds another dimension through literature We are grateful to both for their leadership and commitment to educating students about the Native Peoples of America and for co creating a brave space in which students can come to understand complex issues and perspectives 23

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One America Trip to The South By Kimberly Martinez Mississippi s southern hospitality Tennessee s great rock and roll music and New Orleans sweet heat were great but the friendships with fellow college students that I made during a trip was better than all of the experiences combined Together we all got to experience the southern lifestyle while escaping the miserable cold of Massachusetts I got to go on the trip with my best friend Brianna One America was our first long distance trip together I appreciated being able to share this very special travel experience with a close friend Seeing Elvis house in Memphis was a spectacular sight It was like walking into the decade where the King of Rock n Roll ruled We went to restaurants that competed to have the best ribs on the famous Beale Street In Mississippi there was a change of perspective as we shifted from the city to more rural areas with adorable shacks built with southern charm 24 At Morgan Freeman s Blues Cafe everyone felt the cool loose vibe For our last excursion we traveled to Louisiana The weather was warmer and my spirit craved the sunshine Blue skies on our last days were great as we were given the opportunity of working with an amazing pantry Love in Action Outreach They ve helped hundreds of people get the groceries they need for free The organization provides an opportunity to feed everyone without the worry of going hungry It was an honor to serve the City of New Orleans and meet colorful eccentric women and men of the community Overall the trip brought together a group of students to view the history of music that lives in the souls of the southerners I am truly grateful to be able to experience a trip like One America A special thanks to Dr Surbrug for his lively attitude a consistent spark of energy and fun facts This trip wasn t just an educational one One America opened the door to bringing in new ideas I appreciate being able to experience it

Network News Feb 2019

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