Senior Year: Semester One in Review

Whew! My blogs have been few and far between so far this year. Why? Here are just a few reasons:
1. Classes: My senior year classes have been demanding but fantastic so far. Two of my favorite courses this year have been my university honors course and my senior organization and administration course. The first was called “A Social History of Dress” and taught by Professor Ebarb in the theatre department. We explored the social and anthropological meaning of both style and function. Purdue has great honors options, and I’ve been lucky to take part in them through courses like this one. There is the university-wide honors program (UHP) that you apply to as a freshmen, college honors programs (I am a part of the liberal arts honors program) which vary from college-to-college, departmental programs which also vary, and then most honors program also give you the option to complete what is called an “honors contract course.” With this option, you choose a course that is not offered as honors, and create a contract. You work with a professor to challenge yourself to delve deeper than the typical coursework. I chose this option with my senior organization and administration class for athletic training, where I created a policies and procedures manual for one of the internships that I completed this summer. I also completed a review and report of all the injuries that the medical staff saw in a season at this internship. I’m currently working with my professor to turn this into a manuscript to be submitted for publication, as well as a poster to be presented at the annual liberal arts honors colloquium – another perk of the honors options!
Here are some links to various honors programs, in case you’re curious:
The University Honors Program: www.purdue.edu/honors
Liberal Arts Honors Program: www.cla.purdue.edu/honors
Engineering Honors Program: https://engineering.purdue.edu/ENE/Academics/FirstYear/Honors
2. Grad School Applications and the GRE: I still have a few more applications to complete, but from Oregon, to Georgia, to Massachusetts, my program director and professors have been amazing, helping me decide the next step in furthering my education. The GRE wasn’t much fun, but I’m happy with my scores and I hope not to touch that beast again anytime soon!
3. Clinicals: Wow! Senior year in athletic training has been exhausting. but completely worth it! This year I am the senior athletic training student with the cheerleading and spirit squads at Purdue, while helping out with football and other sports as available. I had the opportunity to travel to Ohio State with the football team, and also covered all the home games at Ross-Ade Stadium.
Nothing beats a sideline ticket! I will also be traveling with the cheerleading team to Disney World at the beginning of second semester as they compete in UCA Collegiate Nationals! Now that I’m feeling comfortable and confident of my clinical skills, the next big task on my plate is my board of certification exam at the beginning of February! Wish me luck!
4. The Assistive Technology Center: I have worked many a part-time job while at Purdue, but my current is my favorite. The Assistive Technology Center provides students with disabilities access and solutions to all kinds of technology issues that they may encounter while at Purdue. I have been working as a lab assistant in the center since August and have learned so much. The job has challenged me to think creatively, to perform extensive research, and to explore options that haven’t been given thought before.
5. So many clubs and organizations!: You’ve probably already heard it at least once, but there are SO many options at Purdue! I am probably active in too many, but hey – there are worse things than being too involved. =) I’m excited that my second semester is slowing down a bit, so that I can get back into many of the dance clubs that I enjoy. I also hope to join a new wine club that is starting and to take a cycling class through the recreational sports center. I’m just disappointed I won’t get the chance to see the new (and highly improved) RSC before I leave. It’s certainly something to look forward to for those of you who are prospective students!
Happy holidays, and boiler up!

One Semester Down, One to Go

For the first three years of college, I exerted myself to be the best in every way; I maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA, involved myself in many extra curricular activities, spent my summers as an intern and what little time I had left, worked at Ross Ade Pavilion as a suite captain. After returning from my past internship in Boston and receiving a full time job offer, I decided that I should redirect my path my senior year. Not to say, ‘go crazy’, but definitely dabble in a couple of events that I feel I missed out on during my first three years of school.
For one, with my job as a suite captain, I had unfortunately missed every game as a student/fan. In addition, I had only tailgated a handful of times. With that said, this became one of my favorite things to do this year during the football season. My parents came up during Eastern Toledo, Wisconsin, and IU. For all three games they made a ton of food and invited all of my friends to come over and tailgate with us. During the IU game, we had four cars, three tents, and more food to know what to do with.

In addition to the actual football game is breakfast club. This is an event for twenty-one year olds and over. The bars open at 7 am in the morning on the day of home football games, everyone dresses up in catchy outfits, somewhat like Halloween. It is a great time to catch-up with friends and see whose outfit is the best!
Lastly, I think one of the most important things I did this past semester was live in the moment and do whatever I could to be with my friends and have fun. While schoolwork was still the most important and I always made sure it was finished, I also tried to make equal amounts of time for friends. For instance, two of my good friends and I would make a gourmet dinner on Sunday nights when all of us where free; each of us had such a great time, I will never forget it. Being that one of them graduated, we will not be able to do it again next semester.
As a result, I do not regret my first three years for what I missed out on due to my success. I had countless successful internships, exposed to many networking opportunities, and a job offer during my first semester senior year with my top company choice. But now, it is my time to relax and enjoy, spend time with friends, explore life and have fun because it only happens once!

Lisa

Passionate performances

Name: Brittany Smith

Major: Health and kinesiology (movement and sport science) with a minor in danceYear: JuniorHometown: Elmhurst, Illinois
Childhood dreams: At age six, dancing came naturally to Brittany. Then she saw the Broadway production, Riverdance. “I was just in complete awe.” Her passion for Irish dance continued through high school, when she performed on television and competed worldwide, including in Canada, Ireland and Scotland. In 2007, Brittany was ranked 11th regionally, 14th nationally and 36th internationally.
An important audition: When it came time for college, Brittany thought that she wanted to major in dance. After auditioning all around the Midwest, she came to Purdue. “I fell in love with the campus, and committed to the University after finding out I had been selected for the Goldusters Dance Team.”
Pivotal moment: Brittany shattered her hip bone just before her freshman year of high school, was unable to dance, and was in rehab for a year. “Many people told me to retire and hang up my shoes. Those comments made me work really hard to achieve my goals. They made me stronger in the end.”
Personal connection: “A dancer’s body is very delicate. I wanted to learn about the body and staying healthy.” Brittany is taking science classes beyond what is required by her health and kinesiology major. “I want the option of attending a professional school, to possibly become a physician’s assistant. Medicine runs in my family.”
Lessons from dance: “Irish dance has shaped me as a person. In order to really excel at it, you have to be so disciplined and it really pushes your limits. You see what you can take and what you can’t take—how much it’s up to you.”
Choreography: Golduster routines are often collaborative. Brittany likes to incorporate sassy or eye-appealing moves. At the student dance organization, Higher Ground, she and a friend created a hip-hop piece and did a jazz/Irish “tap-off.”
Sharing her passion: Brittany enjoys teaching as much as performing. At Golden Steps Dance Studio in West Lafayette, she has the chance to introduce young students to both Irish dance steps and to some of the culture behind their rich traditions.
Graduation dreams: Brittany’s international ranking qualifies her to audition for Riverdance, but she’s unsure whether her future lies in further study or with a professional dance company.

Art-to-wear

Reposted from the Purdue University website article "5 Students Who are Culture Makers."

Name: Alysha Kupferer

Major: Apparel design and technology with a minor in art (textiles)

Year: Senior

Hometown: Columbus, Indiana

A learning community: Alysha decided Purdue was for her after shadowing a consumer sciences and retailing student during a campus visit. “Even though it’s a Big Ten school and you get all the Big Ten advantages, the apparel design program is tiny. Every single person knows each other; they are friends. It isn’t competitive. It is all about supporting and learning from each other.”
Everything can inspire: Natural, earthy or nerdy things all interest Alysha. She believes that fashion is not meant to be taken too seriously. “I know exactly who I want my customer to be. Walking around on campus, I can look at people and know that she is my customer. He is my customer. What are they thinking? What do they want? Where are they going? How can I make their lives better with my clothes?”
High-fashion study abroad: Her interest in hand-worked textiles and the Sydney fashion scene led Alysha to the Australian label, Romance Was Born. There she gained first-hand experience in how runway looks are translated into ready-to-wear garments. “As someone who is interested in starting my own small company, I wanted to find out how they did it. How did they get into fashion week at such a young age?”
Feedback loop: Base 14, formed in 2002 by Alysha and her brother, Tyler, is an experimental multimedia company that works in film, fashion, and design. “We always collaborate on projects. His creativity inspires mine and vice versa. Base 14 allows me to explore interests outside the classroom and continually renews my love for my work.”
Pulling everything together: When designing her senior collection, Alysha carefully chose the season, identified her customer, developed an overall mood, and picked a target retailer. Loosely inspired by the Boy Scouts, her garment detailing is pulled from researching maps and field guides. She emphasizes textile work—from topographic map prints to hand dyeing and embellishments. “My goal is a range of clothing that is both casual and wearable while still incorporating intimate, artistic details.”
Fashion lovers: As president of the Purdue Fashion Association, Alysha is happy that the club’s membership now includes people from all across campus. “It’s a place to be with others who love crazy cool, different kinds of fashion. You can learn a technique, like silk screening, or just have a random burst of creativity.”
Lessons learned: “Constantly ask questions. Fully tap out all of the people you are working with. Learn as much as you can. Make the contacts that will help you out later.”

My New York Adventure

Hello everyone! My name is Laurel Donaldson, and I’m a sophomore majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Apart from studying, I spend much of my time participating as a clarinet player in Purdue’s All-American Marching Band (AAMB). This year was especially significant for us because we were invited to be in the leading band in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this Thanksgiving! The excitement hasn’t faded at all, even though it happened almost two weeks ago…
We began our journey by loading up the buses at Elliot Hall of Music on the Monday evening before Thanksgiving. In total, we numbered about 450 – made up of the 373 bandsmen and auxiliaries plus the staff, their families, and our “groupies” (family members of the band). We took up 9 full charter buses, plus a truck for the big equipment, which includes the Big Bass Drum. And off we went!
After driving through the night, (which was an adventure in itself – have YOU ever tried to sleep on a bus full of mischievous trombone players?) we arrived in New York on Tuesday morning. We went straight to see the Statue of Liberty, where we took up almost an entire ferry to get to the island! My favorite part of this excursion was that my band service fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, actually held a chapter meeting right next to Lady Liberty herself!
Our next stop was Chinatown and Little Italy for a meal, then check-in at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan. It was such a beautiful hotel – and it was completely decked out for Christmas! That night, my roommates and I went to Broadway to see the musical Billy Elliot, and we even got to meet the star of the show afterwards!
The next morning, we rehearsed in the hotel. Yes, IN the hotel. The ballrooms were big enough to house all 373 of us – we even practiced our marching drill routine! We might have given the other hotel residents a nice wake-up call… But who wouldn’t want to be woken up by “Hail Purdue” in the morning?

The rest of the day was set aside for sightseeing on our own. My group of friends and I decided to cover as much of the city as possible in the short amount of time we had. We took the subway to a macaroni and cheese restaurant, Central Park, a cheesecake bakery, Bryant Park, F.A.O. Schwartz Toy Store, Tiffany’s Jewelry Store, and the Rockefeller Center. Typical of any true AAMB member, we were sure to make a “Block P” wherever we went, like at the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, on an Etch-A-Sketch in the Disney Store, and on the huge Jumbotron in Times Square. My friends and I even ate our New York cheesecake in the shape of a “Block P”!
As our day in New York turned into night, we all began thinking about what the parade was going to be like. At 1:00 AM on Thursday morning, our alarms went off to begin getting ready in uniform for our practice in front of Macy’s. We loaded up at 2:00 AM, and by 3:00 AM, the AAMB was marching in front of the Macy’s Department Store to practice. Apparently, 3:00 AM is the least busy time in New York, and therefore it’s easier to block streets, making it the ideal time to practice marching band. Who knew?
After a short power nap on the buses following the practice, we received a hot breakfast of courtesy of the nearest Applebee’s (just try to imagine 400 people invading Applebee’s at 5 in the morning…), and then it was off to the parade site!
As we stepped off, I can remember thinking to myself, “I want to remember EVERYTHING.” And the experience was spectacular! I’m from a very small town, and I had never seen so many people all in the same place in my entire life. Buildings were packed on every floor, everyone was taking pictures, and every time we did our famous AAMB dances in the parade marching, the crowd cheered like crazy! They especially liked our BBD (Big Bass Drum) – I think we made a pretty big impression on New York City! After 2.8 miles of marching through the streets of New York, we reached our destination at Macy’s. We had 75 seconds to perform on camera, and it flew by! We played Leonard Bernstein’s “New York, New York” then marched away to “Hail Purdue” of course! We didn’t even have time to be nervous –all of our intense rehearsing had paid off. The performance was the best we had ever done it! Success!
I went back later and watched the televised coverage of the parade, and I was blown away by how the TV coverage turned out. There’s something pretty cool about watching the AAMB perform on NBC on the Macy’s star then listening to the strains of “Hail Purdue” as the Grand Marshal of the parade came through with the police escort! It truly makes me proud to be a member of the Purdue All-American Marching band and a student of Purdue University.
I think the best part about being in the band wasn’t our trip to New York. Even being in the Macy’s parade itself hasn’t been the most rewarding experience. As amazing as this trip was, the best part is that I’m a part of a “band family.” Coming to Purdue, I didn’t know anyone. I thought I was going to be on my own. But as soon as I got to campus and started band camp, I had found my niche with the band. My band friends are some of the most genuine people I’ve ever met, and they have proven themselves to be friends that are going to last a lifetime. I would encourage students to find their place at Purdue. My experience at college would be completely different if I hadn’t joined the band, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. There are so many organizations at Purdue to join – find where your passion is and get involved! Take it from me; it’s the best way to do this college thing.
If you missed our performance at Macy’s, check it out on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP6L2kA3NZY

Laurel

Parts Is Parts

A typical day at work for me in the food science lab usually consists of doing plasma extractions for my honors project, washing glassware, and making solvents, but today was not a typical day of work. Currently, we are in the process of moving to a larger lab. The previous professor in that lab left a large amount of his stuff there and we (the other people that work in the lab and I) have the responsibility of cleaning it out. One of the things that he chose to leave behind was freeze dried baboon parts….yup, that’s right, monkeys!!!!

What exactly would someone be doing with baboons???? I believe he was doing some sort of research on their bones. Anyway, we had to figure out what to do with these random baboon parts and it wasn’t as easy as we thought it would be. Since they are animal parts they are considered to be biohazard and cannot just be thrown in the trash so we called over to the vet school to see how we should dispose of these animal parts. They said they would have to be incinerated, but first we would have to take them out of their plastic containers and put them in paper bags since plastic can’t go into the incinerator.

All of us in the lab group thought, great, not only do we have to dispose of the baboon parts but we first have to take them out of their containers!!!! We were all freaking out at this point because this is about the weirdest thing that any of us have had to do before, and we were all hesitant to start. Finally, we removed all the parts and put them in the paper bags and took them to the incinerator. Needless to say, this was a very interesting day at work for me.

--Teryn

Ready, Set, Sell

Hello Everyone! My name is Kim Ziarko and I am a junior majoring in Foods and Nutrition in Business. Tuesday night I had my final presentation of the semester in my Selling Agriculture Business class (AGECON 331). This special night is called Ready, Set, Sell-or RSS for short- where it gives students an experience in professional selling. We all were asked to dress business professional, network and present our sales pitch to sale professionals. Assignments for the class were picking a product or service in a field of your interest and develop a professional sales presentation on it. I chose Organic Coffee Beans from El Salvador! To gain selling skills, you are asked to interview a sales professional and spend a day with him/her at the company to get a feel for their product or service. I was able to visit Uncommon Grounds Coffee Roaster in Saugatuck, Michigan. It was so much fun to see the shop and what they deal with on an everyday basis. The rest of the homework also leads up to RSS to prepare you for every step of the presentation. You might think, “How does this relate to me?” Easy. At one point in our lives we will all be selling ourselves to accomplish one of our goals in life. It could be asking to receive a grant for an experiment or trying to sell a new product you helped concoct in the test kitchen. This class helped my selling skills and did a great job preparing me for the future when I will need to make a professional sales presentation.

Seasons at Purdue

Hi guys! My name is Jaci Reiter. I am a junior majoring in movement and sports science. This fall semester has been crazy busy but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Fall is my favorite time of year and the campus is absolutely beautiful. This past weekend was our homecoming. I participated in some events with the alumni. I heard some interesting stories about alumni’s experience at Purdue. Things have really changed over the years.

Football games are my favorite part of this season. The student section in Ross-Ade (the football stadium) is quite a chaotic but a fun atmosphere. The tailgate for homecoming was incredibly crowded but everyone was revved up for the game. I also got to carve some pumpkins and go to a corn maze with my friends after the game was over.

This is my first year living off campus. You do not fully appreciate the residence halls until you move out of them. It’s fun to have your own room and your own kitchen, but there are some downfalls. I miss someone making my meals and never having to clean dishes J The food served in Purdue’s dining courts is delicious. They have a wide variety to choose from and you will never be bored with the selection.

I hope everyone has a great Halloween!

--Jaci

Lady A Keeps Going!

Lady Antebellum was so amazing live!!! David Nail was their opener. He was fantastic! If you get the chance, you HAVE to go see them! I was impressed with their selection of songs, and how they kept playing song after song without taking many breaks. They were super enthusiastic and a total crowd pleaser. With each announcement of big artists coming to Purdue, I love the Purdue Student Concert Committee more and more! I had a blast with my friends! The night flew by with the girls, but I couldn't have asked for a better concert!

Elise

Hey guys!

Purdue Convocations always gets the best artists to come to Purdue and perform. On October 7, 2010 they got one of my favorite groups ever to come and perform. This amazing group was Lady Antebellum, along with their opening act David Nail. Even though I had not listened to much of David Nail’s music, he was really great live. When Lady A came out, all of Elliot Hall of Music stood up, applauded, and screamed for them when they began to sing an acoustic version of “I Run to You”. Lady A proved that they have the vocals to sing live, just as well as they do on their cd. I thought they sounded even better live than they did on their cd. They proceeded to give one of the best concerts I have ever been to and I would recommend that if you like them, you should definitely see them live in concert. I became an even bigger fan after attending their first ever headlining tour and will see every other tour they go on! Alyssa S.

Barn Dances

Its that time of the year again! The leaves are falling off the trees, the squirrels are collecting the acorns, and the fraternities and sororities are trading in their regular attire and putting on their best cowboy/girl ensemble. That’s right its barn dance season!!! Barn dances are the second best thing about the fall season; of course college football is number one! No matter if you like country music or not you can bet that you will be listening to Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks, and Taylor Swift at the fraternities during this time of the year. Some have barn dance in their basement, some go out to a barn in rural Tippecanoe County for a night, and some even camp out at the farm for an overnight trip. I went to barn dance last Friday, even though I had to coach in the morning I didn’t let that ruin the night for me and my date. We had a great time during the dance; eating caramel apples, drinking apple cider, and riding on the hayride! So the next time you get an invitation to go to a barn dance do not pass up the opportunity; no matter who you go with you are bound to have a great time!

A Busy Life at Purdue

Hi everyone!

My name is Christina Citta. I am a junior from Bartlett, IL (a northwest suburb of Chicago) and am majoring in Early Intervention AND Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs- I know it's a mouthful. I have been super busy the past few weeks with class, clubs, meetings and committees. I am participating in so much this semester and am actually surprised that I am managing! Right now I am actively participating in HHS ambassadors, the CDFS undergrad committee (I am the student representative on it), PACCH (Purdue's Association for the Care of Children's Health, I am the secretary), my honors research for CDFS (I am working with a grad student in the engineering education department in the preschool on campus), being a paraprofessional for a little boy off campus, babysitting, and substituting at Miller Child Learning Center when I have time... I think that's it, but I've got so much going on, sometimes I forget.

I absolutely LOVE my classes this semester. We are really throwing ourselves into the classroom at the 400/500 level. I have two practicum classes right now where I go into the classroom once a week (for each class) and work with the teachers and children. I have had a lot of experience in the classroom, but practicums are really nice because you are getting personal feedback about your work with the children, and it really helps you become a better teacher! I think that one of the things I love most about being in a practicum is that I can not only apply what I am learning in class, but what I have experienced in other classrooms and schools. I have been a student worker at Miller Child Learning Center since my second semester freshman year, and worked at a Montessori school this summer in my home town. The two schools had very different approaches to learning in the classroom, but I think that it is important to expose myself to such techniques this early in my academic career.

Getting off of the school subject a little bit, last weekend was family day. My parents, brother and boyfriend came to visit me. It was so much fun! We went to the football game and met with the faculty of CDFS for a little bit. One of the things I love so much about being here at Purdue is that it is very family friendly. I come from a large family who is very involved in everyone's lives, and so it is really wonderful that they can come visit and have such great hospitality. My parents look forward to coming up for Family Day every year, and talk about how much fun we have all the time.

That's a brief intro to what is going on for now. Like I said before I am very busy and have a lot to be doing, so I will try and write back as soon as possible and keep you updated on life!

~Christina

Fashion Week Fall 2010 – A Brief Return

On September 10th a couple weeks ago, I headed straight from class down to the Indianapolis International Airport to catch my flight to New York City. Upon accepting my internship offer at Cynthia Rowley this summer, I agreed to make myself available to work during our runway show this fall. The descent in proved very surreal, for after spending a whole year there only to return to Indiana still had me in culture shock – so this trip was like returning home, really. To save money, instead of taking a cab I took a bus to the subway; from that point on I felt as if I’d never left.
I arrived down at Heather Duge’s place in the financial district (Heather is a former Purdue Apparel Tech student,) and called the design office, expecting to be called in to work for last minute hand-stitching. To my surprise, I was not needed. Amy Morris (a fellow Apparel Tech student) and I decided to take advantage of this free opportunity and enjoy Fashion’s Night Out, an annual event to promote the fashion industry and raise funds for the September 11 Memorial Fund. In a nutshell, we hit up Fifth Avenue, Herald Square, and Soho, in the process meeting Jessica Stam (pictured), Paige Adams-Gellar of Paige Denim, and the band members of Carolina Liar. It was an exciting, memorable evening.
Onto the fashion, though. Cynthia Rowley’s show was scheduled to go off at 11 AM on September 11, 2010. I arrived at Lincoln Center at 9:30 to assist with set up. The venue was massive – a large entrance with the “Mercedes Benz Fashion Week” sign faced an open concrete square complimented by a fountain and a small park with benches. I made my way around to the back and found our appropriate tent, obtained my pass, and worked my way to where the models were getting hair and make-up done. Everything ran very smoothly, about fifteen minutes behind, but no disasters occurred. I fell in love with the models’ poppy red lips and enlarged barrettes clipped in their hair. A volunteer and I were assigned to the very first model (pictured-putting socks on). She only had one change, so the only difficulty was making sure makeup didn’t get on the garments – we used a silk cloth over her head to manage this. Unfortunately there were a few minor scares backstage. The model next to us couldn’t get her zipper up, and once we helped and succeeded, it separated. Hand tacking and strategic walking saved this on her and a couple other models. Other than that, the show was a huge success.

It all happened very quickly, lasting only a quarter of an hour. All the months and hours of preparation into fifteen minutes. But entirely worth it. The world now gets to view the collection, become inspired, and appreciate truly artistic design.

I spent the last day and a half sourcing fabric for my senior collection, in the process meeting and conversing with Valerie Mayen from this season’s Project Runway. As I toted my bags of fabric down the streets of Manhattan on Sunday afternoon, the light rain had cleared leaving slightly overcast skies visible through the rooftops. I stopped for a bit in Chelsea district and visited my favorite cupcake place, Billy’s. As I walked, I soaked it in, reminisced, then fished my Metrocard out, sighed, and descended towards the subway. New York is a stressful, yet wonderful whirlwind, and though I craved to just go sit along the Hudson one more time, I knew I had a true home to return to. Space to create my collection and valued relationships with others – that can’t be beat.

Ashley

Living Like a Local

This summer, I had the great opportunity of going on a Study Abroad trip with two of the HTM professors, Dr. Adler and Mr. Rousselle. The trip was five weeks long and we spent the time going around several major cities in Central and Eastern Europe.

After touring the cities of Paris and Munich, we moved into our student apartments in Vienna, Austria. Now, Vienna isn’t a city you go and visit—like London, Paris, or Rome. In those cities, you have the London Bridge, Eiffel Tower, and Coliseum. But what is there in Vienna to visit? I couldn’t think of a single thing. So after a four-hour train ride from Munich, the train came to a stop at Vienna’s Westbahnhof Station. I had no idea what to expect—would I like the city? Would I be bored all the time? What are the locals like? Now, I had been to Europe several times before this trip, but this would be different: I would be living there. And after spending four weeks in this best kept secret of Europe, Vienna is a city not to be missed.

After a week in Vienna, we were no longer tourists—we were locals. We got used to seeing the same employees at the corner grocery store. We had an hour-long commute each morning and afternoon using public transportation. We knew where all the locals went to eat, shop, and relax. We went swimming in thermal spas and in the Danube River on the weekends. We went to Naschmarkt and bought locally grown produce and baked goods to use when cooking our meals. I had a favorite track where I liked to run everyday. We got used to the fact that air conditioning isn’t very common and that ice is something not widely used in restaurants. And even though most of us didn’t speak German, we learned the common greetings and simple words that would get us through the day.

For most of us, we adjusted to the very different lifestyle that Europe offers. But after an extremely long 48 hour travel period back to the United States, I’m finding it difficult to adjust back to my old lifestyle. I miss where I lived, the people I met, and the food I ate. While I’m grateful to be back with my family (and to have air conditioning), I will miss it. The first few days of living there were tough and it took some getting used to, but this trip has given me a whole new perspective on many different things and the whole trip was a life changing experience.

So for all of you students thinking of participating in a study abroad trip: go for it. It is something you will never forget. You’ll gain valuable life skills and experience a walk of life completely different from your own.

Wrapping Up My Internship at NIFS

I can’t believe I am saying this but I have only 2 weeks left at my internship with the National Institute for Fitness and Sport in Indianapolis. It seemed not that long ago I wrote to tell everyone how it was going. It has been an amazing experience. Honestly I wasn’t sure what to expect once I heard I received the position in the Educational Services department. I have learned so much about health and wellness while completing a wide range of projects. I have had the opportunity to work two amazing dietitians at NIFS, Heather Fink and Angie Scheetz. They are both a wealth of knowledge and willing to answer any question that I might have. I have enjoyed working on calculations for Iron Man athletes, putting together presentations to give to factory workers, helping with health fairs, assisting with field trips and getting to lead nutrition consults for other interns.

I have been working with another intern all summer Heather Wetzel. She is from Western Illinois University and it has been a blast getting to know her. She is a dietetic student as well and we have been nervously awaiting the start of our dietetic internships at the end of August. It has been so much fun working with her, but getting to become close friends with her and the other people that I have been working with. One thing I have really come to love about NIFS is how friendly people are. It is so welcoming and a great work environment. I have also enjoyed being able to learn more about myself and my interests. I know that I would love to work with a special population in the future, with children, the elderly or specific group of athletes. I have had the opportunity to work with all of these age groups throughout my summer at NIFS, which has been so enlightening.

I am really going to be sad to leave in 2 weeks. I have enjoyed being able to learn more about dietetics and wellness in a non-traditional environment. I have really come to value what NIFS offers the community of Indianapolis and how it even reaches out across the United States through fitness facilities in corporations nationwide. I had limited knowledge about what I was going to learn this summer and be able to take away from this experience. I can proudly say that I have gained immensely more than I imagined and I feel that not only is my resume stronger because of this work experience, but I have grown as a person. You have the opportunity to work out at NIFS and become a member I would highly encourage it or if you have the chance to be an intern I would tell you to get ready for an amazing summer experience!

With this summer job quickly coming to a close I am eagerly awaiting the next chapter of my life, my dietetic internship. That adventure begins August 23rd and my first rotation will be at the National Dairy Council in Indianapolis for 3 weeks and then I will be at St. Joseph Hospital for my foodservice rotation in Kokomo. I know there will be more stories about that once August arrives!

- Anna

My Last Summer as a Pharmacy Tech

So I’m sure the title is probably throwing a few people off since the School of Pharmacy is not part of the Health and Human Sciences Department. My major coming into Purdue was originally pharmacy before I changed to nursing my sophomore year. During the summer prior to changing my major, however, I managed to get a job as a pharmacy technician at the VA Medical Center in Indianapolis. Despite my change of major, my supervisors wanted me to stay on, and with flexible hours and good pay, I could hardly turn it down. I’m now going into my 5th and final year at Purdue. It’s hard to believe really. Time has gone by so fast. I know this fall is going to be bitter sweet. I’ve worked at the VA now for three years – this is my fourth summer. Last summer, I also worked at Riverview Hospital in Noblesville as a nurse’s aide on the Med Surg and Rehabilitation floors to balance out my pharmacy and nursing work experience. Over the years, I’ve learned so much, and as a future nurse, I’ve especially come to appreciate the work that my fellow healthcare workers provide for the patients. I’ll try to focus on the VA as much as possible since that is my current job and gives a different perspective on nursing.
The VA is very different from any other hospital that we, as health care workers, may ever work in. The patient population for one is mostly geriatric patients, though with the current war we are engaged in, we do see some military personnel that are home on leave or are finishing up their military careers. As such, many of the disease processes you see are those associated with the aging population – high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, renal failure, depression, etc. And of course, there are traumatic injuries involved as well – some of which may be from wars long since passed and others more recent. One of the perk of working in the pharmacy is I’ve definitely gotten to know many of the drugs names very well, what they treat, and which ones tend to be given together. Many of our patients will come in and ask for their “high blood pressure pills” or their “diabetes medication,” not knowing the generic or brand names of the drugs and you get to know which ones their looking for pretty quickly. As a student, my responsibilities have consisted of checking in patients and processing their medications for pick up or mail, filling various prescriptions, making various compounds such mixing different types of cream or reconstituting powdered medications, and processing patients out of the pharmacy as they pick up their prescriptions. On an average day, we may have anywhere from 350 to 500 patients and process close to 1,000 prescriptions for pick up alone. The majority of prescriptions are mailed out to patients, and though we do fill some of those prescriptions, a lot of those medications actually come out from a massive mail out facility in Chicago. A large portion of our patients are also on narcotics of some kind, whether it is for pain, mood stabilization, or anxiety, and those medications are housed in the “vault” as we like to call it, which has its own staff and password to get into. Additionally, we also have a methadone clinic, which is used for patients who may be withdrawing from street drugs. They come in at certain times during the week and are given the methadone which has been dissolved in a fruity drink of some kind, and this helps to keep them off the street drugs.

So I’m pretty this entry is fairly lengthy as it is, so I’ll save some of the stories about the interesting people I’ve met or situations I’ve been put it for the next entry. Until then.

~Krista

Loving Boston

I cannot believe that this is my last summer before I graduate college. Even while writing that sentence, I hesitated and almost wrote ‘high school’…weird how quickly time passes. During junior year I realized that I needed to make this last break memorable and decided to spend it in Boston with my sister. With that geographical location in mind, I then started looking for jobs and/or internships. I then came across a company called Ecolab and began a 10 step interview process, which led me to where I am today.

I just finished a 10 ½ hour workday and absolutely love my job! Every time someone asks me what I do, I hesitate because it is somewhat hard to explain and once I explain, the concept never comes out as cool as it should. Never the less, I will try. On a typical day I travel around to many different restaurants and hotels repairing and maintaining dish machines in addition to selling chemicals, sanitizers, and many other products that go along with back of the house operations in the hospitality industry. While that does not sound glamorous, I get to meet many amazing chefs, try their food, meet amazing people, and do this many times over all around Boston at most of the best restaurants in the city.

Other than work, I’ve had some time to do some pretty fun stuff! During the fourth of July I watched the fire works on the Charles River while the Boston Pops played. I also pardoned (sic) the Sam Adams Brewery, Harpoon Brew Fest, Boston Red Sox Game, Cheers Bar, and many, many more places that I cant think of off the top of my head. It is a wonderful city full of young people that I hope to live in when I graduate.

Lisa Moore

So I'm keeping super busy this summer. I have a physics class that's keeping me occupied, my job, and I'm doing research in a lab. One of my favorite things I've done this summer is my research. I'm working with Professor Laura Claxton in the Motor Development Lab in Lambert Fieldhouse. Being a part of this research has made me realize my love for kids. My major is Movement and Sport Sciences with a minor in Psychology, as well as a concentration in Pre-Physical Therapy (but that's probably going to change soon). A class required for my major is HK 253, Principles of Motor Development. This is the class that Professor Claxton taught. It was an amazing class that made me want to learn more and more and more. I realized one way to do this was to see if I could do research with her this summer. Luckily, she wanted me! It's been an absolutely fantastic experience, and I'm so happy that I took the opportunity. The point of my rambling is to tell you all to be active! If you love learning something, dig deeper! See what your options are and take advantage of what your professors have to offer! They're here to help you plan out your future, not hinder it!

Thanks to this research opportunity and Professor Claxton, I've realized that physical therapy may not be my thing, but occupational therapy may be juuust right.

Elise Leung

Surviving the Concrete Jungle

My last post was on a snow day. I am now sitting in my temporary room in the Bronx, positioned in front of a fan I bought at Target yesterday, with the temperature reading 100 degrees [and a heat index of 103].

It has been quite a year, and a rapid one at that. Time sure flies when you’re working hard; however, as much as last August feels like a month ago, these last eleven months have forever changed my intellect, persona, and outlook on life. Upon arriving, I had no idea what to expect. In fact, I wasn’t entirely comfortable with being out here, essentially alone, but I knew that this was where I needed to be to further hone my skills and love for this industry.

I feel blessed for the knowledge I gained from the Fashion Institute of Technology and my internship at Cynthia Rowley – how I view design and my role as a creative visionary has matured and expanded; I’m exploring all horizons. Above all, I learned a great deal about myself and what I am actually capable of. Aside from countless all-nighters, balancing a part time job to pay for groceries, 44 hours of beading one garment, spending an entire day in Illustrator alone, teaching myself at times due to less-than-great professors, and handling eight classes at a time, I gained so much more in the process. There’s that old cliché that goes: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I think that rings true for all of us, for we’ve all been at multiple breaking points, but somehow you get through it. You learn that crap happens and there’s nothing you can do about it [referring to anything from the wrong subway route to a buttonhole marking gone wrong] – you just do things differently the next time. There were even times I failed this semester. Due to time just not existing, my final for one class was only 70% done at the presentation. Under normal circumstances I would never let this occur. I knew, though, that all I had done was the best I was capable of doing all year, so I was okay; the point was that I learned something.
My time out here exposed me to cultural and national characteristics I never would have experienced in Indiana. As much as I appreciate where I am from, I have fallen in love with the east coast. Numerous people ask if I could see myself living in New York City. My answer: no. I believe it is an absolutely wonderful place to visit, eat, go out, or work in, but not live in – at least for me, personally. Due to multiple trips to Pine Beach, NJ to see family and other sporadic trips along the coast, I can definitely picture myself out here somewhere, though. The future holds many options, and there’s still a lot of life to live.

I’m looking forward to returning to Purdue this fall, to my roommates in our lovely house, and to all my close friends and family. There were points in this last year I didn’t think I could get through, but somehow I made it. It has been a tumultuous, expensive, interesting, yet wonderful and irreplaceable journey. I have just one month left, and I plan on savoring it. This city will be missed.

-Ashley

My Life in Sydney

I have been living and working in Sydney for six weeks now, with just under two weeks left at my internship and then another week of travel before returning to the US. The study abroad program I am participating in here is really interesting because I am not only taking classes, but also interning at the apparel design company Romance Was Born. The main class I am taking here, Intercultural Communication has been really interesting and has helped me with my internship more than I expected. So far in class we have discussed linguistics, the history of the Australian dialect and concepts relating to the study of culture. We even had a theater dialect coach come in one day to teach us how to correctly fake an Aussie accent!

At my internship I have been working right alongside the designers. I have been getting patterns ready for production as well as working with sample-making and some in house production. Despite the success of RWB, they still operate out of a one room studio, meaning that I have learned about all aspects of running an apparel design company. No doubt I will continue to learn new things even up through my last day here.

And even with all of the work and study, I have also had time to enjoy the city. There are beaches everywhere, markets on Saturdays and plenty of free music shows. Sydney offers all the perks of a big city, with the friendly feeling and ease of getting around that you would expect in a town like West Lafayette. Speaking of the Laf… as much as I love Sydney, I can’t wait to start another year at Purdue!

-Alysha

Summer Internship

This summer I have the opportunity to work at the National Institute of Fitness and Sport (NIFS) in downtown Indianapolis. I am in the Educational Services (CES) department working with two dietitians who give presentations and counsel clients all over the state and country. I am in my 3rd week of work and I am really enjoying being in this type of facility. NIFS is a gym that has its main building by the White River downtown and then has corporate sites at different businesses and factories around Indianapolis and the state and country. As a CES intern I help get presentations put together and copy packets that are handed out to people who attend. I attend presentations and meetings that are lead by the two dietitians on staff. I have helped to teach a cooking demonstration to a weight loss class and working on another presentation to the fitness center employees and an article for the wellness magazine published by NIFS. It has been fun to experience a non-traditional side of dietetics. I think that I am interested more in the fitness and wellness aspect of dietetics then the more traditional routes of clinical or foodservice dietetics. I enjoy the freedom and variety of scheduling that a facility like NIFS offers to its employees. I am living in Columbus, IN and then driving up to Indianapolis each day which is an adventure. It is about a 50 minute drive, but it gives me time to think and listen to music. I am working with another intern who is from Western Illinois University and there are 8 other interns within NIFS this summer. Everyone is spread out in a variety of departments including; corporate sites around Indy, senior living, the fitness center and group fitness. It is a great program and if you are interested in wellness and exercise it is a great place to intern and hopefully this summer job will open doors for me in the future. You can learn more about NIFS on their website http://www.nifs.org/.

--Anna

--Anna

Design Internship!

This entire semester I have been working on applying to a study abroad internship program for summer 2010 in Sydney, Australia. As of Monday (April 12, 2010) I officially have my internship placement and I couldn’t be more excited.

I will be working with Australian couturiers ‘Romance Was Born’ for about two months this summer. Their work is epic and I feel so honored that I am getting the opportunity to add my skill sets to their company. I never would have believed that I would get such a fantastic opportunity for my first design position, and I am honestly not so sure I even believe it now. All of the design students at Purdue are so tallented that it's hard to realize how impressive your portfolio actually is. Because it is such a small company, they warned me that it will be “all hands on deck” and that this is not an internship where I will be going to get coffee. I have never been so excited and ready to hit the ground running. Can this semester please be over now? I want to go to Sydney!  --Alysha

Apparel Design and Technology

[NOTE:  The Editor of this blog would like to apologize to the author of this entry for being a bonehead and not publishing it in a timely manner.  I regret that it got lost in the chaos that is my inbox and hope that its tardiness will not diminish the impact of it and its follow-up blog entry.  --SCR]

On Saturday, April 10 the Apparel Design and Technology major held the 11th annual Purdue Fashion Show. In attendance were industry representatives as well as notable Purdue faculty. The show featured work from over 80 designers, including 22 senior collections. This year’s show featured a deconstructed themed venue. Both the setup and garments were extremely well received and both the afternoon and evening show sold out prior to the show, so if you want to go next year make sure to get your tickets early! As a designer, there is nothing quite as exciting as getting to see the fruits of your labor admired in such a splendid setting. And special thanks to all of the models who did a fantastic job making our designs come to life. Considering what a fantastic show we had this year, one wonders how we can possibly improve on it next year. But the answer is simple; next year I will display my senior collection!  --Alysha

SAO Awards Dinner

I had the opportunity to receive a scholarship at the Student Awards Organization Dinner a few weeks ago. I was so excited when I got the email saying that I had been awarded a scholarship and that the formal presentation would be at this dinner. Throughout my time in high school and college I have been applying for scholarships to help pay for school. Thankfully each year I have had the opportunity to receive at least one scholarship to fund my education. I have learned that no matter the size of the scholarship, large or small, every dollar counts! I would encourage everyone who reads this to take the time to apply for scholarships if you are a student. There are so many people and organizations willing to help and support you if you take the time to fill out the application. Thankfully along the way I have had numerous mentors, advisors and past employers write recommendation letters for me. I could not have received all the scholarships that I have without their willingness to help and support me. So thank you to each person, advisor, professor and family member who has assisted me in applying for scholarships and jobs. I am excited for this next year as a dietetic intern in the Coordinated Program here at Purdue. I will continue to work hard and put that scholarship money to good use.

~ Anna

Annual Black Tie Dinner

On Saturday, March 27, the HTM Society hosted the 12th annual Black Tie Dinner in the Purdue Memorial Union. The dinner is a fundraiser put on by the club every year to raise money for students to attend the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago as well as the International Hotel and Motel Show in New York. 162 parents, alumni, and recruiters attended the event and enjoyed a five star dinner. This year’s guest speaker was Gale Gand and she spoke at the dinner as well as hosted a book signing about 3 hours before the dinner started. The dinner is run 100% by students, everything from planning, serving, cooking, decorating, and tear down. Below are a few pictures from the weekend’s festivities.

On Friday, March 26, all of the HTM Organizations came together and hosted a Souper Hero Run outside of Stone Hall. The run took place at approximately 6:00pm and 45 people ran the race. We raised $185 with all the proceeds going to Lafayette Urban Mission Soup Kitchen in Lafayette. The runners dressed up as Super Hero’s and were able to enjoy a bowl of soup at the end of the race that was provided by Red Lobster! Here are some pictures of the event!   --Josh

Hospitality Week

This week is the 1st annual Hospitality Week at Purdue! This week all of the HTM organizations are coming together and “showing signs of hospitality.” Each day a different organization is putting on an event and on Friday all the clubs are coming together to host a 1 mile fun run. The “Souper Hero Run” as it is called will be a one mile fun run through campus. The registration is $5 and all the proceeds go to Lafayette Urban Mission which is a local food bank. Participants are encouraged to dress up as their favorite super hero and each participant will receive a cup of soup at the end (donated by Darden).

Josh

Final Spring Break

Spring Break was a nice time to get away from Purdue and escape the everyday business of what happens on campus. Caroline and I took off to Tampa, Florida, to meet up with some friends we made while working at Yellowstone this past summer, Tom and Ann. Ann is a fourth grade teacher in the local community so Caroline and I went into her class on Friday to tell them a little about the “college experience”. We told them about our class schedule and just how valuable our college education is to us. We then enjoyed the next few days canoeing, building sandcastles and doing a little hiking in the Florida area. I must say it was quite different from Yellowstone!

The countdown begins for graduation!

Josh

Snow Day in the City

So..I have a snow day.

New York City was hit with about 18 inches so far, and despite an army of plows/salt machines, the roads [and sidewalks] are still treacherous. New Jersey and Brooklyn are even worse; hence, school was closed for the day. I have to go out in the weather down to Soho in a bit, but I thought I’d take advantage of some spare time to type something up.

After an elongated, and much needed, winter break, we started up a month ago in full force. Since I’ll be technically graduating from F.I.T. this May, all of our classes are very intensive. I have eight classes, all which require top-level performance. One of my classes in particular has placed high emphasis on the end of the year exhibition. This year’s theme for the 1-yr AAS students is Valentino. We essentially came up with 50 designs inspired by the works of Valentino Garavani over break, met with a critic to narrow it down to one, and are now in the process of creating these opulent pieces. Only half of the students’ work will be selected to be shown in the exhibition, so it’s quite competitive!

I really can’t believe a month has passed this quickly; I also can’t believe I only have just three months left . I’m trying to make the most of it, though. I’ve had the chance to go to the MOMA and see the Tim Burton exhibit, fabric swatch at Mood practically every other day, apply for internships, experience Central Park in the snow, and I now just obtained a part time job at the Anthropologie on Fifth Avenue. I also have friends planning on visiting this semester, so I’m looking forward to taking them around the city and having fun.

But first the snow has to stop! Haha. It looks absolutely gorgeous – and don’t get me wrong I love snow days that you don’t need to make up – but I’m itching for spring. Our spring break is the last week of March, so hopefully it will be splendidly warm by then. I’ll try and write another post around that time as well – until then, I miss you all, and enjoy your own spring break in a week or so!

-Ashley

That Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It’s that time of year again. Around here, we are all starting to get excited for the annual spring fashion show! But behind the scenes there is a lot of work that has to be done before we can sit back and watch our models walk the runway. As a junior, I am responsible for doing all of my work for the show outside of class time, which can be quite daunting while I’m also trying to keep pace with my six classes.

Fortunately, when you love the work you’re doing the time just seems to fly by. I recently took some photographs of my models wearing their brand new jeans (hot off the sewing machine!) for my portfolio. This is your exclusive sneak peak. The jeans will both be paired with an undershirt and jacket, but no one will get to see those until the fashion show on April 10th !

Alysha!