Are you?

Seniors, by now you’ve probably been looking for jobs for some time, desperate to find anything to help you pay back all the bills you’ve undoubtedly accumulated during your academic career. Some of you are looking into grad school while others are thinking of joining Americorps.
Some student athletes might be fortunate enough to move on to professional teams like our most successful athletes have in past. And yet, here we are, a week from graduation and we’re burnt out. I don’t know about the rest of the class of 2012, but I’m ready for the real world—I hope it’s ready for me.

It’s hard to believe that we’re going to have to start paying for our education. The smart ones who found additional scholarships outside the ones SHU graciously provides will walk out of college virtually debt-free, ready to spend a year traveling without worrying about monetary repercussions. And then there’s the rest of us. Get ready for the long haul—some of us will be paying college loans back for years. Regardless of what type of loans you have to pay, keep in mind that your school loans are the best ones to pay any extra money towards. Basically, pay off any loan with a higher interest rate first. So, really, pay off your credit cards first, and then your student loans, because guess what, they’re not going anywhere. And if for some reason you choose not to pay, be prepared to have your wages attached.

To avoid this, call your banks and express your concern that you can’t make a huge payment right out of college. Most of them will be understanding and work with you to find an acceptable payment plan. The great thing about low payments is that you can always pay off extra per month, which deducts from the principle and lowers your interest accumulation.

For those of you who aren’t sure what to do now, keep in mind that you have six months following graduation to get your affairs in order before you have to start paying back your school loans. Quite possibly the hardest part about graduating and finding a job is determining if you can actually afford to work at a prospective company. For example, let’s say you take a job in Pittsburgh and live in the surrounding suburbs, whether it be good ‘ol Greensburg, Irwin or even Monroeville.

Be prepared to make a hard decision.

You’ll either need to move to Pittsburgh or get ready to sit in heavy traffic for upwards of an hour and a half to and from your workplace daily. Keep in mind that you’ll need a vehicle, which could add a car payment into the mix. Couple a car payment and apartment rent to school loans and living expenses, and you’ll realize that you’ll need upwards of $40K to survive on your own.
Even if you live at home with your parents, you’ll still be forking over a lot of cash each week to fill that car tank, and in case you haven’t been paying attention to gas prices, we’re still hovering just short of $4 per gallon. Even a super efficient car only gets so far without needing a refill.
Even though the future is scary, it’s super exciting to know all our hard work and dedication is finally paying off. We’ve done it—who thought four years could move so fast? I hope you made the best of your time here and good luck with all your future endeavors! So long SHU, it’s been a great ride.

“This is an excellent example that demostrates how we need be alert and pay attention to how the results of research studies are interpreted. Who is doing the research and why?” said Edith Cook, SHU’s institutional researcher.

It’s clear, from further study, that PayScale’s calculations are not the most reliable sources of information. Most students, who struggle through paying for college, are all likely to believe that they are being scammed at some level. So it makes sense these articles gained that much attention so fast.

Also, journalists don’t necessarily have the best reputation for fairly presenting facts. Any statistic can be manipulated to represent any bias. Even if a journalist isn’t purposefully trying to represent a bias, they may not necessarily understand the statistics or the biases of those conducting the research.

We are often frustrated by the depiction of the media because as young, idealistic journalists, we are not fans of being the enemy. There is no doubt that journalists don’t always make the best, most credible choices, but there are also many dedicated journalists struggling to make the truth available to the public.

Readers, however, don’t have to to be chained to what a reporter writes. There are definite signs that an article might not be telling the whole story.

Take, for example, one of the articles about the ROI ratings from PayScale: “This College Is The Biggest Rip-Off In America” by Abby Rogers from Business Insider. The story comes in at under 200 words and only recaps the website’s infographic on “The Worst Schools for ROI.”

If you find yourself asking a lot of questions, you probably are not alone. The article is not clear about how or why the ROI is calculated. It doesn’t show any attempt to contact anyone but PayScale, and even then, it doesn’t seem to look any further into PayScale than the infographics for the best and worst schools.

Compared to another article on the same topic, “What Do Your Grads Make? Students and Parents Deserve to Know,” by Kevin Carey “The Chronicle of Higher Education,” you can immediately see a difference. The article, even though it is an editorial, has gone into much more detail about PayScale’s practices. Still a better article would have had opposing opinions.

“It is important to be careful not to over-interpret any one source of information, however, and to keep in mind that school choice is one of many factors that relate to starting salary,” said Cook, who examined PayScale’s practices closely after SHU’s rating was announced.

There is plenty of pressure for journalists to produces stories that will attract readers quickly. A sensational story about “rip off” schools is bound to draw in readers and and cause conversation. Try to remember that these journalists are, in their defense, trying to sell papers because journalism is a business after all.

2.        Join a gym. Even if you’re putting off an assignment to spend an hour on the treadmill or elliptical, you’ll feel more refreshed afterwards. Bring a textbook or your iPad with you for some light reading if you’re not planning to work out with too much intensity. You’d be surprised how much you can read undisturbed in an hour on the treadmill.

3.        Take a trip or two during your last year. I managed to make it to Washington, D.C., New Orleans, La. and Pigeon Forage, Tenn. during this academic year. By planning a few short trips (extended weekends will work pending your profs. don’t mind you skipping), you’ll have something to motivate you to work hard through the week to finish assignments early.

4.        Create a buddy system with fellow juniors and seniors in your major. I’ve never been one for study groups, but it definitely helps you stay on task if you’re in the library with a friend who’s working on the same essay at the same time. Even if it pulls you away a little bit, you’ll be more relaxed if you’re working with a peer.

5.        Get some sleep. I’ve said this in the past, and I’ll say it again—if you’re planning to be up late working on an assignment, consider calling it a night early and setting an alarm for a few hours sooner than usual. Your brain will function better when you’re well-rested than in the wee hours of the morning. There’s nothing wrong with putting an assignment off to the last minute—we all do it, but just make sure you give yourself enough time to get the whole thing done while keeping quality in mind.

Skyblast Pirates game tickets for the May 5 game against the Cincinnati Reds are on sale now. For $20 students receive the ticket and another ten dollars for food or merchandise.

Head down to McKenna Lawn Saturday night to enjoy a nice campfire, free food, fun games, and even a movie at the All-Campus Campout hosted by the Biology Club. Events will begin at 7 p.m. and continue until 12:30 a.m.

For some classier entertainment, the Westmoreland Youth Symphony Orchestra Philharmonic will be performing on Sunday, May 6 at 3 p.m at the Performing Arts Center.

Tuesday May 8 marks the second midnight breakfast of the year. Come enjoy seeing your favorite staff after hours serving breakfast at the cafeteria from 11 p.m. until 1 a.m.

The class of 2012 will be hosting an ultimate Frisbee tournament Wednesday May 9.  Food will be provided so come and join the 2012 class officers on Sullivan Lawn 4:30 until 8:30.

As for the speaker, education professor Kathleen Harris knew just who to ask. After she met Kurt Kondrich and his family in Washington DC, Harris knew his experiences and message would be perfect for the event.

Kondrich has become an advocate for Early Intervention after raising his daughter Chloe—a child born with Down’s syndrome.

A retired Pittsburgh City Police Officer, Kondrich lived by the mantra to serve and protect. He finds his work as a husband, father and Early Intervention advocate to follow those same words.

“I was so inspired by his passion and seeing his, and his family’s, positive attitudes about the cards they were dealt,” said sophomore Emily Sangermano.

Because 85 percent of a child’s brain development takes place from birth to age five, Kondrich hopes to emphasize the importance of quality education in those crucial years. “You wire the house before you put up the walls right? It’s incredibly difficult to get past those walls once they’re up,” said Kondrich.

“Kurt truly showed his concern for children with disabilities and the importance of including every child in classrooms,” said freshman Chelsea Pence.

In his presentation, Kondrich told of the struggles and triumphs through Chloe’s life. Now at the age of eight, she is at a third-grade reading level, participating in their local baseball league, and has also become somewhat of an advocate herself. “So often they’re excluded from entering the world,” said Kondrich. Now she accompanies her father when visiting senators, authority figures and politicians. Much of his work requires visits and petitions to them to raise awareness and money for programs that make a difference.

“He made it clear that everyone can make a difference and can get in touch with
senators and other authority figures,” said senior Jessica Orlowski. “He showed the group exactly how to go about making a difference.”

Kondrich likened his experiences to that of “A Christmas Carol.” It takes a child and determined people to make a difference and melt the hearts of the Scrooges in politics. Once those in authority take action and care about the children, the world can be a brighter place.

“You want to know what our greatest resource in Pennsylvania is? It’s our children,” said Kondrich.

Students and board members alike were reminded of the power of children and their education. They were also reminded to contact their politicians and congressmen for the benefit of future teachers and students.

“We recognized, as a university community, that early childhood is where our future begins,” said Harris. “In addition, we re-committed ourselves to ensuring that each and every child experiences the type of early environment—at home, school and in the community that will promote early learning.”

The students present were from St. Vincent College, Carlow University, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Westmoreland County Community College, Greensburg Education Center, and SHU.

Coulier seemed to sense, however, that he could not drone on and on with Uncle Joey jokes, as he quickly morphed his act into a stand up comedy show full of popular culture puns, anecdotes and a dash of harmonica.

Shockingly, the funniest parts of the show came in the form of voice impersonations.  Coulier is frighteningly good at portraying a multitude of different characters, from Arnold Schwarzenegger to literally every major ethnicity on the planet.

The most praise worthy characteristic of Coulier’s show was his ability to make the largest group of SHU students gathered together I have ever seen laugh as loudly as they did– and with clean jokes, no less.  The show contained absolutely no swearing and very few taboo puns.  Even the racier jokes quickly dissolved into sillier, family-approved ones.  There is something to be said for comedy that can stand on its own without the use of profanity and insult.

Coulier’s impromptu comedy, however, far surpassed his written jokes in hilarity.  Coulier repeatedly called out to people in the audience who laughed too loudly, came in late, or left early.  He also continued pushing the chair holder throughout the entirety of the show, making absurd jokes about its use.  Had he strayed more from his routine, it is possible he would have been even funnier.

The show itself, to me, was well done, though perhaps “good” as opposed to “phenomenal.”  Coulier’s written jokes could use some work.  Regardless, he brought SHU an evening of good, clean fun.

“My goal with this new play is to attempt an understanding of the mysteries of the autistic mind and give voice to the needs and desires held hostage within it,” said Pullen in a press release.

Meant to raise awareness for Autism, Pullen created a world for a young man named Bolton. Desperately wanting independence, he sets out into downtown Pittsburgh. We follow him through trials and obstacles as he seeks acceptance and liberation. And like so very many Autistic children, Bolton is unable to communicate verbally with the world around him.

I had the opportunity to see the student preview on Thursday night. I wasn’t aware that this was a Pullen original until I’d gotten there, which made me appreciate it all the more.

The cast handled the roles very tastefully and delivered some pretty powerful performances. While everyone did a phenomenal job, I have to point out how incredible the roles of Bolt and Bolton were.

Played by freshman Domenic Jungling, the character of Bolton is really a sensitive role that would’ve taken quite a bit of research and practice to master. The same goes for his voice—Bolt. Matt Leslie portrayed the distraught, unheard voice within. Their combined performance created a young man that didn’t necessarily demand pity, but instead demanded acknowledgment and respect.

Trying to intervene is Stevie, played by senior Kristy Bissell. Clad in a sandwich suit, she tries to understand and protect Bolton, even rescuing him from the crazy, downtown Pittsburgh traffic. Her humor and compassion helped to create a likeable character.

Then there are Bolton’s brother and sister: JD and Lisa played by Jimmy Amor and Megan Henderson respectively. JD comes to have guardianship over Bolton after certain circumstances rendering their mother, played by Emily Urbaniak, unable to care for them. It’s clear that JD means well, but his protective emotions seem to hinder and blind him to Bolton’s potential and new needs.

Additional performances by Bre Connell, Anderson Parker and Kaylin Martin added to the emotion and finesse of the play.

The setting was downtown Pittsburgh, so there were familiar street names, landmarks and language. I believe I even heard a “Stillers” in there at one point.

Throughout the play, viewers sense the intense frustration that Bolton feels. As his voice tails him, the audience can understand what he’s trying to communicate, but to the others in that fictitious world, and in reality, they can’t hear it. That’s part of what made this play so powerful. This isn’t just fiction here. Autism is a very real thing that isn’t completely understood. I applaud Pullen on raising awareness to this epidemic during April’s Autism Awareness Month and for daring to take something so sensitive and bring it to light.

By the end, I was so drawn into the emotions and actions of the play that the final scene had me in tears. I’m still unsure of how exactly it concluded, but it’s partly the mystery that still has me intrigued and appreciative of the whole performance.

I don’t want to spoil it for those who haven’t seen it yet, but I strongly recommend you do take a little bit of your time and support Autism awareness, your peers and a Seton Hill original. I conclude by saying Bravo to the extraordinary cast, the hardworking crew and the wonderfully brilliant Denise Pullen.

Seton Hill University (SHU) was named second biggest “ripoff ” in an article in “Business Insider” April 12. The article was based on the return on investment (ROI) calculations by a website named PayScale.com. Articles were also published by several news sources including the Chronicle of Education and Yahoo! about the findings.

“Small state colleges and small religious colleges offer the worst bang for your buck, according to new analysis from PayScale,” said Abby Rogers, the author of the Business Insider article. “Pay- Scale also found that the best investments are elite universities and tech schools.”

“The problem I have with this ‘study’ is the way they purposely chose to inflate their methodological flaws in order to achieve and publicize their rankings. This Payscale ROI report has deservedly been called ‘useless,’ ‘a piece of illogic’ and is accused of having ‘shamefully bad reasoning’ by researchers,” said Edith Cook, SHU’s institutional researcher who looked into the study.

The “worst” school for ROI, according PayScale, was Savannah College of Art and Design with a rating of -$189,000. SHU’s ROI rating was listed as -$186,000 after 30 years taking into consideration the cost of attending SHU and the median annual salary of alumni. According to Cook, however, they failed to take into consideration some important factors into their research.

“All economic models are necessarily based on a lot of assumptions, and researchers nor- mally do their best to recognize the flaws and adjust their interpretation of the findings accordingly,” said Cook.
Payscale is an online salary comparison service rather than an education or research institution. They are financially supported by offering companies online salary comparisons.