His high school has kicked him out of school because of his decision to give back.  He attends Madison Academy, and their policy states that their students must have haircuts that are off the collar, away from the ears, and out of the eyes.  Madison Academy is a private school.  He has told local news sources that he has no intention of cutting his hair until it’s long enough to donate, and his mother supports this decision.

He told Huffington Post, “Self confidence is really what you need to beat the disease.”  How true is that?  His family and him have received much attention from this, even from ABC News, and for good reason.  What kind of school, public or private, kicks a recovering cancer patient out of school because he wants to grow his hair out to cut it off again and give it to Locks of Love?

Last Monday, Gaskins’ mother, Christa Plante, set up a petition on Change.org.  So far, they’ve reached over 56,000 signatures and a school board meeting was scheduled for Sunday, February 05, 2012.  Click on the link to keep up with this story.

Plante also tried to come to a compromise with the school board, saying that she would cut her son’s hair as soon as it was ready to donate. The board still said “no.”  In addition to this, the policy also says nothing about the length of a female student’s hair and  because of this, the female students are able to donate.  So why can’t the males?  This seems like a double standard to me.  The school’s superintendent William Kneer stated, “…we’re not going to up and change our policy!”

So often we see teenagers getting into some form of trouble. All this young man wants to do is give back, but his school will not let him.  I cannot express my frustration with this school.  Being a survivor myself, I see exactly where he’s coming from and I feel that this is an insult to young cancer survivors everywhere!

“Seriously, I’m talking to you about how bad the internet is, and it [the connection] isn’t working…” Catawba College student Rachel Shelton exclaims as she points to a “webpage not available” screen on her laptop. Internet connectivity problems like Shelton’s are, unfortunately, common all over campus. After making multiple attempts to connect to the internet, some webpages will not open, while others open normally. This proves challenging as many professors include links to other websites on their Blackboard pages to show supplemental course information.

Other campus internet issues include faulty placement of internet equipment, like the wires in Woodson Residence Hall. When walking into the lobby, you can see that the wire connected to the router is hanging freely from the ceiling. Anyone could easily snatch the wire from the router when walking by, disconnecting everyone in the building from the internet instantly. That’s right — one tug of a single wire could cause you to lose all that online work you spent hours completing.

Hopefully, solutions to these internet conundrums will take effect, making the internet a hassle-free part of life for Catawba students.

The proposed legislation would have created a 1,700 mile long pipeline spreading from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf Coast of the United States. The pipeline’s purpose would have been to carry crude oil from the tar sands of Alberta to the Gulf Coast for refinement.

On November 6th, 12 Catawba students, including many members of the E.C.O club (Environmental Catawba Outreach) at Catawba, joined almost 12,000 other protestors in Washington, D.C. to express their concern for the pipeline. Chants during the protest ranged from, “Yes we can! Stop the pipeline,” to “We are the 99 percent”. The pipeline represented a threat to the environment that could harm species diversity, destroy natural habitats and cause pollution in streams and other water sources. Although it is possible that the building of the pipeline would equal jobs for some American citizens, the environmental consequences of the pipeline were more dire if realized.

Although there were only 12 students from Catawba that participated in the protest, every voice mattered and only served to intensify the voice of dissent on that Sunday afternoon in the nation’s capital. The American dream of making a difference succeeded once more.

People shake their head when they see my 2-3lb textbook. They ask me” Why Sean?” I tell them “I enjoy it, it makes sense to me.” (When in the back of my mind I’m wishing they’d smash me in the head with it and take me out of my misery.)

Accounting ranks up among the hardest technical subjects due to the ambiguous elements that arise in the profession that call for sound technical judgment and problem solving, traits that are essential to any job not just accounting. I definitely don’t fit the mold of the stereotypical accountant/bookkeeper.

Most people coin the term “bookworm” and “left-brained” in their description of an accountant but that couldn’t be more far from the truth especially in upper management. As with any job, “soft” skills are what really separate the pedestrian accountants from the game-changers. The ability to communicate through oral and written word makes for a more productive employee who can do a wider range of tasks that contribute to the business.

Now for people who plan to start their own business, a solid understanding of accounting can be beneficial in those first five years, deemed the “survival years”. An MBA with a business related concentration (accounting ranks as one of the top concentrations for an MBA) provides a more well-rounded business curriculum and reinforces other elements of the business cycle.

I don’t just advocate an accounting degree because accounting is only one facet of the business realm. Branch out and study other subjects such as management, marketing/sales, human behavior either through psychology or sociology, and so forth. As a sophomore at a liberal arts college, I’ve gained a perspective on the meaning of being well-rounded and I hope this advice is heeded by all who plan to study or enter business.

Follow me on Twitter @_SeanAlexander_ for thoughtful tweets on a variety of subjects.

Some people may think that it is too early for college seniors to start looking for employment, considering it is only October, seven months away from graduation.  They couldn’t be more wrong.  Now is the time that employers are looking for soon-to-be college grads to start handing over their resumes and show interest in which companies they would like to secure entry-level jobs with come May.

I interviewed for a position at the Junior Tennis Championships Center in College Park, Maryland.  JTCC is a non-profit organization that seeks to find the most talented tennis players in the metro D.C. area.  Their mission it to maximize their pupils’ skills in all aspects of the sport to help them earn college tennis scholarships or play on the professional level upon receiving their high school diplomas.  Being a college tennis player myself, I found this to be an interesting company and one that I would definitely like to work for in the future.  So, through a couple connections, I was able to meet the CEO of JTCC and score an interview with the Marketing Manager of the company.

The day of my interview went pretty smoothly.  I made sure to wake up early so I would have plenty of time to get ready and make myself look presentable.  I then walked to the metro station and took the train out to College Park, Maryland.  The commute was about forty minutes, but went by pretty quickly since I had brought some reading material.  I was a bit nervous, but I have had interviews for the internships I have completed throughout the summers and felt like I could handle the pressure.  Although this was my first “real” job interview, I felt confident going into it since I had read up on the company through their website and articles published about them in the media.  I had also even role-played some questions with my dad beforehand; he had pretended to be the man who would interview me and asked me questions about why I would be a good fit as an employee at JTCC.

I made sure to show up 15 minutes before I was supposed to meet with Reid, the Marketing Manager for the company.  I also had several copies of my resume printed out to give to anyone who wanted one.  I was shown around the entire facility, and was able to meet several of the employees in the marketing and public relations department.  I feel like the interview went well and that I would be a good fit as an employee at JTCC; I play college tennis, which is the main goal for the academy’s pupils once they graduate high school, and also have experience writing for the media on tennis, which is what I would like to be doing if hired.  Hopefully the individuals I met think I would be an asset to their company as well, and will offer me a job before I graduate!

It has been such a long time since I have been in love, and I don’t even know what to do anymore. There is someone that I like very much and I’m very attracted to but I really don’t know if this person is fully attracted to me. I’ve been dealing with this for a while now, and I would just love some clarity on how I need to deal with this situation. I know I fall in love easily, but how can I control that, and how do I know if this person loves me back?

Sincerely,

Scaredoflove

Aw, poor scared of love,

The best thing for you to do is to just let things happen and see where things go! I understand where you are coming from when you say you are scared of being in love because sometimes we fear the things we want the most, but you have to relax and let go of all of that anxiety. Let your emotions ride this beautiful but scary roller-coaster. Being in love is taking a risk, and it’s probably one of the biggest risks you can emotionally take but you will regret it if you don’t let yourself feel what you are feeling about this person. Speaking of “this person” if you think there is even a hint of him/her being attracted to you and loving/liking you back then get set, aim, and fire! There are going to be a ton of people who reject our love and affection but if we don’t continuously give it out, we would never know who will accept it and give it back to us. So, take chances. If your feelings about “this person” are overwhelming then there is no way you can ignore that or control it. You just have to let it be. Of course you can’t know if they love you or even like you back if you don’t ask them. They give you an answer but actions speak louder than words, so go on how they treat you and how they make you feel and then wait for those three words you’ve been waiting to hear: “I love you”.

Best wishes,

RC

The juices started flowing for me regarding my future career path once I started completing internships. For those of you unaware of what interning actually IS, think of spending a significant amount of time (around 3 months or more), working for a company on a temporary basis. Essentially, you are providing labor in a certain area and “testing out” a career path.  Many students opt to complete internships during the summer months when on break from school to really get the feel for working a full-time job. Yup, the 9:00 to 5:00 deal. While “at work”, interns do gain valuable experience in their area, but not without getting to do some of the tasks that nobody else in the office wants to do. Think filing, inputting information into a database, making hundreds of phone calls, and the obvious – making lunch runs for fellow employees. It all comes with the experience.  Keep in mind that only 50% of these shindigs are paid deals. The other half do not pay for our hard fruited labor. You may be thinking, “Why would I ever intern, especially for free? It sounds like a terrible experience and I won’t get anything out of it.” Even though one has to suffer a bit when interning, it indeed pays off for their professional experience and overall life. Just keep reading…

I am completing a degree in Communication Arts while attending Catawba. Talk about a broad major. There are so many different careers paths in the field. How was I supposed to know which one interested me the most and the one I should pursue a career in? Well, I didn’t know at first. I had absolutely no idea. The puzzle pieces didn’t start coming together until I completed my first internship the summer going into my junior year. Through a couple connections and a bit of luck, I was able to snag an opportunity at Encore Atlanta, known as “Atlanta’s Performing Arts Publication.” Working as a marketing intern, I was in charge of planning the 1^st Annual Tony Awards Viewing Party for Encore, specifically organizing a silent auction to benefit the UNICEF organization as well as the Fox Outreach Program. After completing the internship, I had a clearer idea of what path I wanted to pursue in terms of selecting an area of focus in my major. I enjoyed the internship, and realized that event planning may be an area I would like to pursue professionally. I would have never known that area of communications interested me without getting hands-on experience in the field.

The economy is getting tighter and it is harder for people to gain employment. The expectations and qualifications of applicants are getting higher and higher and employers want to hire people with a wide range of skills and experience in the field they are seeking to be employed in. To distinguish yourself from the average applicants, you need to have internships. Yes, internship with an s. The more experience you have, the better. You will not be competitive with other applicants unless you have the necessary experience and qualifications to succeed at a job. Simply put, the other people applying will have them as well. You need to prove YOU have the experience and the know-how to do better within the specified job description than anyone else. So step up and find an internship in an area you think interests you! Even if it is unpaid, you will gain valuable experience and distinguish yourself from the rest of the job-hunting pack while figuring out what you will want to do with yourself professionally.

I’m lonely! I’m known as a very intimidating girl because I’m outspoken and outgoing, and I socialize with a lot of different people. I’m now in my junior year of college and I want to know how should I perceive myself as being more approachable? Please help a sister out!

Sincerely,

LonelyGirl

LonelyGirl,

First, I would like to say be proud of who you are! Being outgoing, outspoken, and social are good traits! Most of the time these traits are attractive but for some people who may not know how to take them they may be intimidating. Being a strong personality but also being approachable is a very tricky mix. If you have a strong personality people may fear approaching you because they have no clue how you’re going to react to them. It’s a risk they are taking and honestly, rejection would be harder than just not saying anything to you at all. Also, be careful of how you approach people. Coming on too strong sometimes can also be a turn off. If you’re interested show you’re interested in a subtle way so your strong personality doesn’t take over and girl, if there is a man too scared to talk to you at all, he is not the man for you! Be who you are!

Sincerely,

RC 

The Catawba College admissions office is doing a great job of making prospective students aware of everything that Catawba College has to offer. Several of the admissions counselors are Catawba alumni, such as Anastasia Barkova, Dana Dolbow, and Zane Gibson. They are fully aware of what prospective students should expect upon entry into the Catawba College community. The enthusiasm extended to prospective students from the admissions staff reflects on the freshman seen around campus this year.

I have witnessed several of the admissions counselors or their representatives, the Catawba Guides, giving detailed tours of the campus. The tours introduces prospective students to important areas around campus such as the library, the student center, and Ketner School of Business.

The representatives add a personal touch to each visit from prospective students. Every representative I have witnessed carried a smiling, cheerful, and helpful demeanor toward prospective students or families. These are important aspects of the Catawba community. In my experience, this is the kind of friendliness the prospective students can expect to see even after they enroll here.

Sincerely yours,

 Jacob Hill

A friend of mine is always trying to keep things from me or not tell me how she feels. She is my best friend and we have been good friends for two years now. I would think she would feel comfortable telling me what’s wrong with her but when she’s upset and I ask her what’s wrong, she just ignores me or acts like everything is OK. I love her and I hate to see her upset or sad about something but what can I do to help her out if she is not sharing things with me? Also, how do I protect my own feelings from getting hurt from the situation? I would hate to lose a friendship over soemthing like this. I’d love your advice.

Thanks,

Concerned Bestest

Concerned Bestest, the first thing I would suggest is trying to talk to your friend about this issue. Are they aware that they do this to you and themselves? Sometimes a friend can be unaware of how they treat another friend when they aren’t consiocusly thinking about it. Yes, that sounds selfish and wrong but they just may not know they are doing it. They also may not feel very comfortable expressing how they feel. People who have always had to suppress how they feel are not ususally well at telling others how they feel and that doesn’t matter how close they are. I would not take this issue personal. It sounds like your friend needs to work on this themselves. Believe it or not they probably are dying to tell you but may not know how to or think that what they have to say is important because they have always suppressed their feelings. The best thing for you to do is always support your friend and remind them how important they are to you and they should do the same for you. This is definitely not something a friendship should end over. You just need time and patience. I hope this helps.

Sincerely,

RC