The NYC Streets Welcome over 4,000 Walkers for Christ: 5th Annual “God Belongs in My City” Walk

Noise pollution often proves to be a contributing factor of displeasure for many New Yorkers, and for others, car horns, sirens, tires screeching, people, buses, and trains are familiar sounds that go unnoticed. However, on Saturday, October 26, a different sound resonated in the atmosphere. The sounds came from different locations in New York, but ultimately settled in Times Square. Thanks to the God Belongs in My City (GBIMC) Walk, New Yorkers were able to embrace a new sound—the sound of a united people walking for Christ.

The group at Point B: Duke Ellington Circle

This was the 5^th annual GBIMC walk and youth ministries from all five boroughs and even outside the state, gathered for an event like no other. There were three starting points to begin the walk, depending on where one is located. The starting point for Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Lower Manhattan was Battery Park (Point A), for Queens and Upper Manhattan was E. 110th Street and 5th Avenue (Point B), and the starting point for Westchester, the Bronx and Washington Heights was W. 168th Street and Amsterdam Ave (Point C). All groups were expected to meet at their specified locations at 9:00 a.m. From there, the groups made their way towards W. 42^nd Street—Times Square. 

A majority of the walkers wore hoodies and/or shirts that had “God Belongs In My City” imprinted on the front. Although this attire was not required, it was a clear indication of participation in the prayer walk. 

Stops were made in between for the opportunity to pray as a group, for the people of New York City, its leaders, the education system, the media, government leaders, and unity within the church. During the walk, some walkers led songs of praise and worship, others started energetic chants for the rest of the group to follow along, and some focused on using the chalk (that was given out at the meeting point) to pause and write a scripture or quick encouraging phrase on the sidewalk. The GBIMC walk brought various age groups, nationalities, denominations and socioeconomic backgrounds together on Saturday, and it should have been very clear to any bystander that this walk was one that stressed the importance of unity. 

Times Square

Once all three groups merged at Times Square, by the infamous red bleacher seats, they were led in prayer by the group leaders with megaphones. Prayers for the city was lifted up to God and the group stood in agreement for God’s protection over Avonte Oquendo, the 14-year-old boy with autism who went missing on October 4. NYPD officers stood nearby, making sure part of the sidewalk was kept clear and tourists and spectators looked on in astonishment at the large crowd. At exactly 1:20 p.m. every GBIMC attendee standing on the sidewalk or bleachers, got on their knees in prayer, making it clear to all those who watched, that this movement was in fact a very prayerful one.

Leon Stewart, Minister and Youth Director at Strait Gate the Church at Westchester and Co-founder of the Kingdom Xpressions Youth Ministry, thought that the walk was great this year.

“I thought we had a good group coming from 110th and 5th and that our prayer points were spot on,” Stewart said. “I thought that the small worship session we had 85th was good and that Jovan Ramos did a good job leading that.”

The God Belongs in My City movement started in 2009, for youth ministries from all over to come together in unity and prayer and take a stand for Christ. It has spread to locations all over the United States and internationally and has attracted a lot of attention. According to Stewart, this was the largest walk, by far, with numbers estimated to over 4,000.

“I thought the walk was amazing,” Xenia Hernandez from 2nda Mision Christiana Rehoboth said. “I realized how powerful God is and how great the body of believers are. The best part of it was when we united as one to worship and bow down to our king.” 

Marcia Amponsah who is a member of High Impact Youth Ministry at Living Faith Int’l Church said it was cold but the walk was good. 

“It was powerful and different,” she stated. “You could really see that young people are enthusiastic about God and are truly taking a stand in New York City.”

Stewart said that he loved seeing the excitement of the young people as they proclaimed that “God Belongs in My City” and that there was an emphasis on ministering [to] people along way that he thought was stronger this year.

“I have to continue to give praise to the great work that Pastor Danny Sanabria and his team are doing with these walks all over the world. Also, with the work they are doing with Urban Kingdom Youth Ministries, in bringing ministries together from all over the city, New Jersey and Westchester, regardless of denomination.,” Stewart said. “They have a Kingdom mentality and these walks are the direct evidence of that.” 

For more information on the God Belongs in My City movement, visit: http://www.godbelongsinmycity.com/

"God Belongs in My City" Prayer Walk comes to Mount Vernon

After four to six months of planning, the God Belongs In My City Prayer Walk took place on Saturday, September 22, in Mount Vernon, New York. At 10 a.m., ten churches congregated in the parking lot of the Mount Vernon East train station to begin a walk like no other. It was Westchester's very first God Belongs In My City Prayer Walk and it was an intercessory march, where children, youths, and adults alike took to the sidewalks and sent up dynamic prayers to God hoping for a stop to the violence in Mount Vernon and other negative happenings that occur.

Teen wearing a "God Belongs in My City" shirt

Before departing from the train station's parking lot, there was an opening prayer, a quick explanation of the walking route, a note of the sidewalk-only policy, and a reminder of why everyone was there. At that point, everyone filed out of the parking lot and made their way up the block, heading towards the heart of the city. Numerous participants wore the "God Belongs In My City" T-shirts (that came in both black and white) and hoodies, others waved flags, and some led the large group in a praise and/or worship song.

This Walk, coordinated by Leon Stewart, consisted of close to 100 people. Stewart is a Minister and Youth Director at Strait Gate the Church at Westchester and Co-founder of the Kingdom Xpressions Youth Ministry and according to him, the idea of God Belongs In My City is not his, but that of Pastor Daniel Sanabria of Park Slope Tabernacle in Brooklyn.

"This is a movement that was birthed in New York City about four years ago and has been growing around the world ever since," Stewart said. "They have been to Europe, Africa, a number of other cities in the U.S. and will be having one in Haiti later this year."

Brother Nyan leading prayer at City Hall

The Walk was organized by the team from the Kingdom Xpressions Youth Ministry Coalition, which is a group of youth leaders from ministries across Westchester. There were a few other cities in Westchester being considered by the coalition to pray for, but according to Stewart, they believe that with all that Mount Vernon was going through, especially in the early part of the year, that the City of Mount Vernon needed to be prayed for.

The Prayer Walk spanned several blocks, with a few stops to gather as a group and pray. One of the stops included Mount Vernon's City Hall, where the group gathered by the steps, and were led into prayer by Living Faith International Church Youth Leader, Eugene Akahoho, and then by Co-Youth Leader Nyan Boateng. The group then directed prayers towards the Police Department across the street, praying for the officers' safety.

The final stop was at Hartley Park, in which a huge prayer circle was formed and everyone's hands were joined as the concluding prayer was said.

Prayer circle at Hartley Park

The God Belongs In My City Prayer Walk lasted about two hours and turned out to be a successful event. The weather warmed up as each minute passed, the sun shined brightly and everyone had something positive to say about their experience.

"Today's walk was amazing!"  Executive Director of Public Relations for Living Faith Church Youth Ministry Nana Achampong said. "It is refreshing to know that there are youth from other churches around ours that have the same passion and drive that we have to saving our generation of people."

Shanik Carvey, a college student and member of the Living Faith Youth Ministry, said that it made her feel empowered to stand unashamed and walk for the Lord.

"'God Belongs In My City' walk brought a great feeling of unity and boldness as I walked side by side other youths and adults in the name of the Lord," Carvey said. "I really enjoyed the pace of the walk, and I thought that the points we stopped at were great for prayer and really standing in the gap for the Mount Vernon area."

18-year-old Markeisha Knott, from the Bronx, is also a member of the Living Faith Youth Ministry and is glad she was apart of the walk. "I enjoyed the walk," she said. Seeing the numbers, especially youth come out to praise God was incredible; and I could tell we were making a difference by the way we made heads turn all around Mount Vernon."

"I loved the prayer walk!" Stewart said. "I was glad with the turn out from the young people and from the support from the different ministries in Mount Vernon."

"The goal of the intercession was to pray for a stop to the violence and especially the loss of young lives; and for changed lives for the young people and that God’s love would permeate," he said.

"From our journey today, I learned that though salvation is for oneself, interceding for one another and even strangers can, in some way, have an impact," Achampong said.

The Walk has ended and participants make their way back
to Mt. Vernon East parking lot

"I wanted to tell everyone that God is so good and you should know him for yourself! I loved it!" Carvey said. "It also gave me energy to walk in school also known as the war zone for many. If I can walk the streets of Mount Vernon and pray for them, surely school is another place where the name of God can be lifted up. From the way I speak to people, to hugs, and showing love where it's needed."

"My hope is that they [the youths] were able to relate with other members of the Body of Christ," Akahoho said. "My hope for the Impacting Youth Members [of Living Faith Int'l Church] was that they saw other youths also hungry for the move of God and on fire for him."

"I hope the message resonate well for everyone to see the body of Christ can come together and work as one," Stewart said. "Seeing young people who are willing to take a stand for their city and the church has a unique position to take a lead and give this and future generations the empowerment and legacy to build on in making real tangible difference through prayer, faith and unity."


More information about the God Belongs In My City Movement, can be found at: www.Godbelongsinmycity.com.

Follow the Movement on Twitter @GBIMC

Justin Bieber Sued For $9 Million by Concertgoer

Courtesy of flickr.com

Recently, the young Pop star Justin Bieber has recently made headlines, when he was pulled over by officer in Los Angeles for speeding, in which he said was caused by paparazzi following him. Now, he makes headlines again after being sued for $9 Million by an Oregon mother who went to his concert.

Click the link below to get the rest of the story:

http://www.jobsnhire.com/articles/2452/20120713/justin-bieber-sued-9-million-concertgoer-video.htm

The Most Exciting Jobs in the World

Having a job doesn't always have to solely mean paying the bills or putting food on the table, but it can mean a lot of excitement too. Getting up each morning to do what one loves is what a lot of people tend to strive for in careers, but yet there are those that may be a little thrilling than others.

The following is a list of some jobs that might get anyone excited and what it takes to get there:

At the end of the day, no matter how exciting a job is, attaining it does not come without hard work.



http://www.jobsnhire.com/articles/2226/20120626/exciting-jobs-world-food-critic-instructor-professional-how-to-become.htm

The Best Places For Business and Careers

Austin, TX is on the list for best places for Business and Careers || Courtesy of flickr.com

Many businesses in the United States are struggling with the question of where to relocate or where the best place to expand is. There are others who are fresh out of college and considering relocating, in order to begin their career.


Click the link for the top 25 places for businesses and careers...


http://www.jobsnhire.com/articles/2411/20120711/best-places-business-careers.htm

Law Graduates Facing Brutal Job Market

Photo courtesy of flickr.com

According to the Wall Street Journal, members of the law-school class of 2011 had little better than a 50-50 shot of landing a job as a lawyer within nine months of receiving a degree.

In 2011, Law school grads faced the worst job market in more than 30 years, according to the National Association for Law Placement. The employment outlook for the Class of 2012 did not look much better, but official figures will not be released until next year.   

Click here to read more about this issue, in my article...

Singers Jeremih and John Thomas perform at UB

Courtesy of chicagodefender.com

Courtesy of thecomplexmedia.com

On Saturday, April 21, the University of Bridgeport resurrected a tradition that disappeared 24 years ago. After months of preparation by the Student Programming Board (SPB), UB welcomed R&B/Pop Singer John Thomas and renowned R&B Singer Jeremih.

Before the doors of the Arnold Bernard Center (ABC) were opened at 6:30 p.m. sharp, there was already a line starting to form outside the doors of the security Post settingscheckpoint. Security, the Bridgeport Police Department and the Concert Staff were all ready for an eventful night. Before the show, Sergeant Jessie Caldwell said that they have a set way of operating, and that “the number of security officers will increase.”

“It’s my first one [concert],” Sophomore and Commuter Maria Jara said, before the start of the show. “I’m excited and pumped.”

Quintesse Rollins said she isn’t a fan of Jeremih but she does listen to his music and went to the concert to enjoy [it].

“I wish more people would come out so we can have another one next year,” she said.

As the seats began to fill up in Merten’s Theater, DJ Chinaman kept the crowd energized with his mixes. The same positive feedback from the audience was received by DJ Spynfo as he spoke to the crowd and got them even more stimulated. The concert started at 8 p.m. and opened up with a performance of rapping and dancing, which included students from UB.

Me and John Thomas

Singer John Thomas was the official opening act for Jeremih. Although this 19-year old from Greenwich, Connecticut’s name is not as well known, he gave the audience a sneak peak to his talent singing just three songs, yet appearing to keep the majority engaged, nonetheless. On stage with him were men dressed in black suits and women in heels, dancing to a very impressive choreography. He exhibited not only his soulful voice, but also his dance moves (like the Dougie, for instance).

John Thomas is currently on tour and said he has visited about 20 schools in the past month and a half, with 12 more upcoming shows. When asked how he feels about being the face that brought the tradition back to UB after a 24 hiatus, he said he had no idea.

“That’s an honor; I’m excited about that,” He said. “I had a good time.”

Thomas also added his appreciation.

“Shout out to UB,” He said. “Thanks a lot for having me; thanks for the love [and] be sure to follow me at JohnThomas7 (Twitter.com/JohnThomas7) and JohnThomasMusic.com.”

Me and Jeremih 

Jeremih appeared on the stage singing and then introduced himself, receiving loud cheers from the audience. He performed several songs, but popular tracks like, “Birthday Sex” and “Down on Me” were clearly recognized by the audience members. He also let the audience hear his new song from his Mixtape called, “Go to the Mo” which is soon to be released. What may have made Jeremih’s performance such a success is that he interacted with the crowd, either by leaving the stage to sing to an audience member, giving roses to some of the ladies in the crowd, or by inviting the two birthday ladies to the stage to be serenated to as he played the piano. The audience sprung to their feet with a lively applause as he began singing “Birthday Sex” to the two students on stage.

“Jeremih did a good job and he can sing live which is good,” Christina Leonard said.

Leonard is a UB graduate and had traveled from Massachusetts with a friend/fellow UB grad to see the concert.

“I enjoyed it; It was really good,” She said. “Hopefully next year, more people will turn out; it was a really good show.”

“It was great,” IDEAL student Ashley Morris said. “I really enjoyed myself.”

Senior and Cultural Committee Chair of SPB Delia Amsterdam said that a lot went into planning this concert.

“We first looked for an agent, once we got that done, we did a survey and narrowed it down,” She said. “Jeremih was the most affordable one in our budget.”

Junior and Student Programming Board (SPB) member Brandon Lleras is a part of the UB Live Committee of SPB said this concert has been in the works since October.

“It was a lot of hard work,” He said.

Lleras believes that what may have helped the ticket sales were the one-day sale a week ago and the purchases made at UB’s second annual carnival earlier that day in Ped Mall.

“It would be nice if it was sold out; but for a 24 years [hiatus] we actually did pretty well on tickets,” Lleras said. “It was a lot of hard work; I’m very happy for SPB in general for all the hard work and everything that we’ve all done.”

Rebecca Romeo is a member of the National Society of Leadership & Success (NSLS) and said her role, as a part of the concert staff, was to help set up, walk around the area and “make sure every section was going well.”

“Hopefully we’ll have another one [concert],” Romeo said.

Sophomore and President of SPB Darren Ganesh said as a committee, they feel very proud, because UB never had anything like this before.

“This is a community thing—it’s UB,” he said in regards to those who did not purchase tickets. “Everyone needed to show support because that’s the only way we can really get to where we want to get, to see bigger and better performances.”

It is currently estimated that 250 people bought tickets to the spring concert.

“Certainly we would have loved if more people attended the show, but for those that were there I think they really enjoyed it,” SPB’s Advisor Colleen Powers said. “It was a great effort for UB’s first concert in over 20 years, and hopefully SPB and the student body can work together to continue to host shows!”

“This is a stepping stone for UB; I think this is the start of something new,” Ganesh said. “I hope that from this concert onwards, the university will see that students really want this and next year we’ll be able to get more funding for something like this because it is something that students want.”

<Article can be found on The Scribe website.>

A lasting UB tradition for seniors comes to an end

After over 60 years of a University of Bridgeport tradition, it was announced on Friday, March 30 that the annual senior event, called Wisteria, has been cancelled. It was not only cancelled for Friday, April 27, but possibly indefinitely.

Wisteria, a formal dance hosted by the graduating class each year is often seen as a means to get everyone (graduating seniors and all others) together one last time for a night of dance, music, food and memories. However, this tradition was forced to come to a halt, due to the lack of ticket sales. Tickets went on sale immediately after Winter Break for $55. Flyers stated that after this date, the price would jump to $65. The price included a round-trip bus ride, dinner, drinks, music and dancing into the a.m. hours. With little signs of sales, the $55 ticket presale price was extended, with March 30 being the cut-off date. However, the 100 tickets that were needed in order for Wisteria to kick off were not sold in time.

The Elite Class of 2012 planned to host Wisteria at Anthony’s Ocean View in New Haven, with the theme being a Masquerade Ball. The venue was booked in November, tickets were on sale in January, and up until [March 30] only 20 tickets were sold.

Wisteria 2012 would have had a Masquerade theme
Photo courtesy of mymasqueradeballmasks.com

“All students were told that we needed to sell at least 100 tickets by March 30 in order to have the event, and that if they paid a deposit, the balance in full would be due no later than April 6, because we had to pay the venue in full by April 9,” Colleen Powers, Director of Campus Activities and Community, said. “So due to extremely low ticket sales the event had to be cancelled.”

Powers believed that it may have been many different reasons why it ultimately led to this.

“Students like to wait until the last minute, but when you book an outside event venue, that is not an option; students were all waiting to see who else was going to buy tickets, but when they do that, ticket sales suffer,” Powers said.

Powers said that the ticket was sold at cost, meaning the student was charges exactly what it cost them for the space, which included drinks, transportation, a huge buffet of food, DJ, dancing, etc.

“There was no markup for tickets; However, we did hear from a lot of students that they just didn’t have the money to buy tickets for it,” she said. “A lot of publicity was done, but there could always be more. It may just be a trend on campus right now that Wisteria, as it is established now, isn’t the type of event students are looking for.”

Senior Delia Amsterdam stated, “As senior Class president I’m very disappointed that I had to make the decision to cancel such a traditional event. After planning this from the time I got elected, it hurts to see that this was the outcome.”

Senior Malakhi Eason, Vice-President of the Class of 2012, believes that the issue wasn’t that Wisteria was not publicized or marketed.

“The issue is that the University of Bridgeport campus is blinded and media driven. So no matter how many flyers are up, emails sent, videos made, or word of mouth being spread; if it doesn’t have to do with booty shaking or cost $5 at the door they are not interested,” Eason said. “College is a place where you grow and are supposed to experience new things but people get so lost in finding something wrong with anything done right, to where it brings the value of things down. 

Eason said that he is highly upset and feels like the Staff/committee of the Elite Class of 2012 has been “working real hard on trying to make this year’s Wisteria the best senior celebration that the University of Bridgeport has ever had.”

According to Eason, the committee spent long nights, weekends, and lunch hours to meet on the behalf of the student body and also, due to this outcome, there will not be another Wisteria.

Wisteria has been a tradition at UB since the 1950’s; Students have seen cruises, dances at a country club and even a roof top lounge dance.

Assistant Dean of Students Edina Oestricher was disappointed to hear that this traditional event was cancelled.

“In the 15 years I’ve been here, it’s the first time that something has been cancelled—that there isn’t a type of end of the year [senior] event,” Oestricher said.

She said that when she first started working at UB, there was the popular “cruises to nowhere,” for several years. However, two years ago there was a situation with overbooking for the cruise, which “may have put a bad taste in people’s mouths.”

The Wisteria of 2011 resulted in very low ticket sales, but the event went on nonetheless. The year prior to that was a case of overbooking , in which some students had to be left behind.

“The overbooking incident that took place two years ago was a crippling blow to the years of legitimacy Wisteria had,” Colin Capaci, Junior and President of the Student Government Association (SGA) stated. “But ultimately, it is not the past to blame, but rather actions taken (or not taken) in the present.”

Eason said that the class missed out on many great things that Wisteria would have provided on April 27.

“They missed out on a good time to celebrate the accomplishments of all the hard work they put in which allowed them to be able to graduate,” he said. “They missed out on a great resort where the food was good and the drinks were free [and] on the best DJ on the radio, Lights, Camera, Action; Not to mention awards, gifts and a live band as you’re eating.”

“For Class of 2012 students who did not purchase their tickets,” Powers said. “I think they missed out on what could have been a very special celebration of your graduation from UB.”

To students who purchased a Wisteria ticket, please visit the Student Center, room 231, for your refund.


<Article can be found on The Scribe website>

Are you being ripped off with your Meal Plan?

College students may agree that money is an important, if not the most important, factor throughout the duration of each semester. When one feels threatened by the deficiency of rightly deserved funds, it is likely to cause confusion and mistrust. Therefore, when numbers of how much money University of Bridgeport students are losing out on emerged, it became an immediate cause for concern.

Students residing on campus are required to choose from four meal plans offered, which accompanies a certain amount of dining dollars on the student’s ID card, for purchases made at the hUB or the Scribe Café. It is very common for students to run out of dining dollars far before the conclusion of the semester and according to Vice President of Facilities George Estrada, he believes that the hUB may be the factor.

“I think that what might be happening—because the hUB is so popular, everyone rushed to use the dining dollar side of their plan,” Estrada said. “The plan hasn’t changed; it’s been the same plan.”

Estrada said that the attraction of the hUB with its dining selections is what has really resulted in students hoping for more on the dining dollars side, as opposed to going into the dining hall.

President of Student Government Association (SGA) Colin Capaci made a presentation to the Board of Directors and was able to convey his thoughts and concerns to the highest level of the university about the meal plan. He had his CFO run the numbers, and looking at the breakdown, there were many inconsistencies.

“Within the top three issues, number one that I hear about is Dining dollars; and not enough dining dollars, or the food is too expensive, or something related to food,” Capaci said. “I love food myself, so I look at my own meal plan and I ran some numbers and looked at how much we put into food in our tuition and compared those two numbers and saw that there was a pretty big gap there.”

According to the SGA breakdown*, on campus students pay $2,800 for food. When the meal plan is broken down mathematically, the following displays the accurate value of each meal plan and its deficit (the amount of money students are losing out on) out of the $2,800:

·         19 meals ($75 in dining dollars); deficit of $534

·         17 meals ($125 in dining dollars); deficit of $645

·         12 meals ($200 in dining dollars); deficit of $1,000

·         8 meals ($400 in dining dollars); deficit of $1,300

*It should be noted that the deficit numbers are based on if a student uses every meal plan and factors such as overhead (labor, facilities, food cost, etc.) are some factors not included in the analysis.

“How much can you spend a day, every day of the semester and have enough dining dollars by the end of the semester? The answer comes out to around $2.25 for $400 dining dollars,” Capaci said. “$2.25 is how much you can spend a day. It’s not enough to get you a Sobe.”

“The most important thing that I want to convey is that the university has zero profit on the food services,” Estrada said. “Food is a pass-through, which means there’s no mark-up whatsoever.”

He noted that whatever the cost of all those meals is, it is covered by the students’ dining package and the contract is called a cost plus.

“Sodexo is not in any way profiting tremendously by doing a major mark-up on food and profiting from the students,” Estrada said.

“When we pay $2,800 for food we expect the value of $2,800 for food,” Capaci said. “And that’s what we’re looking for here; we’re looking to get more dining dollars; more options.”

The Board of Trustees and the President are aware of this, and according to Capaci they are all in negotiation about it.

Estrada said that the President as well as The Board are always very receptive to the concerns of the students.

“What we do know for certain, is that any amount of excess money, which there is, isn’t coming to us, which we feel is entitled to,” Capaci said. “We would understand if maybe there is a couple hundred dollar difference per student, but we’re looking at a thousand dollar differences per student; that’s too much.”

Sophomore Kiyomi Todd said that she feels like she’s being ripped off.

“It doesn’t seem right,” she said.

She almost regrets changing her meal plan to eight meals because then she would have had more options with Marina when the dining dollars run out.

“If you have only $5 to spend, then your option is, like, chicken and fries. The natural foods and the better foods are more expensive but I can’t buy that,” Todd said. “I can only stick to the fast food, and I don’t want fast food every day.”

“As a student I feel cheated,” Capaci said. “I feel like I could be getting more for what I’m paying for, and I love food and I love to eat. There’s no way I’m eating more than $2,800 in three months, but I could be coming close to it and I’m not able to.”

“We want the administration to know that we’re aware of this; and where is [the money] going? What is that money being used for? Why isn’t it coming back to us? I promise you if you give us more dining dollars, you will make more money,” Capaci said.

The General Manager of Food Services Jenn Currier said, “Ultimately, what we want to do is make sure we’re offering the right combination of plans as far as how many meals they’re getting and how many dollars are tied with the meals.”

Currier believes that once everyone sees what the changes in the fall of 2012 are and what the new food choices will be, students will be interested in more meals versus more dollars on their card. She also elaborated on all the major transformations that are to be expected in the campus dining hall and the various options that will be provided next semester, such as healthier food options, a cook-attended salad bar, higher count in desserts, etc.

“Everything that we’ve decided to design for the fall, whether it be menus, types of food, stations that we’re going to offer is all a direct response from feedback we’ve gotten from students,” Currier said.

“Put the pressure on Marina, put the pressure on Sodexo; Let them know that students are aware and not ignorant about their meal plans,” Capaci said. “The numbers that are public information, and we’re not happy with it.”

New Media Class surprises students in Dining Hall with performance

Wednesday, November 16 appeared to be a day like any other on the University of Bridgeport campus. Students filed into Marina Dining Hall upon its 5 p.m. opening and expected to meet up with friends and classmates and enjoy their dinner as usual. However, as soon as 6 p.m. hit, dinnertime at Marina was transformed into something quite unexpected and simply unusual—for UB especially.

As students filed into Marina on that day, they could sense that there was something different. The tables were separated enough so that there was a huge space in the center of the dining room, purple balloons hung from a few chairs near the center and finally, there was a projector that displayed a digital clock on the wall. There were several students questioning the new set-up and others perplexed by the excess amount of students in Marina.

Students in the cafeteria were startled by what appeared to be a loud argument by two young ladies at one table. One of them stood up and flung her chair to the ground and the dining room immediately became quieted as all eyes were on these two students. The argument grew louder and when it appeared as though it might get physical, one of the Sodexo workers separated the fight—pulling one towards the exit of the dining hall.

Flash Mob in Marina Dining Hall

At this point, the lights shut off and when they were turned back on, numerous students were found standing on their chair yelling: “Shout!” at the top of their lungs (to the song “You make me want to shout”). Afterwards, these individuals ran to the center of the dining room screaming and cheering, as everyone else watched in awe and chattered in excitement. Those students then proceeded to imitate kung-fu style kicks towards one another (to the song “Everybody was kung-fu fighting”). At this point, onlookers began to gather around and take pictures and capture this event with their cell phones and cameras. The participants ran in place, then stood absolutely still for several moments and then proceeded to scatter and run around giving everyone a high-five. Next, F.L.O.H. (Future Leaders of Hip-Hop) appeared and gave an impressive performance, with two dancers even dancing on the table tops. All those who participated ran out of the dining hall clapping and cheering—which led everyone in Marina to cheer them on.

Professor Susan Katz’s New Media class surprised all those who were in Marina Dining Hall, eating dinner as usual, with a string of unusual pretenses. This was the first flash mob ever to be carried out at the university and it certainly had many students talking.

Photo courtesy of S. Katz

According to the New Media Flash Mob website, created by Katz’s class, a Flash Mob is defined as an engaging surprise performance that involves harmless confusion to the audience and spontaneity, playfulness and anonymity for the participants. This flash mob in particular was an mP3 flash mob which had the instructions conveniently in the participants’ ears, via their iPod or other mP3 device.

ELI student Luc Minh Thuy Lien who had never witnessed a flash mob before, enjoyed it a lot, even though the fight in the very beginning startled her (as she was at the adjacent table).

“I liked it,” she said. “Everybody was great. People worked very hard to make the show.”

Junior Geralda Moise participated in the Flash Mob and said that was really fun and that it was much better than she expected.

Senior Yaditza LaViera also partook in the Flash Mob and was one of the students in the fake argument that clearly got everyone’s attention from the get-go. She is in Katz’s New Media Class and this was her first time in a flash mob. Preparing for this event was not as simple as many may have thought and as part of the Creative Team, LaViera was in charge of writing the script for the entire event.

“It was a success,” LaViera said. “It couldn’t have been better. I enjoyed it; and we got a lot of feedback from [the spectators].”

Katz has taught the New Media class before, but it had always been online. This was her first non-online New Media class.

“The goal in this class is to do things that were really new,” Katz said. “That nobody had ever tried.”

She described the crowd sourcing projects that her class underwent and the building of a social network which was “really interactive and fun.”

Katz said she started exploring flash mobs on and doing a lot of research about them.

“I’d been researching flashmobs that people are accustomed to seeing, called mP3 flash mobs, she said. “Since last semester I wanted to do this; where all the instructions were in your ear.  ‘Improve Everywhere’—they were our model.”

“It was really fun,” Katz said. “It felt like New Year’s Eve.”

Katz also mentioned that one of the main things she learned is that there is a lot of ambient noise in Marina. While rehearsing, the noise of the students in Marina Dining Hall was absent, but it was a totally different occurrence on the actual day.

“In that venue, I would run a script that wasn’t so dependent on sound,” Katz said. I think it had to be more actions.”

Katz would like to do another flash mob next year but is very uncertain about doing so.

“I don’t want to bore people,” she said. “I’d like to because it’s really fun, but then [I feel that it can be boring] if it becomes class material two semesters in a row and [some of those participants are] in the same class.”

“It was a lot of work, but we had a lot of fun,” Katz said. “There was a lot of people; There were easily 300 people there.”

Katz said that it was a learning experience.

“I think we did a really, really, really good job,” she said. “It was our first flash mob ever done at the school and it’s something that we can all be proud of.”

<Article can be seen on The Scribe website>

UB students “suit up” for their future: The university introduces its first Annual Career Day

The University of Bridgeport Career Services Center and the Save A Suit Organization banded together on Tuesday, November 15 from 3-6 p.m., to launch UB’s first annual Career Day, entitled “Suit Up For Your Future.” A total of 178 students signed up and the turn-out was phenomenal.

Various tables were set up around the Social Room of the Student Center, which served different purposes, such as: Mock interviews with real professionals, Resume reviews, Linked In Photo booth (where students got a professional head shot taken to use on their Linked In profile photo, or in and other professional context), creation of free students business cards and more.

The most highlighted aspect of the event was the opportunity to obtain business attire for absolutely no cost. Suits for both men and women filled the clothing racks that were lined up on one side of the room. Students were found browsing the suits and items, provided by Save A Suit, at their leisure. Students from the UB Fashion Merchandising Department were also available to assist students who were indecisive.

Save A Suit is a nonprofit organization that began just a year ago and its founder, Scott Sokolowski, understands that there are college students who have some pretty basic needs—and one of them may just be appropriate attire. Sokolowski established Save A Suit after interviewing a young individual who was clearly not dressed for an interview. He asked him why he wasn’t wearing a suit and the person replied, “I can’t afford one.” From then on, Sokolowski made it his mission to help kick-start college student’s careers.

“The first 30 seconds is the most important,” Sokolowski said. “I don’t want anyone walking in at a disadvantage.”

Students browsing through the various selection of suits

Tuesday’s event happened to be Save A Suit’s first big event that they have done.  Numerous colleges have been getting in touch with this organization and “calling left and right.”

“I saw a student walk out of here in tears,” Save A Suit Chief Information Officer (CIO) Jessica Ewud said, “Because he got a free suit.”

Ewud also made mention of a student who came in wearing a shirt and jeans, changed his clothes and walked out of the Social Room wearing “his first suit”.

“Every student said ‘thank you,’” Ewud said. “[We received] positive feedback from everyone; and I was amazed how divers this college was and the ability to work together—[It was a] beautiful thing to see.”

“Any student that needs a suit, we want to be able to give it to them,” Sokolowski said as part of the organization’s mission.

Ewud also said that there were no fitting problems. Students were able to come in, try on a suit and if it did not fit to their liking, alterations were done for free by the Fashion Merchandising Department students.

“[This event] was very student oriented,” Sokolowski said. “We want to thank the University of Bridgeport.”

Volunteer Leslie Tracey thought that the Career Development did a great job.

“I think the event is great,” she said. “[It’s our] first big event, so UB is pretty much on the map!”

Tracey said that “dressing well is something that should definitely be studied.”

“Future employers have specifications [on what is appropriate],” she said. “Unfortunately, this is an image world and people are judged by their outer appearance.”

Graduate Student Natasha Day appreciated all the information packets she received from Pitney Bowes (at the Resume table) and she enjoyed several other aspects of the event.

“I enjoyed the mock interview,” Day said. “The fact that they’re providing clothing for those that don’t have the appropriate attire is a good thing.”

Kingsley Udeh, another graduate student, said that he thinks this kind of event should be organized on a semester basis.

“It motivates and boosts students’ confidence in acquiring skills geared toward employability in the larger society,” Udeh said. “I was privileged to have my resume reviewed and restructured by one of the resume reviewing experts. To crown it all, I picked a free well-designed suit and shirt and neck-tie to match.” 

Corporate Recruiter of Pitney Bowes Veretta Bass-Addison said that they reviewed resumes. They sat down with students and helped them with their resumes.

“There is no perfect resume,” Bass-Addison said. “Every resume is unique and you’re trying to sell yourself.”

Sokolowski encourages students to visit www.Saveasuit.org as well as the Facebook page and support this organization.

Career Services is encouraging students to “save the date” and attend the Spring Job Fair on April 4, 2012 in Wheeler Recreation Center.


<View article on The Scribe website>

“Eclipse Lounge” brings out another year of UB talent

On Tuesday, October 4, the Tower Room of the Arnold Bernard Center (ABC) was transformed into Eclipse Lounge. The lights were dimmed, tiny, yet sophisticated, candles flickered from tall, round tables and finger foods were served by a male and female server and students and guests were ready for another Open Mic Night, meant to be filled with talent on and off campus.

Open Mic first began in the 1^st floor lounge of Seeley Hall and the attendance was phenomenal. Its 2^nd annual event was held in the Art Gallery of the ABC Building and demonstrated another level of aesthetic sophistication, with a wider venue and finally, “Eclipse Lounge” was moved to the Tower Room—an even larger venue, still upholding the expected style.

Courtesy of R. Jeanty

President of the “Elite Class of 2012” Delia Amsterdam and Vice-President and Columnist for “The Scribe” Malakhi have been the hosts of “Eclipse Lounge” since the very beginning, yet it was Eason’s idea to come up with this event.

“I wanted to do something that would force the student body to think outside the box by giving them an outlet to express themselves through their talents in a no judgment zone,” Eason said. “I wanted a nice location that would outdo the art gallery [and] I wanted to showcase the people on campus that usually wouldn’t speak up for their talents.”

Eason commenced the evening of talent, also making mention of this being the final Eclipse Lounge’s Open Mic Night hosted by the Class of 2012. The evening was filled with poetry, dance, singing, instruments and more, by UB students and off-campus guests.

It was Sophomore Jennifer Zantos’ first time at this event and she enjoyed it.

“It was good,” Zantos said. “You never really know how much talent is on campus [until you come out and see it].

Ijeoma Akusobi is a sophomore and likes music in general, but enjoyed other aspects of Open Mic too.

“I like the beginning; the spoken word,” Akusobi said. “I went [to Open Mic] last year and this year was better.”

It was more than I expected it to be [and] it’s sad because it was the last one; but I know we went out with a bang,” Amsterdam said. “It was a joy to be able to do the last Open Mic in the Tower Room—I thank the president for granting our request. We met our expectations and I’m so happy that everyone enjoyed it.”

Eason has been designing bowties for about three months and different designs were made available for students to purchase during the event..

“The thing that makes the ties so special is that they are hand crafted and created with intention to make the customers stand out,” Eason said. “I want them to stand out and take over, hence the name BOWTIE NATION.”

Eason made mention at the beginning of the night that all proceeds will go to the Class of 2012.

Both Eason and Amsterdam hope that students who attended realized that expressing their innermost talent is a great thing.

“It’s ok if you sing, dance or write,” Eason said. “No matter what your race, sexual preference or background is, you will still be heard.”

“I hoped students learn that there are different ways of expressing yourself, whether it be dance, song, poetry, or art; and I hope they took away that they can do anything they put their mind to,” Amsterdam said. “They can accomplish their dreams; and that the class of 2012 puts on the best Open Mics.”

“This will not be the last open Mic,” Amsterdam stated. “We will be passing it down to the class of 2013; hopefully they will bring their own style to it and keep the legacy going on for years to come.

<View article on The Scribe Website>

Brain tumor survivor walks 250 miles to bring awareness

20 years ago, wife and mother Heidi Gottlieb received news that changed her entire life. Doctors diagnosed her with a benign brain tumor, which eventually turned out to be cancerous. Since then, she has had two brain surgeries and two rounds of radiation. This experience led her to become the founder and director of “Brain Matters,” an organization created to bring awareness to the public about brain tumors.

Gottlieb has endured several surgeries, radiation, side effects such as double vision, trouble swallowing and paralysis of the tongue and also, the feeling of fear. When she was first given the news, her daughter was one year old and it was a “frightening time.” It was a time before the Internet and where it was very difficult to find out information about different diseases. Just three years ago she was told that she had a slow-growing, cancerous brain tumor, but after proton radiation, the tumor stopped growing. She is a wife and mother of two and although it is still somewhat scary, Gottlieb is happy about the Internet availability and the knowledge she has now.

On October 1, Gottlieb will be Walking Miles 4 Brain Matters, from her home in Port Washington, NY to Massachusetts General Hospital’s Francis H. Burr Proton Therapy Center where she was last treated (in 2008)—because this time going there will be under her control. This will be, in total, a walk of 250 miles.

“I am walking for a cause that needs more awareness,” Gottlieb said. “I’m shining a light on a subject quite dark.”

Heidi Gottlieb|| Facebook.com

Gottlieb plans to film a lot of this and will stop at schools, hospitals and various businesses to introduce herself and hand out flyers.

“I’m hoping to have more school participation,” she said. “I wish I had more time and more people.”

Gottlieb said that during the planning of this event she focused more on high schools, but if she had known how difficult it was for high schools to get on board with a project like this, she would have pursued colleges. The estimated number of participants in the walk is yet to be seen, but she will try to post her routes online as she walks.

Gottlieb plans to be in Bridgeport on October 7 and is looking for supporters—whether to join in the walk or to donate for the cause.

“The Brain Matters fundraising website with some great donation ‘perks’ will be up until September 30 and we’re still trying to reach our goal,” she said. “The link to that site is www.indiegogo.com/brain-matters.com.”

Gottlieb emphasized the importance of using a headset with one’s cell phone. She describes herself as an early cell phone user and, as a former film producer, she stated that she was on film sets in 1985 when cell phones weighed “about 5 pounds” and received poor reception.

“The weight has decreased and the reception is much, much better, but there is more and more information and statistics that connects cell phone use to brain tumors, especially cancerous brain tumors,” she said. “Why take the risk? Wear a headset.”

Gottlieb has redefined what it means to keep moving forward and this walk is meant to help create the awareness it needs about a disease that affects thousands of people each year.

“I’m one of the lucky ones,” Gottlieb said. “And there aren’t many, unfortunately.”

Gottlieb plans to write a book in the future about her story and hopes it will be inspirational to people.

Visit www.Brain-matters.org to donate to “Brain Matters” and learn more about how you can get involved.

<View article on The Scribe website>

Modification in Library hours causes reactions from UB students: UB announces 24-hours access to 1st floor of Magnus Wahlstrom Library

Two purple balloons and a standing white board stands at the entrance of the Magnus Wahlstrom Library, informing students, faculty and staff of the major change that will take place tonight, Monday, September 19. The 1st floor of the Library will be open for 24-hours on weekdays, ensuring more study and quiet time for those interested in taking advantage.

Senior and Martial Arts major Shane Staat is “absolutely ecstatic” about this reform in library hours.

“I get so much more done here than I do in my apartment,” Staat said. “I feel better getting work done here than I do at home.”

Staat said that he would have liked for it be 24 hours on weekends, but he can understand how student-demand can play a part in that decision. However, he feels that if Scribe café were open 24-hours too, they would make a lot of money, especially from coffee purchases.

“We [students] need fuel!” Staats said.

Junior Jocelyn Barna is happy about the new library hours.

“I get more done here than my dorm room,” Barna said. “I feel like if I’m in the library, not that I’m forced but, it’s more of an option to do my work.”

No library services will be available after midnight and the Print Room and Copiers cannot be accessed between the hours of midnight and 8 a.m. The Scribe café will have the same hours on Friday and weekends, but will close at 12 a.m. Monday through Thursday, extending three hours past the usual closing time.

Scribe Café Cashier/Server Ramona Nogic said that the new hours don’t really affect her, since she leaves hours before the closing time. However, she does not see the reason for the new 24-hour access.

“I don’t think it’s necessary,” Nogic said. “I don’t see many people after a certain time.”

Junior and Biology Major Hannah Boyd lives off campus and states that this change won’t affect her much, except during Finals.

“It encourages us to study at night,” Boyd said. “[Whereas] we should be studying during the day and sleeping at night. I prefer to study in the day [and get my eight hours of sleep].

Boyd is not only concerned about the employees having to work during the night now, but if the extension of hours will even be worth it.

“I wonder if it’s worth the staffing, electricity and the investment,” she said. “I wonder if there will be much people.”

Junior and Student Government President Colin Capaci, is proud to have this change at UB.

“I think it adds to the academic legitimacy of the university,” Capaci said. “Any reputable academic institution has a 24-hour library.”



The Library Hours are as followed: 

Monday- Thursday: 24 hours

Fridays: Open until 9 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sunday: 1 p.m. – all night

Marilyn Nelson shares her renowned poetry at Necessary Voices

The prolonged silence experienced in the Tower Room of the Arnold Bernard Center on Thursday, September 15 was a chance for listeners to absorb the words of Marilyn Nelson. She is an award-winning poet and helped to kick off the first Necessary Voices Lecture Series of the semester with an evident passion for the art of poetry intertwined with history.

Due to construction being undergone in the ABC Building, the Necessary Voices Poetry Reading was held in the spacious Tower Room, on the 9th floor, which provided a scenic view beyond the vast windows. At 4:30 p.m. English Professor (Dr.) Diane Krumrey officially opened up the 2nd year of Necessary Voices, which she explained began last year at the University of Bridgeport and is meant to energize the discussion of ideas and the arts. Krumrey then went on to introduce a “great, poetic treasure,” Marilyn Nelson. Nelson has been teaching for 12 years, has written poetry, music lyrics, children’s books and poetry translations, and is well-known for being Connecticut Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2006. According to The Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism (CCT), the Poet Laureate serves as an advocate for poetry and promotes the appreciation of and participation in poetry and literary arts activities among Connecticut citizens.

Nelson began her reading by first emphasizing briefly the importance of meditation, stating that “we learn in silence,” and then moving on to begin a reading from her book, “The Fields of Praise.” She introduced a series called “Mama’s Promises in which she intended the poems to be about feminist theology, where she calls God “Mama,” and started with a poem entitled, “The Lost Daughter.” It highlighted parenting and the importance of children being seen by their parent(s), however, is based on a true experience of being lost in a department store when she was younger.

Poets.org

“[It’s about] accepting the responsibilities of parenting, yet finding it terrifying,” Nelson said. “But connecting it to generations of parents who felt the same way.”

She mentioned her love of historic research and read other poems that were influenced by figures in history—whether it was Venture Smith and “A Treasure Buried,” Connecticut’s official state heroine Prudence Crandall and “Jump, Jump, Jump,” or even “Not my Bones” written in honor of a set of human remains unknown at first but later found out to be an 18th Century slave named Fortune. She shows admiration for George Washington Carver and described him as a saint. Nelson has written poems on Carver and felt that this man is what motivates a person to live a virtuous life.

“I’ve fallen into accident [into] writing about history,” Nelson said. “[I’ve] fallen into it by coincidence, not by choice.”

Sophomore Julie Torres attended the Poetry Reading and said she had read a couple of Nelson’s poems before. Although appreciating Nelson’s historic focus, Torres admits wanting to know more about the person behind the verses.

“I love history,” Torres said. “I wish she would have written more about herself.”

A few years ago, English Professor Eric Lehman saw a wonderful presentation of her work at the Florence Griswold Museum at which “they paired her Venture Smith poems with the work of artists.”

“It was quite moving and got me interested in the rest of her poetry,” Lehman stated. “I hope that my students will be inspired to read and write poetry.”

Dr. Krumrey hoped that her students walked away from Necessary Voices appreciating how inspiring it is.

“She [Marilyn Nelson] really showed us how history can be an inspiration and can be transformed to people of our own time,” Krumrey said. “She’s a really important Connecticut poet and has a lot to inspire students at UB; plus, she’s cool and fun to listen to.”

“I write poetry in an attempt to find deeper truth,” Nelson said. “The truth we are seeking is essentially the same truth.”

When asked what she hopes listeners took away from her readings, Nelson said, “the kind of pleasure that comes from a story told well.”

<View article on The Scribe website>

The memory embedded in America one decade later: The 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks

“Where were you on September 11, 2001?” is a question that many individuals, who were of age at the time, can answer in immense detail. The memory still remains embedded in the minds of those who may have witnessed the horrific scene of the planes striking the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, those who ran up the street of Manhattan after the buildings’ collapse to escape the smothering smoke and ash or even those who were spectators of this fateful occurrence via-television.

Freshman Kristin Shackleton was in her 3rd grade classroom in Illinois at the time of the attacks in 2001.

“A teacher came in to explain [what had happened],” Shackleton said. “I was extremely confused.”

Shackleton said she saw the plane hit the building on the TV when she got home. At the time, she truly thought it was closer to home than it actually was.

Senior Sydney Brown was in Bloomfield, Connecticut 10 years ago, sitting in her 6th grade Social Studies class.

“I remember my teacher found out and started crying,” Brown said. “I didn’t understand and I couldn’t even grasp it.”

At that time, Brown had never been to New York and so the occurrence of a terrorist attack was something that she couldn’t entirely comprehend. Years later, she began meeting different people from New York and was exposed to other points of views and received a brand new insight of that unforgettable day in 2001.

“It could have easily been me,” Brown said. “Those people were just as innocent. It makes you think—to really live your life and keep yourself in check.”

In honor of the 10th anniversary of the September 11 Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, there will be a Remembrance/Memorial Service in the Social Room of the John J. Cox Student Center at 6 p.m. tonight.

UB campus shakes from Earthquake aftershock

Buildings shook, indoor items rattled, the ground quivered and for those who felt it may have been taken off guard and even confused by the rare event on the East Coast. On Tuesday, August 24 a 5.8 magnitude earthquake shook the state of Virginia and left New York City, Washington, D.C., other surrounding states and even places like Chicago and Ohio feeling the aftershock. With a majority of University of Bridgeport students moving to their specified Res. Hall soon and classes beginning in just a few days, it is a wonder what occurred on UB soil during that moment, while students were away.
Dr. Thomas Ward, Dean of the International College, was on the fifth floor of Wahlstrom Library, for an opening meeting for the faculty of the International College, when they suddenly felt the tremors.

“The Library itself was literally shaken,” Ward stated in an e-mail. “More than half of us had experienced earthquakes before and it was clear what had happened. Within two or three minutes, we learned online that the earthquake's epicenter had been in Virginia."

The Scribe Design & Layout Editor and recent UB graduate Camille Jones felt the full effects of the aftershock, within the very walls of her New Jersey home.

“It was a normal day,” Jones said. “I heard my bed shaking, saw my fan shaking, and thought: ‘this is kind of scary;’” It’s not anything I’ve ever experienced before.”

Although very alarmed by the event when it occurred, she is, however, not surprised by this rare tremor felt in New York City and other states on the East Coast.

“Stronger Earthquakes in California can be felt out by the Rockies,” Jones said. “Even when the tsunami happened in Japan, they were taking precautions in California, because tremors like that can be carried very far.”

Assistant Dean of Student Edina Oestreicher was conducting Orientation Leader training for 31 OL’s and she stated in an e-mail that none of them felt a thing.

“We were all stunned to learn of the quake about a ½ hour after it occurred and many of us immediately went to call family and friends to ensure that they were safe,” she stated.

Orientation for new students didn’t begin until today and, therefore, most new students hadn’t even arrived when the quake took place.

“I was phoned by a friend from Chicago asking if I was ok,” Dean of Students Kenneth Holmes stated in an e-mail. “That’s when I learned of the earthquake.

“It certainly did make our faculty meeting all the more memorable,” Ward stated.

Dean Ward also mentioned that he had been in two earthquakes: one in Taiwan and one in Chile.

“I was in Taiwan in September 1999 when the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale. That was very different than what we experienced here,” Ward stated. “I woke up in the middle of the night to find my bed sliding and slamming into one wall of my hotel and then slamming into the wall on the other side of the room. We were lucky that it was so mild here.”

There were no known evacuations that took place on campus.

“Most of my staff were surprised that an earthquake had even occurred because I don’t think many of us think of this phenomenon as something that frequently occurs on the East coast,” Oestreicher stated. “We were relieved to learn that it only caused minor damage and no serious injuries.”