The Continuum Issue #1, October 2011

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The Continuum

Grad Spotlight 2

We take a look at the: who,

what, where, and how of

our fearless leader,

Roderick Wilson in this

issues Grad Spotlight.

aB: Guatemala 3

See what really happens

during spring break!

Alumni Profile 5

Joanna Garcia, Coordinator

for the Center for

Leadership and Service, is

featured in our all-new

Alumni Profile!

I knew I wanted to work over the summer and try to gain some experience from a different university so I started to

research some internship options. Some professionals within my department suggested I look into an ACUHO-I internship

(Association of College and Housing Officers-International). I signed up for the organization and was able to look through

universities that were looking for students to work over the summer. I was able to search through internships by a variety of

categories such as duration of the internship, region, department, stipend, and position. Once I found an internship that met

my preferences, I sent my resume and a short email to the contact person listed. If the employer was interested, the next

step was to set up phone interviews. I received a six week internship with the University of Hawaii, Manoa working in the

External Relations department. I was responsible for creating a training manual and customer service presentation for the

offices of Family Resident Relations, Parent and Family Relations, and Off-Campus Housing. During my time I had the

opportunity to explore the island, get familiar with the culture, and learn about the various departments. I am using this

experience for my practicum requirement and suggest students to look into an ACUHO-I internship.

My Summer Transformed!

Picture of FIU’s Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum

Looking for a summer experience?

How about spending apart of your

summer in paradise and gaining

wonderful experience for the future?

By Lauren Wilson

The Continuum Issue # 1, October 2011

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Grad Spotlight: Roderick Wilson

Roderick Sherrard Wilson

Undergraduate Information: Northwestern State University; Natchitoches, Louisiana BA in Science: Hospitality Management and Tourism minor in Public Relations Anticipated Graduation Date: December 2011 SAGA Involvement: Social Committee Member and Historian 2011-2012 President 2011 Favorite TV show: F*R*I*E*N*D*S and Will and Grace Favorite Food: Bacon Cheeseburger

“Why not Higher Education?” Those words still echo in my head. They were spoken by my mentor about 3 years go as I

began thinking about my future after graduation. She encourage me to consider a career in “doing what I love”. I, like most

student leaders, was very ambitious about what I want to do for a living. I wanted to make money and the word education

immediately cancelled all hope for being successful. Cause face it? We, as a society, measure success by the amount of money in

bank and not by the number of lives we touch and change for the better. Looking back my experiences, everything I have done

has bred me for a successful future in higher education administration. Rather it was being Student Activities Board President,

President of my fraternity, or my roles and leadership within Orientation each of my undergraduate experiences mode me into

the person, more importantly the professional, I am today.

These past two years in the higher education administration program has provided me with a lot of useful knowledge

needed to advance in this field. The faculty and staff commitment to the students and their success in the program speaks

volumes of the type of professionals the program produces. We are all committed to the whole student, building experiences

and relationships, and developing/creating an environment where both students and peers feel safe and grow as a person. The

work I have done with Dr. Ellison as her graduate assistant and my experience with Campus Life as the SGA graduate assistant

this semester were amazing. The program courses have increased my awareness in equal access and opportunities for

everyone. I am more than just a Student Affairs professional; I am an activist for education reform in this country.

The Continuum Issue # 1, October 2011

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market setup by street vendors to sell meats, fish, and grains to locals. We also discovered some of the most gorgeous tapestry and Mayan jewelry any of us had ever seen. The bustling market was open only three times a week, but it was surely a phenomenal, unconventional experience for our group in understanding the lifestyle of the locals.

The nature of our assignment was to lend support to a pre-existing organization in the community to build a school. The non-profit organization, known as “Long Way Home,” has struggled with funding, but it does not stifle their commitment to completing the Tecnico Maya School. This particular project was managed by a couple of former Peace Corps volunteers, Matt and Adam, who were highly revered by all of the villagers and offered endless insight to our group about their mission. The ultimate goal of this project was to promote environmental awareness through education. We were building the school with everything from trash to tires. The idea was to make it eco-friendly while utilizing all of the renewable resources the community had to offer. This school would one day be filled with teachers and administrators instructing students about environmental construction practices, sanitation, and hygiene. Given the materials used to build the school, it was a sturdy and well-built structure. The school was designed to withstand severe weather catastrophes and landslides. It was evident throughout our trip that the dedication of the volunteers matched the strength of the structure.

We worked with numerous volunteers from all over the world that week, as well as locals who were engaged a great deal with the project. We continue to stay in touch with some of them to this day, including the family that housed us during our stay. This experience made me realize the importance of being a global citizen, and that education is the true cornerstone of a healthy, thriving community. Though our trip was ephemeral and we gained so much from it, I am confident we left something behind in San Juan Comalapa. I can only hope that more students are willing to step out of their comfort zone to take advantage of these opportunities. I probably won’t change the world, but I have witnessed the chance to change a community forever.

Alternative Breaks: Our trip to San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala

“I probably won’t change the world, but I have witnessed the chance to change a community forever.”

Not many people escape to the arcane graces of San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala for their spring break getaway. I was the advisor for an Alternative Breaks (aB) group assigned to an international rural poverty issue. We were selected to go to Guatemala for our service project, but had vague ideas about what to expect. For months we fundraised and held meetings to prepare for this trip. Needless to say, our preparation strategies versus our actual experience were unparallel. We bonded much during moments of sympathy, tension, and labor. It was disheartening to observe the sub-human conditions this community had endured for so long; however, we were uplifted by the notion that there was something being done to help the natives improve the nature of their environment and education.

San Juan Comalapa is a diminutive village interspersed throughout verdant, yet heavily polluted highlands, hours away from city life. Food is scarce, the town is encompassed by a pungent cloud of smoke, and the weather is remarkably cold during the spring. There are no homes, cars, or malls. Villagers either live in their run-down shops or their makeshift sheds. There is no municipal waste management system, so locals dispose of trash in a barren valley nearby where the town’s water supply runs through, and stray dogs scavenge for scraps. Emergency care centers are few and far between, and the nearest hospital is almost two hours away. I was only here for eight days with a small group of FIU students, but the 35,000 people that make up this community have lived in these conditions their entire lives.

The village is adorned with paintings and murals depicting its sacred past. The town, ignored and abandoned by corrupt politicians, prides itself on a rural lifestyle and beautiful art work. It is enchanting despite its environmental setbacks, and the views of the mountains are breath taking. The hospitable nature of the villagers runs in the blood of their culture, and inspired our group to maximize our contribution for the little time we were there. Also, at the center of the town in front of San Juan Comalapa’s illustrious church, is a busy

Danilo Le Sante

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The Continuum Issue # 1, October 2011

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The Continuum Issue #1, October 2011

Given my last name, you might assume I'm Hispanic and an advocate of minority support programs. Although the former is true (I am a Florida-born Cuban American), I was initially very opposed to the much debated DREAM Act - better known as the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors.

Currently a resident and student in Florida -- ranked third in the nation for undocumented immigrants at 3.8 percent of the population -- I strongly believed that providing economic support to other students who resided illegally in this country was not fair or right. As a U.S. citizen born of Hispanic parents, I followed the rules and worked hard to earn a college degree. I believed undocumented students who, after all, are illegally in the country had no right to reap the same benefits that I worked so hard for.

But, the Senate Judiciary hearing that took place last month completely changed my mind. It was Texas Sen. John Cornyn's assumptions about immigrants, and flawed interpretation of the act, that bothered me the most. In no uncertain terms, he began to suggest that those who may have misdemeanor charges could be eligible. Just by suggesting a relationship between criminal acts and eligible students, I decided then to read the act more carefully, and follow the debate with a more critical eye.

As it turns out, those applying under the act have to pass through

a process where "good moral character" is considered along with other requirements: Applicants must have entered the U.S. before the age of 16 and be less than 35 years of age, lived continuously in the U.S. for at least five years and earned a high school diploma. If they can meet all of those requirements, they are eligible to pay the state tuition rate for higher education and, once they complete at least two years of college or military service, they would be provided with conditional permanent resident status for six years.

There are many other assumptions made about the DREAM Act, some of which I initially shared. For one thing, many interpret this bill as having major implications for broader immigration reform when, in fact, its main purpose is to provide college access for students who have resided in this country for much of their lives. A growing number of undocumented children make up our K-12 system. By providing a better opportunity for these students to attend college and become more educated and productive members of society, we can capitalize on the dozen years of free K-12 public education they received as young children paid for by taxpayers.

Capitalizing on this prior education isn't just good for the individual students; it would provide a greater economic benefit for our country as well. What else will these young adults do if they cannot pursue higher education and cannot find legal work? The possibilities are

many, and mostly unsettling. A University of California-Los Angeles study estimated that these dreamers, if given the chance, would generate about $3.6 trillion in the span of 40 years.

As a resident of a state where education is a very competitive and limited resource, my initial fear was that this act would provide a financial burden on citizens like me who struggle enough, as it is to reach my goals. But upon reading the act carefully, and the anti-immigrant rhetoric that is defining much of the debate, it seems clear to me now that these students are not my competition. They are my peers, who represent the future of this country as much as I do.

Submitted by Charlene Collazo

Source: The Huffington Post

Posted: 8/10/11 04:27 PM ET

Reconsidering the DREAM Act

Submitted by Dr. Glenda Musoba, Assistant Professor Educational Leadership and Professional Studies