Tanya Fields Introduces The Veggie Mobile Market

Tonight, the CUNY SPS 2013 Commencement keynote speaker, Tanya Fields will discuss The BLK Projek’s latest plans for a new mobile food market, and you have an opportunity to join her.

The BLK Projek was founded in 2009 to empower women and youth with the resources to rise out of poverty through the food justice movement. A new key asset in their mission to create economic development opportunities in the South Bronx is The Veggie Mobile Market. The goal is to turn a bus into a solar powered, mobile market that will bring fresh vegetables and “…good food to the ‘Hood’.”

The South Bronx community will get their first look at The Veggie Mobile Market at the “Meet the Bus” event tonight at 6pm. It is also a chance for anyone from CUNY SPS that is interested in Tanya’s work to meet her in person. She will be conducting a cooking demo “Fab Food on a Food Stamp Budget” that will be part of the mobile market’s educational outreach program.

Also presenting tonight at “Meet the Bus” will be Dara Cooper, director of the New York City Food and Fitness Partnership at Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation who was a founder of Chicago’s mobile food market, Fresh Moves.

As Tanya explains on the campaign fundraising page, “This project is about food but it is about so much more. It will change the way we see ourselves in our community. It will allow us to hire marginalized folks and pay them a living wage. It will change the way people think about economic development and the way they see the Bronx. It will use food as an empowerment tool!”

Take a moment to RSVP, and if you can’t make it in person join them on Google Hangout.

All-Star Celebrity Apprentice and the Day Trace Adkins Called Me

Ever have one of those days? You know the kind. Roll out of bed after hitting the snooze 11 times. Run out of coffee. Run out and buy coffee. Make coffee and think ah that was the worst of it only to realize no cream! And then something incredible happens and no not the kind of incredible where you can zip those jeans that have been giving you a hard time and oh look, there’s a twenty in the pocket. No. Way better than that!

The incredible came as I was trying to fit 5 hours of errands into 45 minutes. My phone started buzzing and I picked it up intending to throw it into a wall but the name caught my eye. I stopped mid-hurl to see if my eyes were playing tricks but nope. It was real. Rhonda Adkins, wife of Trace Adkins, country music superstar, Celebrity Apprentice phenomenon was letting me know that Trace was calling me. In 30 minutes. As in Trace freakin Adkins!

My phone rang and the most incredible voice in country music asked to speak with Kristen Ferrari. I was so lost in that voice that for a minute I forgot I was Kristen Ferrari. I dumped an entire box of dog treats on the floor to distract the dog from barking at every squirrel in the neighborhood and had a seemingly normal conversation with the man who brought us You’re Gonna Miss This and my personal favorite, Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.

I say seemingly normal because he was so normal, down to earth and nice and if it weren’t for that voice I would have sworn it wasn’t a country music sensation on the other end. I resisted the urge to ask him to sing his side of the conversation. Maybe next time.

Anyway, why did Trace Adkins agree to another season? Wasn’t one enough? He laughed saying he had actually turned it down both times. But then Massapequa production and NBC VP, Chuck LaBella went over his head to his wife, Rhonda, and next thing you know, he was competing on Celebrity Apprentice and then Celebrity Apprentice All-Stars.

He laughed about it but also was clear that he loved the idea of raising money for the American Red Cross. After a devastating house fire in 2011, the Adkins family saw first-hand the need for people to have help in a crisis. Nobody plans for their house to burn down and having trained responders show up on the heels of the fire department eased the overwhelming process of how to move forward. Little things like knowing where important documents are can be overlooked without people who are trained to deal with crisis.

Trace talked about being in Alaska when the fire happened and the gratitude he felt for the Red Cross for being there when he couldn’t be. He considers himself a person who always tried to pay people back and hopes to do that with his latest stint on Celebrity Apprentice All-Stars.

I asked Trace about his fellow contestants. He spoke highly of Penn Jillette saying, “I picked Penn first. He was the man to beat and I wanted him on my team.”

Omarosa? And yes. I tried desperately to goad Trace into telling me how mean she was but he was a perfect gentlemen. He even surprised me when he said that he had planned on picking her second because he had played with her before and could have used her against the other team. “I’ve never had any problems with Omarosa. I’ve always been decent to her and she’s always been decent to me.”

Stephen Baldwin? Stephen didn’t bring in one penny. Wasn’t that sabotage? Wasn’t that sleazy? Trace didn’t bite simply saying, “I accept Stephen for who he is. I knew when I picked him that he wasn’t a fundraiser.”

Stephen was picked because he was from New York. Massapequa, actually, I told Trace, though after watching Stephen do nothing to help his team I wasn’t feeling the hometown pride. Trace felt that since they were playing in New York, it would help to have New Yorkers on the team.

What stood out to me was the generosity of the country music community. Combined with T Boone Pickens’ donation of $100K, Trace raised over $400K. I would have thought Bret Michaels would have been the big money drawer but the country music community pulled together giving Trace a big win.

Trace spoke again about the outpouring of support from the country music community and how appreciative he was especially considering that many donors couldn’t be shown because it would ruin the suspense of knowing which team raised the most money for the viewers. The amazing part is that nobody complained about not being shown making their donation. It was a true coming together for charity.

I asked him for a final thought about doing the show. He laughed heartily comparing it to AA saying you just try to get through, hour by hour without killing someone.

Trace called it a redeemable reality show. After all, behind all of the backstabbing and manipulation millions of dollars have been raised for charity.

Kristen is a single mom of 3 kids and studying at The CUNY School of Professional Studies. She is blogging while she still figures out what she wants to be when she grows up.

Nominations Now Open for SPS Governing Council Student Representatives

We are now accepting nominations for students to join the School of Professional Studies Governing Council.  The Governing Council considers proposals for new courses, degrees, certificates and programs that will be offered by the School.  Two students and two alternates are needed to serve on the Council for a one year term starting on July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.

The role of the Council is to consider and approve new courses, certificates and degree programs that the school offers as well as advising the Dean of SPS on the administration, coordination, and development and termination of all of its programs and curricula.  The Council meets seven or eight times a year, in the afternoons at the Graduate School and University Center.  We estimate that the students elected to the Council will need to be able to commit 10 hours each month in which there is a meeting in preparation and participation.  Attendance at the meeting is very important because that is when votes are taken.

In order to serve, you must be a degree candidate in the School of Professional Studies, plan on enrolling in the fall 2013 and spring 2014 semesters and currently be in good academic standing.  Your interest, enthusiasm and unique student perspective are extremely valuable to the Council and we hope you will consider nominating yourself if you think would like to serve on the Council.

If you are interested in serving, please complete the Student Representative Self-Nomination form.  It may be submitted by email to Dr. Zeita-Marion Lobley, our Director of Student Services, at z.lobley@mail.cuny.edu on or before Tuesday, April 16, 2013.  Dr. Lobley can be reached at (646) 344-7248 if you have any questions. Students who express an interest in running will be provided with a page on the SPS website and an ePortfolio.  Through the ePortfolio candidates will inform students of their candidacy and will campaign for election.

Nominees should plan to attend a brief orientation session with SPS staff, current student representatives and faculty serving on the Council on Thursday, April 18, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.  This session will provide an overview of the role of the Governing Council, member roles and responsibilities, an overview of the election process and time for your questions.  Elections will take place from Monday, April 29, 2013 through Thursday, May 9, 2013.  Election results will be announced on May 11, 2013.  Elected student representatives will be introduced to the other members of the Governing Council at the last Council meeting of the year, scheduled for Thursday, May 16, 2013.

Thank you and I look forward to working with you in the coming year.

Sincerely,

Brian A. Peterson

Brian A. Peterson is the Associate Dean for Administration and Finance at the School of Professional Studies.

CUNY Disability Awareness Month

April is officially Disability Awareness Month throughout CUNY and to celebrate our commitment to enabling students, faculty, and staff with disabilities to excel in their studies, research, and work there are a series of events throughout the university. Whether you are interested in learning more about a particular disability or you want to gain skills in your search for a career, there is something for everyone!

At the College of Staten Island, students tell their stories of challenge and triumph as students with disabilities in My Story: A Dialogue Among Students in just one of the many events being held on campus throughout the month.

Similarly, Lehman College is having a panel discussion on disability and higher education from an international perspective on April 17.

The CUNY Learning Disability Project is sponsoring a Learning Disability Awareness Conference on April 16 at Baruch College geared toward helping faculty and staff to better understand learning disabilities.

The Autism Spectrum is the focus of several events across CUNY including “Promoting Successful Transition: Into, through and beyond Higher Education, for students on the Autism Spectrum” at Brooklyn College on April 8 and “Autism Spectrum Disorders: Moving Forward” at BMCC on April 11.

Queensborough Community College is offering two very interesting events with “Engaging Faculty and Tutors in the Success of Community-College Students with Disabilities” on April 17 and “Young People with Disabilities” on April 24.

On April 18, Bronx Community College is hosting a screening of “Going Blind: Coming Out of the Dark About Vision Loss.”

And last but not least, Hunter College is hosting a series of events all month long covering everything from Career Choices and Job Readiness to Learning Self-Advocacy Skills, they’re even hosting movie screenings throughout the month too!

CUNY SPS students seeking information about disability services can contact Student Services. Students at other campuses can access services through The CUNY Disability Resources & Services website.

If you are a CUNY student, faculty, or staff sponsoring an event for Disability Awareness Month not listed above, add the information in the comments below. We will also update this list with new information shared with our office in the coming days.

Featured Student: Denise Lewis

Denise Lewis is a current student at The CUNY School of Professional Studies, enrolled since Spring 2010 in the Online Bachelor’s Degree in Business. As a single parent she raised three children, often working two jobs to support her family, while maintaining an excellent GPA. Each of her children currently attends or has graduated from college. Academic Advisor, Jaye-Anne Sartoretto recently had the chance to ask Denise a few questions about her goals and motivation for pursuing higher education, and here is what she shared with us:

Jaye-anne: What are you hoping to accomplish in the next five years?

Denise: What I intend to accomplish in the next five years is to be on my way to a successful Fashion Styling business. I have an Associate’s Degree in Fashion Buying and Merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and when I get my Bachelor’s Degree in Business it will give me the business foundation from which to build and establish a business. I have already started drafting a simple business plan from which I can build upon and add more detail to bring my business into fruition.

Jaye-anne: What or who inspires you and keeps you motivated?

Denise: I am basically self-motivated. I know what I have to do, and I plan out my assignments and do them. After not completing my degree when I was young and fresh out of high school, it has always been my goal to finish college. I was always inspired by:

• My grandmother, who was a West Indian woman who always instilled in her family that education is important;
• My mother, who although she did not go to college went to nursing school and became a Licensed Practical Nurse while raising five children;
• My oldest sister who has a Master’s Degree in Counseling and is a Study Skills College Counselor at the Fashion Institute of Technology;
• My daughter, who won a full scholarship to a private college (DePauw University in Indiana) and graduated, and who, by the way, is back in Graduate School studying accounting and plans to become a CPA;
• My other two children, who have some college and plan to return to get their degrees;
• And last but certainly not least, my four grandchildren, for whom I would like to be an example to show them that no matter what age you are, it is never too late to finish college and to instill in them that college is an important life goal to accomplish.

Jaye-anne: What challenges do you face as an online student? And how have you overcome those obstacles?

Denise: The challenges that I face as an online student are sometimes being tired; or if I am studying a subject that is a little challenging for me, such as mathematics, I have to find a tutor or someone to help me. I have overcome these challenges by just pushing along and doing the best that I can and asking for help from someone who is more knowledgeable in a subject that I am, or I ask the professor for more time to complete an assignment if I am having trouble with it. Most professors understand and grant the extension. Another challenge for me was dealing with the noise of my grandchildren (who only wanted to play) when I was studying. However, I overcame that challenge by purchasing a laptop and retreating to a quiet room to complete my assignments. There were also times that I stayed late at work to get my homework and studying done.

Jaye-Anne Sartoretto is an Admissions and Academic Advisor for The CUNY School of Professional Studies Online Baccalaureate Program. When asked to reflect on her work here at SPS, she said:

“As an advisor, I see my role as helping students integrate their academic path with career planning. Equally important is what transpires during the academic process. My goal as an advisor, is to encourage students to discover strengths, define interests and become more confident in what their capabilities are. But the environment for this to manifest needs to be an environment that is built on trust and support. It is most important to build a relationship with each student. Each student is different and has different needs. Therefore it is crucial to be sensitive to what those needs are and advise accordingly. As advisors we get to understand the vicissitudes our students overcame. That is why there is nothing more rewarding and praiseworthy then to watch my student graduate. I can only hope that I somehow made a difference in their lives.”

Following Up With The MAAT Lab Conference

Current student, T.J. Black (’14) contributed the following recap of the inaugural Master of Arts in Applied Theater Lab Conference that was held in mid-March:

On March 17, 2012, students and alumni of the Master of Arts in Applied Theatre program gathered for the inaugural MAAT Lab Conference.  The MA in Applied Theatre was developed in 2008 in collaboration with the CUNY-Creative Arts Team as the first degree-granting program of its kind in the country.  It is committed to the goal of creating leading practitioners in the field, using theatre as a tool to address educational issues and affect social change.  The Lab Conference, organized by current students T.J. Black (’14), Olivia Harris (’14), Leah Page (’13) and Ben Weber (’13), was designed as a forum for current students and alumni to explore pressing topics in applied theatre, and to further cultivate an ever-growing community of applied theatre practitioners coming through the program.

Despite issues with scheduling—the conference was rescheduled due to Hurricane Sandy—nearly a third of all current students and alumni chose to participate.  The sessions were a mix of participatory workshops and plenary discussions, covering a range of topics including sex and gender in the classroom, fundraising, applied theatre work in prisons, and many more.  Several of the sessions were inspired and/or developed by class work done in the MA program.

During the closing reflection, the community expressed that the conference was a useful and effective exploration of current questions in the field of applied theatre. Attendees also found it to be an ideal opportunity to network with colleagues from different graduating classes.  There is an enthusiastic interest in continuing to develop the conference as a venue for collaboration, dialogue, and exploration of the major issues facing this emerging field, potentially opening to the wider community in the near future.

Presenters included current students Rachel Evans (’13), Olivia Harris (’14), Shamilia McBean (’13), Brisa Munoz (’13), and Ben Weber (’13), as well as alumni Ria Cooper (’10), Max Forman-Mullin (’12), Maggie Keenan-Bolger (’10), Jessica Levy (’12), Heather Nielsen (’12), Kevin Ray (’11), Julia Taylor (’12), Sherry Teitelbaum (’11), and Michael Wilson (’11).

For further information on the MAAT Lab Conference, please contact T.J. Black at thomas.black2@spsmail.cuny.edu

For more information on the MA in Applied Theatre, please visit http://sps.cuny.edu/programs/ma_appliedtheatre

2013 ePortfolio Showcase

The annual ePortfolio Showcase highlights students who have created ePortfolios for academic, professional, and/or personal use. The showcase aims to demonstrate the many ways our students are stretching definitions and creating full pictures of their learning.

This year, in addition to accepting ePortfolio nominations from faculty, students will be able to submit their own ePortfolios to the showcase. Students who are selected as one of the “Featured Student ePortfolios” will be highlighted on the ePortfolio Showcase website, receive a badge to display on their own ePortfolio, and receive an Amazon gift card.

What is an ePortfolio?

Electronic Portfolios (ePortfolios) offer a dynamic, online space to represent your professional “self” on the Web. In higher education and in the business world, ePortfolios are a way to showcase your skills, achievements, and experiences. Whether you want to share your work with friends, family, professors, colleagues, potential employers, or graduate school admissions committees — ePortfolios provide innovative ways to market yourself while taking ownership over your own work.

The online ePortfolio platform CUNY SPS has chosen is Digication. Designed specifically to showcase academic work, Digication’s easy-to-use tools allow you to create thought-provoking and visually stimulating ePortfolios that will enhance your courses and deepen your learning experience. Once you have an SPS account with Digication, you can create as many ePortfolios as you like. You will always have access to your ePortfolios, before, during and after the semester; even after you graduate.

Watch the brief “Intro to ePortfolios @ SPS” video below to learn more about this digital tool and how it can be used.

New to ePortfolio?

If you don’t have an ePortfolio account, but are interested in creating an ePortfolio to submit in our annual showcase please send an email to the ePortfolio team at ePortfolios@sps.cuny.edu. (Please be sure to include your name, SPS email address, and the degree program you are enrolled in.) The ePortfolio team will email your account information along with some basic instructions to get you started.

We’re also pleased to offer an ePortfolio Information Session on April 10, 2013 from 12:30pm – 2:00pm, where students can learn more about ePortfolios and how they can be used for both academic and career development. This webinar will explain the nature and uses of ePortfolios and will give you the tools you need to start building your own ePortfolio in time to participate in our annual ePortfolio Student Showcase.

Info Session: ePortfolios for Academic & Career Development

When: Wednesday, April 10, 2013; 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Where: Online
Register: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/244073554

Already Have an ePortfolio?

If you have created an ePortfolio as part of a course requirement you should already have a Digication ePortfolio account. You’re welcome to attend the ePortfolio Information Session on April 10, 2013 from 12:30pm – 2:00pm, and/or review the many resources available to students on the ePortfolio Resource Website. To learn more about new third-party apps that can be included in your ePortfolio, click here.

ePortfolio advisors are also available to assist with conceptualization, troubleshooting, and third-party applications. You can request Live Help with an ePortfolio advisor during the scheduled virtual office hours, or send an email anytime to ePortfolios@sps.cuny.edu.

Submit Your ePortfolio!

We invite you to submit your ePortfolio to the CUNY School of Professional Studies ePortfolio Student Showcase for an opportunity to be selected as one of the “Featured Student ePortfolios” on the ePortfolio Showcase website and receive a $100 Amazon gift card.

Selections are made based on:

• Design layout
• Organization of materials
• Best use of multimedia
• Demonstration of reflective learning
• Overall representation of academic skills, coursework, and extracurricular activities

To nominate yourself, please complete this form by May 24, 2013. Please help us recognize your great work with ePortfolio!

 

News From The Alumni Advisory Council

The following post was submitted by Crispin Goytia ‘09, Chair of the Alumni Advisory Council. 

The CUNY School of Professional Studies Alumni Advisory Council was formed with the intention of bringing alumni together to make time to dedicate and “give back” to the school that gave us so much. Personally, it has been a blessing for me to be a part of this council because I can’t think of a better way to keep the legacy of SPS alive.

I was part of the first group of students enrolled in the online degree program and I have always thought of ourselves as “trailblazers” daring to take education to new and improved heights. I have many wonderful memories, but honestly my favorite was going on a nature walk in Inwood Park as part of the Nature and New York Course.

By being a member of the Advisory Council, we are able to partake in that vision each time we work together to develop ideas and programs that will forever shape the school and the populations it serves. Each time we meet, I am reminded that the Advisory Council feels like a family.

Giving of your time, even if it is just once a month can impact the life of a fellow student at CUNY SPS. I ask of all alumni both near and far to create an alumni action plan which can help people figure out how they can best give back to an institution that has given us so much.

Crispin is a graduate of the Online Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and Culture Program, currently works in research, and plans to apply to one of the Master’s Degree programs here at SPS. 

SPS Alums Present: The Birds and The Bees Unabridged

Maggie Keenan-Bolger (SPS ’10) and Rachel Sullivan (SPS ’10) are co-creators of The Birds and The Bees Unabridged, an original devised theater piece about female sexuality accompanied by a pre/post show art exhibit. Bringing together a diverse ensemble of 25 people, and over 15 visual artists, The Birds and The Bees…Unabridged uses theater and visual art to challenge the status quo and spark much needed conversations about women and trans sexuality.

For years, many women have not had the time or place to discuss and define their own notions of sexuality or to challenge current definitions. Using the experiences, ideas and opinions of the individuals in the ensemble, and the 2000+ people who participated in a nationwide survey, The Birds and The Bees Unabridged tackles issues of sex education, partner communication, the sexual body, sexual health, identity, and how sexuality changes over one’s lifespan. This project examines real opinions and stories…because the gentle explanation of the bees pollinating flowers will only go so far.

The Birds and The Bees Unabridged was developed through the process of devising as learned in the MA in Applied Theatre Program at SPS.

School of Professional Studies Students/Alums involved in the project include: Directors: Maggie Keenan Bolger (’10) and Rachel Sullivan (’10) Performers: Meggan Dodd (“11), Chelsea Hackett (’14), Carrie Ellman-Larsen (’11), Jess Levy (’11), Ernell McClennon (’10), Suzu McConnell-Wood (’11), Heather Nielsen (’12), and Liz Parker (’11).

Showtimes and Details:
Wednesday, March 27, 8pm
Thursday, March 28, 8pm
Friday, March 29, 8pm
Saturday, March 30, 2pm and 8pm
Speyer Hall at University Settlement: 184 Eldridge St. New York, NY
Tickets: Sliding Scale $10/$15/$25, based on what you can give
For tickets and information, visit www.thebirdsandthebeesunabridged.com

Distance Learning and Online Relationships

This article by Wendy Williams originally appeared on the blog Getting Smart on February 21, 2013. 

I never get to meet most of my students in person, because I teach asynchronous online courses via Blackboard, for the City University of New York (CUNY). I was part of a cohort of Ph.D. students who began teaching after fully online programs were available. The online venue allowed us to keep researching and writing our dissertations, teaching asynchronously as time permitted. While teaching, I was working on my anthropological research, on Chinese Americans and their digital communication strategies in Brooklyn’s Chinatown. The focus of my research was the online relationships this group builds and maintains online, using everything from Skype to the Chinese social networking service QQ.  My favorite part of doing my anthropological fieldwork was developing new relationships, especially with one particular family. I treasure the details my students give me about themselves, too, as a way to get to know them, albeit virtually.

The CUNY online program, part of the School of Professional Studies (SPS), is for degree completers.  Students must transfer in with at least 24 credits, so they are all adults, with complicated lives and many responsibilities.  The program began in 2006, offering an online major in Communication and Culture, and went on to offer degree programs in Psychology, Sociology, and Business; there are eight in all today, six bachelor’s and two master’s.  Because my students are working adults and often parents, I think many are not focused on the social experience of college; they just want to learn and get their degrees. The big advantage of distance learning for them is that they do not need to travel to a classroom, and there are other perks.

Because class size is capped at 25, SPS classes are more like small seminars than MOOCs, and students thrive on the personal attention and feedback, from me and from each other.  Most of their work is written, so students get a lot of much-needed practice in writing.  Some are not native English speakers and get to sharpen their language skills as well.  The self-pacing means they can tailor the time they spend on each assignment. With their remarkable diversity, typical of CUNY students, they bring a range of perspectives that enhances every class discussion.  My colleagues and I spend lots of time thinking about ways to enrich the student’s online learning experience using open source tools — with Jing videos, a blog in WordPress, class discussions on Twitter, and other enhancements.

SPS has an extensive list of instructional design options to include in each course, and having at least some group work is one of those recommendations.  Some of my students are resistant to group projects but later report that they found it quite beneficial, for the fresh viewpoints that different minds and learning styles brought to the project.  They also get to interact with the rest of the school, and beyond, by producing ePortfolios.  One former student, who was considering a new career, took my assignment to produce an academic ePortfolio and ran with it, producing a rich display of her schoolwork that was personal, polished, and creative – just the sort of thing to show to a potential employer or graduate school.   It also allowed me to relate to her in a new way, after seeing that we liked the same kind of music.

My students may be more comfortable with the limitations our online program places on relationship building than I am.  I share some of Sherry Turkle’s concern from Alone Together (and see her New York Times opinion piece) that people are so focused on text-based communication today that face to face communication can get devalued, along with the relationships it enables.  I crave more chances to see light bulbs go off for students, with my own eyes, although I do get to witness it in other ways.  I once suggested in an informal discussion forum that my students might be interested in a free lecture at the New York Public Library. I met one student after he graduated who told me that he did attend that lecture, and that it started him on a life-changing journey of discovery of the intellectual life of New York City.

CUNY’s online students benefit from these casual conversations, and so do I.  There is room for growth in finding more ways to nurture their social interaction and competency in oral communication, even in a fully asynchronous online course.  I use Blackboard Collaborate, Skype, or Google Hangouts for my office hours and to get small groups of students together, to facilitate their relationships with me and with each other.   The informal learning that can happen in the social spaces within and outside of the course is an important goal.  When students then graduate and move on, some to graduate school, they are taking with them this experience with how a student-centered, collaborative learning environment works online.

Wendy Williams is a media professional, educator, and cultural anthropologist.  She is an online instructor for CUNY School of Professional Studies and lives in Brooklyn.