May term went by so fast, but with so much work. For those who don't know, May term is a month-long semester through May where you take one class everyday, two hours a day. Some jokingly call it "Play Term" but I find it to be anything but. During my May Term I took a class on Iraq, Iran and North Korea called "The Axis of Evil," and play I did not. In one short month I wrote three, six-page essays! It finished well, though, and then I said goodbye to another senior class. It is absolutely unreal to think that I'm halfway through my time at Transy.
In my last blog, I told you all about some struggles and how I came to reaffirm my belonging at Transy, I also left a bit of a cliffhanger. Unfortunately, I did not get the internship with The Herald-Leader. But, hey: you win some, and lose some and everything turns out for the better. In this instance, the better turned out to be an amazing opportunity. I was just hired as a Cooperative Intern for Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America's External Affairs division! Under this position, I will use skills I've gained in my Writing, Rhetoric and Communication major and my time with The Rambler to write press releases, speeches, and work on other projects. It is really exciting, and online reports say that as many as 25% of Toyota Coop Interns get hired on full-time after graduation. It is an excellent, paid opportunity!
It will also be my first time out of Lexington for any long period of time since I got here. I have fallen in love with this city, and have really started growing roots here, and while it will be sad to leave it behind, if only for three months, it will also be refreshing to get a bit of scenery change.
I am determined to make the most of my time at Transy, and this internship will just add to that, and it is because of Transy that I got the position, I feel strongly. I received many compliments for my work on the newspaper and the volunteer opportunities (First Year Urban Program, and Alternative Spring Break) I have been able to take advantage of because of Transy. I owe a lot to a lot of people here.
Anyway, guys, it has been another great year of blogging. To those students coming in the fall: I look forward to being your classmate. To anyone who is reading, please don't hesitate to email me with any questions, jrhawkins13@transy.edu, or leave something in the comment section.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Finding my way back home
Winter term has been insane. On top of classes, my 20+ hours a week job and work as news editor of Transylvania University's student newspaper, The Rambler, I have had a bit of a personal dilemma, one that I feel free to share with you all here now.
Over Christmas break I thought a long time about my future. I had been, and continue to be, pretty engulfed in my work on The Rambler. I found myself reading books on journalism, searching the internet on the different career paths, and seeking out guidance of professionals in the field. Then I came to a conclusion. I realized that I had found what I really wanted to do with my life. I want to make a career out of writing, out of telling the events of every day, out of writing the first draft of history. While the medium may change, and I don't know where it will print-- newspaper, computer screen, cell phone, or iPad-- I know that is the career I want to pursue.
You'll notice this semester my blogs have been lacking. A weekly update turned into sporadic postings. When I decided on what I wanted to do with my life I started worrying about the path I was on. Transy doesn't offer journalism as a major. I considered transferring. I felt less comfortable blogging about my experience at a college where I wasn't sure I saw myself graduating from.
I went pretty far in these thoughts. I applied for transfer admission to two different large, research universities with established journalism departments. I spoke to my parents about it, sent my FAFSA elsewhere, and started looking at living arrangements.
Then it came down to making the decision. I started looking back at my two years on this campus, two great years in the Transy Bubble, and the road that led up to this point. I remembered my first day of classes and how during open hour (an hour long period on Tuesdays and Thursdays where no classes are scheduled in the middle of the day) on that first day I went into The Rambler office and announced my desire to be a news writer; my blind desire that turned into the passion that defines me now.
I started thinking about my experiences with The Rambler, the stories I had written and the people I had interviewed. Then it hit me: I owed everything to Transy.
I came to Transy having never written a news story and without the slightest thought that I would want to go into this field. Had I went anywhere else I would never have discovered this talent, this aptitude and this passion about myself. Furthermore, the small Transy environment allowed me complete immersion into this. I write one or two stories for every issue and have since I walked in the door. I have interviewed numerous people: celebrities, legislators, city officials and more. I have brought untold stories to the attention of campus. I have made mistakes along the way, learned from those mistakes, and I continue to develop a skill in a hands-on way that I couldn't take advantage of anywhere else. The hands-on method has worked, this semester I received two first-place awards for news writing from the Kentucky Intercollegiate Press Association.
This would have been utterly impossible at a larger school. There are too many people and too much competition. Transy's small environment has allowed me to not only to discover a passion I had no idea I had, but to build that passion into a enjoyable, marketable skill.
On top of that, I am learning stuff that will set me apart. I had an interview at The Lexington Herald-Leader today for a paid internship as a reporter for nighttime crime stories (I hope I got it!). The editors I spoke with talked about how the fact that I was studying general skills in writing (my major is Writing, Rhetoric, and Communication) with a broader range of studies in other areas made me a great candidate. With a liberal arts background, I bring a wide range of knowledge to the news room, along with my practical experience on The Rambler.
Since I made my decision and decided to stay here, my home, things have only been reaffirmed. I am in the process of designing an independent study course in journalism that goes beyond the Intro to Journalism course Transy already offers. In this course, I hope to be able to, with the one-on-one guidance of a professor, study advanced methods of the field. I've joined the Society of Professional Journalists, the leading group that professional journalists worldwide subscribe to. I am receiving, and in fact owning, my education in the way that works for me.
So, the road was tough this semester. I almost lost my way, but in the end I rediscovered what I realized when I was sitting in the same shoes you are in as a prospective student. Transy is a community of students, learners, and friends. While our majors may differ, we unite in the same goal: bettering ourselves. We don't define ourselves by our major, we define ourselves by the fact that we are all students.
Over Christmas break I thought a long time about my future. I had been, and continue to be, pretty engulfed in my work on The Rambler. I found myself reading books on journalism, searching the internet on the different career paths, and seeking out guidance of professionals in the field. Then I came to a conclusion. I realized that I had found what I really wanted to do with my life. I want to make a career out of writing, out of telling the events of every day, out of writing the first draft of history. While the medium may change, and I don't know where it will print-- newspaper, computer screen, cell phone, or iPad-- I know that is the career I want to pursue.
You'll notice this semester my blogs have been lacking. A weekly update turned into sporadic postings. When I decided on what I wanted to do with my life I started worrying about the path I was on. Transy doesn't offer journalism as a major. I considered transferring. I felt less comfortable blogging about my experience at a college where I wasn't sure I saw myself graduating from.
I went pretty far in these thoughts. I applied for transfer admission to two different large, research universities with established journalism departments. I spoke to my parents about it, sent my FAFSA elsewhere, and started looking at living arrangements.
Then it came down to making the decision. I started looking back at my two years on this campus, two great years in the Transy Bubble, and the road that led up to this point. I remembered my first day of classes and how during open hour (an hour long period on Tuesdays and Thursdays where no classes are scheduled in the middle of the day) on that first day I went into The Rambler office and announced my desire to be a news writer; my blind desire that turned into the passion that defines me now.
I started thinking about my experiences with The Rambler, the stories I had written and the people I had interviewed. Then it hit me: I owed everything to Transy.
I came to Transy having never written a news story and without the slightest thought that I would want to go into this field. Had I went anywhere else I would never have discovered this talent, this aptitude and this passion about myself. Furthermore, the small Transy environment allowed me complete immersion into this. I write one or two stories for every issue and have since I walked in the door. I have interviewed numerous people: celebrities, legislators, city officials and more. I have brought untold stories to the attention of campus. I have made mistakes along the way, learned from those mistakes, and I continue to develop a skill in a hands-on way that I couldn't take advantage of anywhere else. The hands-on method has worked, this semester I received two first-place awards for news writing from the Kentucky Intercollegiate Press Association.
This would have been utterly impossible at a larger school. There are too many people and too much competition. Transy's small environment has allowed me to not only to discover a passion I had no idea I had, but to build that passion into a enjoyable, marketable skill.
On top of that, I am learning stuff that will set me apart. I had an interview at The Lexington Herald-Leader today for a paid internship as a reporter for nighttime crime stories (I hope I got it!). The editors I spoke with talked about how the fact that I was studying general skills in writing (my major is Writing, Rhetoric, and Communication) with a broader range of studies in other areas made me a great candidate. With a liberal arts background, I bring a wide range of knowledge to the news room, along with my practical experience on The Rambler.
Since I made my decision and decided to stay here, my home, things have only been reaffirmed. I am in the process of designing an independent study course in journalism that goes beyond the Intro to Journalism course Transy already offers. In this course, I hope to be able to, with the one-on-one guidance of a professor, study advanced methods of the field. I've joined the Society of Professional Journalists, the leading group that professional journalists worldwide subscribe to. I am receiving, and in fact owning, my education in the way that works for me.
So, the road was tough this semester. I almost lost my way, but in the end I rediscovered what I realized when I was sitting in the same shoes you are in as a prospective student. Transy is a community of students, learners, and friends. While our majors may differ, we unite in the same goal: bettering ourselves. We don't define ourselves by our major, we define ourselves by the fact that we are all students.
Monday, April 4, 2011
A Perfect Storm...
So as the first thunderstorm of Spring (yes! I love storms.) is brewing outside, I came across an article from The Chronicle of Higher Education that offers a critique of college in America. It was a very interesting read, and I highly encourage you to check it out.
I was happy to notice, though, that so many of the things that the author Thomas Benton (a college professor) pointed out as flaws with American universities just don't apply at Transy, while other critiques of culture in general are valid, I see Transy as a college that does everything it can to counteract the perceived flaw.
For instance, Benton discussed the changing forms of literacy in students entering college. I definitely agree with this statement. I came into college and considered myself a very good writer (I had received the highest score in my school on my Kentucky writing portfolio, and distinguished in On-Demand writing). The thing is though, writing for a standardized test, I quickly learned, is much more superficial and generic than writing, say, a well thought out research paper. Transy understands this knowledge gap, and because of that we have the Foundations of Liberal Arts program -- a two part program taken during first-year that teaches you how to write for college.
Benton also mentioned an alienation from professors that college students face. Honestly, this is a completely foreign concept. I sometimes find myself wishing I could be more alienated from professors (Full disclosure: I was behind and skipped a class last week, and hour later the professor saw me. Totally busted!). Transy professors are insanely available; I've even called one at 7p.m. and felt perfectly comfortable in doing so.
Another concept, declining academic engagement, also doesn't seem appear at Transy, and perhaps this is just among my circle of friends. I find myself discussing class topics, current events, and other academic matters much more often than I find myself discussing the latest episode of "Glee" (though I do love Glee...). Any time I watch T.V. I find myself thinking "That would make a great artifact for a rhetorical analysis", or "Wow, that commercial reinforces the gender dichotomy present in the western world...".
I'm not saying Transy is perfect, but when looking at the list I think Benton might reconsider some of his points.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Lectures, Documentaries, and Student Performances
Coming to you live from the library is (a much needed) update on the scholarly life of Jake Hawkins:
I'm sitting in the library writing a proposal for my term project in my class on Rhetorical Criticism. I'm examining the rhetorical genre of apologies given by public figures who have been accused of sexual misdeeds (think Tiger Woods, Bill Clinton, and Ted Haggard). I've hit a speed bump and needed a break from working so I decided it was a good time to update you all.
Since I last updated you all I've been to a few events on campus. Transy is really awesome about hosting speakers and beyond that it seems that there is always a student production going on.
A few weeks ago, The social sciences department hosted a screening of "The Frontier Gandhi: Badshah Khan, a Torch for Peace" which was an independent film about a unsung hero of a muslim peacemaker and his works for establishing equal human rights in war stricken and impoverished regions. The day after the showing the maker of the documentary, T.C. McLuhan, came to my Human Rights class and we were able to hear from her, firsthand, about the documentary and ask questions. It was a really cool experience.
We also had the once-a-semester Kenan Lecture. This lecture series was established several years ago and brings the campus and surrounding community together for a lecture by a prominent speaker. In the past we've had people such as Academy-Award nominated actress Mary McDonnel, Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel (who wrote an amazing memoir, "Night") and many others. This semester we had a professor from Harvard Law, Dr. Randall Kennedy, come a discuss issues of racial nomenclature and the linguistic evolution of terms used by and against the African American community. As a student who studies rhetoric and communication, a speech on the power of words was very interesting to me, and I enjoyed it a lot.
Then a few days ago, I attended a performance of "The Vagina Monologues," it may sound a bit provocative, but it is a series of monologues that calls attention to feminist ideologies. Fellow blogger, Amanda Holt, was one of the participants. The monologues mixed comedy with education, and at Transy were put together entirely by students. Tickets to go were only $3 and all proceeds went to the Rape Crisis Center in Lexington. It was a great way to be entertained, help out a good cause, and receive education on feminist issues.
For being a smaller campus, Transy does a beyond excellent job of providing opportunities like this to us. I'm glad, sometimes it can be really refreshing to receive education beyond the classroom setting.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Not an ordinary school
Happy February! I hope all is well with you guys. Things have been great here, busy as always, but still pretty awesome.
I know I told you all about my schedule this semester, but my entire post this week is about my classes so I'm going to tell you again. All my classes are on Tuesday and Thursday and last for 1 and 15 minutes each. I have Human Rights, Rhetorical Criticisms, Introduction to Sexuality, and Popular Fictions.
These classes seem pretty different, but you would be extremely surprised at how much overlap there is. I know that I have explained the term "Liberal Arts" before, but to those who haven't followed along it essentially means interdisciplinary learning for the sake of learning. Transy adheres to that philosophy, and takes it pretty seriously. This has really became evident in my classes this semester.
One day last week, my readings in all four classes were so interrelated I couldn't keep them separate. In Human Rights we were discussing the Catholic Church's role in human rights in Spain. In Rhetoric we were talking about the communication practices of oppressed groups. In Intro to Sexuality we were talking about the Catholic Church's role on same sex marriage in Spain, and in Pop Fiction we were discussing the hidden sexuality message in the novel Dracula.
Can you say wow? I literally caught myself citing the reading from different courses on that day, and stuff like this keeps happening. My classes today fell outside of the realm of ordinary today as well. In Rhetoric we did a narrative criticism of the video game "Medal of Honor: Rising Sun." That means we literally spent over an hour talking about a video game. Then in Intro to Sexuality we watched an episode of "Sex and the City" and next class session we'll be watching "The Bachelor."
Obviously, classes at Transy can be extremely interesting. When you learn for the fun of it the topics you discuss can mirror that level of fun pretty easily.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Let's get this party (re)started!
Hey guys,
It has been a while! The end of the semester hit me hard, in the face, with extreme force. I barely had time to sleep; I apologize though. I hope no one was too distraught by my absence.
As you could have guessed, it's a new semester. To the high school seniors reading this: take a deep breath because you are in for a wild ride! (Though maybe not if you're getting as much snow as we are. Snow Days are definitely rampant this winter!)
For this blog, I figured I would share with you a bit of advice, that is embedded in my new year/new semester resolution: READ! I'm sure you all know as well as I do, that in high school "required readings" in classes other than perhaps English aren't that big of a deal. You can usually skim stuff, look at the chapter overview, or get away with not reading it at all. It has taken me three semesters to learn this but: THAT IS NOT THE CASE IN COLLEGE!
Part of the reason I became so behind last semester, and was thus so stressed at the end of the semester, was because I hadn't kept up with my required readings. While I didn't necessarily feel behind during the middle of the semester, I was given study guides for finals and all of the sudden I realized how much material I had missed because of my choice to not complete the assigned readings.
Another tip that I picked up since we last met (and I use the term 'met' loosely, of course) is the power of group studying. One of the reasons reading/studying writing is so hard to get motivated for is because you are missing out on "hang out" time with friends. A simple solution is to just make studying a social activity. Even if you don't have any of the same classes, I've recently realized that you can have a blast just sitting at a table together in the library. My study group consists of a Transy senior, two Transy juniors and a nursing student at UK. We are all studying something vastly different, but it helps to be able to stop once in a while and just discuss material with someone that might be unfamiliar with it. This is especially useful with writing.
But anyway, I think that is enough advice for one blog. Before I go, however, I have to update you all on an earleir post. I had mentioned a semester long internship with Disney that I might be participating in. Just wanted to let you know that I decided, for the time being, against attending for a variety of reasons. I am, however, working with the Career Development Center to get a summer internship with The Herald Leader (Lexington's daily newspaper). Hopefully that'll work out well for me! :)
-Jake
It has been a while! The end of the semester hit me hard, in the face, with extreme force. I barely had time to sleep; I apologize though. I hope no one was too distraught by my absence.
As you could have guessed, it's a new semester. To the high school seniors reading this: take a deep breath because you are in for a wild ride! (Though maybe not if you're getting as much snow as we are. Snow Days are definitely rampant this winter!)
For this blog, I figured I would share with you a bit of advice, that is embedded in my new year/new semester resolution: READ! I'm sure you all know as well as I do, that in high school "required readings" in classes other than perhaps English aren't that big of a deal. You can usually skim stuff, look at the chapter overview, or get away with not reading it at all. It has taken me three semesters to learn this but: THAT IS NOT THE CASE IN COLLEGE!
Part of the reason I became so behind last semester, and was thus so stressed at the end of the semester, was because I hadn't kept up with my required readings. While I didn't necessarily feel behind during the middle of the semester, I was given study guides for finals and all of the sudden I realized how much material I had missed because of my choice to not complete the assigned readings.
Another tip that I picked up since we last met (and I use the term 'met' loosely, of course) is the power of group studying. One of the reasons reading/studying writing is so hard to get motivated for is because you are missing out on "hang out" time with friends. A simple solution is to just make studying a social activity. Even if you don't have any of the same classes, I've recently realized that you can have a blast just sitting at a table together in the library. My study group consists of a Transy senior, two Transy juniors and a nursing student at UK. We are all studying something vastly different, but it helps to be able to stop once in a while and just discuss material with someone that might be unfamiliar with it. This is especially useful with writing.
But anyway, I think that is enough advice for one blog. Before I go, however, I have to update you all on an earleir post. I had mentioned a semester long internship with Disney that I might be participating in. Just wanted to let you know that I decided, for the time being, against attending for a variety of reasons. I am, however, working with the Career Development Center to get a summer internship with The Herald Leader (Lexington's daily newspaper). Hopefully that'll work out well for me! :)
-Jake
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