Category Archives: Kerri Musick

SURFing? At EMU?

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By: Kerri Musick

This past August I participated in the organization of the Honors College Orientation for incoming freshman. The day prior to the event I e-mailed John Feldkamp, Assistant Director of the Honors College, to find out where our designated parking area was. The P.S. section of his response was probably the most exciting part of this e-mail:

PS: I want you to meet Dr. Ron Delph at lunch time (have you met him before outside of the Frankenstein reading?). He is looking to work with a student on a research grant he received. Someone who is pursuing some type of History major was where we started with who would be a possible student. You were the first person I thought of. Just see me at lunch, and we’ll get the two of you to connect.

Um, what?! Deal. I knew I was in for a trip when I met with Dr. Delph at lunch the next day and the first question he asked was “Do you have a passport?”. By some stroke of luck I found myself agreeing to being a part of the SURF (Symposium Undergraduate Research Fellowship) program at EMU. Being a part of this program I am given the opportunity at the age 19 to conduct research alongside esteemed faculty- and get some financial support!

Each SURF (a total of 23) determines what they want to do with their stipend to help further their research. Personally, I am using my stipend to study abroad in Rome and Florence this coming March to foster a greater understanding of the position women played in the Medici reign in Renaissance Italy. Some other SURFs are paying for lab equipment, books, and travel expenses to fund conference fees to present their work.

There are a plethora of opportunities available at Eastern that prepare you for the real world of career preparation, help you build your resume, and network with important figures- not to mention the once in a lifetime chance to try your hand at undergraduate research.

Freshman Asked Questions of University Living

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By: Kerri Musick

I currently reside on the fourth floor of Putnam Hall, an all-girls floor of 18 year olds, as a Resident Advisor. August training came and went and next thing I knew move-in day was upon us. The first evening of my girls’ new home away from home we had our first floor meeting where we addressed any Freshman Asked Questions of university living. As you can see in the picture above, my girls have a lot to say and Freshman Asked Questions are plentiful. As we settle back into dorm living after the Thanksgiving break let’s go over a few.

Q: Do we have a curfew?
A: Nope. I would suggest since you have an 8 am class and it is 11:30 that you might not stay out too late.

Q: My dad’s bringing my dog up next weekend. Where can I go to get dog food?
A: The pound.

Q: My toaster broke. Who is that Mr. Greenwrench guy?
A: Number 1, you can’t have a toaster. Number 2, Mr. Greenwrench isn’t a person, it’s a website: mrgreenwrench.emich.edu

Q: Can we have guys over?
A: Yeah, sure. You have to check them in after 10 pm with Night Watch. This might be a better question for your roommate actually. . .

Q: Can you kill a bug for me?
A: . . . yes?

Q: Can you turn the heat up?
A: No.

Q: So, should I have my space heater sent to the front desk or my room?
A: Please leave.

Q: I hear there’s a kitty room. Where can I go to play with the kitties?
A: Youtube.

ResLife Recruits!

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By: Kerri Musick

On October 29th applications for Residence Life hit the cyberspace presses! http://www.emich.edu/housing/housingDTL.php?f=cp                                                  There are several positions up for grabs:

Resident Advisor (RA): Mentor students and help them find their groove in EMU’s community.

Community Programmer (CP): Plan events for your themed floor to help build community amongst your residents.

Office Manager (OM): The ringmaster when it comes to the front desk, billing, and mail.

Currently I’m an RA in the First Year Center and thus far it’s been a rewarding experience. You have the opportunity to think outside the box and meet new people. I feel like I’m part of a secret society. . . except it’s not so secret.

What are the requirements to obtain one of these positions?

1. Good student conduct standing                                                                                         2. 2.5 GPA (or 3.0 GPA for Honors Hall)                                                                                 3. 24 credits at the end of Winter 2013                                                                                  4. 2 semesters of community living

Good to go? Now attend an informational session on one of the following dates:

1. November 12th in Phelps/Sellers lounge @ 6p (Community Programmer), 7p (Resident Advisor), and 8p (Office Manager).
2. November 14th in Hoyt’s 10th floor lounge @ 5p (Community Programmer), 6p (Resident Advisor), and 7p (Office Manager).
3. January 8th in 320 Student Center @ 10a (Community Programmer), 1p (Resident Advisor), and 3p (Office Manager).

You need to attend one session per position you plan on applying. At these meetings you can ask questions to current ResLife employees, learn about the expectations of your potential title, and the tangible benefits that come along with it. Personally, I only did the job for the official looking name tag and the fancy long sleeve t-shirt.

Good luck! And if you have any questions please comment below!

You’re Hired!

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By: Kerri Musick

The whirlwind of the beginning of the year brings forth freshmen, book buying, Homecoming and getting back to the “grind.”

Between classes, social outings and homework, there has to be some time for you to rake in the big bucks (or at least minimum wage). At Eastern, there is a department specifically designed to help students score the job, University Advising and Career Development Center (UACDC).

The UACDC is commonly known as the department to help you with Academic Advising, but there are several more layers that are less known. The most helpful tool is the job search engine, EagleCareers.experience.com, Eastern’s very own Monster or Linkedin. On this website you can narrow your search to either part-time or full-time, what kind of work you’re interested in doing, and for both on-campus and off-campus employment.

You will also have the opportunity to electronically submit your cover letter and resume to employers through EagleCareers. Don’t have a cover letter or resume? Don’t know where to begin? There’s a solution or that, too! You can set up an appointment with a career advisor for resume reviews, mock interviews and job search strategies.

The world is at your fingertips, young Eagle! To begin you job search you don’t even have to get out of your pajamas. Many of these services UACDC provides are online. Get started today by visiting UACDC’s homepage at http://www.emich.edu/uacdc/students/.

I Want To Be A Billionaire So Stinkin’ Bad!

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By: Kerri Musick

A lot of the advice and information that come through these blogs are how to immerse yourself and gain the entire college experience. While student involvement is half the battle, the sole purpose you are attending EMU in the first place is to educate yourself and hammer out a degree.

I’m sure you don’t want “big brother” over your shoulder, reminding you to study hard and attend class, but if you really think about it, you’re getting paid to go to class. I don’t mean “you’re investing in your future” and getting a paycheck five years from now, but you’re shelling out the cold hard cash, why not actually earn it?

So, let’s do that math on just how much you’re “getting paid” for every class undergraduate class you attend.

Making a couple of assumptions that most classes are 3 credits and meet twice a week:

1 credit = $246.95 x 3 credit hours = $740.85 per class.

There are 15 weeks in a semester, meaning your class with meet 30 times per semester.

$740.85 / 30 class periods = $24.70 per class.

Next time you consider skipping a class, feel free to comment below and I’ll give you my contact information to transfer $24.70 to my Eagle Card account.