The Universities at Shady Grove (USG)

For people that do not know me already or have not had the time to read my bio, I am Samuel Dussey and I run two clubs, the African Club and the International Club. I try to manage them between school (student at the University of Maryland Baltimore County) , work (librarian assistant) and internship (EarthShare intern). My campus The Universities at shady Grove gave me the opportunity to represent both the international and african community on campus. This month we have created an event called the World in the Library where we showcase different artifact from the different countries. For this event, because there is so many categories of artifact we can showcase, we have focused our showcase on fashion from different country.

We choose fashion because clothes give so much information about a country; it communicates symbolic colors and designs of each country, their history, ideology, and personality. Plus, fashion is an efficient and friendly way to approach and learn about different cultures.

International students and students from different backgrounds were asked to bring attire that represents their country, and the result were astonishing.

Our goal was not only about showcasing the attires, but also to inform and promote the diversity of USG to the student body and the community. The attires were displayed with a brief description such as the type fabric they were made of, the history and the cultural values behind it.

So far, the event is going very well, we have received good ratings and volunteers who wants to participate in future events.

This event would not have been possible without the help of the Staff and the consent of the director of the Priddy Library. They were happy to see some colors in the library, making a comfortable place for student to study and to concentrate.

USG is full of diversity and we took it our goal to promote it and create a family atmosphere that is prosperous to all students. If you have not seen it yet, do not hesitate, stop by the library and enjoy!

During my time here in Brazil I have been confronted with many challenges and new realities. To say this experience has been eye-opening is not only cliché but also a disservice to my time here. This past week I have had one of the most inspiring experiences so far, I travelled to the Amazons!! This experience was broken into 2 main components the urban city of Manaus and a boat excursion to rural villages on the Rio Negro. Some of the activities we had this week were:

• Climate change lecture by Dr.Philip Fearnside
• UNICEF presentation by Emly Costa
• Presentation on Indigenous Health by a Pajé Tukano (Tukano healer)
• Visited various indigenous communities within the city of Manaus
• Cultural presentation by the Povo Tuyuka
• Survival night in the Amazons in a Riberino community
• Presentation of various NGOs such as SECOYA, and Associação das Mulheresdo Alto Rio Negro (AMARN)

Just being in the Amazons was amazing, adding to the mix an opportunity to learn from local experts and communities made it unbelievable. While I could spend days talking about how beautiful this area is and captivating these indigenous communities are, I won’t. Instead I would like to share with you some wisdom I acquired during this time.

I visited 5 urban indigenous groups and 5 rural groups each group has different challenges based on their location. For the tribes that live in the city many times their rights are violated because they are not considered “true” natives because they are in the city. For the tribes that live along the river access to services such as healthcare, education, sanitation, transportation, even food is a huge problem. In each community I visited there was a phenomenon that kept happening, people were looking at ME and asking ME to use my voice to tell their stories. In the eyes of these tribal leaders I come from the land of opportunities and because of this I am privileged to be able to create change. To these tribal leaders it did not matter that I was a woman, student, or minority, what was important was that I could become a messenger of their cause.

Being confronted with these realities and being asked consistently to take action made me question many thing. Who do I speak up for? How powerful can my voice truly be? These past few months we have all been bombarded with one of the most crucial ways to make our voices heard, elections. While this is important, we should  stop and consider how do we make our voices heard when it is not election season? Maybe we won’t become the spokesperson for a remote indigenous tribe but how can we create change in our own communities? How can we create awareness for the issues happening in our own backyards? The answer could be something as simple as having a conversation about the issues or it could be as complex as creating an NGO to address the problem. Whichever the case may be I urge you all to use your voice at all times to help those who are silenced by the many injustices of the world. Change is not something that only happens every election season, it is something that each one of us creates everyday with our words and actions. 

Dear Readers,

This is an automated message scheduled to post on October 31st at 8am.

Over the weekend (October 29-30), yours truly will attempt to go to a haunted place. This will be the first time in my life. Will I go? Will I cancel last minute? Who knows?!

You see, I get easily scared. I hate ghost stories. I dislike walking in the dark and get paranoid easily. This is why I avoid scary movies and haunted festivities, especially around the time of Halloween. Of course, there are many things I am scared of. It just so happens that this is one of the things I am most scared of.

To break my cycle of being a scaredy cat, I have decided to go to the Field of Screams, located not too far from the Universities at Shady Grove. There are 4 distinct haunted attractions you could participate in. I can already tell that I will be screaming my head off and crying once I enter the haunted place. I am almost certain I will pass out too. What is the point of this? It is to prove to myself that such scary things are not harmful to me, and that if I can survive my most illogical phobia, I can survive any hardships that life may throw my way. Will I be able to go through with this? Not sure! If I do go through with it, will I come out unscathed? Doubtful.

By the time you’re reading this, it will already be Halloween. If I survived this little test I created for myself, you will probably see me around USG. If not, well… it was very nice knowing you.

In any case, I do want to remind you to be safe out there! Whether you’re studying late at night or walking around USG campus in the dark, know that it is entirely okay to ask USG’s Security Officers to walk you to and from your car. They do not mind, and it is even recommended. You never know what is lurking out there! There might be a mugger, or even a vengeful spirit. Who knows?! After all, the nights are getting longer and darker. Halloween or not, it is a scary world out there!

Heed my warning. Stay safe.

HAVE A SPOOKTECULAR HALLOWEEN!

Best Regards,

Christine

P.S. If I am alive and well, I am looking forward to see all the wonderful costumes USG students and staff will be wearing!

The Universities at Shady Grove will hold an Undergraduate Open House this Saturday, October 29, 2016 @ 9am.

This is a great opportunity to come check out what institutions and programs USG has to offer. Take tours, gather information about specific programs and talk to current students!

Register here for the Open House.

Check-in begins at 8:30 am and the Welcome starts at 9:00am.

Institutions and programs will be set up with current students along with program advisers. Don’t miss this opportunity!

Already a student at USG? No worry! Ask your program director how you can help at the Open House. It is a great experience representing your program and telling prospective students all about what you love!

I think we all have either a love-hate or hate relationship with group work. Suddenly you realize you’re the one who is always coordinating the group meetings, contacting members of the team, and ensuring deadlines are met. You could also find yourself in the opposite role, where your opinion is never taken into account or you get stuck with the part of the project you least enjoy. These are a few strategies (learned via Smith’s PT MBA program and by experience) to mitigate issues that may come up with group work:

• Accept the fact that not everyone thinks the way you do: We all have different upbringings and life experiences that shape our opinions and perspectives. What we think is right or proper, may not be for another person. Keeping an open mind is important in this case.
  • To avoid personal conflict avoid questioning the team members themselves (you cannot change the cards you are dealt). Instead, question the assumptions upon which they are basing their opinions/contributions.
• Articulate expectations from the get-go: set goals for the group and yourself, and communicate this with your team at the start of a project to avoid last minute disappointments.
  • Establishing deadlines in addition to goals is essential at the start of a project
• Meet in person: in the work force it is highly likely that group work will take place in a face-to-face setting with your colleagues. Interacting face-to-face not only helps imitate a real world scenario, but it also helps minimize misinterpretation of information.
• Avoid traps: don’t be guilty of the fundamental attribution error: placing emphasis on internal characteristics of the individual, rather than external factors, in explaining their behavior. If someone is not pulling their weight, don’t assume they are lazy…inquire about their struggle with the work, and how the team as a whole can help.

Every group’s dynamic is different by nature, but there are many ways to align individuals to achieve a common goal. Take a positive approach to group assignments, communicate clearly, and actively look for resources (online for example) to help deal with obstacles you  may be facing with your team.