SiMPSON Students Selected for Conference in Boston

Three SIMPSON students were selected to participate in the National College Conference for Political Engagement at Harvard University September 19-21.

"In addition to a variety of informational sessions and workshops, participants may have the opportunity to hear from the current presidential candidates. Senators John McCain and Barack Obama have been invited to speak to the crowd."

Meet the students ExCiTeD to attend:

Chris Richert '11 from Indianola, IA is a political science major with history & theatre minors. He's an active member of SAE fraternity & the SIMPSON COLLEGE Republicans, & is a D.J. for SIMPSON's KSTM radio station.

"Far too many Americans are more concerned with who was voted off American Idol rather than who will be voted on to lead this country,” said Richert. “That needs to change, and I plan on doing everything I can to ensure that my generation becomes civically and politically mindful of our future."

Steven Ramsey '11 from Kansas City, MO is political science & philosophy double major. He's an active member of the Student Government Association, SIMPSON COLLEGE Democrats & Campus Activities Board. He was also an Orientation Destination Leader this past summer.

"I am very excited to meet and network with other politically active students from around the nation,” said Ramsey. “These are the future leaders of America.”

Jamie Corey '10 from West Dundee, IL is a pre-law political science & French double major. She's competes for The Storm Cross Country & Track, and is an active member of SIMPSON COLLEGE Democrats, Student Government Association, French Club & the Pre-Law Society.

"I am very excited and honored to attend this conference at Harvard,” said Corey. “I hope to learn new ideas and ways to promote political activism here at Simpson. The youth vote has been ignored for too long, and now is the time that students can come together to make a difference for our future.”

...AND Jamie was a girl I worked with as a prospective student, YAY!
I'm so proud of her. :)

RAiN, a FUEL PUMP, a DONKEY...& a COLLEGE FAiR.

A weekend of cRaZiNeSs & stress...saved by chats with great students, a run-in with a dude on a donkey & beautiful driving weather. :)

Last Friday, I headed to campus (I work from home in Western Iowa) for a staff meeting & I almost didn't make it. My car completely shut off as I was driving through the parking lot & it definitely wasn't gonna restart! :( I was in the middle of the lane & I'm no Popeye, so I had to call the Admissions Office for some additional manpower to move it out of the way...all dressed up & in the rain. Thankfully it wasn't far from a curb; a no parking zone, but out of the way nonetheless. I wished I had a picture of everyone - the poor things - that's totally not in their job description! :P

During the staff meeting, in addition to the nuts 'n bolts of the usual "staff meeting", we had Del Shepherd from the newly created CVIL department (Center for Vocational & Integrative Learning) on campus come tell us about their opportunities for SIMPSON students. I can just say, "WOW, I WiSH all this was available when I was a student!" This reorganized program includes several career counseling services, information on vocational exploration, leadership experiences, internships, service/volunteer work & more...undecided major? HAVE NO FEAR, CVIL IS HERE! The staff even meets with every first year student during their Liberal Arts Seminar class.

At the end of the day, I had a brief brainstorming meeting with the SIMPSON Storm Chasers Bike Club while my dad came down to investigate the car issues...still, in the rain. Bad news: it wasn't the battery. So, I stayed @ my parents' house that night & planned on talking with the auto shop Saturday morning. Sure enough, they weren't open on the weekend...well, I had dropped my keys off in their key drop, so I wouldn't have to drive the 25 miles down that morning. AND, all my college fair stuff & computer was IN my car for Sunday. My dad & I had to break into my car through the weather stripping to get everything out. I had to rent a car & finally got home around 7:30 Saturday night...

*Random note*: It was nice looking @ Michael Phelps on SNL that night, but I still cringe watching non-actors host it! I sure miss the good ole laugh-out-loud days of SNL.

Aaannyyyhhooo, 2 hours driving Friday...2 hours driving Saturday...packed up & drove 2 1/2 hours further west to Grand Island, Nebraska on Sunday for my 1:00 college fair. Monday morning, I called the auto shop right away to have my car towed there & worked on...the dude called me back to say I needed a new fuel pump. Well, fuel pumps aren't exactly vending machine-cheap...these are the days where I wish I was best buddies with Donald Trump. The worst part about it is that just 3 weeks ago I had another LARGE amount of $ put into the car on something else. :( Okay, so it does have 185,000 miles on it, BUT these are the ONLY two problems I've ever had & I'm only 3 months from having the car paid off. I had a 5 1/2 hour drive ahead of me that day, including 5 high school visits (one of them 45 miles south of Lincoln). Thankfully the weather was gorgeous for a drive...

I got a kick out of this sign in Seward, Nebraska, LOL!

THEN, I stopped for an EnErGy break (chocolate & soda) @ the gas station & noticed a loaded donkey holding a dog on a leash & their "owner" talking with some folks...well, my curiosity peeked & sent me over to see what his mission was. He was obviously VERY passionate about what he was doing, because he talked forever. It turns out he's traveling to Seattle from Ohio, to meet Bill Gates about funding adaptive learning opportunities for children & the elderly. He figured he wouldn't have a chance if he showed up on his motorcycle, so he's attempting something more bizarre...riding a donkey named Moses! He was taking pictures along his journey & his website is http://www.milesofsmilesforever.com/

On a good note, I talked with some EXCELLENT students during the college fair & high school visits - both juniors & seniors. One gal had SIMPSON recommended to her from a friend who visited campus last month! She's #1 in her class of 273 & is also a volleyball player. RoCk On! Another one was filling out the application as I was packing up to take off! :)

Also, The STORM football team is 2-0 after a ViCTORY over Northwestern College in Minnesota this weekend & I already have 11 prospective students signed up for my upcoming Minnesota Van Trip!

Next Monday I'm off for Duluth, Minnesota & I'm VERY EXCiTED to enjoy some time outside near Lake Superior & the fall-colored trees!

you know you're in Rural America when...

...you drive 2 hours to a college fair & the only people you pass are other college reps!

...you visit a school with 120 students grades SEVEN through TWELVE!

Where in the world was I? ...among the prairielands of good ole northeast Nebraska. :)

FiRST, before the day even really began, I nearly suffered a heart attack @ the young age of 28 thanks to what seemed to be a step into Jurassic-friggin'-Park! I was driving to pick up my rental car & looked to the right to find this praying mantis the size of my HAND on the iNSiDE of the passenger window!

Exhibit AAAAHH!:

Exhibit Bummer!:

...no, not really, but close. I'm not afraid of bugs, but my gosh, I never knew those suckers were so BiG! Of course, I was driving our old beater-of-a-car, so I didn't have automatic windows to roll down & was too scared to get anywhere near it to do it manually. So, I just picked up the speed as much as I could (unfortunately this car starts to shake past 55mph)...

Anyway, I hopped in my rented Pontiac G6 in Omaha, picked up my usual McDonald's Cinnamon Melts & chocolate milk, then headed north for a 1:00 college fair in Norfolk, Nebraska. This was the kick-off of my travel season & I was more than ready for it! I thought it was gonna be a boring drive, but it ended up being a beautiful one - it's a good season to drive through the country...the roads were lined with hundreds of pretty yellow wild daisies & the gorgeous, green rolling hills & fields complimented the blue sky. I heart nature. :)

It was a successful college fair & I was reminded why I love what I do! For example, two friends came up that I immediately recognized from last year...it felt like it was yesterday! It was good to see them again - they're so sweet, good students, mature & fun to talk to. They're both interested in studying political science, which is a very strong program at SIMPSON (see the blog I wrote before this one). I anticipate they'll visit campus & apply soon!

Following the fair, I headed to the hotel to watch DAAA BEARS upset the Colts. WOOT! ...and I can't believe Tom Brady is out for the season - I bet there's a LOT of frustrated Fantasy Football players out there, LOL.

On my way back home Monday, I visited four high schools: Clarkson (the one w/ 120 students in grades 7-12), Columbus, Schuyler Central & Fremont. I met with a good group of 8 students at one of 'em & spoke with a senior, Amber, at another. It was awesome to see her smile & hear her say before I left how much she liked what I had to say about SIMPSON - she's pretty excited about applying & visiting during Music Weekend! I definitely had a lot to talk about with her since she wants to major in instrumental music education & performance, and wants to study abroad.

Next up...Grand Island, Nebraska College Fair this Sunday...hopefully MiNUS the mammoth-sized surprise bugs!

ExErCiSe your...

...right to:

Will you be 18 years old by November 4? CONGRATS - you have the freedom & right to VOTE, which so many fought to obtain! Hopefully you'll take advantage of something that takes SO LiTTLE time, but makes a BiG difference. We all know, that EVERY VOTE MATTERS based on the previous two Presidential elections.

BEFORE YOU VOTE: Read credible sources in print or on the Internet & listen to the upcoming Presidential debates. What issues are important to you & your family? Where does each candidate stand on these issues?

DON'T just align yourself with a "party" simply because it is what you've known all your life, or because your friends & family are voting that way AND especially don't vote with a "party" based on whether you like a donkey or elephant better, LOL!

Learn more about the Barack Obama-Joe Biden Campaign @ www.barackobama.com

Learn more about the John McCain-Sarah Palin Campaign @ www.johnmccain.com

REGiSTER TO VOTE @ www.rockthevote.org!

The political scene is very AcTiVe @ SIMPSON with both the College Democrats & College Republicans holding events & meetings, as well as Model U.N. EVEN COOLER are the significant politicians who have spoken @ SIMPSON during their campaign tours, including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore & John Edwards. Jon Bon Jovi sang & Leonardo DiCaprio spoke during one of the visits as well! A variety of opinions & beliefs are expressed across campus within the student body & staff, but they are respected AND discussed peacefully.

Each year SIMPSON hosts a College Democrats vs. College Republicans debate & campus has been home to a Bi-PARTiSON theme house where students lived TOGETHER!

Recent Political Science-Related May Term Options @ SIMPSON:

• Politics of a New Democracy: Brazil - Study Abroad


• Development of the British Legal System: Exploring America's Criminal Justice Roots - Class


• A Social & Political Study of AIDS - Class


• Politics & Film - Class


• Think Like an Economist - Class


• Simpson Political Survey - Class/Research


• Reacting to American History - Class


• China: The New Dynamo - Study Abroad


• Contemporary Argentina: Culture, Trade & Economy - Study Abroad


• Expanding the European Union: Germany & Poland - Study Abroad
  

Interested in a Political Science MAJOR or MiNOR @ SIMPSON?
Learn about the program here.

OTHER academic programs that political science majors often study @ SIMPSON include: international relations, international management, pre-law, economics, history, environmental science, criminal justice, & foreign languages.

Intern in Washington D.C. through SIMPSON! Several students participate in our Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP) & truly experience U.S. politics firsthand. Check out the blog I wrote last January on Josie Rundlett '09, who was asked to blog for Glamour magazine during the Iowa caucuses here!

Here's a picture of Amy Jo '08 who spent this past spring semester in D.C. & following graduation, got a job working with lobbyists.

God Bless America & Happy Voting!

Happy POST-Labor Day Weekend :)

I'm definitely keeping busy...& it's only September 4th! That's good, though, I like staying AcTiVe (particularly if I'm ENJOYiNG what I do) & I work better under pressure...yes, I can be a procrastinator at times. :)

How'd you guys spend your long weekend?! I spent Labor Day Weekend OUTSiDE, since it was absolutely B-E-A-U-T-i-F-U-L weather & the cooler temps are just around the corner. I drove around a lake for awhile, sat outside by a really sweet water fountain that changes colors at night - I did some writing & reading (nice stress reliever!), went to the awesome Omaha Zoo, & hit the city pool one last time. If you live in the Midwest & you've never been to the Omaha Zoo, I HiGHLY recommend it - it's quite large & impressive. I could contently sit & watch the penguins & monkeys ALL day without getting sick of it, LOL! They're so darn cute & animated...I think people are so fascinated by monkeys, because of how humanlike their manners are. On the extra weekend day, Monday, I went over to my parents' & took them out to dinner for my mom's birthday. It was good to see them. :)

Tuesday, I was back in the office & got to see the campus in AcTiOn since Move-In Day on the 23rd. I introduced myself at a Student Ambassador meeting & was SO excited to see one of my students, Kathryn '10, who is FiNALLY back @ SIMPSON after spending a semester interning at Walt Disney World. It was a communications internship & she got to be some of the characters in the parks, as well as take classes with other college students in the program.

The past couple days I've been busy scheduling high school visits in Minnesota, Nebraska & Colorado, which is quite the chore, particularly working with large cities...deciding which of the hundreds of schools to visit & then organizing them into times/dates while referring to MapQuest to see where they're all located in comparison to each other. Then, like a flock of seagulls swarmin' for that last banana on the beach, you have hundreds of other college reps contacting these same schools to schedule a visit as well (& most likely for the exact time I have down), LOL. Not to mention, each high school has different rules on when college reps can visit...many ONLY over the lunch hours. If a couple times don't work, it totally throws a wrench in it all...so, it's an ongoing process & I'm relieved when I actually GET to the school & SEE the students. I've also been busy creating Facebook events for some upcoming STORM games, plays, & concerts with hopes of increasing the spirit & pride across campus - it's nice to see students & staff support each other outside the classroom, too. RED & GOLD FEVER, here we come...

This Sunday I'll be "on the road again...." This time my 11th (wow, 11th?!) travel season kicks off with a college fair in northeast Nebraska...yes, good ole prairie lands! I'll stay overnight there & then visit some high schools on the way back home on Monday. I'm pretty pumped about getting out there & talking with families; I already have several awesome students to work with this year. I'm not, however, very excited about another hundred Bart & Homer Simpson jokes as people walk by my booth, LOL...

Check out other upcoming college fairs myself & SIMPSON Admissions Counselors will be attending here. We'd love for you to stop by!

And, that isn't the only look-how-cool-SIMPSON-is events we offer! We're also hosting these fun visit days, open houses, & van trips!

PEACE & GO STORM!