Last Week's HOMECOMiNG...& an Organ Recital. :)

Friday evening I went to see one of my "recruits" perform her Senior Organ Recital. I worked with Kelly during my 2nd year as an Admissions Counselor, when I had a territory in Iowa & we have remained close after she enrolled. She struggled with many things at first, so it honestly brought tears to my eyes when I got to see her at the recital...even though it sounds cheesy, she has blossomed into such a beautiful, more confident, & happier SENiOR in college! Kelly's an elementary education & music double major who is involved in the Religious Life Community, band, Phonathon, & Education Club. Anyway, I can honestly say, I didn't know what to expect regarding enjoyment from an hour of organ, but was pleasantly suprised...it was BEAUTiFUL, BREATH-TAKiNG music...WOW, she's talented! :)

Also, last Friday, I got to judge our Homecoming "Yell Like Hell" event - probably the year's COOLEST night! Everyone crams into our old Hopper Gym where there's lots of flashing lights, loud music, & STORM SPiRiT in anticipation for Saturday's big game. The dance team & cheerleaders performed GREAT routines, the Homecoming Court was announced (SHOUT OUT to my sweet Arizona boy, Cameron, who was the male representative & my friends Drew, the junior male representative, & Brody who was named King!!) & then (drummmrrrooolll please...) :

The place started RoCkiN' with THE entertaining & LOUD StOmP, yElL, cLaP routines from Broke Fi Broke; SAE & ATO fraternities; Tri Delta, Pi Beta Phi, & Kappa Kappa Gamma sororities; AND the women's basketball team!

They were hard to judge because they put so much work into each one, were all so different, & all SO MUCH FUN! It made me wanna be a student again! Sometimes I think it would be fun for the Admissions office to compete, but then again I think if we got out there & did a little dance, some students might DE-enroll, LOL!

WATCH the WiNNiNG "Yell Like Hell" routine by Broke Fi Broke here.

WATCH Tri Delta sorority's AWESOME "Yell Like Hell" routine here.

On Saturday we played an Iowa Conference rival & after a rainy, cold week, it was thankfully an absolutely GORGEOUS fall day for a football game! The stands were packed with PROUD SIMPSON alumni who came from all over to cheer on the STORM!

CHECK OUT a bunch more SIMPSON HOMECOMiNG '08 photos below & by clicking here!

GO STORM!

Along Southern Minnesota...

When driving up the hill to Loyola High School in Mankato, MN, I noticed this bike that had been mowed into the side of a hill - pretty cool!

After my Omaha college fair Sunday, I headed North to Minnesota with high school visits scheduled in Mankato on Monday, but I stayed with friends in Worthington, MN. I absolutely ADORE their little tyke, Rob! He's one of the HAPPiEST li'l human beings I've ever seen. He'll be three in November & is expecting a little sister in February. So, Little Sis got his crib & he got a NEW BiG BOY BED! Here he is showing it off to me...

Nope, I wasn't visiting a space station, this is me approaching one of my high schools today...in very rural southern Minnesota, LOL! The elementary & high school are organized in about 4 concrete "pods"...never seen anything like it...


After visits in Owatonna, Albert Lea & Austin this morning, I had some time to kill before a 1:40 visit in Grand Meadow, so not only did I get a MUCH needed hair cut (with an AWESOME head massage!), I ate at another local joint...Piggy Blue's BBQ! :) I can't wait to stop back in the spring, it was DELiCiOUS! I had the Cheesy Burger, french fries & some of the BEST baked beans around...

I ended today meeting one of our SIMPSON juniors' brothers, Michael, in Spring Valley, MN. He just got his acceptance letter last night, so YAY! The rest of the week I'll be visiting schools in Rochester, Red Wing, & Winona. I'm pretty excited to see how BEAUTiFUL Red Wing is this time of the year along the Mississippi River!

...right now I'm watching Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin...LOVE all the Charlie Brown holiday shows, even if I've seen 'em a thousand & a half times! ;)

Kayla & her SiMPSON SURPRiSE!

I AADDOORREE this photo - a student falling in love with SIMPSON! This is one of my sweet prospective students, Kayla, who is from Minnesota & she e-mailed me this picture after she opened the sweatshirt from her parents on her birthday last month...her mom said she was surprised & very excited! :)

GO SIMPSON! GO STORM!

Get YOUR SIMPSON Gear here.

Some time ON CAMPUS...

I have 25 minutes left of the work day, so I figured I'd use it to jabber a little about the few days I've been back in the office...

Since I work from home & travel A LOT, it's kinda strange being here for 4 days...but a NiCE strange. :) It's great catching up with the staff & all the students again, as well as seeing the campus during it's most beautiful season! ...I just wish the nasty rain would go away!

I've been keeping busy with random projects & have met with a few prospective students visiting campus...yesterday I had a GREAT gal from Nebraska who wants to play soccer & softball for us. She stayed for the soccer game vs. UW-River Falls & overall really liked campus! We won 1-0, so that's good. She said she'll probably come back on my Spring Nebraska Van Trip in March, YAY! Coach would love to have her on the team next year since our star goalkeeper will graduate...

Today I had lunch at Pfeiff-dawg (Pfeiffer Dining Hall) with fellow Admissions Counselor Cassie & SIMPSON student-friend Sarah '10...ok, and with french fries, LOL...I LOVE Pfeiff's french fries & usually help myself to seconds, despite their gazillion grams of saturated fat!

Speaking of the staff, I'm SOOO ExCiTeD for Beth who is expecting her 2nd child within 2 weeks, triple YAY! She has an ADORABLE commercial-cute little girl, Gracie, who is 3, so we'll see very soon if she gets a little brother or sister...

I talked with another SIMPSON student-friend Drew '10 when he stopped by my office - he had GREAT news! He'S in the last round of casting for MTV's The Real World!!! He's kept me in the loop throughout the process & he's supposed to hear the final word within the month...I'm so happy for him since it's a dream of his to "make it BiG". He has the perfect reality t.v. DrAmA personality, LOL! ...although most SIMPSON eyes would be glued to the t.v. if he made it, he would be greatly missed on campus.

I'm spending my evenings with the Mom & Pops at "home", which works out nice that they live only 25 minutes from campus...I can stay there when I'm back. Yes, I get to sleep in the bedroom I slept in for 21 years (yeah, let me hear that collective "AWWW...") :P.

Last night I went to the Y for a Pilates class downtown & then headed to their house. We just relaxed & watched Game 1 of the World Series...even if our beloved Yankees bombed this year. :( Tonight I'm meeting my dad @ the local grocery store for an All-You-Can-Eat for a Buck Chili Supper, LOL. Believe me, MY dad is the MOST frugal person on EARTH & he ALWAYS finds the "deals"...I remember going for free hot dogs at car dealerships growing up all the time (and no, we weren't looking for a new car)! I do love chili, so it'll be good. Then the three of us are going to Pella to see some real Abraham Lincoln stuff at some museum...my dad was a history major with an in-home shrine for the man (well, I admire him, too). :)

I'm ExCiTeD for tomorrow because I get to judge our Homecoming's BiGGEST event - "Yell Like Hell"! I'm sure I'll have some good pics or videos to post next week. I'm also eating supper with my Great Aunt Ruby who lives in Indianola & going to see one of my "recruits", Kelly, peform her Senior Organ Recital - it's SO hard to believe she's a SENiOR! Kelly has come a LONG way since freshman year & I'm SO PROUD of her!

Saturday I work till noon, then I'm meeting some close friends for lunch at The Sports Page here in Indianola & then I'm going to watch the Homecoming football game, where we'll UPSET Wartburg!

All in all, it has been a very good, productive week! It's 4:30 & I gotta hit the road to my 5:00 chili feed, LOL. I'll fill ya in on the Homecoming stuff later...

MY Travel Season Staples! :)

Here lie the items that, despite their simplicity, are MY must-haves to survive 8 weeks of travel in the fall & spring!

I get the USA Today free @ my Fairfield Inns everyday & I've always really liked how they present the news - it's very reader-friendly AND they have word puzzles in the Life section that I enjoy doing (their's don't make me feel like an idiot like the New York Times Crosswords, LOL!)

YMCA Membership - FREE to use anywhere in the country! Granted, I don't use it as much as I should, it's very convenient & can be a nice stress-reliever. My favorite classes are Body Pump & Pilates.

Often times I'm out & about doing college fairs & high school visits ALL day w/o returning to my hotel till 10pm, so being dressed up & eating is a bad mix for Tiff...Tide to Go is a life-saver! :)

NOT just ANY map - the "EASY TO FOLD" maps! Sorry, but I don't have the patience, nor a high enough IQ to get a regular paper map back to it's original state.

GREAT food, FAST! ...I'm a pasta freak & my FAVES @ Noodles & Company are the Wisconsin Mac 'n Cheese & the Buttered Noodles!

Hotel pens. Yeah, strange huh?! I'm on the go constantly, so it's easy to misplace things, so FREE hotel pens are GREAT...not to mention they tend to disappear easily @ college fairs.

I LOVE crossword puzzles, particularly the ones I can actually get close to completing...this is a book I have FULL of People magazine crosswords & it's quite nice on airplanes or before bed.

I'm sure you see a recurring theme...word puzzles. Well, I also LOVE Scrabble AND competition. The Internet makes it easy to play with other people who are miles away, so my brother & I hash it out many evenings. Check out www.lexulous.com & search "ilvsports9" to challenge me...I DARE you! ;P

I'm already a year-round supporter of flip-flops, but they're particularly handy for trips to the hotel pool areas AND for getting through airport secruity QUiCKER!

Hotel HOT TUBS...ahhhh! After LONG 8am-10pm days & many hours on my feet, hot tubs are the PERFECT relaxing way to end a day.

Yep, I have a CrAzY addition to celebrity gossip magazines, LOL. Add this to the hot tub visit, clear my mind, & LiFE iS GOOD!

iPod - thanks to it, I can drown out the screaming children, loud snoring & annoying, repetitive airport announcements! My Enya & nature tunes are calming when I can't get to sleep, too...

DELiCiOUS Slim Tunas w/ cheese "FREAKY FAST"...'nuf said. :)

I'm on the road for WEEKS & sleep in several hotels, so a few days or a week in a homey bed & breakfast is SO comforting, particularly the home-cooked big breakfasts! Heck, if I can do this for the same price as my hotel, there's no comparison...

My Travel Buddy, a.k.a. Blackberry. :) My friends live in it, I can look up directions & maps, e-mail, look up phone numbers; ALL at the touch of a button, AND my CNN shortcut keeps me connected to what's going on in the world beings I really don't know during travel season, LOL.

I'm a photographer, so travel is one of my FAVORiTE parts of my job. I get to see the country. You just never know what you'll run across, so you CAN'T leave home without a camera!

View my photography here.

McDonald's in general, EWW. BUT, I'm a regular many mornings for their cinnamon melts & a chocolate milk, mmmm...

An invisible person? No...a denim jacket! You can match it with ANY outfit & you're ready to go!

Lastly, the item that makes not only travel season complete, but my LiFE complete...iCE CREAM! In any form...DQ Reeses Blizzard, Cold Stone's Peanut Butter Cup Perfection, McDonald's 99 cent Hot Fudge Sundae, a Haagen Daaz Vanilla Bean Pint bought from the local grocer, I RARELY go a day with out it. A bad day can instantly turn into a GREAT day with a bite of this HEAVENLY treat. :)

What are YOUR travel must-haves?

On an un-related note...HaPpY 27th BiRtHdAy to my little brother & one of my BEST friends, Cory!

SiMPSON Alumni In Residence Days

Each year, SIMPSON invites alumni back to campus to work with professors & speak to classes.

Meet this year's ALUMNI IN RESiDENCE for October 23-24...

Kyle Shelley ‘08 works for DHL & will be hosted by Professor of Management Ruth Weatherly. He will be working with Ruth's Liberal Arts Seminar class, Management Concepts.

Kathryn Fenneman ‘06 is a member of the Peace Corps & will be hosted by Director of CVIL Jim Hayes. She'll be working with Professor of Sociology Lora Friedrich's Intro to Social Systems & Professor of Economics Jim Palmieri's Principle of Economics classes.

Chris Jones ‘83 works for the Des Moines Municipal Water Department & will be hosted by Professor of Chemistry Cliff Meints. He will work with Cliff's Quantitative Analysis class.

Brannon Wright ‘06 works for Monsato & Clint Berryman '02 is a dentist who will be hosted by Professor of Biology Jackie Brittingham. They will work with Jackie's Embryology class.

Heidi Workman Morse ‘95 is a teacher at Waukee Middle School & Charity Halupnick Campbell '96 is a teacher at Norwalk Middle School. They will be hosted by Professor of Physical Education Bob Nutgrass.

Rev. Bob Crandall ‘67 works for Bidwell Riverside Community Center & will be hosted by Professor of Religion Jan Everhart.

Andrea Diaz ‘04 is an attorney with MUNA Legal Clinic & will be hosted by Professor of Spanish Mark Bates.

SIMPSON is PROUD to WELCOME them back to campus!

A Few Days with Minnesota Folk...

Last Sunday (although a LONG day), was a very successful one with a SIMPSON Open House I hosted in the Twin Cities & a van trip for students to visit campus overnight.

My husband's 30th birthday party @ Dave & Buster's Omaha was Saturday evening & then I flew to the Cities Sunday morning for the 12-3:00 event. We had approximately 17 prospective juniors & seniors attend, as well as parents, 2 current students, 2 parents of current students, & a guidance counselor. The conversation was wonderful & the food was, too! :) I also had the help of fellow admissions counselor, Jamie, who withstood being sick to come along!

Following the open house, we drove 8 (4 didn't show up) students in our 12-passenger vans down for an overnight visit at no cost to them (particularly nice with the cost of gas these days)! Yeah, it was interesting driving such a mammoth vehicle in 25+ mph wind gusts down I-35 - I'm pretty sure I burned calories with the muscle-usage on that one! :P Anyway, when we arrived in Indianola, we pigged out on pizza, cheese sticks & cinnamon dessert pizza (my fave!) at Godfather's, then they stayed with current students in a dorm, sorority, fraternity or apartment.

On Monday, each prospective student had breakfast & lunch, sat in on classes, toured our BEAUTiFUL campus, and met with professors & coaches. It's basically a "day in the life of a college student." The trip is open to both juniors & seniors. Overall, I think they enjoyed their time at SIMPSON, as they had great questions & planned on applying at the close of the day. Visits like these are SO important since the college search is so difficult & students will do best in college if they find one that really "fits". It was fun to have Kayla, one of my accepted seniors, keep me company in front on the way back - we talked a lot about other possible majors she might consider since she is loving her psychology class right now & the mission/service work trips we've each done. It was really nice & cool to receive a call from her mom the next day saying that she's ready to pack her bags & move in already! LOL. YAY!

Get more details on other upcoming SIMPSON van trips here.

We returned to the Twin Cities Monday evening around 7:00 & then I grabbed my usual YUMMY Bruschetta Chicken Pasta @ TGI Fridays, took the van back to the rental place, picked up a rental car & then FiNALLY landed at my hotel around 8:45ish only to find the hot tub was equal in temperature to the surface of the SUN, AARRGGHH! So much for that relaxing idea. :(

Tuesday & Wednesday were spent visiting high schools & working one college fair, then heading home...

I made an overnight pitstop at my Grandma & Grandpa's in Eagle Grove, IA, where I was treated to my favorite sandwiches! After dinner we watched the last <intense> Presidential Debate...it's so cute & funny to see them get fired up about that. I wish I could see them more often, but am SO grateful they're still both going strong in their mid-80's...hopefully I inherited that long-lasting-life gene. ;)

Yesterday I finished the drive home (about 3 1/2 hours) & worked on my newest Facebook account that I'll use for Admissions use since probably 90% of today's high school students are members! It's an easy tool for posting helpful links, SIMPSON events, updates, & photos, as well as communicate with them via Facebook messages & chat. Add me as your Facebook friend here! While I worked on that, I watched some of my recorded T.V. shows (Survivor, Amazing Race, Project Runway, & The Office)...I'm ALMOST caught up...

Tomorrow I'm RELAXiNG since I have a bad head cold (it feels like a nuclear bomb about to explode!) & then Sunday I'm off to a college fair in Lincoln, Nebraska...

P.S. The STORM Women's Basketball Team is ranked #20 in the preseason national DIII poll! SWEET SiXTEEN here we come again! Read the press release here.

a human's RiGHT & social JUSTiCE in college education

I have worked a few very diverse college fairs recently where there's a large population of Hispanic students. I will avoid the political argument, as this SHOULDN'T be a "party" issue, but rather a human right in today's society.

Education plays a large role in world & economic progression, not to mention it can ultimately help prevent some crime. So, how SAD that our country can deny LEARNiNG to students who have SO much potential! Undocumented students are left with very FEW options following high school, including no financial aid, even iF they have lived the MAJORiTY of their lives in the United States.

This effects HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS & I believe will continue to effect us MiLLiONS of "natives" as they enter the working society, become our neighbors & the number of immigrants increases. We cannot simply ship all graduating undocumented seniors back to Mexico!

It's hard talking with these students I see...I'm a college admissions counselor & have a passion for education, yet I can't help them. :(

Far too many people are focused on the "ME" & not the "WE"!

Simply stated: if a person WANTS an education, they shouldn't be denied it...that doesn't make any sense. That's like denying all fruits & veggies to a country that struggles with obesity! It won't make US any better...

"Minds are like parachutes; they work best when open."

- Thomas Dewar

college fair downer

So, I'm VERY interested in & follow politics, BUT this election has rained on the travel season parade for college admissions counselors - thanks to the debates falling on college fair nights. How dare people find Barack Obama, John McCain, Joe Biden & Sarah Palin more important than a college fair & SIMPSON COLLEGE, LOL, j/k!

It IS a bummer, though. Each college spends thousands of dollars traveling the country in hopes to talk with potential students & then instead we end up comparing hotels, restaurants & crazy travel stories among each other during "dead" time. We were all particularly hit hard tonight in Boulder, CO. Last year I was SWAMPED & ran out of materials (yes...little "unknown" Iowa college!) & there were over 1,000 students who attended this Boulder college fair. Tonight? The night of the 2nd Presidential Debate...4 visitors to my table & a pin drop could have been heard throughout the Coors Event Center. I would estimate 50 students in the entire place. So, a.) no students b.) we ALSO missed the debate only to sit around & chat w/ each other. :( This same thing happened last Thursday during the V.P. debate. Thankfully the few I talked with made it worth it!

Perhaps the college fair committees & the campaign/election committees can collaborate & plan better 4 years from now, LOL. :P

On another note, GO VOTE!

RiDiCuLoUs "SkyMall" Products

SkyMall is a shopping catalog in airplanes which is quite EnTeRtAiNiNg to look through during the thousandth pre-flight safety lecture, while occupying your mind in a 2' x 2' space during stuck-on-runway delayed flights, or simply during long flights in which you can't sleep due to screaming children, snoring, or the repetitive sound of shuffled playing cards & laptop typing.

Well, many of the products sold could have only been invented by people sitting through those grueling situations & had that much time on their hands, LOL!

So, like the Razzies given in Hollyood for the biggest busts, here are my top most ridiculous SkyMall products:

The Indoor Dog Restroom
This mat-and-tray system gives dogs a place to relieve themselves when they can't get outside for respit. ....this ingenius system uses a mat made of antimicrobial prous artificial turf that gives off an organic scent to attract dogs.
Seriously?! EEEWWW!

The Gravity-Defying Boots
These boots have a patented T-spring system that transforms walking, jumping, or running into an exhilarating low-impact bounce that builds balance, burns calories, & strengthens muscles.... For use on dry, flat surfaces while wearing appropriate safety gear.
Ok, maybe a fun alternative to the usual exercise, but the price is $110 for kids' sizes & $140 for adults' sizes! The only ones who could afford these goofy-lookin' things are the astronaunts who can experience the real thing anyway! Not to mention, I can't imagine what the "appropriate safety gear" looks like...

The Pet Ramp & Staircase
The 16" wide & 12" dep stairs are covered with a non-slip careting that is soft on paws, & the pine frame supports up to 130 lbs. ensuring a stable climbing platform for full-grown pets.
Uh, first of all, 130 lb weight limit? I imagine those pets don't even have to jump to reach something that height! Secondly, "soft on the paws"...aren't animals the ones who walk "barefoot" on concrete & rocks?! Thirdly, the cost is $200 for a 3-step one & $150 for the 2-step...a person could make a homemade one out of scrap wood or cardboard boxes for less than $5!

The "Keep Your Distance" Bug Vacuum
This cordless insect vacuum quickly captures bugs from up to 2' away. Flies, bees, spiders, & other insects are suctioned by a 22,400-rpm motor, sending the insect through a one-way valve in the extension tube to an electric grid in the handle that instantly kills the pest.
Someone would spend $50 on a vacuum specifically for bugs when this could easily be done with an attachment on your shop vac?! And seriously, do the poor tiny suckers smaller than a fingernail need a 22,400-rpm motor to kill 'em?!

The Animatronic Singing & Talking Elvis
This is the animatronic Elvis, a singing & talking robotic bust adorned with The King's trademark leather jacket, sideburns, & pompadour...& the mouth, eyes, & head movements are synchronized with the music, replicating his unique facial expressions (including the curled upper lip) & baritone voice...A karaoke feature allows you to sing along with Elvis....
One word: CREEPY! And can you imagine walking in on someone singing ALONG with a robotic bust?!

Coolaroo Dog Bed
...keeps Fido cool & comfortable as he rests.
Not only is the name of the product hilarious, but I laugh at this mostly because the picture shows Fido only 6 inches from GRASS!

Phoenix Talking Bathroom Scale
No, thanks, I can see it for myself...I don't need it actually TELLING me "Lose some pounds, buddy!"

Leg Lamp Light Strand
Someone please explain to me why anyone would need or want a Leg Lamp Light Strand...or even create one?!

"Bigfoot, the Garden Yeti" Sculpture
...With alleged sightings all over the world from the highest Himalayas to the U.S., this elusive, mythical legend has been captured exclusively for Toscano in quality designer resin & hand-painted for startling realism.
What's next? People paying $99 for a fake, floating Loch Ness Monster for their garden ponds?!

Finally...
My FAVORiTE SkyMall Product, the Mini-Donut Maker!
I LOVE cinnamon mini-donuts & now I wouldn't have to go see a movie or wait till the Iowa State Fair to eat 'em! :)