Part 3: Another Chapter of my Adventurous life: Spring 2013

Externship NYC 2013

LinkedIn by Kat

The Externship program is one of the most underrated programs at Stonehill. As a rising junior, I've taken advantage of every opportunity Stonehill has to offer; aside from a HOPE trip. The Externship program is in my top two best experiences at Stonehill by far. What’s the first? I can’t decide between New Orleans freshman year Spring Break and my experiences as a Peer Mentor. Anyway, what exactly is the Externship program? 

My resume and LinkedIn page says it’s a program where students are; “Selected through a competitive interview process to participate in a career development program and represent Stonehill College to alumni working at large companies in New York City.” 

“Researched company information and practiced professional presentation and networking skills through company visits and social events with alumni.”

These quotes pretty much sum up the full experience, but that’s no fun. It sounds too professional. If I’m going to categorize it as one of my top two best experiences then I owe you a more exciting explanation than that. You know…the dirty details. What really went down in NYC! This is my blog not a professional networking page, I get to express myself however I want. Besides, this is technically my journal, just less depressing and more entertaining.

Like my resume said, students are selected through a competitive interview process. Intense would actually be the more appropriate word to describe the interview process. Three rounds! Well I wouldn't exactly consider the first part an interview. I imagine they made a yes or no pile and from that list came a phone interview.

The next step after the phone interview was an in-person interview with all three associates from Career Services; Christina Burney, Andrew Leahy and Amy Brunswick. Fortunately, I was comfortable with everyone I was interviewed by, especially Christina Burney (Mom in NYC). I had worked with Andrew in the past, but Amy Brunswick I wasn't familiar with at that time. It was one of those meetings where I was confident because everyone knew my character well enough to believe my answers were going to be sincere. During the interview I started to think; what the hell did I get myself into? It was a bigger commitment than I expected. To be honest, I didn't know what to expect in the first place. Believe me, I attempted to do my research but the website didn't give many details. Why do they leave you guessing? Well, in my opinion, I predict they do so because they want quality students. Students who are there for the right reasons, take full advantage of the opportunity and represent the Stonehill community well. All makes sense. Besides, they know people will “fake it to [they] make it”, a farmhouse quote I learned while in New York. 

We were split up into two groups because they couldn't get all ten of us on the same schedule. For a month we meet once a week for some professional prep. The rules and guidelines were laid out and we were each assigned a company or two based on career interest and major. New York City doesn't have much outside of Marketing, Advertisement, Fashion and Business. I was automatically down for the count with my Healthcare major and Studio Arts Minor. They struggled to find me a good match but in the end I was assigned to Hill Holiday, currently known as Erwin Penland (EP). In other words, there is no longer a Hill Holiday NYC office. EP was recently bought by Hill Holiday. I was told to be aware of mixing them up because they are sensitive about being called Hill Holiday. In honor of one of my favorite quotes “Why so serious”; Why so sensitive? It’s not the end of the world.

Anyway, my job was to thoroughly research the company inside and out and present my research to the group. Along with the presentation, we had to make a handout for everyone else to use as a guide once we were in NYC at that particular company’s presentation. Along with the research and presentation, each person was responsible for emailing the contact (Stonehill Alumni) to inform them about timing of the visit, number of guests and any concerns about security. Once we were in NYC, each individual was responsible for directions to their specific site and the rest of the group’s commute. I did say it was a lot more intense than expected didn't I?  But in terms of commuting, I owe it all to HopStop. If you aren't familiar with the App HopStop then hop on that ASAP. It will become your best friend I promise.

Companies Visited & Activities:

Monday: Thomson Reuters (Extern Host: Nancy Cerqueira) 

About Nancy: Nancy is that person in a group/program you see and say to yourself, she seems cool; I want to get to know her, but all throughout the program (however long) you never get the chance to have a full conversation until the last minute. I finally got to chat with her and realized we had very similar struggles and success stories. You just never know what someone's life is like, which is why it’s important to avoid prejudgments when you first meet people. Now Nancy, who I've been friends with since the program, is my workout partner for the summer. Always networking! Talking about networking, Thomson Reuters was one of my favorite visits. Not for any specific reasons but because everything about it was great, especially the view of the New Years ball.

The Ball

Team Building Event (Extern Hosted: Herby Saintil)

About Herby: Herby is someone who also became one of my good friends after the program. Great personality, dedicated, driven and humble man. Anyone surprised why I connected with Herby so well? We are very much the same people with similar background. Him along with Johnny Joseph (Soon to be a dentist) are the only two rising Afro-American seniors at Stonehill who have inspired me to be different. Different as in make my own path like the advice Randy Jose (2012 Alum) gave me a few years ago. 

Herby in the middle 

As for the event itself, we meet with some alumni at one of the fanciest bowling alleys I've ever been to (Bowlmor Leans). It was definitely a great time getting to chat with the Alums, getting all the dirty details about Stonehill back in the days. Me and one particular Alum chatted for quite a while not realizing we had one major thing in common; her roommate! It turned out her current roommate is also a former Ron Burton Training Village Alum, Max Leonard. Max was a camper during my first few years at camp. I've been associated with the camp for ten years but I had not seen this man in six to seven years. Now here I was, chatting with his roommate. Small world ain't it? She went back home and I guess mentioned something about meeting an Extern. She may have only given my name because I mentioned nothing about RBTV during our conversation. Max put the clues together and made the connection that I was also an RBTV Alum. The following day I received this message:

“Hey buddy!  Not sure how well you remember me, but I had spent a bunch of years at RBTV.  My roommate Heather just came back from a Stonehill event in NYC and I think you may have actually met.  It sounds like you are doing really well.  I'm not sure what you have lined up, but if you have any free time while you are in the city, let me know.  I'd love to bring you out for a bite and catch up” -Max

How awesome is that? I met with Max on our last night in New York. We went out to eat, talked a whole lot about our experiences at camp and at Stonehill and ended up at the closing reception which I will talk about later. This whole week I swear was an adventure. Even going to meet Max was an adventure because my phone – my only source of awareness – died seconds before stepping on the subway. Long story short, thank God my iPhone battery life is terrible, otherwise I wouldn't have had my charger on me.

Tuesday: New Wave Entertainment (Extern Host: Kathryn Waterman)

About Kat: Kat is a boss! Great photographer! Did I also mention she is one of the bros? My first impression of Kat was during her presentation about New Wave Entertainment. She said the word “shit” as in these guys are the “shit” and kept throwing it around. I was dying of laughter inside. My second thinking went something like, “there are adults in the room woman!” When I think of Kat’s personality I think of the quote from the scene in Titanic when Jack & Rose first met on the deck; “Spit like a man”. It doesn't get any real than Kat! By the way check out Kat’s website when you get a chance. She is an amazing photographer:
http://katwaterman.com/
    

New Wave Entertainment NYC was once P3 Entertainment. P3 Entertainment was a production company started by two Stonehill alums, Todd Pellegrino (’93) and Peter Lannuccilla also from the class of ’93. These two guys are experts at what they do. They were nice enough to give us insider information (video) about their newest reality show coming up in the fall on the history channel. I can’t say anymore about it for obvious reasons but if you are a fan of shows like Duck Dynasty, you will love this new show. Look out for it in October and let me know what you think. These guys are hilarious!

Kat on the right

Bloomingdales (Extern Host: Alex Fenner)

About Alex: Alex was one of the girls I didn't know before the trip and unfortunately did not have enough time to connect with her as I did with Kat and Nancy. One thing that surprised me though, her age. I did not expect her to be a senior but she is definitely one of those people who will age well.

  

Though it’s been months, I’m really not sure how I feel about Bloomingdales. Maybe because it's a fashion company and I'm not a fan. I mean, don't get me wrong, I can swag it out, but fashion is not on my top interest list of interest. Mary Hearst (‘05) was a great host though. She was nice enough to ask her brother who is an employee at Bloomberg to give us a tour. The Bloomberg building has to be one of the prettiest sites in NYC. Every time I share my experience with others, I describe Bloomberg as being in a space ship. Have I been in a space ship before? I wish! Have you? Most likely not. But I can imagine that’s what a space ship looks like. More companies now are drafting towards transparency; Bloomberg took the definition of transparency to another level. There are no walls and everything is made of see through glass. If you worked there you would feel as if someone was always watching. There is absolutely no room for slack. My favorite site was this holographic table they had. I can't really describe well enough but if you've seen the Iron Man movies, you can imagine what I'm talking about. Just very futuristic. Fun fact: If you've ever watched Bloomberg news, there is not a person behind those cameras. Everything is operated in a control room by computers. Did I mention futuristic? I wish I could have taken pictures. Security was extremely tight though. We couldn't even take pictures of the building from outside. I guess they did not want any evidence? Even the name tag was fancy. I wish I kept it but they wouldn't let us. Of course I went to the bathroom and snapped a picture for myself. I needed a memory of it some how.

My Coming to America Picture

Externship Team Building Event
For the second event after dinner at Augu's cafe was going to Phantom of the Opera! Just to give you a quick background story of me and plays; I was never a theater kind of guy in high school. I also did not have much respect for it, until I came to college and started talking to this girl who starred in her first play at Stonehill. The play itself was extremely boring but being with her opened my eyes to the theater world. So much time goes into it that people aren't aware of. Point is, I now have much more respect for theater and the people who commit their time to it. Going back to Phantom of the Opera; I did not watch the movie but gosh was that a great production! Hands down one of the most amazing pieces of entertainment I've seen in my life. Not my usual entertainment but I have a huge appreciation for the amount of work I imagine went into it. How else can I describe it? I can't! It's one of those memories you had to be there to believe. The transitions were nothing like I have ever seen. One major scene threw me off though; the hanging scene. If you're a consistent reader of my blogs, you know about my experiences with suicide almost two years ago. It really messed me up mentally for the rest of the night. I wish I was warned. I would have obviously seen the show anyways, but I would have been better prepared. I'm a strong believer of God and I think he was trying to warn me. How so? Because for about ten minutes straight I was thinking consistently about the incident. It felt like that period each month when all I can do is think back to that day, the incident and continue to ask myself profound questions. 

Wednesday: Jacobi Medical Center (Extern Host: Jason Watts)

About Jason: Jason Watts is one of the hardest working men I know. I consider him the silent assassin. Everyone underestimated him as a football player and I’m sure judged him for that too. I mean, there is really no other way to get around that. If you associate with a certain group of people that don’t have the best reputation, you will most likely be judged by that. What I didn't know about Jason before the Externship program, which I’m sure many more people still don’t know is that Jason is a great leader. He ran the MOSAIC (Men of color club on campus) smoother then anyone else could have. His resume is off the chart, and I would have never known. This is why he is the silent assassin. To prove my point Jason is currently working at The Fresh Air Fund where he has interned since high school. Keep doing your thing Jason, people will always talk.

As for the Jacobi meeting, it was lead by the CFO Kathy Garramore (‘74). We didn't actually go to the Medical Center. The meeting was held at James Cincotta’s (’84) house, where another major event was held. There is more to come about this man James Cincotta, one of the most entertaining men I know.  

Jason in the middle

Thursday: Entrepreneurship and Small Business (Extern Host: Trent Fontanella)

About Trent: Trent was another Extern I didn't know before this trip. When I finally got to know Trent, I realized how funny of a person he is. His housing host was Entrepreneur James Cincotta (’84). My favorite quality about James is his ability to smack any young adult in the face. I call it getting the James Cincotta. And now you are like, “say what?” Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Well not exactly because this man has no aggressive bone in his body. My guess is he has no kids, and so he treats everyone as if they were his own. The moment you say or do something silly, you are getting the James Cincotta. Ask Trent and Herby who he hosted for the week. I’m pretty confident they left New York with James Cincotta’s hand printed on their face. One of the major lessons I learned from James aside from starting my own business was about writing. Editing and reediting at least three times, being professional in your writing including texts and on social media. In other words, using proper grammar. As annoying as it is at times, I believe it has made me a better writer.

Swiss Re (Extern Host: Silvana Vivas)

About Silvana: How can anyone have negative thoughts about Silvana? She is one of the nicest human beings on the face of the planet. She is always cool, calm and collected. Never seems to lose her cool and never has something negative to say about someone. I want to be like Silvana when I grow up.

For those of you who aren’t too familiar with Swiss Re, they are the largest institutional investors in the country. According to the host Chuck Conors, VP & Client Manager (’91), “Swiss Re is the inception of insurance companies”. To help you get a better understanding of what they do, Swiss Re is insurance for insurance companies. Sounds complicated right? That’s because it is. They have a graduate program recent college grads can apply for. They pretty much pay you to learn more about the reinsurance business, the company, and interpersonal and leadership skills while traveling across the world. That sounds like a solid learning experience to me! This is why I am keeping it as an option. I’m not sure if I want to intern with them but my plan is to stack up my resume with real world experiences with insurance companies much like Blue Cross and hope that will increase my chances of getting accepted into their grad program if I decide to go down that route.

With Silvana

Externship Team Building Event

My second favorite event of the week was dinner with Kevin Blanco (’95). Kevin is one of the realest Alums we met that week; Max being the other. I loved talking to these two guys because they shared their true experiences, professionally and socially. Well, Stonehill experiences at least. Nothing annoys me more than adults who try to sugarcoat their past experiences; not even because it is personal matters. For Christ’s sake I am an adult, don’t try to sugarcoat things so you may seem professional. I asked about your past experiences because I want to hear an honest, down to earth answer. We are humans, we all had our days and that’s the reality of it. That’s why I always have a high respect for those who are willing to share their full experiences with me, it makes life more exciting. Anyway, back to Kevin. Our dinner with Kevin was a dining experience of a life time at Churrascaria Plataforma (Brazilian restaurant). On each seat were double-sided chips; green means GO and obviously red means STOP! Long story short, it was the most meat I've had in one sitting. When I’m getting paid big bucks some day, Churrascaria Plataforma is on my list of top experiences I have to return to.

Thursday: Legg Mason (Extern Host: Briana Burke)

About Briana Burke: What can I say about Briana aside from her crazy personality? I've known of her from Peer Mentor (Leadership program at Stonehill) but not personally. That entire week allowed me to get to know and understand Briana’s personality. My favorite memory of Briana is her slow dance with Dan Cormier. As much as I want to post the video, I’m not sure they would appreciate it.

And that's Briana in the back

Legg Mason was hosted by Stonehill Alum Kerry Ryan (‘91) Vice President of Marketing. As a Global Marketing company, Legg Mason is the 15^th largest money manager in the world. I couldn't really relate much to them but I learned a lot about the tools and strategies to starting a successful business. Fun fact: They are located on the 27^th floor of the New York Times building! That’s the highest I've ever been in a building. Another exciting and fun fact: The river that is shown in this picture is the river the plane landed on a few months back! How historic!  

The legendary River 

Goldman Sachs (Extern Host: Herby Saintil)

Goldman Sachs was hosted by Mike DesMarais (’88) & Jon Hughes (‘07). All week the staff crew stressed the intense environment of Goldman Sachs. According to them, all we've learned the entire week came down to that moment. But guess what? We rocked it! As a team we did a great job being engaged, but on an individual level I could not keep my eyes open. I’m sure the information wasn't boring; it just went completely over my head and it made it tougher to stay awake. In order to stay awake I reached out to what I know best: art. I started drawing the speakers as they came. I looked over and Kat was doing the same thing! I guess it’s an artist thing.  

Externship Closing Reception

My favorite event of the week was the closing reception; a more formal way of saying we had a party. The night was one of my favorite memories as a student at Stonehill. We had the privilege to wine and dine with Alums, while socializing with them on a personal level. The reception was held at James Cincotta’s house. Remember James Cincotta the silly young men slapper? Even I got a friendly smack in the face that night. I guess that’s just his way of showing his love for us. We all knew he had the best intentions. Besides, it was hilarious because none of us ever saw it coming.

Friday: Sony Music Entertainment (Extern Host: Daniel Cormier)

About Dan: I swear I have too many embarrassing memories of Dan, and evidence too! From the little girl standing inches from his private areas, doing her makeup and snapping pictures of herself on the Subway to the slow dance with Briana. I have it all Dan, I have it all! Videos and pictures! He is quite the entertainer. My favorite memories of Dan are in between our 40-minute commutes into the city with Jason. We definitely bonded during those late 12-1:00am arrivals at home and those 7:00am commutes back into the city. We most definitely got the least sleep out of anyone that week. Did I mention we were in suits all week? Yeah, imagine the wake up time. The worst of it all was the last day, walking about a mile to the subway because between the three of us we had too many things to carry to take a bus or a taxi. Did I also mention it was the slushiest day in the Bronx? That is one major part of the NYC experience I do not miss.

Dan on the left 

Have you ever heard of Sony music? If you answered no then it’s time to crawl out your cave. Sony Music Entertainment was hosted by Carine Coppola (’88), SVO and Controller of Global Finance. What does that even mean? I have absolutely no clue but it sounds like an important job. I mean, the thought of being an associate of Sony Music is very exclusive. Not many people can casually say that. Some famous names have been signed by Sony; Kesha, Aerosmith, ACDC, Alicia Keys, Usher, and the most famous of all, Michael Jackson! What are the chances of being signed with Sony? Almost impossible. They have no more than 150 musicians signed. For a production company, that is as exclusive as it gets. One of my questions to the hosts was; “what advice would you give to someone who was pursuing music?” The answer; “don’t quit your daily job”. I couldn't agree more. That’s the escape route for everyone these days, the entertainment business.    

Conclusion:

Does anyone see how this was the most adventurous week of my Stonehill career? Not too many people can say they had that experience because in the course of my four years at Stonehill, only 40 students will testify to having such an incredible experience. And even then the number is realistically 30 because some will return. I know I will. Blue Cross is one the best things that could have happened to me in terms of a professional career, but my options are still open. Talking about Blue Cross, stay tuned for my next blog. The adventure continues. The Road to BCBSMA! Coming to your nearest desktop, laptop, iPad, tablet or smartphone!

. 

Time Square

Externship Crew 2013

GQ With Andrew Leahy

Bonding with Mr. David Dugas

Part 2: Another Chapter of my Adventurous life: Spring 2013

The Road to Becoming an Italian: Florence 2013

The process to studying Abroad in Italy I’m sure is nothing compared to the process of living there for an entire semester. I was aware it was going to be a journey, and I heard it was a stressful process but never did I expect it to be as rigorous. Someone else may have had a different experience and say, “it wasn't as bad as everyone said”. Not my experience!

“…I specifically chose Italy for two reasons.  As a part of my cornerstone religious studies requirement at Stonehill, I had the opportunity to take a class about Greek and Roman religion. Between the class discussions, and the professor’s stories about his personal travels, I knew I had to go see the famous sights like the Coliseum that I had heard about. The other major reason I want to study abroad in Italy however, is because I am a Studio Art minor. Art is and always has been a large part of my life, and I would give anything to travel to the place where it all started. Not too many artists, especially in the Western world can say they have been to, or better yet, studied in Italy and I would love to be one of the few artists who can testify a firsthand experience of the beauty in art found in Italy.  I have no doubt that studying art in Florence, Italy will transform my perspectives towards life and art.  I strongly believe that this experience can transform me into a unique artist and I look forward to the opportunity to do so…” 

Instead of rewriting why I chose Italy, I figured I would save me time by copy and pasting this section of my abroad essay.

The road to Italy became real when I met with my abroad adviser, Aliki for the first time. I left the room thinking, “damn, it’s really happening!” I went into the application process not sure how I was going to afford it. Have you ever heard the phrase “God will make a way or provide”? Well that was my thinking. I was thinking; I don’t know how I will afford it, but God will make a way, he always does.

It’s alright if you don’t believe in God.  All I can say is, I’m a living testimony of the great things God can do if you trust him. I knew my scholarships and grants were going to transfer to Florence at Lorenzo de Medici. Tuition and housing was never an issue. The real problem was coming up with the money for pre-departure expenses (deposits, plane ticket, application fee) and extra spending while I am there (Food, traveling, books and miscellaneous other expenses).

Because I’m the type to think ahead, I started my process earlier than the majority of other students; I think back in November while others waited until after the winter break. I went to the study abroad fair and got a bunch of pamphlets and handouts on every where that offered a mix of Studio Art and Healthcare courses. Let’s just say, healthcare is not too popular in Europe. Italy did not have many Healthcare related courses and the few countries that provided Healthcare courses I had no interest in. Moral of the story is, Healthcare Administration does not exist much in Europe (at least for study abroad students). Over the winter break, I did a quick process of elimination with pamphlets received from the fair even though my mind was already set on Italy. The question was where in Italy? I was originally thinking Rome but some how my adviser and I decided on Lorenzo de Medici, Florence. I’ve heard nothing but great things about Florence and Lorenzo in the past; I had no reason not to trust her.

The next step after choosing a program was applying into the system. Applying into the system alerted Stonehill that you were interested on studying abroad. You were immediately placed under the radar. The following step was applying into the program GSE (Global Student Experience). I became a little nervous after submitting my application because of my GPA status; very close call. My nerves got to me for no reason because I ended up getting accepted.

"Congratulations, and welcome to the Global Student Experience Florence Fall 2013 program.

Your acceptance is considered conditional until you have visited and been approved by the Stonehill College Office of International Programs. If you have not already been in contact with the Office of International Programs you must do so immediately.  GSE requires that you comply with all of Stonehill College’s study abroad policies and meet all requirements...."

With  the accepted email came the stressful part of the abroad process, the DOCUMENTS! The list went on for dayssssss...! 

Official transcript from home university

GSE Student Code of Conduct Contract

GSE Housing and Medical Questionnaire

One color photocopy of your passport

Four official passport photos

 GSE Transcript Request Form

The happiest day of the semester for me was the day I turned in my complicated visa request to Aliki (Study Abroad Adviser).

One of my biggest regrets at Stonehill by far was not applying for the Gilman scholarship on time. I had planned on it since I found out about it on freshman year. I knew that was my key to my abroad opportunity. Time came and of course I did not meet the deadline. I had everything completed; my essay was tight thanks to my good friend Colleen McBride and her great editing skills. The only document left was my transcript, which I completely underestimated. I wasn’t aware you had to fill out forms and had to present. Talking about rookie mistake huh? It was now spring break weekend and also the weekend before Externship, NYC. The Externship program is a professional networking program sponsored by the career service department and the Alumni network in New York City. Lookout for my next blog for more details.

All I had left of the application was uploading my transcript and it wasn’t due until Tuesday. I emailed the Registrar’s office on the weekend thinking that was all it was going to take. Long story short, I did not have as much time as I thought I had between the demanding Externship schedule and the process it takes to receive a transcript. It was a shame and once again one of my biggest regrets because the scholarship was worth $5,000! Yeah I didn’t get to complete the Gilman Scholarship application but it was a learning experience. I had to learn the hard way, but what is more important is the awareness. Besides just when I thought it was over, I got the surprise of a lifetime at Gillete’s Humanitarian Dinner -- a RBTV event.

The Ron Burton Training Village (RBTV) hosts the annual Humanitarian Dinner at Gillette stadium. I’ve been apart of this event for the pass 8 years. Every year the RBTV also rewards 2 or 3 of it’s graduating seniors with the Ron Burton Scholarship (full ride) of choice. Of choice as in any one of the scholarships on the list (Bentley, Stonehill, Nival Academy, West Point, BC, North Western etc.) I'm not sure where others have went in the past but if you have any interest in getting more details on the RBTV you can either read the blog call Ron Burton Training Village 2012 or check out the official website at http://www.ronburtontrainingvillage.org/

In acceptance of the scholarship, the individual has to give speech about their experiences at the RBTV, a crowd of 500-700 people! Talking about nerve-racking huh? I was once one of those fortunate students. I’m sure you can also find my speech on the website. But I strongly recommend you not to! You have been warned! This year’s event was dedicated to Karen Kaplan of Hill Holiday (Biggest Advertisement Company in Mass). I was once again fortunate to have been one of the main events. I was surprised with the second annual Myra Kraft Community Service Award in memory Bob Kraft’s, owner of the New England Patriots. Along with the scholarship came 5,000 dollars scholarship! I couldn't be more thankful. How amazing is God? One opportunity slip by my finger tips and another came running through the door. You know what they say though right? You win some you lose some. I have Paul Burton to thank for taking a look at my accomplishments over the past few years, my resume and recommending me for the scholarship. I don’t think things would have worked out financially for Italy if it hadn't been for the scholarship. My departure date? August 26! Keep an eye out for many blogs from Italy.

Part 1: Another Chapter of my Adventurous life: Spring 2013

Introduction to the Advanture:

Where do I start? But seriously, what an amazing semester! Yes, I've had my ups and downs so far at Stonehill but what an adventurous semester! So many exciting things happened this past semester, I could literally sit here and write all day, every day about it. But I'm not really a writer so that's not going to happen. Besides, I do not want to bore anyone with a 50-page blog but I will do the best to capture the excitement and make it short and sweet. Rather than publishing everything at once, I will publish each topic as a separate blog. If the topic sounds like something that might interest you, then take the time read it. If you have that much time to read all possible topics then be my guest!

I don't want to think of myself as a person with a great life, because my life is the furthest thing from being great. My family situation is the furthest thing from being great. My financial situation is just as far away from great as the earth is from the sun. Don't get me wrong, I'm also the furthest thing from being poor thanks to my hardworking mother. The perfect word to describe my life is: BLESSED! I am blessed. Not lucky, but blessed. One day I'm at the peak of Mount Everest, the next day I'm emotionally at the bottom of the pole, and the following one I'm back to a happy medium. It could be scary not knowing where I'm going to be at tomorrow emotionally, but it’s also exciting because when I'm at my highest, it's like heaven! It's like, even though I was in the dumps yesterday, it does not matter because I want to keep moving, and I keep getting better, stronger. In other words, my life is a freaking adventure!

I normally like to think about my highs, lows and emotional status as a roller coaster. This past spring semester is what I call an adventure. Now what is an adventure? The dictionary says, “an exciting or very unusual experience.” My definition: taking advantage of every little possible opportunity, making the impossible possible, and of course, how can I forget my favorite quality in life? Not taking “no” for an answer, not feeling sorry for yourself (myself). Sorry about the rambles but I traditionally start with discussing my academic achievements, then everything else (work, activities, cool trips, good or bad random experiences etc). Isn’t it time to switch it up though? You know, talking about everything else then conclude it with academic achievements? Well what choice do you have as a reader? It’s my blog! With that, I would like to welcome you to my first 2013 blog! Sorry it took me so long after the semester to publish a new blog. It’s been over a month in process but the time hasn’t been there. But relax your mind, brace yourself and enjoy the ride. I hope I don’t bore you too much. And oh yeah, warning; I AM NOT A WRITER!

1^st Wrestling Club: It’s only the beginning

If you are a frequent reader you know my last blog was partially about the establishment of Stonehill’s first Wrestling Club. That was, of course, the accomplishment of the century. It only took me about a year and a half, no biggie. This past semester we had our first meetings/practices as a club. The practices took place at Brockton High School and Oliver Ames High School not too far from campus. Transportation was provided by the sports department for practice twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursday, 8:30-10pm). I needed to get van certified in order to drive the van, especially on days when coach (Dean of Admissions, Dan Monahan) either couldn’t make it to practice or needed to drive his own car to practice. On the days coach couldn’t make it to practice, I was left with the responsibility to run practice. I enjoyed every bit of having to run practice and coaching. I approached it as my time to shine as a coach. The guys loved it as well, especially the spontaneous Wendy’s trips on the way back from practice. Not really the healthiest option post practice but it was quality team bonding experience.

For practice, I would write a list of basic moves and drills I felt would help improve the newer wrestler’s skills and give the veterans a solid workout. Let’s just say, it was designed so that everyone can benefit from it. The practice strategy and games like cat band derived from my high school coach (John Kanavich). He is no doubt the most consistent high school coach in Mass. He's very professional, and highly respected by coaches in the New England area. It was certainly an honor getting coached by him. He transformed me from an immature, too cool for wrestling young man I was freshman and sophomore year and into the dedicated captain I was my senior year. On average, we had eight wrestlers and in the end were able to keep everyone. People came and went, did we chase them back on the team? Absolutely not, wrestling is survival of the fittest, only the hungry and dedicated will survive.

We started late in the season so we unfortunately were not able to compete. It was also great because it gave us time to build team chemistry and give newer wrestlers the opportunity to learn basic techniques before competing. On the more positive note, we should have a full team this upcoming season. Because we don’t have our own home space and we are still a new team, we are yet to have a full schedule this season,  but we are going to wrestle in a lot of open tournaments and do a lot of traveling, and hopefully compete in the national dowels . It will be a perfect transition from Italy. Italy? I guess you will just have to keep reading! As of wrestling gears, Coach Monahan is currently working on ordering singlets and head gears for the season! I can’t not wait to see how it is going to come out. Let’s just say I’m going to do a lot of running in Italy to keep up with the guys who are here. It is going to be quite a journey, one I am extremely excited for.



First Wrestling Gear




The Logo!



2012-2013 1st Semester Summery

Introduction

If you are a consistent reader, you noticed I did not blog as much as I did last semester. Last semester I was in a phase I consider the “blogging mood phase”.  Sounds familiar doesn't it? That’s because the “blogging moon phase” was originated from a phase we all know as the “honeymoon phase”. Urban Dictionary calls it “New Relationship Smugness (NRS)”. The honeymoon phase is the time of a relationship I hate the most. According to Urban Dictionary, “they (couples) are poisoned by their own happiness and led to believe they are the "Perfect Couple", after the honey moon phase ends and the healthy relationship begins…” Um…not convinced, never have been never will be convinced by the “honeymoon phase”. Why am I getting so hyped up over the honeymoon phase? I honestly don’t know. Point is, a “blogging moon” phase is basically like being in a honeymoon phase.” I went from blogging half an hour every week to 2-hours or more every other week, to blogging one time this past semester. Was it due to the lack of interesting ideas? Not necessarily. Truth is I was completely swamped with responsibilities this past semester. From Peer Mentoring, to being a big brother in the ALANA program for the first time, to working two jobs (Admissions Assistance & Group Exercise Instructor) and most importantly starting a wrestling club.  The goal for this particular blog is to reflect upon my past semester experiences. From the courses, to jobs and conclude it with my overall accomplishments. 

Semester Courses

I can say I honestly became a business man this past semester, literally. Every single one of my classes was business classes aside from Spanish. Being a liberal arts college, Stonehill requires every sophomore to take a Learning Community (LC). The LC is usually meant to be an experience out of your element. Thing is, not everyone follows the rules. It is Safe to say that sometimes staying in your comfort zone doesn't hurt, especially when there is a GPA involved. For example, a Bio major taking a Bio related LC; “looking into [or] under the glass” I think it’s called. I am and always have been about challenging myself and stepping outside of my comfort zone so I chose to apply for the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) LC. I wanted a challenging LC and I most definitely got my wish.

Under the IMC LC came Marketing Principles, a Public Relations course and the seminar.  The seminar was a combination of Marketing and PR. Between the two classes and the seminar, there were lot of group projects and presentations involved. The LC course was extremely challenging and kept me on toes all semester. On an average week day, I was always either studying for an exam, a group project or working on an individual paper. Although it almost became the death of me, I have to admit I loved all aspect of the LC. I loved being in class and chatting with the professors who are by the way two of the coolest Professors I've had by far. Lee McGinnis who thought the Marketing course was your typical entertainer. Although he was such a straight grader, you couldn't help but love him anyways. Besides, he could care less if you complain or cry, nothing could have ever changed the outcome. His mentality was something like “you will take what you get and if you don’t like it, work harder next time around”. And then there was Mr. Seraphin, the God of Public Relations. This man knows everything there is to know about PR inside and out, and has done it all. From being a pilot in the Navy during the Vietnam War, to working every job in the PR business, to currently being a professor and a part-time singer in a classical band! Classical band! You got to love it. Talking about being a well-rounded individual huh?  

Together they were the dynamic duo, the ultimate tag team of the century.  I loved everything about the LC but unfortunately I had to take exams, and I completely sucked! The very first couple exams were the wake-up call of the semester. I mean going into the semester I knew Business or Communications wasn't my thing, and I was also fully aware I was going to have to work harder than majority of the class. My classmates were Communications, Business or Marketing majors. Here I was a Healthcare Administration major, Studio Art Minor who has always been about the Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, taking Business courses for the first time. This is why the very first couple exams were a wake-up call that I never asked for. I was no longer in my comfort zone. I soon then realized that it wasn't a matter of working harder than my peers, it was my approach on the course, my way of thinking. In other words, I could no longer study like I did for a Biology exam. I couldn't just memorize key terms. With Marketing and PR, I had to apply everything I was learning to reality, to real word examples. I realized my old study method was no longer effective  Thank God I realized that early enough before it was too late. When I did make the change, I got better results on exams and I felt like I was actually learning, not just memorizing terms. My overall goal for the Integrated Marketing Communications LC was to gain as much knowledge as possible about becoming a successful business man. I personally have a lot of individual business goals and I knew this class was going to provide me with the basics. I needed to learn how to work closely with customers for personal training and how to create a successful website for my art work. Thanks to the IMC LC I am in a better position of becoming a personal trainer. I am also in a better position now to build a professional website, not a mediocre website. Aside from my personal goals, I learned about Personal Branding, Elevator pitches, a SWOT analysis (Strength, Weaknesses, Objectives, Threats and Opportunities), Endorsement and writing Press Releases. 

As for Elementary Spanish and Microeconomics, I am glad I don’t every have to deal with it again. Well, not quite because I have to take Spanish II this semester. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love taking Spanish.

I've taken Spanish since 7^th grade and it has always been a success. You are now probably wondering, then why are you taking Elementary level Spanish? I mean, I did say I love taking Spanish and it has been a success, I didn't exactly say I was a Spanish expert. If I was an expert I would have been fluent by now, with the amount of years I have under my belt. But I am not, which is why I requested to take Elementary instead of Intermediate. After 2 years of not taking Spanish, I went to my academic adviser said, Sir I can’t do it, and it’s been too long! Who can I talk to? Now here I am, just had my first Spanish class in almost 3-years. How did it go? Not exactly the easy “A” I was hoping for. Matter of fact, I didn't even get a B, thanks to mister not so nice Professor De Mattos. Spanish is not a difficult subject; I had a difficult professor who was rude most of the time. Think I’m just talking trash about a professor, well how about this example. Before I go into the incident, it is important to know a not so fun fact about De Mattos; he never gave quizzes the day he said he’s going to give them, only on days that no one is prepared.  And of course for that reason, majority of the class struggled on quizzes. Another not so fun fact, I truly believe Rudy takes pride in failing his students. Why do I make such accusations? Ask my good friend and housemate Tom Wood, he would testify. While passing out quizzes, Professor looked at Tom’s quiz and shout out to the rest of the class, “this is what you don’t do!” He then walked up to me, holds up my quiz and said “see, this is what happens when you don’t study”. Now that you've gotten a glance of Professor Rudy D; would you like to know my true opinion of him? Nothing negative really, especially since my blog is public. But honestly, I personally think he is a disrespectful professor and I am glad I don’t ever have to sit in his class again.

Micro is hands down the hardest class I've taken by far at Stonehill.  Entertaining professor, but difficult class and terrible grading system. We had two exams all semester, a midterm and a final. A class this difficult shouldn’t have two grades an entire semester. You don’t learn anything!  I believe this system generally sets you up for failure never mind in a challenging course. As a student, you are already at a disadvantage from the start. I know for a fact I was because went into the semester with no business background, specifically Economics. And over all that, I am notorious for sucking at math. I just wish I had some type of a grade (projects, quizzes, etc.) in between to fall back on. But hey, we don’t always get what we want in life. Most importantly, I passed the class and I learned from the experience. Besides, the class was a prerequisite for Healthcare Economics so I now at least have an idea what I’ll be getting myself into. 

Work (Admission Coordinator Assistant & Group Exercise “Crossfit”)

Work for me this semester was a complete blast! It kept me moving constantly but that’s what I love! That’s my life and I couldn't ask for any less. My man Lecrae (Christian Rapper) stated in one of his newest songs (“Lucky Ones”) “ Ain't saying I am always right, I ain't saying I am perfect and I ain't saying I deserve it, but I am glad I have this life”.  He  couldn't have said it better. It may not be the most relaxing lifestyle, but once again THIS IS MY LIFE AND I LOVE IT!  This past semester was my second semester working as an Admission Coordinator Assistant. I guess I can say I have been with them for a solid school year. I can’t express enough how much I love this job. So what’s my typical day like? I honestly can’t tell you because I never know what exactly the new assignment is until I get there. As an assistant, my working day depends on the status of the Admission staff. Something new needed to be moved around in the basement? “Hey you got the guns”! I am there moving boxes to make space. Too many Inquiry cards, I am on the computer screen for hours doing data entry. Too many unalphabetical (if that’s a word) documents lying around? I am there doing alphabetizing for the day. Too many alphabetized documents lying around, well I guess I am filing for the day. Excess papers flooding the office? Well, I guess I have a date with the shredding machine. “Thomas you need a break? Wanna take a walk?” Yup I do it all, I love it. Aside from the work, I am in an environment with the greatest people. Very busy people but personal, always willing to chat it up. 

This is a little project I worked on in the Assistant Dean’s office. I call it: Downtime entertainment

Group Ex-“CrossFit”

For the first time this semester I worked as a Group Exercise instructor. You know, the Burtons always told us (campers/leaders) about the importance of networking. Well coming into my sophomore year I decided to step my networking skills up to another level. During the summer orientation as a first year Peer Mentor, I approached the head of Sports Department with the intent to get hooked up with a job at the sports complex. I had heard it was one of the hardest/most exclusive jobs to get on campus and I am less likely to get it as a sophomore. I already had an exclusive job working at admissions so my thinking was basically, “what do I have to lose? Absolutely nothing!” So being the rebel I am, I decided to try my luck.  Went up to him, gave him a firm hand shake and the conversation went something like this, “hello sir my name is Thomas and I am looking to get a job at the Sports Complex next semester. I’m currently working at Admissions and now looking to find another job around campus”. His response? “Oh yeah of course. You are a Peer Mentor right? Just shoot me a text when you are back on campus, remind me who you are and I’ll get you started”.  I did’t only get a job at the sports complex, I was hooked up with a more exclusive job than expected. Later that week I found out two of my fellow mentors, Julie Mills (J-Millz) and Colleen Marie worked as Group Ex instructors under Leahy. I immediately jumped on that opportunity as soon as the semester started. I looked more into the process and discovered that all I had to do was make a 9 or so minutes demo and do a tryout performance. I simply followed the instructions, went to the tryout and did my thing. I knew I had somewhat of a background in crossFit and years of experience in exercising so I did my demo on the little I knew about Crossfit workouts. I knew my style was different but I didn't expect her (Susan Matters-the boss) to fall in love with it. It was unique, it was something new, and it wasn't Zumba related, for once! She loved it so much she hired me on the spot and everyone else had to wait to get their results for a couple more days.  SWAGGGG! Oh yes I felt like a “G” alright, not even going to lie. Like my peoples would say, I was gassed! 

So I got the job, but limited CrossFit equipment to work with. No cattle bell, no ropes, no monkey bars, nothing. What do you or can you do when you’re put in a situation like this? Well here are your options: you can simply not take the job, complain to the boss, complain about your job and how you don’t have the appropriate equipment to do your job, or just take the job pretend you like it and look forward to the pay check. Want to know my approach? I took the job and swaged out the workouts T-Noah style. I used the basic Crossfit based workouts and concepts (squats and Burpees) and made it into a circuit based workout routine. Not even sure if anything I just said made sense but just pretend you know what I’m talking about. Point is, I made a workout routine based on the limited equipment I had. You know what they say; “when life gives you lemon, make LEMONADE!” I squeezed every bit of juice I had out that pitiful lemon and it was a success. It was a challenging class but like every Crossfit related workout, it’s made to get results. I mean that’s why there’s Zumba, anyone can survive. Not everyone survives a crossfit class. It’s all about the survival of the fittest. The fittest were the few committed girls I had during the last couple weeks. They knew what they wanted which was success. Talking about success, I started this one minute push-up contest every two weeks. Very self-explanatory. I gave them a minute to do as many push-ups as they could and kept record of it. There is nothing better than seeing visible progress. I encourage everyone that read this blog to really take it into consideration. Writing everything down and keeping note of your progress in the gym. It really keeps you focused and motivated. So of course it was a brilliant move on my part because the girls got to see for themselves why they were taking the class, why I was making them do the workouts they were doing. Because it works! All the ladies  who stayed with the program saw a huge improvement, at least 20 pushups more. I had one girl, Jackie who started the class at 25 and did 50 push-ups by the end of the program in a minute!  I mean, how else can I express the importance of what I do? The number 50 is the prove I need. Not that my statistics matters but I personally improved tremendously. I went from doing 40 on the first week to 80 by the end of the program. The overall class was a total success and I cannot wait to get it started again! And this time, the class is called T-Noah’s Boot camp/crossfit! Please don’t kill the messenger, I am just taking orders. These are the direct quotes for this coming up season from my boss Susan Mathers; “Thomas- Bootcamp*-please do more bootcamp style vs cross fit. Throw in some drills and make it hard cardio.”  Once again, please don’t kill the messenger, I am just following the Boss’ orders, just doing exactly what I was told, being the obedient employee I amJ! 

Talking about direct quotes, here are some quotes from two girls I had the pleasure of  working with this past semester, Krista Chouinard  and Gina Battinelli;

“The class is really good cuz it works every part of your body which I don’t have the chance to do with my regular workouts and the pace of increasing difficulty had been challenging. As an instructor you not only instruct but actually watch to make sure we’re  doing it in an effective way which is comforting and beneficial”  Krista

“I enjoy group exercises a lot better than going to the gym and using a machine. I joined the class because the class atmosphere attracted me. I feel like we all struggle as a whole and I feel better struggling as a whole than by myself on a machine.

I think that you are a good instructor (not just because you are my friend) but because you push me. You are kind but you never take "I am struggling and cannot do it" for an answer or excuse. It's like having a personal trainer and I think you are fair in your workouts “ Gina

One of the assignments this past semester in PR was to write a news release. I chose to write about my  crossFit class so I requested that the girls give me their opinion of the class and me as an instructor. After hearing what they had to say, I’m 100% convinced I am doing something right. So proud! The numbers are not always Zumba status, but that’s because physical training is not made for everyone.  

Wrestling Club

 The last and final piece to this long blog is about the establishment of the new Wrestling club at Stonehill. Things weren't always as smooth as it seems now. It was not an easy process either. First of all, what were my reasons for starting a wrestling club a Stonehill? Well it all started on my junior year when I finally decided to join my High School Wrestling team (Framingham), led by one of  the greatest coaches in Mass, Coach Jon Kanavich. He had been trying to convince me to join the program since my freshman year, but because of my immature mindset, I chose not to do so for 2-years! I thought I was too cool for Wrestling, only wanted to play football. Not realizing Wrestling was going to shape me into a better athlete and a person. And because I was so “cool” I did not wanted to be seen in a singlet. I thought wrestling was as “gay” as it gets, excuse my language. Rewinding 2-years later, I realized not wrestling for the first couple years of high school was one of the biggest mistakes I've made in life. One of my biggest regrets in life. For the two years I wrestled, I accomplished more than I ever dreamed of. I made the varsity team my first year, got my ass handed to me by every kid I got on the mat with. With only 6 or so varsity wins out of an entire season, I continued to work my butt off. I was voted the Captain’s choice and then voted a captain by the team. I knew I had the support of the team, but never expected the Captain’s choice trophy. I went into my senior year with 50 or so off season matches with the intentions of going out my senior year with a bang. I finished off the season at 26-14. I accomplished a lot with the two years of wrestling but I didn't want it to stop there. Could I have become a state chap with one more year of wrestling experience? I will unfortunately never know. I wanted to wrestle in college but for some bizarre reason Stonehill did not have a wrestling team, not even a club. My wrestling coach told me I could start a club if I really wanted to. I took my coach’s advice and started looking  into it. I knew I had to get some adult support, so I brought up the idea to Father Mark Cregan (president) and Dan Monahan (Senior Dean of Admissions) and his assistance Joe Dacy. They all loved the idea of having a wrestling program. Dan then made an agreement with me that if I do get the program started he will coach it. How great is that?! I had the President’s support and now a coach! Now what? Well the next thing on my check list was to email the Director of sports, John Leahy. This was John’s exact response to my email:

“Hello, Thomas. While a Wrestling team is at the top of our list to add to our sport clubs, we are currently at our limit. We have explored the possibility of having wrestling. Because of budgetary concerns, we cannot support an additional sport club at this point.

Thanks for your interest. You may direct any further questions to Jose Gomes, our Sport Club Coordinator.”

 This was when I realized that people have tried in the past and fail miserably. I was a little discouraged so I forwarded the email to Dan (this was before we were on first name basis by the way. He was known as Mr. Monahan then). Anyways, Dan read the email and came to a conclusion that Leahy’s response was pretty much the same excuse they gave to everyone who attempted in the past. He then told me to keep pushing and try to get more people involved. Sophomore year came around and I did exactly what I was told, I kept pushing. I got in touch with many of my connects about other ways of starting a club on campus. My search was narrowed down to going through SGA. I thought, why didn’t I think of this before? I am a Peer Mentor and 99.9% of SGA members are Peer mentors! I had all these sources but I was not taking advantage of them. I got a team of 4 guys together and went on a mission, a mission to rebel against the sports complex. My board members consisted of  myself (obviously), Eric Vanderpool, Ryan Heimroth, and Logan Turnball. With the help of the guys, and the support of Father Mark, Dan, Joe and the student activity staffs, we were determined to beat SGA’s provisional process. As part of the provisional process, we needed to host an event open to the general public.

Together we came up with a brilliant idea, to host an open mat event. An event where experienced and inexperienced wrestlers or anyone interested can experiment with the sport and ask any possible questions. I asked my high school Coach (Kan) to come run a clinic and he agreed! This idea was grand, but we didn't have access to mats! Where are we going to get mats?! We thought; those things cause 5K used! I emailed every local program (colleges or high schools) with wrestling, asking if we could borrow their mats for a day. Of course the response was “No, No, not interested; I can’t help you, no!” The search for mats was a complete failure. Just when we thought it was all over, we got the publicity of a lifetime.  My boy Shane McDonald who was helping on the side with the production had posted a comment on the Mass Wrestling site requesting for used mats. Somehow words got out to Leahy about the request and so he forwarded the email to Jim Hermelbracht (head of student activities). Jim then forwarded that email to Patrick Keaney who finally forwarded it to me asking that we get in contact with Jose Gomes from the Sports Department. That was really when we realize that we cannot start a wrestling club without the support of the Sports Department. Although the possibilities of becoming an SGA club were higher, they as a department do not have the appropriate equipment for a Wrestling Club. We needed Mats as well as space to practice and the Sports Department could provide it. It was a battle to get the attention we needed but it worked out for the best in the end. It came to a point where they could no longer ignore us. From that moment I started to work closely with both Jose and Leahy to make the wrestling club possible.  We were able to solve the problems with storage for mats and space to practice. Jose worked his magic with Brockton High school and they agreed to let us use their wrestling room and equipment for only about $100 a night. Also because they are in season, we couldn't get the mat to practice daily. Instead, we were given the mats on Tuesdays and Thursdays nights from 8:30-10:30pm. The plan is to practice at Brockton High until the renovation of the Ames Sports Complex. When is this possibly going down? I have no clue but from what I heard, by the time it is completed I will have graduated. I could care less about practice locations or when the new Sports Complex will be completed. My mean concern is that Stonehill will have a full team by the time I graduate and that a room is dedicated to the wrestling team in the Sport Complex. As of now we don’t have a full team and we don’t have a home mat. No worries though, because we are going to take it one day, one step, one practice at a time. I’m just thankful to have gotten this finally established after 2-years. I am also very thankful to Dean of Admission and my Boss Dan Monahan for volunteering to coach the program. I know how busy he is with traveling, recruiting and such. Looking on the bright side, I know we will have some great recruiting and a solid team of hard working wrestlers in the near future. So what’s the moral of this story? What did I learn from this whole experience? Persistence! Dedication! And oh yeah, never taking NO for an answer! If I had given up like every other student who gave up in the past, there wouldn't have been a Wrestling Club at Stonehill College in 2013.  

What? Are you looking for more to read? That’s it! Woof… didn't think you were ever gonna stop reading huh? Well I am honored that you took the time to read about my life this past semester. Every semester so far at Stonehill has been a roller-coaster  So many highs and lows, but I am a believer. I am a survivor. This is nothing new to me. But guess what? At the end of it all I become smarter, bigger, stronger, and more appreciative about life. I could go on all day about my personal growth but I’ll let you go with a quote from the legendary Professor Dahlin; “Drive fast and don’t wear a seat belt!” No worries, that is pure sarcasm because Dahlin is legit God’s gift to college students.