This is a picture of my friend and me at the first “interview” or meeting for the first innovation team on campus. This meeting had a bunch of kids participating and was the final process in selecting those who were accepted onto the team. This was an extremely unconventional interview, with questions regarding quick thinking to get you on your feet thought-wise and get your creative juices flowing. We were told the mission of the team and information regarding what we would actually do as well, this helped students become informed about the experience as a whole. We started with general information, some questions to go around the room, then a hands-on project at the end to help us practice design thinking, a skill that is integral to the job. We were all given random animals and facts about those animals and had to create an enclosure based on those parameters. Starting with a sketching/ idea phase, then moving onto a fabrication phase with various materials; this experience was extremely fun and unexpected for me. One of the two things I took out of this experience were ways to think outside of the box that was taught and experimented with throughout the meeting. This meeting truly showed me that the traditional interview tactic can sometimes be boring and there are other more creative ways to think of a crowd strategically and efficiently. A second thing would be the skills I quickly learned throughout and after the innovation team experience. We are constantly taught design thinking, testing phases, collaboration, and communication because these skills are among many used constantly on the team. With only the interview, I was able to quickly pick up these irreplaceable skills and I will never regret or forget this experience.
This is a picture of Mya and me attending the Bush Lecture Series in the Alfond Forum here on campus! This was an extremely impactful learning experience for me personally because I was able to truly see into the mind of President George W. Bush from the people that were close to him like speaker Jean Becker, chief of staff during his presidency. The stories told were so raw and real that it gave such an impression of what it was like to be friends with President Bush. His aids all told stories and discussed his personality, and more importantly morals as a man, friend, husband, and leader. I enjoyed learning of his life and achievements, friendships, and even pranks (as he was quite the jokester). Throughout the lecture, the speakers did an amazing job of capturing George’s essence and displaying his character. One of the two things I really enjoyed about the event is meeting people and the opportunities it provides. The connections made by Mya interviewing many for the school paper, as well as me meeting President Herbert for the first time, I don’t regret attending the event. As well as this, I really enjoyed the actual happiness it brought me and the lightheartedness of the lecture. While seemingly serious in nature, a big part of Bush’s presidency was lightening the mood of a very stressful job. Whether this is pranks, jokes, or the administration shaving their heads to support a child with cancer; Bush was a truly amazing man. The feeling I gained when being exposed to such memories stored throughout the Bust Administration was one that I could only relate to hope and nostalgia in a way. The experience as a whole was extremely educational in essence, but also one for those who loved George to remember his legacy and essence.
Yet again another irreplaceable experience, the Bake Wars held in the Saint Francis room and hosted this semester by the School of Arts & Humanities was a huge success in my opinion. To summarize this event was a huge get-together of staff and students alike in the department to try out baked goods and eventually decide a winner at the end. With piano and guitar background music, the atmosphere at the bake-off was unmatched and welcoming, with interested students walking by allowed to enter and try the desserts and chat with anyone around. This event was an amazing time to meet people with similar interests whether that be students in your major, future professors, or those of classes students may be interested in. Conversations flowed and it was a lot of fun in my opinion. Overall I gained a lot of connections out of the Bake War and loved chatting with everyone who could make it. The baked goods added an almost competitive vibe because we were all voting for our favorites, while still offering a laid-back environment to chat with everyone. I loved chatting with faculty such as Prof. DeWolfe about her upcoming new class and enjoyed meeting the head of the Internship Office. This event was a super fun and easy way to meet new people, and I think that the connections I made will be important in my future and current college experience at UNE. I also gained a lot of information regarding classes and upcoming other events that some of the faculty there had mentioned. Learning about future new classes such as History Of Food (I believe, or something of that nature), was very informing and I felt like I had a special look into these topics. Overall the event was very fun, inviting, and a great way to meet new people in my opinion!
This was the first sports game at UNE I actually attended in the crowd, and I didn’t regret it one bit. I don’t often enjoy watching most sports but hockey for some reason is more interesting to me than the rest, so I thought I’d give it a go and was not disappointed. This game we lost by one point I recall but overall was a very tight match, however, that didn’t waver my opinion of the experience overall. The UNE pride I felt while in the crowd was an amazing feeling and this game really helped me feel more at home at this school. I got some more time to spend with friends, and with the student body at UNE. The game was fast-paced and took place here in the Alfond Forum, as it was a home game. I enjoyed the action that hockey offers, therefore wasn’t bored for a second. I sat with my roommates and really enjoyed spending quality time with them. Overall I would say that I gained a more welcoming feeling – like I’m actually a part of UNE – and was fulfilled after the game because I really felt at home. I also got to spend some quality time with the student body and my friends, which is always a plus. This experience I will never forget because of the hype, excitement, and hospitality the UNE student body showed. I also learned a few things about hockey, whether that be rules, or simply how certain penalties work!
