I’m Lena Chapin. I am graduating from John Carroll University with a double major in English and communications with a focus on writing. I’m just kidding.

Rather, I thought I’d be all nostalgic and sentimental by sharing with you some of my favorite memories of the past four years. That gets boring though, so I’ll limit it to five.

Freshman year: The dance parties and Rhapsody Blue-stalking tendencies of the Murphy 4W will go down in history and be forever relived via YouTube. Camp out on Murphy Lawn during Senior Week?

Sophomore Year: I developed a taste for cinnamon tea and Kit-Kats, as well as other things, with my Facebook wife, Margaret Gleeson, and the rest of my “night time friends.” I’m so stoked for the second cap and gown party. 

Junior Year: Spending hours upon hours on the broken pink futon listening to Matt Nathanson with my roommate Laura. As it turns out, her torn ACL and my general laziness really came in handy considering JCU brought him to campus not once, but twice. It only reaffirmed my love for this school.

Senior Year: Karaoke nights at the Purple Shamrock have never failed to be a good time. Whether I knew the words or not, everything from Bootylicious to Otis Redding has been belted on Carroll News-free Tuesday nights. I’ve found that there is nothing better than having all of your roommates, most of your friends, and your fellow Blue Streaks in two tiny rooms with corn hole and microphones.

Overall: Realizing that the year was full of last-firsts (day of school, Jake’s Night, etc.) and first-lasts (Labrepalooza, Sweet Carrollines concert, time I’ll see three-fourths of you) and taking full advantage of it. And by full, I mean full; check my GPA if you don’t believe me. (Dad, I’m kidding.)

 Wasn’t that fun? The great senior struggle with column writing is whether to go out with humor, or seriousness, or take the typical route and try to provide those of you who are left to carry on the legacy with advice. I think that Baz Luhrmann and Mary Schmich took the cake with the departing advice realm, so I won’t attempt to repeat that. (For those of you who I completely lost with that please do  yourselves a favor and watch “Everyone’s Free [To Wear Sunscreen]” on YouTube). However, I will say a few things that I wish someone had told me.

Don’t let college ruin your love of recreational reading.

If there is ever anything going on in the Atrium, participate. If there is nothing going on, turn on the Jukebox and start a dance party. I personally recommend 1007.

Your professors really are awesome. Start dropping in on them early. They give great advice, and it’s a lot easier to come in late for class if they know what is going on in your life.

You’ve only got four years. It will seem so slow and so fast at the same time. Say what you want to say. Do the things that make you and others happy. Be friendly, and read the entire Carroll News every week (or at least op/ed and diversions).

I often think when watching her show that the melodrama of it all is annoying and her facial expressions never really change, whether she’s happy, sad or giving away humpback whales. 

It always annoyed me that she gave away free cars. Not everyone needs a free car, especially when they have to pay for gas, insurance and taxes on that brand new freebie. 

I get mad with most of the give-aways. For instance, a few weeks ago I was forced to watch Oprah because the cast of “Glee” was on her show. She talked to them for awhile, but then doing her philanthropic duty took over. 

She brought in the best show choir in the nation, had them perform, and then gave them a brand new grand piano. That was all well and good, except these kids had just performed in head-to-toe flashy 17th century ball gowns and velvet suits that they had bought on their own. 

Coming from a show choir that was a little more Glee-esque with one broken, out of tune, old piano and thirteen-year-old hand-me-down costumes that made us look like hostesses, I became a little upset with Oprah for once again giving something to those who weren’t very needy. 

It sparked some anger and I changed my Facebook status to “I hate Oprah. I don’t know why; she just makes me angry.” It immediately sparked a response.  After eight comments and two likes, I found out that I wasn’t alone in my unjustified distaste for the woman. 

Many of the comments suggested I write my column on the matter, and what the public demands I deliver. So I sat down to write, but in the good sense of scholarship I decided I should be a little more educated on the topic. So I did what any self-respecting soon to be college graduate would do in my situation … I Wiki’d her. 

Turns out I can’t hate Oprah. I can disagree with what she does and a few of the ways she uses her money, but all in all, that woman deserves and has earned quite a bit of my respect. 

Did you know that her teenage mother raised her, in poverty? Her life didn’t get easier for a long time. She has been through an amazing amount of hardships, experiencing everything from rape to the loss of a child. She has overcome so much that it isn’t any wonder why she is so well-loved by the American population. 

Even though I can’t bring myself to love her, I have to admit that my opinion has been swayed a little bit. No, I still don’t agree she should have nearly as much power as she does. She has been called the most influential woman in the world and I think that’s a crock of hooey. She hosts a talk show for gosh sakes. 

I respect the fact that she took her life and turned it around to launch her own production company, magazine, book club, school for girls, and whatever else she has under her belt. As an entrepreneur she’s amazing; as a philanthropist she’s good, but could be a bit better; as a person she’s probably doing her best like everyone else out there. 

If there is one thing I’ve learned from Oprah, it’s the age-old tale of don’t judge a book by its cover. 

It’s easy to judge people and your initial interaction without getting to know them or anything about them, but it’s important to keep in mind that there is a whole life behind these people that you don’t even know about.  You can’t just decide someone is annoying or weird and hate them for no reason. 

Who knows, you could be missing out on your best friend.

I mean, I expect myself to be busting out some box steps and singing at the top of my lungs, but to walk into the newsroom and see two 22-year-old self-proclaimed chauvinists jamming out to “Defying Gravity” was a bit out of the norm. It was quite entertaining though. The boys were taking a study break for a bit of inspiration and what better song to choose that that one? “No wizard that there is or was, is ever gonna bring me down!” See?

Later that week, in not one, but three of my classes, the song “My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music” came up. It was pretty funny watching professors Brian Macaskill and George Bilgere reference the song and then hum the next few lines in their heads. “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” said by graying men with their doctorates is always amusing, but picturing these two in lederhosens added to the hilarity.  Even professor Patrick McBrine sang a bit of the ditty in my medieval literature class, changing the lyrics and adding his own medieval-themed words.

My professors aren’t the only ones making musical references, though. It’s been the trend for television shows to do musical episodes. One of my favorites, by far, has been the rendition of “West Side Story” in “Scrubs.” It only lasted for a few seconds, but seeing Turk and J.D.  snap and sashay down the hallway made the season. “Always Sunny in Philadelphia” took it to the next level by writing their own musical. Their “The Night Man Cometh” was definitely a hit. Charlie can compose a musical for me anytime as long as he doesn’t let Frank, Dennis and Mac anywhere near it.

I think the reason that this phenomenon has caught my attention was because of my past. You see, I grew up without cable, so I spent my time watching musicals on VHS over and over. I’m pretty sure I watched “Fiddler on the Roof” about 73 times. The best part of it was that my dad would generally watch and sing along. His favorite musical is “West Side Story” and it’s very apparent when my niece Aaliyah is around.  “Aaliyah. I just met a girl named Aaliyah,” he’ll sing.

I grew up thinking my dad was the best man in the world. I thought he looked just like Indiana Jones and could solve any problem. I especially thought that he was awesome when he would take me to the musicals. I remember going to see “Grease” when I was, maybe, eight and listening to the soundtrack the whole way there and back. Though, these days, he doesn’t resemble Harrison Ford and he can’t decide my life for me, I still thank him for the fact that when I was little I thought that every man was a musical fan.

I find it sad that these days it’s not necessarily “cool” or “macho” to be a fan of musicals. I think that all men should embrace the awesomeness of singing and dancing through life events. I encourage all men to go against this oppression of appreciation.

Why not swing around the light posts in O’Malley once in a while and belt out a line from “The Music Man?” Why not learn every word to “9600” from “In the Heights” (it’s pretty hip, despite the fact I described it as hip)? Why not let the world know that you absolutely love “Wicked”? You’ll feel so much better, probably attract more girls (or at least cooler ones) and you’ll bring me one step closer to achieving my life goal of living in a musical.

In case you haven’t ever been to Immokalee or even heard of it, its population is largely made up of migrant farm workers. These people spend long days under the Sun dealing with pesticides and back-breaking work to make sickeningly low wages.

Seriously, field workers have to pick over two and a half tons of tomatoes just to earn the equivalent of Florida minimum wage for a 10-hour workday. Not only that, but when working for these crappy wages that aren’t enough to pay for housing and feed their families, they don’t know if they’ll even make it back home at night. 

There have been seven documented cases of modern day slavery in Florida since 1997 where farm workers have been held against their will, beaten, chained and even murdered. That’s just part of Immokalee’s story.

There are people in the world who think that the more friends you have and the more money you have, the better person you are. They base success on how many people you can say “hi” to on campus.

In our college atmosphere it’s easy to get caught up in this, but after spending a week working, talking and protesting with these people, we realized that there really is no correlation between money and friends and being “good.” 

These men and women got up every morning before dawn to face exploitation and even slavery for a single purpose: to support their families. 

Whether they sent what little money they made home to another country or spent it on their children right there in Immokalee, these men and women were the faces of determination and strength. They dedicate their lives to better the lives of their families and their community members.

We call ourselves at John Carroll University “men and women for others,” but are we? Sure, we do service and talk about social justice, but when we get out into the real world are we going to continue to work for others? 

Would we be willing to sacrifice that much for our friends and families or will we simply be worried about making sure we look good to others? Will we be interested in working towards a better world or will we just complain because we don’t have any ketchup in the cafeteria?

 Being men and women for others isn’t about being wealthy or poor it’s about being conscious of those around you.

 I still don’t know what I’m doing with my life, but after coming home from this Spring Break trip, I know that no matter what I end up doing my goal is to live out my title as a “woman for others.”

Anyway, although it isn’t my favorite Queen song (that title goes to “Bohemian Rhapsody,” duh) I have had quite a strong connection to it lately. In fact, for the past few months it has been the theme song of my life.

Something is wrong with me. I have had chronic headaches for about three weeks now and I keep falling asleep. I can’t figure it out.

I thought at first that it was lack of sleep due to the grueling hours Craig Willert and I put into this here newspaper to ensure that the editorial and op/ed sections are up to par. I have since ruled out this possibility.

I know it isn’t a lack of caffeine because I’ve been through rehab for my Mountain Dew addiction before and this isn’t the same thing.  I would tell you how I know it’s not a sinus infection, but that may be crossing the grossness line.

So what I’ve attributed it to is the fact that all of the pressures of my life have combined to attack one section of my head at a time. I think it’s an excellent theory. Here’s why:

I’ve got lots of things to be pressured about. One is this very column that you are reading. Apparently, I write pretty interesting things because people read them.

A few Saturdays ago there may or may not have been a party in my basement. I walked downstairs and was practically run down by a fan. Seriously, he was being ushered out by his friend when he grabbed my arm and said something along the lines of “I don’t remember your name, but I love your column. I’m weird too!” (He was referring to the Chapstick in the Feb. 11 issue. If you haven’t read it, do it.) Now, whenever I think of this interaction my head starts to hurt. I have to write something worth reading, something meaningful. Unfortunately, this column probably won’t be it.

Another thing pushing down on me is something that’s probably also pushing down on you: school. It’s midterm time or nearing it for most people, meaning that assignments are due and tensions are high.

My classes aren’t all that hard, but it is difficult to try and keep everything straight–especially when trying to maximize the excellence of my senior year.

Yes, unfortunately for all of you who have joined me in this addiction (ha ha, get it?) there are only a few installments left, which leads me to my next point.

I have to come up with a future. It is quite a big task. College teaches you that you have to figure out who you are and then after that the possibilities are endless. However, college didn’t count on an economic crisis.

It kind of stinks that whenever you tell anyone in the “real world” that you are a senior they look at you with pity in their eye and say “I’m sorry. So what are you doing next year?” Pressure is high.

But I’m not the only one going through any of this. That’s the beauty of college. We all are subjected to this amount of pressure at the same time.

It’s cool to know that even in my misery and constant head pounding there’s someone right there with me. That’s solidarity, people. Dig it, I know I do.

So if the next time you see me, I look as though I’m carrying an elephant or two on my back, give me a high five and whisper “dun dun dun da da dun dun.”

I promise I’ll laugh and be up for a dance party or even a few verses of “Ice Ice Baby” if Queen isn’t your thing.

Articles have been popping up for weeks on our homepages giving us dating tips or explaining to us how men think. Erin Meanly from Glamour magazine must have read our minds because her article was the first thing that caught Laura’s eye when she signed on the Internet.

Erin explained exactly where we as women had gone wrong in seven reasons: 1. We feel entitled 2. We think we have unlimited options 3. We’re judgmental 4. We’re pickier than men 5. We go for the alpha males 6. We love ourselves more 7. We think he needs to share every interest.

After reading the article and agreeing for the most part, I realized that I, like most women, had fallen into her trap. This isn’t how I had gone wrong. This isn’t even how I think.

So because I have a strong affinity for putting off reading for class and also for making lists, I made a list of why I fail at love. 

1. I am weird. Seriously, I am one of the most bizarre people I know. I freak guys out.

2. I spent my Saturday night reading dating articles online. Let’s take a minute and analyze that. Gay, straight, bi-sexual, whatever, if you’re home on a Saturday night, or if you spend most of your time reading why you aren’t in a relationship, you aren’t going to meet anyone.

3. I’m too busy to notice. If I ever actually put effort into my appearance and get checked out or complimented, I am confused at why people are looking at me or I start laughing.

I’m sure there are many other reasons, but I also have a short attention span so on to my next point. So what if I don’t have a boyfriend, girlfriend or even a valentine? That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the holiday.

In my analysis, this is one of the best ones out there for everyone. Think about it. You walk into any store and you are greeted by shelves and shelves of candy. Chocolate, red and pink Runts, and strawberry daiquiri Jelly Bellies are only a few of the magnificent treats lining the walls.

Also, the absolute best movies are on TV. “Serendipity,” “The Notebook,” “You’ve Got Mail,” you can’t tell me that you don’t love curling up on the couch with candy and watching Hanks, Gosling and Cusack woo their women. (Guys, if you haven’t seen these movies, watch them, take notes and if you feel like crying, go for it.)

Finally, Valentine’s Day marks some memorable event each year. Like last year, when I watched “Step Brothers” twice and introduced my best friend to dessert waffles (ice cream, strawberries, waffles, mmm). Or the year my stepmom bought me sexy Tweety-Bird pajamas. Talk about an oxymoron. Or even in seventh grade when I made cookies for my “boyfriend,” got my present and a kiss, and dumped him the next day. (Sorry, Weaver. If it makes you feel any better, I still use the comb set every day.) 

So in conclusion, all of you out there with a special someone this weekend: flaunt it, enjoy it, live it up. For all of you without someone, don’t put my holiday down. Grab some candy, a movie and get cozy, or better yet get out and enjoy yourself, because anything is better than sitting around on a Saturday (or Sunday) and reading about why you are alone.

I’m really getting freaked out by the fact that suddenly I’m relating better with my 39-year-old sister than my 15-year-old nephew. We both hit up great deals at New York & Company and spent the holidays comparing prices of pencil skirts. 

On my way home the other day I drove past a friend’s home and actually said aloud, “They really need to paint that house.” I knew at that moment that I was in fact becoming more mature. Weird. 

Lately, I have been trying to reverse this process with little actions like wearing Batman belts to formal parties and balancing on curbs whenever I walk somewhere. But then I had an epiphany. 

Getting old is going to be sweet. Sure the adult thing may not be that exciting, but becoming a senior citizen sure will be. Think about it. You have the whole respect your elders thing going for you, so you can get away with whatever you want. There is a poem by Jenny Joseph called “When I Am An Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple” that speaks of the brilliance I am talking about. Let’s take a gander, shall we? 

“I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells.” How awesome would it be seeing an old woman laughing slyly in the corner as thousands evacuate the theater during a particularly awful movie.

 “And run my stick along the public railings
/And make up for the sobriety of my youth.” I can definitely see myself dragging my cane, which I purchased specifically for this purpose, across every fence I see. Wrought iron, wood, whatever it’s getting clanked. Plus, “making up for the sobriety of my youth” holds a lot of entertaining possibilities considering it will be free of worry about the potential photos that will end up on Facebook the next day. 

“I shall go out in my slippers in the rain/
And pick the flowers in other people’s gardens/
And learn to spit.” Classic and classy, I’m totally for it. 

These lines give me hope for my senior citizenship. They inspired me to make a few old lady vows of my own. Here’s what I have so far: I shall eat stewed tomatoes daily, but throw prunes at whoever tries to give them to me. I shall stare at people on public transportation until they volunteer their seat or conversation. I shall remove my teeth at inappropriate times. I shall exaggerate the stories of my youth and take full advantage of senior discounts everywhere I go. 

I have also compiled a list of the many perks of being old. These are just the obvious ones: discounts at the movies, practically free Bob Evans cuisine, bridge games (which are really just a cover for drinking and talking about dirty things with my friends), young boys carrying my groceries to my car, retirement, also known as the entire day to watch soaps and trash TV, grandkids, and immunity from criticism. 

There are the less obvious perks as well, electric scooters, free snow and lawn care, that really cool old person smell, a sudden inherent obsession with game-show hosts, and an excuse to buy moth balls. What could be better? I know I’m pumped. 

So here’s to getting older, to the wrinkles, the old lady perms, the Depends and the false teeth. Here’s to growing old but not up and to the days when we can “make up for the sobriety of our youth.

It’s my birthday! Yes, exactly 22 years ago to the day I came into this world. Aren’t you glad?

Well even if you answered no to that question, I’m pretty stoked to be here and because I am here I feel it necessary to let you in on a little secret that has changed my life forever: Tony Charachere’s Original Creole Seasoning.

The carton says it’s good on everything and by golly, it is. I kid you not, this orange-tinted spice in a container the shape of Kraft Parmesan cheese has revolutionized the cuisine at my house.

According to Wikipedia, “Louisiana Creole cuisine is recognized as a unique style of cooking originating in New Orleans, which makes use of the same Holy trinity (in this case chopped celery, bell peppers and onions) as Cajun cuisine, but has a great variety of European, French, Caribbean, African and American influences.”

I don’t recall who brought this heavenly treasure into our home, but I guarantee that it has been shaken almost daily since then.

It has graced dishes from ramen to baked chicken breast. I have seen it sprinkled over pasta and black bean salad alike and it has never ceased to delight my taste buds.

Just to clear it up, I haven’t been hired to endorse this product and I don’t want to be. That would cheapen my love and devotion for it.

Not only is this little spice an awesome addition to any cabinet, it is also a great investment to build and maintain relationships in all sorts of situations. It brings Steelers and Bengals fans together and maintains peace even after… well you know.  WHO DEY?!

A roommate and I once tried to make dinner for ourselves. After much debate on what to serve we ended up with a casserole made of meat, pasta, baked beans and corn. Gross I know, but there was a simple solution, the Original Creole Seasoning!

We have since hosted dinner parties serving the most awesome casserole dish known to man.

This ultimate flavor enhancer may be awesome on a lot of levels, but it does stop short on one. There are no healing powers attributed to Tony Charachere’s wonder spice. No matter how much you sprinkle into your fish tank it will not keep the little buggers from floating belly up.

On the plus side though, it is MSG free.

Even on this, my 22nd birthday, I shall be experiencing the wonder of Creole seasoning. If you want to sample the goodness just stop by my table in the cafeteria because this Thanksgiving feast is going southern. Oh and feel free to bring a cupcake or a brownie along as birthday collateral.

The organization is holding the fundraiser in order to help their “Pay it Forward” (PIFT) tour event to become more eco-friendly. Recently STLF groups across the nation have been  “going green.”

One major step they are taking is to provide more eco-friendly products for their yearly bus trips. During these trips, they travel across the country doing service projects in each city they stop in.

Senior STLF leader Abby Gehring said,  “We are very aware that our Pay it Forward Tour is not necessarily the most eco-friendly thing. Since the idea of the trip is to make a difference in the world, we have to be conscious of our environment also. Other chapters have also taken steps to have more eco-friendly trips.”

Gehring and her planning partner, senior Megan Greene, developed the idea for the event and have been planning it since May 2009.

“It was complicated because it was the first event of the kind that Megan and I had ever put together. Also [it is] a first that we know of for the school so we were all learning together,” said Gehring.  

The fundraiser will include a raffle and a cash bar. Tickets for the event are $20 for adults and $15 for students.

Greene said, “It is the first time we are hosting an event that involves students, parents, administrators and the community. It’s giving those who haven’t participated in STLF in the past a chance to see why we are so passionate about this organization and its mission.”

 All proceeds will fund efforts to go green. Even the event itself will be eco-friendly.

“Our main objective of STLF right now is the PIFT so that is our focus for making STLF more eco-friendly. We are also making sure the fundraiser can be as eco-friendly as possible by not using the main lights in Dolan. And all of our many forms and such we use have gone electronic,” said Gehring.

Students who want to get involved with STLF or with making the fundraiser a success can join STLF’s Facebook page.

There are over 300 million people who are active on Facebook and 50 percent of active users log on everyday. The fastest growing demographic is those 35-years-old and older, including some faculty, staff and administrators at John Carroll University.

Many members of the JCU community have been posting, updating their statuses, editing their personal info and Facebook chatting right under our noses.

Catherine Miller, a chemistry professor said, “I use Facebook sometimes to keep in touch with old high school, college and graduate school friends. I use it just to find out a private e-mail or number after the Facebook contact.  As for my former students, professionally, I keep tabs on them via LinkedIn (a professional social networking site).” But many FSAs use Facebook to “friend” and communicate with former and/or current students.

“I use Facebook as an additional form of communication with JCU students to get them to attend our office events and programs. I’ve found that students will often check their Facebook account before they check their JCU e-mail account,” said Marlo Henderson, the secretary for the office of multicultural affairs.

Facebook allows professors to keep in contact with former students and see the progress they make in the work world.

“I check it about once a week and I allow students to be my friends on it after they’ve completed any courses when I’ll have them as students.  It is great because they keep me updated on their student teaching and where they eventually get jobs,” said Katie Knapp, a lecturer in the education department.

For those members of the faculty who are not only teachers, but also published authors the site becomes a handy promotion resource. Philip Metres, an English professor and poet said, “[I use Facebook] regularly, daily, for social networking of all sorts – to invite people and publicize poetry readings, contact with friends and people in the literary world.”

But not everyone on campus is so keen on the idea of faculty on Facebook.

“I do not use it.  Students and faculty together on a social networking site is not a good idea,” said Nathan Hartman, assistant professor of management, marketing and logistics.

From the student prospective there are mixed feelings about FSAs being one of the average 130 friends the average Facebook member has.

“I don’t have any friends on Facebook that are professors.  I think Facebook is directed at a younger demographic, but it is a social networking site so it’s not an issue if they have it,” said junior, Chris Haering.

As contributors to the 6 billion minutes spent on Facebook per day some students don’t believe that their educators should be a part of the Facebook “creeping” process.

 “I think it’s weird– I would never friend a teacher on Facebook even if I did graduate.  I’d just creep on them,” said sophomore Leah Golian.

But some students at John Carroll don’t seem too upset that the faculty staff and administrators are invading their Internet turf.

“I don’t have a problem with it at all,” said freshman, Brendan Gulick, “My high school teachers had it and it’s a good way to keep in touch.  I wouldn’t put anything up that I didn’t want them to see anyway.”

 Senior Maura McCool has formed some good relationships with her professors of the four years and she approves of them being a part of her favorite social network. “I think it makes them seem more like real people and that makes them more approachable,” she said.

For instance, as I’m writing this column I’m sitting at my favorite computer in the newsroom and right next to me are Katie Sheridan’s red slippers. They aren’t the cleanest things in the world and they certainly aren’t stylish, but these shoes make me smile. They remind me of Sheridan and how much fun we had during Saturday night’s Carroll News shenanigans.

On the desk is the ChapStick I got from the endless supply that was donated to Labre over a year ago. I have four of these tubes in the cup holder of my car, not to mention the thousands that are scattered around my house. There are tons of perks to being an organization president.

What this ChapStick reminds me of though, is praying with Bicycle David. David is a homeless friend from Labre who rides his bike all over Cleveland multiple times a day. He loves Purell, clean socks, Jesus and LeBron James.

It’s little things like writing on my driveway with sidewalk chalk or watching “Glee” on DVR with all of my roommates that make the difference between a good day and a bad day.

When I’m tired, cranky and I’ve been running around for hours on end, I know that a quick fix is one of the many free candy stashes around JCU. I’ll pop into Rodman and grab a Jolly Rancher or head over to the Center for Service and Social Action for a handful of Skittles and a quick conversation with Susan, the CSSA secretary.

What gets me through each day are the memories I’ve made and the hope of more to come. This morning driving to campus, I saw an old man in a yellow trucker hat and it made me happy because it reminded me of the man who wanders around my hometown teaching whoever will listen about Abraham Lincoln.

It’s been a rough week, so everyone take a minute. Look around you right now. What do you see? What does it remind you of? Is it five-day-old pizza that your friend ate despite the fact that there was clearly mold growing from the cheese? Is it a cartoon sent from your grandma blatantly making fun of the fact that you had swine flu? Is it the quad outside of Murphy where you met your campus crush for the first time?

Smile. Life is good.

Each day brings its trials, but today is about taking the time to remember the good things.

It’s about random heartfelt conversations with your roommate on a Sunday. It’s about text messages that only say the word “boobs” and how awesome it is when they play Taylor Swift at Jake’s.

Hang on to the good memories you have and hold out hope that the best is yet to come.

Background: A native Virginian, Moroney graduated summa cum laude from the College of William and Mary with degrees in English and history. She went on to receive her doctoral degree in English from Harvard University.  Moroney relocated to Cleveland from Boston when she was offered a job at JCU in 1991. 

Moroney now calls Cleveland Heights home. She has two teenage children Rose, 17, and Ryan, 15. 

On Campus: Moroney specializes in Spenser, 16th century writers as well as Renaissance Poetry and women’s writing. She is particularly fond of Jane Austen’s works. This semester she spends her days teaching Major British Writers, Renaissance Tudor Literature, and Studies Renaissance Literature.

“[The students at John Carroll] are enthusiastic and interested. They bring a lot of insight into the classroom, which makes it a great pleasure to be in the class,” she said. 

As a member of the Honors committee she has taken time to oversee honors projects and master’s theses for students in both the English and humanities programs.

Awards: During her graduate years, she was honored with four awards from the Harvard-Danforth Center for Distinction in Teaching.

She was also chosen as this year’s winner of the Lucrezia Culicchia Award for Teaching Excellence in the College of Arts and Sciences.

When asked why she believed she was chosen for the award, Moroney replied.

“Students have always appreciated that I take time to focus on their individual needs.”

What her Colleagues said: Francis X. Ryan, chair of the department of English, said, “Professor Moroney is a dynamo powering the English Department. Her dedication to the English students and her colleagues is surpassed only by her great good humor.” 

John McBratney said, “She is, without exaggeration, a brilliant, passionate, innovative, tirelessly determined, deeply caring, and inspirational teacher and mentor,” 

Up Next: This coming spring, Moroney is taking a leave of absence thanks to the Grauel Faculty Fellowship to complete a book.

The book project is an updated edition of John Derricke’s “The Image of Ireland.” Originally written in 1581, Moroney’s updated version will be included in the Manchester series on Spenser. 

The book is expected for release from Manchester University Press in 2010.

The expo is an educational event aimed to impassion people to become advocates for fair trade, in order to build a larger fair trade movement in Ohio.

“The Ohio Fair Trade Expo is the place to learn what you can do politically, socially, and personally to expand fair trade values locally and across world,” said senior Maggie Antonelli, a JCU fair trade advocate.

According to the JCU fair trade Web site, “The movement towards fair trade certification empowers farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their farms and communities, protecting the environment and developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace.” 

This statewide event is focused toward members of faith communities, high school and college students and fair trade advocates. But mainly it is an opportunity for anyone who wants to learn about the fair trade movement in Ohio, to do so.

High school students, college students and advocates from all over the state as well as those from Western Pennsylvania and Michigan are invited to John Carroll’s campus for the event. 

“There’s been a lot of movement about fair trade on JCU campus in the past three years and I think having an expo like this at JCU is going to create even more energy,” said Natalie Terry a senior at JCU and a member of the fair trade planning committee. 

Planning for the expo began this June. The large gathering required a committee of students, faculty, fair trade advocates and vendors from the Cleveland area to come together to plan the event. 

Beside JCU, the planning committee includes Revive (a fair trade clothing boutique in Cleveland Heights), the Interreligious Task Force on Central America (IRTF), and Illuminating Nations Through Offering and Opportunity (INTOO). 

These vendors participated in Gifts That Give Twice Holiday Sale and have helped plan fair trade events in Northeast Ohio.

The Expo will include multiple workshops and breakout sessions led by experts in the fair trade industry. The sessions cover a wide range of subjects. 

Peter Buck, the Program Representative for Equal Exchange Interfaith Program, will lead a workshop entitled “Equal Exchange’s Interfaith Program: Supporting Your Ministry!” 

John Ryan, the state director in the Office of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, will also be attending the expo and presenting on how people can become advocates of fair trade through legislation.

“It’s really rare to have representatives of all of these organizations in the same place at the same time,” said Andy Trares, a senior student member of the planning committee. 

“The diverse groups will bring a lot of different discussions relating to trade and fair trade, be it the business end of fair trade or organizing fair trade on college campuses,” said Trares.

 You can learn more about the expo and pre-register at ohiofairtrade.com.

Online registration is available now. Pre-registration for students is $5 and day-of registration for students is $9. You can also follow The Fair Trade Expo on Facebook and Twitter. 

Contact Natalie Terry at or (518) 396-0702 with any questions. 

If you are interested in volunteering for this event there will be a meeting on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Murphy Room.

The award is presented annually to an educator who has made remarkable contributions to the accounting profession and whose teaching skills and techniques merit special recognition. The award is presented by The Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Accounting Association (AAA) Ohio Region.

 Weinstein began his involvement with JCU in 1979, after earning his BSBA and Master of Accountancy from Bowling Green State University. He worked at JCU for a brief stint until 1983, but then returned after receiving his Ph.D. in Accounting from Kent State in 1990.  Now chair of the accounting department, Weinstein has been teaching at JCU for 21 years.

In the classroom, Weinstein specializes in all types of accounting, from introductory to advanced courses, always ranking highly in student evaluations. He is also a professor at the graduate level in both the non-profit administration and the MBA programs.

“Jerry is one of our most popular faculty members and one of the most versatile instructors in the accountancy department,” said Roland L. Madison, a  professor of accountancy at John Carroll.

The Ohio Outstanding Accounting Educator award isn’t Weinstein’s first. He is also a past recipient of JCU’s Curtis Miles Award for Community Service and the Boler School of Business’ Wasmer Teaching Award.

“I consider myself very lucky to have landed at JCU which is well-known and highly regarded, especially for its accounting program. I appreciate that the mission emphasizes helping others, something I believe in deeply,” said Weinstein.

Weinstein has published articles in the areas of income taxation and accounting education. Recently, in a ranking of faculty who publish in accounting education, John Carroll was ranked fourth worldwide, largely based on the work of Weinstein and his colleague, Robert Blum.

 He also maintains an online database of accounting case studies published in academic journals, which instructors can access for free.

 Aside from being an award-winning faculty member and author, Weinstein is also active in the community.

He serves on several non-profit boards, including the Montefiore Nursing Home in Beachwood. 

Weinstein is also the director of a student participation in the IRS’ Volunteer Tax Assistance (VITA) program at JCU, which provides free tax services for low income, elderly and non-English speaking taxpayers. 

Also active in professional organizations such as the Ohio Society of CPAs and the American Accounting Association, Weinstein demonstrates that he is dedicated to his profession as well as serving others.

“Dr. Weinstein juggles a very busy schedule as the department head, professor, adviser, and numerous other functions, but always seems to make time for students and faculty.  

He radiates a positive, enthusiastic attitude no matter what is going on,” said Patti R. Weiss, a visiting accounting instructor

His contributions to JCU and to the accountancy profession as a whole make it very apparent why the Ohio Society of CPA’s and AAA Ohio Region selected him as the award winner.

These seven students come from all different places, backgrounds, majors and interests. They do have some things in common though: They have left an impression on John Carroll University through activities, academics and relationships.

These students have gone above and beyond during their college careers. As college students, they’ve reached success.

Now, with graduation and life after Carroll right around the corner, we asked these students what their futures hold.

Andrew Summerson

Andrew Summerson

Major:

English

Minor:

Religious Studies

What are some of your JCU accomplishments?

“I’m graduating. I also helped edit JCU Review and studied abroad in Rome, Spring ‘07.”

What are your future plans?

“After graduation, [I plan to] go into the seminary and become a priest, and take care of a perish.”

Do you have any influential role models?

“Francis Ryan, Phil Metres and Paul Murphy: they’re very down to earth, great professors, really smart. All saints. They’re saints of guys.”

Matt Wooters

Matt Wooters

Major:

Political Science

Concentration:

Peace Studies

Minor:

History

What are your future plans?

“In August I am moving to Belize to do two years of service. I will be teaching religion, running retreats and organizing sacraments for a Catholic school district of 30 schools.”

Why did you choose this path?

“To have the opportunity to live in solidarity with the poor, while striving to have a positive effect on those around me is something I have wanted for quite a while.”

What were some other options?

“Grad school… though I didn’t apply to any. And a few other service organizations.”

Jessica Serbin

Major:

Biology

Concentration:

Perspectives on Sex and Gender

What are some of your JCU accomplishments?

“SUCH (Students United in Care and Healing), ‘The Vagina Monologues,’ immersion trips (Tijuana, Mexico, Immokalee, Fla.), editing World View Magazine and Honors Program.”

What are your future plans?

“I’m going to the University of Michigan School of Public Health to get my masters in public health and international health epidemiology.”

What will you take with you from John Carroll?

“A good education. I’ve also met a lot of great people and have formed a lot of good connections. Because this is a small school, it’s more personal and that forms closeness between students and professors.”

Josh Marcin

Josh Marcin

Major:

Political Science and Spanish

Concentration:

Latin American Studies

What are your future plans?

“After a summer with the Truman Foundation, I’ll spend a year completing either a public affairs fellowship here in the U.S. or a Fulbright Research Grant in El Salvador. I will then attend Harvard Law School.”

What do you think your biggest accomplishment was?

“My research published with the support of the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland supports a number of policy options to safely and effectively reduce HIV/AIDS transmission rates. My hope is for us to continue to gain legislative support in Ohio and at the federal level.”

What is your favorite Carroll activity?

“Do nights at the Beachland Ballroom or Grog Shop count?”

Samantha Cocco

Samantha Cocco

Major:

Sociology

Concentration:

African Studies

What are some of your JCU accomplishments?

“Co-chairing Relay for Life last year, co-directing and coordinating ‘The Queer Monologues’ and Millor Orator”

What are your future plans?

“In August, I’ll be leaving for the island of Pompeii Micronesia, where I’ll be spending two years teaching high school aged kids.”

What is your favorite Carroll activity?

“Unwinding with my roommates at the end of the day and sharing our joys and struggles.”

Doug Walton

Doug Walton

Major:

Economics and Political Science

Minor:

Spanish

What are your future plans?

“After graduation, I will begin working at the Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, D.C., a nonprofit organization that researches public policy and makes recommendations to Congress and other policy-makers.”

Why did you choose this path?

“As a double major in economics and political science, I was excited by this opportunity to put my skills to work in a real-world setting.”

Do you have any influential role models?

“My biggest role models are my parents. My dad taught me the importance of personal integrity and hard work, and my mom has showed me the importance of love and responsibility.”

Scott Matthews

Scott Matthews

Major:

Accountancy

What is your favorite Carroll activity?

“Playing hockey. Hockey has been a big part of my life and some of my fondest memories here at JCU stem from the team.”

What are your future plans?

“I will be moving back home to Buffalo. I am taking the CPA exam this summer and will start my full-time position as an auditor for PricewaterhouseCoopers in September.”

What does success mean to you?

“I truly believe you’re only as successful as the amount of lives you touch and I want to hopefully one day give back twofold to those who have helped me pursue my dreams.”

Seniors’ Secrets to Success: What it takes and why they have it

We all wish to be successful in life, but what exactly is success? To some it may be the amount of money they have, to others, a good education, a powerful job or simply happiness. Hilary Flanagan, director for the Center for Career Services, said, “Like beauty, success is in the eye of the beholder.” But she also believes that between those considered successful there are many commonalities.

On May 17, John Carroll University will bid farewell to the Class of 2009. What made this class successful?

Flanagan said, “They [the seniors] truly succeed because they own their own path. They have an idea where they are headed while remaining open to new possibilities and adaptable to change.”

Andrew Summerson, Jessica Serbin, Matt Wooters, Samantha Cocco, Scott Matthews, Doug Walton and Josh Marcin certainly meet these qualifications and their professors and peers have noticed. These seven seniors were nominated by department heads and professors, as seniors to watch.

John Ropar, the director of the University Counseling Center, said, “When I think of leadership I think of the ‘Four Pillars of Success’ from the book ‘Heroic Leadership’ by Christopher Lowery (a former Jesuit). The pillars are self-awareness, ingenuity, love and heroism. These students represent the pillars well.”

Describing the self-awareness pillar, Ropar said, “leaders must be genuine and willing to ask questions about themselves and find out who they are.”

Senior Andrew Summerson embodies self-awareness. When asked why he chose to pursue the priesthood he said, “I felt called. I dug my heels in and realized it wasn’t a joke. It was something I really loved. I liked the idea of letting people know that God is real. I think that’s really important.” He turned down his acceptance to the University of Iowa’s Master of Fine Arts program to pursue his religious calling.

John H. Yost from the department of psychology said, “Being successful is accomplishing what you set out to do. Therefore, I would say that you first have to set a goal that you are willing to strive for. The ‘willing to strive for’ part is important as these have to be goals that you are completely committed to Ð these are goals that tap into the core of your self-concept. Therefore, the goal becomes part of one’s very being and the goal is constantly accessible to one’s attention. So, one is constantly monitoring situations and the environment for things that will help them to accomplish the goal. The goal is always there. One prioritizes other important activities around their goal. I would say that one key is not to become distracted from one’s goal.”

Senior Scott Matthews has had his eyes on his goal from day one. “In high school I was afforded the opportunity to take accounting as a class and really enjoyed the field from the start. My high school accounting teacher was an influential mentor for me and opened my eyes to the variety of career paths an accounting degree can offer.”

Being called “successful” is a pretty big deal for college students who have worked hard for four years to make a difference in the JCU community. Although the students were humble enough to be at a loss for words when asked why they thought they were nominated, they had a lot to say about what “success” meant to them.

Doug Walton said, “To me, success means being a balanced person. It means having a fulfilling career, one that enables me to make the most of my skills and abilities. It also means taking time to serve others and develop strong relationships.”

For these seniors success is about their past, present and future. It’s about recognizing what they have been through and how it has helped get them where they are while having the courage to take their qualities and put them to use in the community.

Flanagan said, “They [the seniors] live life to its fullest every day. They can’t help but make the world a better place, and we’re fortunate that their success can be contagious.”

Of course that isn’t the presidential elections, though it would be cool to have Madonna as our nation’s leader, these are the nominees for the 2008 formal induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In 1983 some of the musical industry leaders got together and formed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. According to rockhall.com, once a year, they honor artists, bands and individuals who have impacted “the evolution, development and perpetuation of rock and roll.”

Out of performers, non-performers, early influences and side men, only five nominees are inducted each year. This year’s nine contenders are all very different and have all made undeniable contributions to the world of music. Here is some background on the nominees:

The Ventures were an American instrumental rock band started by Don Wilson and Bob Boglein in 1958. They contributed to the surf rock genre and rock and roll as a whole. Over 30 major artists, such as the Beatles and the Eagles have named The Ventures as an influence.

The Dave Clark Five band has been nominated three times, but has yet to be inducted. They were an English Beat group in the 1960s, during the heyday of the British Invasion. They were one of the few groups that provided some competition for the Beatles powerhouse with their hits like “Catch Us if You Can” and others.

Leonard Cohen is a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. Cohen’s songs and poetry have influenced many other singer-songwriters, and more than a thousand renditions of his work have been recorded. A song of Cohen’s you might recognize is “Hallelujah” covered by Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright and more than 35 others.

Chic is a four time nominee for the Rock Hall and an American disco/funk band that began in 1976. They are best known for their commercially successful disco songs like “Dance Dance Dance,” “Le Freak” and “Good Times.”

Afrika Bambaataa was an instrumental influence in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1970s. Afrika Bambaataa is an originator of “break-beat dj-ing,” and is respectfully known as the “Godfather” of Hip Hop Culture. He has over 15 albums and has been releasing music from 1982 through 2005.

Donna Summer, an American singer, songwriter and artist, is best known as the “Queen of Disco.” She became the first female performer to have four number-one singles in a year and she holds the record for having three consecutive double albums hit number one on the Billboard charts.

John Mellencamp is the American rock icon responsible for the mega hits of the 80s and 90s like, “Jack and Diane,” “Hurts So Good” and “Small Town.”

Beastie Boys started out as a punk rock group in 1979, but switched to hip hop upon the release of their debut album “Licensed to Ill” in 1986. Beastie Boys are one of the longest lived hip hop acts, and more than 20 years after the release of their debut album, they still are bringing home the dough in 2007.

Madonna is a singer-songwriter, dancer, record and film producer and actress who has won several Grammy and Golden Globe awards. She hit the music scene in 1982 and has been constantly redefining the industry ever since.