On Campus-December 2009
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The Senior Slide
It's already begun for some students—the tendency to lose some motivation and focus senior year. Whether due to "burn out,' a certain academic fatigue, or an eagerness to achieve the next step after college, many seniors begin sliding their way to graduation. Click here from advice from Dr. Catherine Sutton, Dean of Academic Advising, about avoiding senior slide.
Questions to Consider When Graduating in a Tough Economy
As students approach graduation, they will have questions about what is the best route to pursue career opportunities after graduation. Should they continue in a graduate program, pursue employment, spend a year in service related program, or hang on to their part-time jobs and wait for opportunities to increase? For advice from Ann Zeman, Director of Career Development, about how to approach post-grad life in a tough economy, click here.
Commuters: Getting "Fueled Up" for Finals
If you are a parent of a commuter, as the end of the semester approaches you may notice that your student is running low on fuel, but not the $2.50-a-gallon kind. As the semester continues, and your student becomes stressed with pending deadlines, more hours at work, and other life stressors, he or she may be running low on the "fuel" needed to motivate and push through to the end of the semester. For tips on how to keep your commuter "fueled up" during finals time click here.
"Life in the Fast Lane": Commuters During Finals Week
The Eagles, Hotel California, 1976. Asylum Records.
Finals time is often tricky for commuter students. They don't have the convenience of a nearby residence hall to go back to between exams, and often have difficulty structuring their spare time on campus. Fortunately, Bellarmine has lots of resources for commuters. Click here to read tips for commuters during finals week, as well as hear about resources for commuters.
Financial Aid Info for Continuing Students
It's that time again - time to start thinking about financial aid for 2010-2011! Financial aid is not automatically renewed. Continuing students must reapply for financial aid each year. Apply online after January 1, 2010, at www.fafsa.gov. A downloadable FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) worksheet will be available to complete. The worksheet will also be available in the Office of Financial Aid. Apply early to maximize available aid. To be considered for Kentucky state programs, Kentucky residents must submit the FAFSA by March 15. Click here for more information
Every school in the NCAA is duty-bound to have a Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and BU is no different. The SAAC at Bellarmine aims to promote leadership and service opportunities, to foster a positive image of athletics, and serve as a liaison between student-athletes and the NCAA. To read about the exciting things the Bellarmine University SAAC has been up to this year, click here.
A Word from Campus Ministry: Spiritual Re-adjustment
We've had a busy semester in Campus Ministry this fall. There were five retreats in or around Louisville, a half dozen Hillel gatherings, the Blessing of the Animals, Dinner with the Archbishop, Alternative Spring Break planning meetings and fund raisers, Memorial Services in November, and several new prayer groups in the Residence Halls. The Catholic Students Association initiated new members and the BU Wesley group organized our first "tail gate party" for the Campus Ministry Council.
As the semester comes to a close, some students realize how much their spiritual lives need re-adjustment. To read more about this topic from Melanie Sullivan, Director of Campus Ministry, click here.
EDGE: Getting Connected
The EDGE portfolio program was revised and re-launched in August 2009. Students have the opportunity to intentionally connect their in and out of classroom experiences. This is accomplished utilizing a transcript and portfolio. It is our hope that, through tracking and reflection on involvement experiences, students will become more self-aware. This will prove valuable in graduate and job interviews as well as in helping prepare students to understand the development that takes place during their four years at Bellarmine. Click here to learn more about the EDGE program.
FAMILY WEEKEND-THANK YOU!
Thank you to the 175 plus families that joined us for "It's Game Knight": Family Weekend 2009! We appreciate your energy and all the fun you brought to a great weekend. The weekend was a huge success with well over 750 Bellarmine family members in attendance. Nearly $700.00 was raised for the Home of the Innocents and a plethora of needed items were collected throughout the weekend and donated to the organization. Have a wonderful holiday season and we look forward to seeing you at Family Weekend Fall 2010. Be sure to check out family weekend pictures. Click here.
-Family Weekend Committee
Interesting Internships: Marty Roberts, Mercer
Last summer, Marty Roberts, a BU Senior and actuarial science major, worked as an intern for Mercer, one of the largest financial and human resources consulting firms in the world. Mercer has over 19,000 employees in 180 countries. To read more about Marty's experience at Mercer, click here.
Meet Your APA: Shannon Siders
Academic Peer Advocates (APAs) provide another type of guidance for your BU Knight living in the residence halls. Their job is to help your student adjust, academically, to life at Bellarmine. They provide direction and support as your student becomes accustomed to collegiate academics. APAs organize tutoring and study group opportunities, plan programs, and foster good relationships to freshmen so they may serve as role models. This month's highlighted APA is Shannon Siders, a junior Communication/Political Science double major and (among many other things) Chief Editor of the BU campus newspaper, The Concord. Shannon's original home is Dayton, Ohio, but during the year she occupies a room on the third floor of Newman Hall, and serves as the APA for the third floors of Newman Hall and Kennedy Hall. To read about Shannon, Click here.
Reminders from Residence Life
It's time to welcome your favorite Bellarmine Knight home for Winter Break! Students must exit the Residence Halls by 8:00 PM on Thursday, 12/10/09. The Resident Assistants will hold closing community meetings during the first week of December to detail the check-out procedure for residential students. For more information about holiday break check out for those in the residence life halls, click here.
Extra! Extra! Another Way to Support Your BU Student
A new service is being provided to parents wishing to go the extra mile to stay involved with their students. Parents may now take out an advertisement in the Concord, Bellarmine's newspaper, wishing their students good luck on finals, the upcoming semester, congratulating them on making Dean's List, and more. Click here for more info.
UPCOMING EVENTS
December 3:
Study Day
December 4-10
Final Exams
December 10:
Students must exit the residence halls
December 16:
Fall Commencement Exercises
January 3:
Students may re-enter the residence halls
Spring 2010:
Majors and Minors Workshop
(Undeclared/undecided students can register for a five-week workshop about choosing a major or minor, on my.bellarmine.edu. The workshop begins at the start of the spring semester).
Spring 2010:
Declaration Day-Details forthcoming
(A celebration of the day freshmen transition to advisors in the department of their majors).
Do you or your student have a question about?
Living in the residence halls?
Leslie Maxie-Ashford, Director, Residence Life; 502-473-3000, lmaxie-ashford@bellarmine.edu
Trouble with a class or an assignment, or making a change in class schedules?
Dr. Catherine Sutton, Dean of Advising and Director of Academic Resource Center; 502-452-8071, csutton@bellarmine.edu
How to find something fun to do on campus?
Sarah Fromm, Assistant Director of Student Activities; 452-8433, sfromm@bellarmine.edu
Financial Aid?
Alie Spahiu, Fianancial Aid Assistant 502-432-8124, aspahiu@bellarmine.edu
Workstudy?
Jennifer Likes, Financial Aid Counselor, 502-452-8134, jlikes@bellarmine.edu
Getting a terrific summer job or internship?
Ann Zeman, Director of Career Development and Counseling, 502-452-8151, azeman@bellarmine.edu
Todd Reale, Assistant Dean, Career Services and Experiental Learning; 502- 452-8242, treale@bellarmine.edu
Joining an intramural sports team?
Chuck Vogt, Director of Intramural sports; 502-452-8348, cvogt@bellarmine.edu
What to do when sick or injured?
Alice Kimble, Director, Campus Recreation and Health Services; 502-452-8493, makimble@bellarmine.edu
Who to talk to about personal problems?
Dr. Gary Petiprin, Director of Counseling Center; 502-452-8480, gpetiprin@bellarmine.edu
Studying abroad?
Hannah Holler Egea, Study Abroad Advisor; 502-452-8423, hholler@bellarmine.edu
Spiritual programs, service, or faith-based networks?
Dr. Melanie -Prejean Sullivan, Director of Campus Ministry and Service; 502-452-8051, mpsullivan@bellarmine.edu
Disability Accommodations?
Ronda Purdy, Coordinator of Disability Services; 502-452-8480, rpurdy@bellarmine.edu
A more general question about life on campus?
Helen Grace Ryan, Dean of Students; 502-452-8426, hryan@bellarmine.edu