Alumni Chronicles: Discovery Through Travel

Matt Young, Verrazano Class of 2012, studied Design and Digital Media (a concentration of the Communications major) at the College of Staten Island.  Matt decided to participate in the Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) program and spent time in Texas this spring on an organic farm outside of Austin.  Read more about his experiences below.

Matt Young, Verrazano '12

At the beginning of February of this year, I decided to go to Austin, Texas to work on an organic farm through the WWOOF program (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms).  This was a very quick decision on my part, but I believe that some of the best decisions in life are made through feelings and instincts.  Sometimes, when there is nothing to lose, it is worth going for the gold.

I guess it’s kind of stereotypical for a post college graduate like myself to pack my bags and take off for parts unknown.   It’s probably even more stereotypical to blog about it.  But the unknown is simply what hasn’t been learned and experienced yet, and provided that it’s positive, I think traveling is one of the most important growing experiences to be had.  

Although I’ve been to many places, I really didn’t know what I would be getting myself into, as I have never traveled completely by myself (I mean heck, I didn’t go to Manhattan alone until 2012!).   But once I arrived and was greeted by the farmers at the airport, all my fears melted away.  I knew that I would be having an amazing time, and this couldn’t have been more true.

What I loved most about the farm I worked at was the peaceful atmosphere and the self sustainable lifestyle.   The weather was beautiful (in the “heat” of February no less!) and there were plenty of animals to keep good company, particularly the 120 or so chickens. 

The duties I had during the winter included getting gardens ready, brush clearance, and the routine poultry duties (feeding, egg collection, moving them around the pasture)  Chicken processing was also optional, certainly not mandatory. I would imagine spring/summer duties are more hands-on involving the crops.  After putting the basic work in, I was provided with delicious food (much of it from the farm directly) and a wonderful room/shower facility, all located in the farm home. There is plenty of downtime provided to enjoy the natural farmlands.

I also had access to the city part of Austin at many moments, which is truly an amazing place and largely the reason I traveled.  Austin is especially known for its music scene, which I experienced firsthand at the South By South West Music Festival, an annual Austin staple.  Other perks of Austin include its quirky nature, hence the slogan “Keep Austin Weird.”  There is a large young community, due to University of Texas being in the downtown area.   Everyone was so welcoming.

So what’s next for me?  Well, I’ve since returned to Staten Island, but I plan to embark on future adventures while developing my graphic design portfolio and doing what I love.

Verrazano Graduate Named 2013 CSI Salutatorian

Congratulations to Christina Terracino, a graduating Verrazano student, who has been named the 2013 College of Staten Island Salutatorian and gave an address at last night's Honors Convocation! 

Christina is graduating summa cum laude with a degree in English Literature, and she'll be continuing her studies in English next year on a full fellowship at St. John's University.  At Honors Convocation, Christina spoke about discovering her academic passion - Victorian medievalism - through her coursework as an undergraduate and her conversations with Dr. Katie Goodland of the English Department.  She encouraged the honors graduates to discover that gem, their passion, if they haven't already and to pursue it wholeheartedly to help ensure a satisfying future career.

Visit CSI Today to read more about Christina's story: http://csitoday.com/2013/05/meet-christina-terracino-2013-salutatorian/#.UaZw1Gc4gxE.

Gaining Skills And Experience With The Staten Island Historical Society

Megan McCarthy, a History major graduating with the Verrazano Class of 2013, has been interning with the Staten Island Historical Society this semester.  Megan hopes to become a grant writer or research analyst, and below she shares how her internship experience has helped her build skills for her future career.

 

This semester I was given the wonderful opportunity to intern with the Staten Island Historical Society (SIHS).  I became aware of this internship through my advisor from The Verrazano School Honors Program, and it is affiliated with the Internship Stipend Program through the Career and Scholarship Center.  I started the internship towards the end of March and was put right to work on various projects.  When I started the internship, SIHS was in full swing with the BBQ Cook Off and Chili Cook Off.  I was given the task to call and follow up with potential judges for these cook-offs and also for the vendors of the events.  Every time I went into the office, there was a new and exciting task for me to work on.  

I was also assigned to help proofread documents that would be sent out for a grant opportunity or for a mass mailing.  This is going to be a huge benefit for my future career and helped prepare me to pay close attention to detail.  I learned about the process of writing a proposal for a grant and how important it is to keep in close communication  with the grant-sponsoring organization. I have learned that there are many details that go into the grant proposal, such as budgeting and stating what you are going to do with the money that is received.  

I worked the NYC BBQ Cook Off and the Chili Cook Off during the time of my internship.  These events are much different behind the scenes than actually attending as a paying customer.  Being behind the scenes I was given different tasks, but my main project that day was capturing candid photos of the day’s event.  This opportunity allowed me to get more on a personal level with contestants, and both events were a lot of fun to be a part of.

 

Working on a variety of different projects, from following up calls for fundraising to different education programs, I have learned a range of skills that will help benefit me in my future job search.  I have learned to multitask and still get my assigned jobs done in promptly.  This internship is located and associated with Historic Richmond Town, and it’s amazing to see how the organization runs and all the ins and outs of a museum.

This internship introduced me to a lot of great people who I have had an amazing experience working with.  My first day I was nervous, as any person would be, but I was welcomed into their team with open arms and I am very grateful for how wonderful they were to me.  I have enjoyed this opportunity so much that I am thrilled to say that I am going to continue my internship with the Historical Society through the fall.  

To learn more about the Staten Island Historical Society, please visit: http://www.historicrichmondtown.org/.

Studying Spotify and Plagiarism With A Verrazano Enrichment Project

Dominic Provenzano, a Communications major in the Verrazano Class of 2014, has been doing an enrichment project for his senior seminar as part of his Verrazano course requirement.  Below, Dominic shares what he's been working on and what he has learned from the experience. 

My name is Dominic Provenzano and I’m a junior Media Studies major in the College of Staten Island. I am a member of The Verrazano School, and I am currently participating in a Verrazano Enrichment Project/Course Substitution in order to fulfill my graduation requirements within the program. 

The course I decided to “enrich” is COM 450, Senior Seminar in Communications Research with Dr. Christopher Anderson. By working with Dr. Anderson closely, I am able to learn more about Communications Research, a field I am very interested in.  At the beginning of the semester, I, along with an assigned group, had to chose a topic we wanted to study throughout the entire semester.  We chose the music streaming service Spotify and how music streaming services affect the music industry and online piracy.  We have had a number of assignments that we have had to work on together including creating a sampling exercise, conducting interviews, reading and creating our own content analyses, writing literature reviews, and more. The Verrazano enrichment project has led to me taking a greater leadership role within my group and I write a journal after each assignment reflecting on the assignment and what I learned from it.

As part of the Verrazano enrichment project, I am also working with Dr. Anderson on one of his own projects. Throughout the next few weeks I will be studying New York newspapers from 1800-1850 and I will be looking for evidence of plagiarism within the newspapers. This will give me a sense of how media has evolved and changed in the past few centuries and will help to improve my research capabilities. 

Aside from my student life at the College of Staten Island, I work at Royal Crown Bakery as a barista and will be interning at Hungry Man Studios in the fall. I am also an avid lover of music and play a few instruments, including guitar, bass, and ukulele. I perform almost every weekend with my cover band Cause and the Effects in Staten Island bars and New York and New Jersey fundraiser benefits. I also enjoy playing with my puppy Harrison, collecting vinyl records, reading, watching, and studying the world of Game of Thrones, and long walks on the beach.

   

Mentoring On Campus Through Project REACH

Erica Golin, a Pyschology major in the Verrazano Class of 2015, has been working with Project REACH on campus this semester as part of an independent study course.  Read below for more about her experience, in her own words. 

Erica Golin

Hi! My name is Erica Golin and I’m a Verrazano sophomore studying psychology. I have had a very enriching experience this semester doing an independent study. My work is with Project REACH, a program at the College of Staten Island that provides mentorship to students who are on the autism spectrum or have other disabilities. This program is affiliated with the Center for Student Accessibility, which is an office on campus that provides services to students with disabilities.

I mentor three CSI students a week who are autistic or have another diagnosis. Autism is spectrum disorder, which means that it can range from very mild to very severe, and it is typically characterized by difficulty in social situations, impairment in communication, and a restricted pattern of behavior and interests. When I meet with my students, we discuss goals for the semester and how to reach those goals, such as getting better grades and increasing social skills. What I have learned so far from this opportunity is that autism is considered an “invisible disability,” meaning that you cannot just look at a person and tell they have it. People with invisible disabilities are often misunderstood because not everyone understands the implications of the disorders. Another part of my independent study is using Microsoft Excel to track data, which has taught me that data entry and paperwork are essential parts of psychology because information needs to be accounted for and analyzed in order to improve the human condition.

I feel honored to be a mentor, and I know that I am making a difference in the lives of my mentees. It is amazing how kind-hearted and determined people with disabilities are, and as a psychology student, I strive to better understand all people. I plan on continuing my work with Project REACH for the rest of my college career.