community service awards ceremony hang out between classes. all you need is your ulu affiliation...
TRANSCRIPT
May 2011 ‐ ISSUE 004
Community Service Awards Ceremony
the Assistant Director for Co‐Curricular Activities and Public Programming, and doughnuts and sodas were enjoyed by all. Oh, and the certificates were handed out too!
See Back Page for more on the Community Service Award.
Participants of the Community Service Award were invited to a small event to celebrate their achievements in volunteering. Taking place on a Friday afternoon close to the end of the semester, 10 of the 38 participants were able to attend, as pictured above.
Short speeches were made by Eric Sneddon, the Associate Director of NYU London and Robert Pinkerton,
Welcome to the Spring 2011 issue of Involve! This past semester saw the launch of our Community Service Award, the continued success of the HOST and SHINE programmes and lots of students getting involved with various societies and clubs through the University of London Union (ULU) and King’s College London Student Union (KCLSU), including this semester’s winner of the $100 of Amazon.com vouchers, Adrianna Boris. Adrianna researched her options before she arrived in London and auditioned for KCLSU Musical Theatre Society via the Internet before she ever set foot on her plane bringing her to England! Read on and get inspired about all the things our students have done in this past semester and all the things you can get involved in when you get to London!
Clare Calland Student Life Administrator
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Attendees (L‐R): Eric Sneddon (Associate Director, NYUL), Victoria Smallwood, Stephanie Lee, Allison Jungkurth, Marina Sundiang, Emily Yang, Jessa Suhner, Diana Lu, Hanah Suh, Beatrice Chau, Carrie Guan, Robert Pinkerton (Assistant Director for Co‐Curricular Activities and Public Programming).
friends with these students means I've gone on holiday with them all over the UK to meet their families and friends. Obviously, it takes some encouragement for people to join clubs, and being an outgoing person, it was a no‐brainer. But I can definitely see why people might be nervous about joining ‐ the people in the club were shocked I had the volition to just show up to meetings! Anyway, thanks for the information at the beginning of the year to join clubs ‐ it has seriously made this year beyond amazing, and I actually feel like a Londoner now. I just hope other people think to join clubs as well ‐ getting people out there is the biggest obstacle!
King’s College London Student Union
I joined the King's Environmental Society right when it started in October. This was literally the BEST decision I have probably made this whole year. I would not have had the same experience had I not immersed myself with English students and at an English university (I have surprisingly come to feel like King's is my second campus). I have a huge group of friends outside NYU, all of whom live all over London, so I've become a regular at their flats in Kennington, Bermondsey, Dalston and Dulwich, which are definitely not your usual London spots, so it's opened my eyes hugely! We've done community gardening, pub nights, workshops, movie nights, fundraisers and lectures together. Not only that, becoming
Kirsten Burrows (MA Student) KCLSU Environmental Society
Kirsten Burrows, far right, on a bowling trip with some of the friends she made at KCLSU Environmental Society.
During the 2010‐11 academic year, students at NYUL were able to join King’s College London Student Union (KCLSU) clubs and societies and use the facilities available there. Unfortunately due to a change in KCLSU’s legislation, it is no longer possible for us to offer NYUL students this opportunity. If you wish to get involved with clubs and societies, there are a plethora of them at the University of London Union (ULU), as evidenced over the page. You may also decide to join University College London Union (UCLU) for a small joining fee and make use of their facilities. Ask at the Student Resource Room for details. Have a look at the stories written by some of our students from last semester about their experiences and be inspired to break out of the NYUL bubble!
NYU buys us memberships with the student union, so I only had to pay 10 or 15 pounds to join the society itself. It was a little difficult sometimes getting access to the Kings buildings without a Kings student card, but other than that it was great. It was awesome to meet English people outside of NYU. I became very close friends with a lot of them, and we'll definitely keep in touch after I leave. It was a little intimidating at first, being the only American in the group, but they were all really nice and supportive and I'm really glad I decided to go for it. I learned a lot about British culture and made a lot of really good friends. I definitely recommend getting out and meeting people outside NYU, especially at KCLSU!
I first found out about KCLSU at our pre‐departure orientation, and decided to check out their website to see what kinds of clubs I would be able to join. On the website I saw that they had (among many others) the King’s Musical Theatre (KMT) Society and that they were doing a production of my favorite musical, Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods," during the time I would be in London. Unfortunately, auditions were held in the first week of December, just before the Kings students went on their winter break. So I emailed the president of KMT and explained my situation, and asked if I could do an audition via youtube or Skype and I ended up getting the part I wanted. I had such a great experience with the Kings students.
Adrianna Boris WINNER! $100 Amazon.com Vouchers KCLSU Musical Theatre Society
Adrianna (extreme left, middle row) with her fellow KCLSU Musical Theatre Society members after a performance.
University of London Union
NYUL students have had access to the University of London Union (ULU) for several years. It is where many orientation events take place and, crucially, where our Orientation Fayre happens on the first Friday of each semester. This is where NYUL students can meet with volunteering organisations, travel companies and other organisations that offer services to students. ULU also opens up a whole range of other clubs and societies, as well as colour printing facilities and a place close to campus where NYUL students can got to pick up a bite to eat or hang out between classes. All you need is your ULU affiliation card, which you will receive at the start of the semester!
Bump. Set. Spike! This semester, I went to ULU’s Recreational Volleyball sessions every Sunday evening. At the first session, there were people who have never played volleyball before and others, who have played volleyball for years. We were all very supportive of each other and helped each other improve our skills. After the sessions, we would go to a pub to eat or get a couple of drinks together. This allowed us to get to know each other better and have fun while not only playing volleyball, but also outside of volleyball. It was also a way for me to meet new people who are not from NYU and escape from the NYU bubble that is so easy to stay stuck in. Everyone was so friendly, we all got along so quickly, we were able to play “competitively” with each other without the stress or pressure that competitive teams have to face, and we always laughed and had fun during our practices. If you like volleyball or want to start playing volleyball, I strongly recommend going to ULU Recreational Volleyball sessions!
Cherrie‐Lyn Angeles joined ULU Recreational Volleyball
The best piece of orientation material that NYU London could have put into the orientation package was the ULU/KCLSU Club and Society pamphlet. I decided to join the Fencing Club. I would go up to the third floor of ULU and strap on some funny fitting uniforms, grab a weapon and go toe to toe with some British students. I fought my opponents valiantly, holding my head up high for America with every victory… Okay Okay, not really. Let’s face it. Keeping up with school and being in a new country is hard. Your biggest extracurricular activity usually turns out to be exploring your city and exploring Europe. So while I may not have had any heralding victories in my one‐hour fencing sessions. I did learn a thing or two and had a whole
lot of fun doing it. Our instructor, Jean‐Paul, talked us through some fancy footwork, although my steps usually ended up looking like some sort of rain dance because it was impossible to understand his thick French accent through the foam of my helmet. Couple that with being shocked by the electric scoreboard once or twice and you’ll start to get a picture of what my fencing days looked like. Nonetheless, I did end up having a match and while it may not have been as glorious as the victory scenes in Brave Heart, I did manage to a 15‐7 score. All good fun and not to mention amazing stress relief!
Lisette Feliciano joined the Fencing Society
Keemia Soraya Heidari ULU Archery Club
Soraya taking aim at her archery lesson.
This semester in London, my roommate and I decided to explore one of the many martial arts classes offered at ULU and KCLSU. The first one we checked out was ULU Jitsu, and we decided to join after the first free session. Jitsu is a martial arts with mixed disciplines including self‐defence, throws, and ground fighting, which captivated both of us instantly. Also, the club members, ranging from undergraduates to graduates in their 30s, all welcomed us warmly. It was a great experience from day one. Over the semester, we participated in various activities with the club, including regional practice sessions, a national tournament and a grading to go from white to yellow belt. Although we all trained hard during the sessions, the club members are all very social outside the dojo. After every session, we usually head to a pub to grab some small snacks and an occasional beer. Through this process, we became good friends with several of the club members. We went out for dinner, celebrated a birthday, and went over to their flat for some British pancakes! I am very glad that we came across ULU Jitsu club because of the great instruction in the martial art, and the wonderful British social experience that we would otherwise not have known. I wish to continue Jitsu when I return to the States, and I will definitely keep in touch with my friends from the club.
Ray Ma joined ULU Jitsu
While here in London for the Spring, I finally decided to fulfil my life‐long dream of learning archery and joined up with the ULU society and became a University of London Archer. The first shock was that not only was practice indoors, but that it was actually a really informal atmosphere. Somehow I was expecting dedicated archers sloshing around with their bows in the snow – this was so much nicer.
The whole crew was immediately welcoming and sought only to confirm that I had a ULU card in order to join. For the fine print, I had to fill out the form and pay a fee of 40 pounds. I never had to buy any of my own equipment, as the club had plenty of bows and arrows to go around.
The second shock came when one of the senior members took me aside to train in the basics. The first thing one has to do before picking up a bow, is to discern which of the eyes is dominant, so as to choose which handed bow is the best fit. Although I used to ambidextrous, I've been writing with my right hand since the age of 5, so I was expecting to be using a right‐handed bow.
However the instant we carried out the test she proclaimed quite the opposite, and proceeded to teach me how to assemble the left‐handed bow I would be using. As a beginner, one is supposed to have only the dominant eye open while aiming and shooting, as keeping both may cause confusion. I tried experimenting once, and
suffice to say that apparently, my right eye actually lies to me quite a bit.
You start with a fairly light bow and as your strength increases you may go up in weight, but the arrows you shoot are supposed to stay about the length from the edge of your fingers to your elbow. Despite the beginning awkwardness, the amount of pride and self‐satisfaction I felt when my first arrow hit the target and when I received my ULU archery polo shirt, made all the training and waking up on a Sunday morning worth it, and I think I will try and keep my archery going, and perhaps start a club back in New York.
Brighton Marathon - Sunday 17th April
The group photo of the eleven volunteer students standing on the pebbled Brighton Beach. After this photo was taken, the students had some free time to explore the town and to eat some fish and chips! L ‐ R: Jiseong Ro, Alex Clavijo, Hanah Suh, Marina Sundiang, Jessa Suhner, Stephanie May‐orga, Rebecca Cherna, Rose Kim, Max Moseley, Lin Ling, Sadie Li.
The cheers were especially loud and profound for the runners who decided to wear costumes that ranged from the funny to the ridiculous and this was despite it being quite a warm day on the South Coast.
The Cancer Research tent provided the volunteers with some shade and much needed snacks and drinks. After all it was an (unusually) hot and sunny day but it was worthwhile as everyone had enjoyed their experience and gained much satisfaction.
‘Come on, come on, you can do it!!’ The vociferous volunteer students gave all the runners a bucketful of encouragement with their young voices, clappers, a loud speaker and even a foam hand!
We sent a group of 11 students to volunteer as part on the cheering squad for Cancer Research UK at the Brighton Marathon. In addition to volunteering, they also got to spend a few hours exploring the city before returning to London. It was an early start, but the weather was good and an uplifting experience was enjoyed by all.
London Marathon - Sunday 24th April
Marina, Nikki and Qiao take a break from cheering on runners to pose for a
photo!
One of several Marie Curie Cancer Care cheering stations present at the London Marathon 2011.
I wanted to extend a HUGE thank you for volunteering to support our final 210 strong army of runners. The day was a great success and we would not be able to do it without the help and support of all our volunteers. The Events Team are very grateful for your time and enthusiasm but I thought that you may like to hear it first hand from the runners who you motivated every step of the way. Here are a couple of comments I have received so far this week:
“Just wanted to say thank you for the wonderful supporting job you did on Sunday in London. It was great to see you at the various cheering points en route….”
“Please thank all the Marie Curie team for the wonderful support they give. Marie Curie is a truly inspirational charity and I am very proud to run for them.”
Feedback from Jenni Thompson Events Project Fundraiser at Marie Curie Cancer Care
As a staff member who had been involved in organising volunteers for the Marie Curie cheer stations, I planned to go down to the Embankment cheer station, see how the students were getting along and take a few photos for this very journal. Four hours later and I had screamed myself hoarse as I joined the cheer station with our students and ended up getting caught up in the wonderful atmosphere! The streets were packed with spectators and supporters and it didn’t take much encouragement for even the most reserved to start cheering and clapping along with everyone else! The students were fantastic, cheering along everybody who came past (though those participants in Marie Curie shirts did get the loudest cheers!) and getting a massive boost when receiving grateful smiles and responses from runners reaching 25 miles into the marathon.
Clare Calland (NYUL Staff) at the London
Marathon 2011
CSV SHINE Project
The SHINE Project allows NYUL students to go into local schools to volunteer with the pupils there on a weekly basis, putting in a long‐term volunteering commitment throughout the semester. This past semester, we even had three returning students who had also volunteered during the Fall!
Hello, my name is Dave Hopper and I’m the manager of the NYU in London/ CSV SHINE Project. I’ve been running the SHINE Project since August 2006 and have had the pleasure of working with close to 300 students to date. Each semester I train up to 30 students as SHINE tutors who are then offered a place in a primary school
near to the NYU London Academic Centre in Bedford Square. The scheme is designed with students in mind and we invite students to choose the day and time they volunteer on and the year group they’d like to support for up to 2 hours a week. Training for the project is fun and informative and takes place at the NYUL Academic Centre. We work hard to get students into their placements as early in the semester as possible so that they can maximise the number of visits they make to the schools. Working with NYU London is a real privilege and I’m
always impressed by the enthusiasm and energy that students bring to the role. One of the major benefits of the programme that students tell us about is the opportunity for them to learn about London through the eyes and (often very humorous) stories of the children who live here. All the schools we work with are based within multi‐cultural areas within central London and allow students to learn more about the vibrancy and diversity of the capital as well as offering a flavour of the 250 plus languages spoken daily in the city. Teaching staff at the schools are tremendously grateful for the regular support that students provide to the children and the impact they have on children’s literacy and numeracy. The children we support are always really excited to meet the NYU/CSV SHINE students and regularly confuse and amuse students with their many questions about life in the USA! September 2011 is a significant month for the project as it represents the 10 year anniversary of the partnership between CSV and NYU London. We’re really pleased to have reached this milestone and hope that the scheme will continue to be a popular choice for students and maintain the strong reputation we’ve built with our schools for providing them with passionate and committed volunteers.
Dave Hopper, SHINE coordinator
SPEX - Stern Politcal Economy Exchange Matt King - Marketing Officer
If the above story has inspired you to get involved in setting up your own society, please visit the Student Resource Room to discuss your ideas. We are very keen to help students start up clubs that will promote their members getting out into the wider London community ‐ by visiting museums and public lectures, inviting speakers, and working with other groups that have similar aims.
During the Fall semester, I joined a few fellow Stern students in starting a new club ‐ Stern Political Economy Exchange (SPEX) ‐ serving to create and foster a global community that's committed to understanding the ever‐changing relationship between business, politics, and economics. Part of the appeal of SPEX is that in addition to having our main "base" in NYC, we established two abroad "bases" here in London and in Shanghai. Now in its second semester, SPEX in London has provided new ways for curious students to engage with and learn more about the local London community and culture. Our weekly meetings have included debates on pressing modern issues such as the Wikileaks "classified document dump," and guest lecturers from University of London and London School of Economics (LSE) speaking on topics ranging from environmental politics to international finance. We have also organized trips to LSE for their regular lecture series, as well as a corporate visit to the Royal Bank of Scotland offices. These events gave students the opportunity to have intellectual discussions on pressing world issues with leading London academics. In early April, SPEX also hosted its first Alumni
Mingle. Over light food and drinks, students had the opportunity to meet and talk with four Stern alumni, currently working in the Greater London area. Our Q&A session gave these alums a platform from which to project their opinions on the differences between the US and Europe, and the particular perks and challenges that come with working in London. It was an enlightening evening, and an event we plan to continue having each semester going forward. Our last event of the semester is our big fundraiser where we collect the items that students may be looking to get rid of before leaving for home. These include converters and adapters, kitchenware, and textbooks. This semester, in conjunction with NYU London, we also collected clothes, food, and mobile phones as donations to local charities such as fones4safety and the American Church in London. I'm proud of what SPEX has accomplished this semester, and the e‐board who will be running the London "base" next Fall will continue looking for new ways to use the club's resources to reach out and engage with the local community. If you are interested in our efforts, we would love to have your help ‐ please write to us via email ([email protected]) or find us on Facebook.
Dr Daniela Tavasci from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, giving a talk about the Chilean economy.
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HOST UK works with international students studying at UK institutions to give them a weekend stay in a British home. All of the hosts are volunteers who host because they enjoy meeting people from other cultures and places. It is a fantastic opportunity to meet British people, see a new part of the country, and get a much deeper insight into British culture than you would otherwise be exposed to.
I would definitely recommend the HOST program to other NYUL students because it gave me an entirely new perspective to how people live in not just England, but in the countryside. Having been a lifelong city girl, this was a completely new experience for me and my host was incredibly accommodating to both my friend and me. We even participated in the Marie Curie Cancer Care walk throughout the farmlands. Our host also took my friend and me to the town of Whitby, where we walked along the beach and saw a very interesting and unforgettable Gothic dress event happening through the town. Our host gave us an experience that was truly priceless and unforgettable and I will always be grateful to her for it.
Diana Lu went to Kirbymoorside in Yorkshire with her friend Stephanie Lee
The HOST program was a great experience! “ ”
It was amazing to see another facet of the UK as a guest to a
host family. “ ”
I knew I was far from home when I spotted the Highland cattle through the train window. By the time I was back on the train to London, I had eaten haggis, climbed a mountain, and visited Loch Ness. But by far the best part of the trip was my hosts and their four sons. Rosie always had a funny story to keep me laughing, Iain never shied from discussing my favorite topic (British politics), and Al answered all my stupid questions about rugby. HOST was a great opportunity to learn, explore, and make what I hope will be lasting friends.
Adam Tiouririne visited Dingwall in the Scottish Highlands
Christine Lewis: Through HOST UK, I was able to meet and interact with a lovely British family living in the village of Barrow about 2 hours by train north of London. The Silk family made me feel very comfortable, as though I were at home although actually quite far from my own. Not only was I able to participate in "British" things like visiting a stately home and a Saturday morning market, but also able to taste some authentic home‐cooked British cuisine, more specifically a dish called "Toad‐in‐the‐Hole." I don't think the weekend experience with a British family could have been better. Through HOST I have made new friends that I would have no hesitance in visiting if the opportunity were to arise again.
Christine Lewis visited Barrow‐upon‐Soar, Leicestershire
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I couldn't have asked for a better
experience! “
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Jiseong Ro: This was my second HOST visit because I really liked my first one in the Fall Semester. My experience was worth more than the money and time I had spent. I got to see Loch Ness and hunt for Nessie, and tried Scottish food like oatmeal cakes and Haggis. I also had a chance to try Czech food, Bramborak, because my HOST grandma was from Czech Republic. My HOST family was sweet and thoughtful. Through the HOST visit, I not only learned so much about Scottish culture but also exchanged my own. I love this program; I positively recommend it to my peers because it's such a great opportunity to stay in touch with the families who I've visited.
Cindy Raphael: My host was just so warm and immediately made me feel at home. She introduced me to her family, friends, and we attended Church together. I loved all the walks in the different areas of Cornwall such as Land's End and St. Ives. The food was great. I had a delicious home cooked meals, a traditional English breakfast, and my first Cornish Pasty. It was great. On the last day we visited Geever Tin Mill, since Cornwall is known for its tin. We did the whole tour and actually went underground into the tin mine. It was really amazing, and I would have never imagined doing something like that in my life. I'm going back home with a few souvenirs and many memories of my special time in the Cornwall.
Jiseong Ro with her HOST in Inverness, Scotland
Cindy Raphael on her HOST visit to Penzance, Cornwall
Community Service Award
Find out more about getting involved in London Student Life! Contact: [email protected] or [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 20 7907 3302 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7907 3350 Web: www.nyu.edu/global/london
Been Inspired?
Community Service Award Recipients
Shreya Amin Michelle Bowers Michelle Bravo Casey Callahan Beatrice Chau
Alexander Clavijo Kirsten Courtney
Jennifer Delos Santos Connor Fleming Mark Goodman Carrie Guan Yuejun Gong
Lucy Humphreys Allison Jungkurth Hitasha Kalola Rose Kim
Breanna Lai Stephanie Lee Joanne Lee
Christina Lewis Sadie Li Yuxi Liu Diana Lu Yin Yin Mai
Stephanie Mayorga Fenxue Meng Kevin O’Brien Palak Patel
Nicole Saglamer Katherine Silva
Victoria Smallwood Hanah Suh Jessa Suhner Eric Sun
Marina Sundiang Emily Yang Emilie Yang
Here at NYU London, we have spent the past semester piloting a scheme to reward and recognise all of the amazing volunteer work that our students take part in during their time studying in London. We have been overwhelmed with the response from the students and amazed at how many of our students give up so much of their time to give something back to the community, despite only being in London for a matter of a few short months. The types of activities that our students took part in varied as much as the students themselves: many of them volunteered each week with the SHINE Project; several took part in a series on one‐off events that suited their own schedule and took them all around Greater London, exploring and meeting new people; others still were part of cheering squads at London or Brighton marathons and some decided that the People’s Supermarket or local charity shops were the way they wanted to get involved, this semester. The names of the students who took part in the Community Service Award can be found to the right. Take a look below to see what some of them feel they have gained from taking part:
Each time I volunteered, my expectations were exceeded and I am so grateful for the opportunity to give back to the city that has hosted me for four months ‐ Rose Kim
I believe that I have grown as a person through participating in community service and putting myself out there, even when I was a bit nervous ‐ Lucy Humphreys
Taking part in community service while abroad was a great experience for me to understand British and London culture outside of the NYUL community ‐ Beatrice Chau
Being a part of community service in London has been a fulfilling experience for me ‐ Palak Patel
It felt great to give back to the city that so generously welcomed me here to live and study ‐ Alexander Clavijo