Hands On Traveling - My Trip to Europe

This spring break I was lucky enough to be a part of an awesome group of both Deaf and Hearing people that went on a trip to Europe! The group consisted of one teacher and four students from William Woods as well as students, teachers and interpreters from St. Louis, Springfield and North Carolina.

We began our trip in London where we stayed for four days. During that time, we saw Big Ben, rode on the London Eye and toured the city with our tour guides from Hands On Travel, which is an all-Deaf tour company. London was one of my favorite places that we went; I wandered off for a while and explored the area on my own, it was an amazing experience!

Our group inside the London Eye!

Our next stop was Paris. There had been a lot of snowfall the night before, so we had to stay in London an extra day before finally being able to take the train, but once we got to Paris we were non-stop! We had a lot to see, and we had lost a day, so as soon as we got off the train we went right to the Eiffel Tower and the area around it. It was so beautiful, and cold! I always knew that the tower was big, but when we were right there next to it, it seemed larger than life. After the tower, we went back to our hotel and got ready for our free time. A group of us went to a little restaurant near the hotel and I had the best pasta I had ever eaten.

Another highlight of Paris were the catacombs. A few of us had wanted to see them, so our tour guide gave us directions to it, and we ventured off on our own. That was a once in a lifetime sight, and I was so excited that we had time to go there! We also visited the Love Lock Bridge. I’m not quite sure how it started, but people buy padlocks and lock them to the bridge then throw the keys in the river below. I bought a lock earlier and we all locked it to the bridge and threw the key in the water so that we would have a reminder of our trip if any of us ever came back. We also had the opportunity to go to a Deaf pub and hang out with the local Deaf community and I will never forget that experience; it was one of the coolest I’ve ever had. There were so many languages in one place, and so much interpreting going on at one time, it was fascinating.

Our last stop was Rome, which was my favorite place by far; there is so much history there, new buildings are built around the old buildings. They really value their history and culture, which I feel like we don’t do so much in America. Our tour guide Terry lives in Rome, so he was very knowledgeable about the area and the history around where we were. We went to the Vatican and looked at all of the artwork and sculptures that they had there. I learned more from Terry in ten minutes than I did in my art class I took in high school. All of the streets in Rome are filled with artwork on every corner, it was one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever seen, and I have every intention of going back there at some point.

I’m so glad that I got to be a part of this awesome group of people and be immersed in Deaf culture and ASL for 10 whole days! I learned so much and had such an amazing experience, I will never forget this trip!

- Sam H.

It's one of my favorite seasons by far. I think I also love it a lot because when it rolls around, that typically means I'm home in Minnesota and snuggling with my cat and dog and what's not to love about that?!

My dad was awesome enough to fly down and ride back with me so I didn't have to make the trip alone. My car broke down in the middle of an intersection during rush hour in St. Louis in October, so since then I've been fairly neurotic cautious and aware of every little noise my car makes. I had also only seen him twice between May and December so I thought it was a great way to kick off my break by spending time with someone I love so much.

Minnesnowta! This was taken when I was almost to my house!

If you've never experienced snow before, let me tell you - it's awesome! Alright, I'm a bit partial, but after it's done snowing and there's this fresh layer, it's so beautiful! Unfortunately {to me!} Missouri really doesn't get that much snow - the most snow I remember ever seeing down here was in February of 2011. I actually had my first snow days ever in my life then! Yes Minnesota gets a lot of snow, but that means we have the equipment to deal with it so school was never cancelled for me.

I haven't really seen any snow in Missouri yet this year - maybe it means we're in for another big storm soon! One can hope

Snowpocalypse in February 2011. There are cars buried under there!

This is what Minnesota looks like in the winter - and this picture was taken in December!

My winter holiday was pretty great - I was able to catch up with old friends, spend time with family, and relax. One thing that I have done for the past three years is jump into a lake with my dad on New Years Day.

It's called the "Ice Dive" and it's become a tradition with the two of us. This year, it was -1 when we jumped (without the wind chill factored in) and it wasn't that bad.....I always say that after we jump but before we do it, it's a different story! The lake we jump into is a really popular one in Minnesota and is pretty big. For you Missourians, I suppose you could say that it's comparable to the Lake of the Ozarks. It's called Lake Minnetonka (in Dakota it means "Big Water").

Dad and I last year after jumping.

Every year you jump you move up in the ranking system they have in place. Everyone who has never jumped before is considered a "minnow". After five years and five different fish names, years 6-9 you're a "barracuda 6, barracuda 7", etc and then when you hit 10 years of jumping, you become a "shark"! After 20+ years, you're considered a "whale". My dad has now entered the ranks of barracudas and I am a "muskie".

All of the lakes/ponds/bodies of water in Minnesota freeze during the winter so in order to jump into the lake, the ice needs to be cut out. We're talking ice blocks that are over a foot deep! The hole cut is probably about 10 to 15 feet long so after you jump, you have to swim to the other side and climb out using a ladder. Because it's so cold, the ladders have ice formed over them but luckily you're so cold numb you can't feel it.

So that was one of my great adventures while I was home, but I am excited to be back at The Woods to see all of my friends, make new memories, and celebrate my last semester.

I hope you all had a great Holiday break and Happy Valentine's Day!! I love love!

Sally

What have I been having fun doing, you ask? Well, lots of things! Between work, classes, my sorority, other campus organizations, friends and family, my schedule is packed full of fun things to keep me busy! But there’s one thing that I don’t need to put on my calendar anymore: LEAD events.

Since this is my last semester at The Woods, I do not have to participate in the LEAD program as long as I am in good standing and have signed off on my senior status waiver. Even though I'm not attending weekly events, I'm still earning the scholarship money. How cool is that?!

I’ve been mentioning LEAD a lot over my past several posts, but I haven’t really explained what it is. Luckily for you, this post is dedicated to LEAD and LEAD only!

LEAD stands for Leading, Educating, Achieving and Developing. This program was enacted by Dr. Barnett (our university president) in 2000 and has been going strong ever since! The intent of this $5000 tuition award is to encourage campus involvement and enhance our education here. And guess what? It’s available to any accepted WWU student! Love it!

Attending LEAD events during these past four years has been one of the highlights of my Woods experience. Lots of fun memories have been made either hanging out with my friends at a concert, listening to an inspirational speaker, or experiencing a different culture or lifestyle.

As I mentioned in my first post, I LOVE taking pictures. I’ve basically been documenting my college years ever since I stepped foot on this campus! While thinking about what I wanted to tell you about the LEAD program, I decided to look back at some of my older photos and videos. My conclusion: Man, oh man, I’ve had some fun!

As I was looking through my pictures, I noticed a recurring theme. There are three main types of LEAD events: educational, concerts and performances. I know the idea of LEAD may still seem kind of arbitrary. However, a picture speaks a thousand words, so check out these photos and enjoy!

EDUCATIONAL

The Student Activities Fair at the beginning of the fall semester is always a great way to meet new people and learn how to get involved. Each organization has their own booth, so you can go around and sign up for what you think looks interesting. Plus, there's always free stuff!

Earlier this year, Dr. Lori Hart visited our campus and spoke about gender theories and gender communication. Her presentation was one of the funniest and most informative LEAD events I'd ever been to!

Fire safety is always an important topic to cover, and last year the Office of Residential Life made it even more interesting by asking the local fire department to set a room on fire to show how quickly it burns. The heat was so intense!

Rev. Billy Kyles was a close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's and was a witness to his assassination. His presentation during Black History Month was incredibly powerful; meeting him afterward was even more amazing.

Two Deaf Native American men visited campus during Deaf Awareness week a few years back. They were so much fun to watch and had some very impactful stories to share.

Since our school mascot is Screech the owl, it was only appropriate for the Biology Club to host a bird sanctuary LEAD event. The people from the sanctuary brought birds that were tame enough to fly around the gym, swooping over our heads and landing on their trainer's arm for a treat. I'm not a fan of birds, but I did enjoy this event!

One of my favorite things is learning about different cultures, so I was very excited when Multicultural Affairs Club brought in a woman from Mexico to perform traditional dances and talk about her culture. Can I have a swooshy dress like that, please?

Marcus Engel was another powerful speaker that visited campus last year. His story of how he became blind was awe-inspiring; even more touching was his attitude about moving beyond his blindness and encouraging others to be their best no matter what. I loved it! (Plus, his seeing-eye dog was SO cute!)

PERFORMANCES

The most recent LEAD event I attended was a performance by the Missouri Contemporary Ballet. You cannot imaging how strong and graceful these dancers are until you see them in person. It is absolutely amazing!!

You know what's even more fun than watching professionals perform? Watching your friends perform! Every spring WWU sponsors the Fine Arts showcase. At this event, all the dance groups, dance classes and singing groups have the opportunity to perform a couple numbers. Cheering for my friends is my favorite part!

CONCERTS

The Truman Brothers were a fun little duo that came to campus my freshman year. They were incredibly talented; in the middle of the show, they switched and played each others' instruments! Way cool!

One of the great advantages of going to a smaller school is being able to meet artists after they perform for us! Shannon Curtis was such a sweetheart when she came-now we're Facebook friends!

Tim McGraw was busy the day we wanted him to come, so we invited the next best thing to come sing for us: Adam D. Tucker! Adam travels around performing a Tim McGraw tribute show, and let me tell you, it was SO much fun!!

If you've never seen or heard of Recycled Percussion, then I suggest you Google them right now! They play popular songs on things everyone else would consider trash: ladders, buckets, saws, etc. Their performance was, without a doubt, one of my favorite LEAD events ever, and they came my freshman year!

If you’re concerned that you won’t be able to balance everything, along with the LEAD program, don’t worry! As a residential student, I only needed FOUR points per month, TWENTY by the end of the fall semester and FORTY-FIVE by the end of the year. That basically means I went to one event per week, sometimes more. (Each event lasts about an hour.)

Everyone about the LEAD program is online. The events calendar is always accessible through a link on the LEAD homepage. You can also check how many points you have just by entering your student ID on another link on the homepage. Gotta love that internet!

One time my friends calculated how much we as students are “making” attending LEAD events. It equaled out to between $150-$200! Talk about makin’ bank! Think about getting paid to cheer on your school’s team at a basketball game or laughing hysterically while your friends get hypnotized. I think that’s something we can all agree with!

Let's face it-some LEAD events are just plain fun. A few years ago, we had a hypnotist come during a prospective weekend, and I laughed till I cried! I had no idea some of my friends would do the things they did!

The LEAD program is just one of the many unique things about William Woods, and one of the countless reasons why I chose this school as my home for four years. If getting paid for not sitting on your room and going to a fun event sounds good to you, I think you need to schedule a campus visit!

I’d better stop blabbering on about the LEAD program now because I could probably type all day! I hope you are having a fantastic week and trying to stay as warm as possible with this crazy winter weather! (For those of you who aren’t experiencing the wrath of Mother Nature-consider yourselves lucky!)

Smiles and sunshine!

Katherine

Last semester I took 15 credit hours (a class is typically 3 credits at WWU) which equals out to five classes - a definite norm on campus. My classes last semester were interpreting III, interpreting in advanced settings I, digital production I, senior capstone (ASL), and communication law and ethics. They were a lot of work, but you can't expect anything different when you enter into your Junior/Senior year and the majority of classes you'll be taking are 300 or 400 level classes. This semester I'm taking 16 credit hours and I'm hopeful I'll end my undergraduate career on a high note. This semester I'm in interpreting in advanced settings II, interpreting IV, digital production II, radio broadcasting, senior seminar (communications), and history of the U.S. II.

Even though it's a lot of work, I'm still having a great time with all of my involvements on campus and being able to squeeze time in with my friends. My busiest days consist of classes, a meeting or two for an organization, UA (that's what we call University Ambassadors), and a S.W.A.T. hour or two (Student Website Advancement Team). We also can't forget LEAD events! You'll definitely be busy here at the Woods, but hopefully it will be a good busy of things that you like. I've noticed now, in my senior year, that it's important to be involved in the things that make you happy as well as something you may be able to use on your resume.

Order of Omega Initiation

Interpreting for Dr. Lori Hart's LEAD presentation on Gender Communication

Spring 2012 Community Advisers!

A quick picture in the foyer after my sisters and I serenaded Chi Omega during their philanthropy week!

My interpreting III classmates, professor, and I.

I hope you all had an awesome winter holiday!

Sally

I decided this year that I wasn’t going to make a “resolution.” Rather, my goal is to be intentional for the duration of the year to be smart with my money. You see, I kind of have a problem. No, it’s not with spending money. (That’s the easy part!) I just can’t seem to keep money in my bank account long enough for me to bat an eye!

BUT, that’s why I’m SO lucky that I have lots of campus jobs here at The Woods. This university offers students so many opportunities to make some extra money without having to search for employment in the Fulton community.

I am lucky enough to currently have four campus jobs: work study in the Office of Student Life, Phonathon, Telecounseling and working for the Office of Admissions as a University Ambassador. All together, these jobs equal out to be around eleven hours per week. (Not bad, huh?)

Every student on campus is eligible for a certain number of work study hours according to their FAFSA (that nasty little government form that everyone has to fill out annually). There are LOTS of work study opportunities on campus. You can work anywhere from athletics to the barn to local elementary schools to the mail room.

When I first signed up for work study, I decided to work for Debbie Schick in the Office of Student Life. Debbie is the campus “momma,” someone everyone goes to for help and advice about EVERYTHING. She is also in charge of the LEAD program. If students need replacement ID cards or have questions about their points, they can ask Debbie.

Debbie and I (left) are buddies, and I can say the same for my other boss, Venita! The picture on the right is of us goofing around during a university trip to Italy a few years ago! (We wanted to leave room in the picture for Debbie, of course!)

When I go to work, I usually cover Debbie’s lunch hour. I file papers, answer the phone, print new IDs, etc. The fun thing about working in the Office of Student life is that I’m not just working for Debbie. That department also includes Residential Life, Career Services, Faith, Counseling and Health Services and Multicultural Affairs, so I have LOTS of “bosses!” It’s so much fun.

These are some of my former and current work study co-workers. They're definitely crazy, but I wouldn't ask for anything else!

This is my third year working as a Phonathon caller. At this amazing job, I call graduates of WWU, chat with them about their collegiate experience, and ask them if they’d like to make a monetary donation to the university. It is SO much fun; talking to women who graduated in the 1940s is one of the best parts because they have some VERY interesting stories from “back in their day.”

My boss Sharon is one of a kind! She definitely makes coming to work more fun.

Working hard or hardly working? You decide..

How cute are we in our "official" t-shirts?! The senior callers are on the left, with the ENTIRE crew on the right!

Telecounseling is another campus job that is pretty similar to Phonathon, except I call prospective students, not graduates. You have probably gotten a phone call or two from us before (hopefully you didn’t hang up!) I love chatting with students who are interested in The Woods and telling them all about why I love this school so much. I also answer questions they have about college life and invite them to attend campus events we have throughout the semester.

One of my favorite weekly jobs is working as a University Ambassador. Along with working in the Admissions Office twice a week giving campus tours to prospective students and their families, I also get to help with campus events such as Discovery Days and WWU 101! Plus, I get to write this blog! What could be better?

My spiffy lookin' name tag so I can look "official" on tours.

Along with the four jobs that I have right now, I’ve also had a couple other jobs that are more “seasonal.” One of them is being a Peer Mentor during Orientation Week. During that first week, I do different things like work the registration table, help students move in, attend orientation events, introduce students to each other, and help students navigate campus. It’s really fun and a GREAT way to get to know my newest peers!

Who wouldn't want to be mentored by this lovely group of people? I mean really..

“Working” as a Freshman Advantage mentor during the summer is probably one of THE BEST jobs I have ever had. The reason I put “working” in quotes is because it honestly didn’t even feel like a job! I basically got to hang out with a bunch of awesome students and mentors all day, plan fun events and enforce the rules of Residential Life. Freshman Advantage is one of the most amazing programs William Woods has to offer, and I strongly encourage you to look into it. (Don’t worry, you’ll learn more about this program in a future post!)

From costume dodgeball to kickball tournaments, there's lots of crazy fun to be had at Freshman Advantage!

One job that I’ve never had personally but a lot of my friends have is a Community Advisor, or CA. This job includes promoting a sense of community among residents, coordinating CA events, and making sure residents are following the rules of the university.

Fire safety training, water games, bumper cars and orientation game nights: Can I sign up to be a CA?!

I know I say this a lot, but I am so blessed to go to a university where I have so many opportunities at my fingertips. Where else could I gain the experience of six jobs in four years, not to mention the networking opportunities and the FUN!

If you’re looking for a place to spend your college years where you don’t have to work a crazy amount of hours but just want to make some extra spending money, then William Woods University is the place for you. If you’re looking for a place to spend your college years where you have the opportunity to try a new job in a safe environment, then William Woods University is the place for you. If you’re looking for a place to spend your college years where you can build your resume to pages and pages of greatness, then WILLIAM WOODS UNIVERSITY IS THE PLACE FOR YOU!

Hopefully with these next few months in front of me, and plenty of work ahead, I can save my money and prove to myself that I can be successful with my “resolution.” I think I have a pretty good chance, don’t you?

Anyway, I’d better get back to enjoying my last week of Christmas break while I can! I hope your new semester of classes has been going well and you stay true to your resolutions! (If you need a little encouragement, just holler!) Good luck!

Smiles and sunshine!

Katherine

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas and a happy New Year with their friends and family, I know I was very grateful for spending Christmas with my family after missing Thanksgiving with them.  I also think it would have been difficult to spend Christmas in a climate with palm trees and humidity; I am too accustomed to the cold that goes along with the Christmas season here in Missouri.  I was very thankful I got to spend New Year’s Eve with some of my best friends in St. Charles, Missouri.

Well I have procrastinated enough on purchasing my books for my final semester at WWU so I must complete the order.  Everyone have a good remainder of break, see you soon, and take care, “cuidate”.

Best,

Lucas

Even though they’re over and done with, I want to take a second to tell you all about finals and the fun things we do during the week. Fun you say? Why, YES!

When someone says the word “finals,” I’m sure the first thing that pops into your mind is dread, followed by stress, all-nighters, and…coffee. But what about balloons, spaghetti or improv performances?

Here at The Woods, finals week is not all about the exams. Sure, those are important, but we also make sure to have a healthy balance of focus and fun. After all, studying for hours on end isn’t exactly the best way to ace a test. There needs to be some relaxation mixed in there, too.

As I mentioned in my last post, being involved on campus not only means attending fun holiday parties at the end of the year, but also finals week activities. President's Twenty, a group of students who work closely with the university president, Dr. Barnett, meets at the end of each semester for Finals Snacks. This is always a time for all of us to get together, eat yummy food and take a breather from studying.

Hangin' out with Dr. Barnett is always a blast!

Student Alumni Council is another campus organization that has end-of-the-semester festivities. This group, which is kind of like Student Council in high school, is responsible for putting together something called Finals Sacks for the entire campus. Toward the end of the semester, each student’s parents are sent a letter asking if they’d like to send their son or daughter a finals care package, chock full of everything from chips and Ramen to pens and highlighters. Plus, each parent can write a little motivational note, which is always nice to read before the week starts. (My mom always writes a rap, which is pretty fun to read to all my friends!)

Can you hear us whistling while we work?

During finals week, the LEAD calendar slows down a lot, but there are still a few events here and there. One event that was really fun to watch in the midst of all the high stress was the Served Up Crispy Improv Team performance. They always put on a good show and are never short of some great laughs!

We laughed, we cried..but mostly we laughed A LOT!

One of my favorite things that happens every finals week is Midnight Breakfast. Our dining hall, Tucker, opens up from 11:00-12:30ish and cooks us a delicious breakfast with everything from omelets and pastries to French toast and hash browns. Can you say YUMMMMMMY!! It’s the perfect study break!

There's nothing else I can say except NOM NOM!

My sorority also has fun ways to curb the anxiety of finals. Finals balloons are a great way to release the tension you feel after a final is over. What we do is blow up one balloon per final, write the name of the class on it and hang it on our door frame. After the final has been taken, you POP the balloon and let out a sigh of relief that you’re FINISHED with the class forever! Woo!

POP goes the final!

Spaghetti Dinner is probably my absolute favorite tradition we do, though. Each semester we cook LOTS of spaghetti and garlic bread and eat it with nothing but our hands! We sit out big tablecloths everywhere and can’t use any silverware. It’s super messy, but so much FUN! Sometimes it’s amusing to pretend to be a kid again!

Winner, winner, Spaghetti Dinner!

There are definitely times when finals week gets to be a little crazy, but the fun things we do on campus make it so much more tolerable! I’m so thankful I go to a school where we can get our studies done but have a good time doing it.

I can’t believe I only have one more semester of classes, one more finals week and one more go at all these fun traditions. You know what that means? I’d better make the most of it while I can!

I hope all of your finals went well, but even more, I hope you’re having an amazing holiday break! I’m gonna head back to my designated spot on the couch, but I’ll check back in with you soon!

Smiles and sunshine!

Katherine

One of the great pluses about being involved in different organizations on campus is attending all the great holiday parties at the end of the year! Phonathon is one of my campus jobs where I get to work with about twenty other fabulous people and call alumni and chat with them about their experience at WWU.

This year, as always, we had a Christmas party at our boss Sharon’s house, complete with yummy spaghetti prepared by her husband, delicious cookie treats and, of course, a White Elephant gift exchange!

The whole point of White Elephant is to bring something you either already have or that is on the silly side. This year’s gifts were especially interesting, with people bringing everything from embroidered toilet paper to a gingerbread house kit.

Who wouldn't want to work with this motley crew?

The LEAD program is also a great place to find some Christmas joy. One of the groups I’m involved with, Student Alumni Council, sponsored a LEAD event where students could come make Christmas cards for residents in a local nursing home. We collected over 100 cards and even made it on our school’s news website, The Talon!

Crafting time!

After all the cards had been made, members of Student Alumni Council went to the nursing home and delivered the cards to the residents. It was so much fun to see them smile! And the best part of it all? We sang Christmas carols with them afterwards! How fun is that?

Can't you just hear those golden pipes?!

The First Impressions Show Choir held their annual Holiday Concert not only for us students, but also for members of the Fulton community. It was very well done and even included performers from a local dance company!

We wish you a Merry Christmas, too!

No matter what else is happening on campus, I know I can always count on my sorority sisters for some Christmas entertainment. Every year we decorate our house and have a Secret Santa party before everyone leaves for break. It’s so much fun to play Santa for each other and see what kinds of gifts everyone receives.

Time for snuggles in the foyer!

Looks like we were all good girls this year!

Something exciting that happened this year was a visit from Santa himself! One of my American Sign Language lab tutors, Brad, dressed up as ‘ol Kris Kringle, came over to our house during one of our chapter events and took silly pictures with everyone. It was so much fun to pretend to be a kid again!

Much love from Santa and my sissies!

Now that the semester is winding down, I’m definitely excited to go home and spend the rest of the holiday season with my family, but I can’t say I won’t miss my crazy peeps here at The Woods! No matter if I’m at a Christmas party, a holiday-inspired LEAD event or just hanging at the house with my sorority sisters, I know I’ll never be bored!

Finals are coming up very quickly, so I’d better get to studying for all my tests! Eek! (Wish me luck!) I hope your final weeks of classes aren’t too crazy and you rock your finals! You can do it, I know it!

As always, smiles and sunshine!

Katherine

While flying to San Cristobal right before landing I watched as our plane lowered and the island came into focus so much clearer, my first thought: I have never seen water so crystal clear before.  As I stepped off the plane, I took my first step in paradise.  Charles Darwin proposed his “Origen of Species” after his voyage to the Galapagos Islands, however I know I stumbled upon the “Garden of Eden”.

My days consisted of swimming side by side with sea lions, sharks, sea turtles, and many colorful fish.  I saw thousands of different birds, including the Darwin Finches, and I walked up to a lagoon inside the crater of an inactive volcano.  Humans and nature are not scared of one another there, there is no competition.  These animals have no fear of humans, I was literally centimeters from baby sea lions and I even had some finches land on my shoulder.

While in the Galapagos I visited two different islands: San Cristobal and Santa Cruz.  I went to the famous Tortuga Bay, I snorkeled, went to Puerto Chino beach, and visited El Junico Lagoon (the only source of freshwater on any of the Galapagos Islands).  Oh and I forgot to mention, the last night on the island my friends and I slept in sleeping bags on the beach-the coolest thing I have ever done, the stars were amazing.

I truly enjoyed my five day adventure in the Galapagos Islands.  I highly recommend anyone who has the opportunity to visit these rare, ecologically important islands, takes that opportunity; it was a trip of a lifetime for me.  I plan to one day return to the islands when I have more time to explore more of the islands.  It was very hard to leave paradise and return to Guayaquil, however, I know one day I will go back.

Best wishes to you all, I am home in 15 days!

-lucas

Recently, a new and amazing campaign was introduced to our campus called Everyone Matters. This program is being spearheaded by the one and only TaLisa Maxwell, WWU’s Director of Multicultural Affairs.

According to their Facebook page, Everyone Matters is “a global Inclusiveness campaign…with a collective message to judge others less, see the humanity in everyone, and emphasize that everyone has the right to be who they are.” Sounds like a good plan to me!

When TaLisa first told me about her plan to bring this program to campus, I was super excited! I think it is so important to respect everyone for who they are and to stop judgment in its tracks, so being involved with Everyone Matters seemed like the perfect way to spread that message!

The first thing TaLisa did to kick off the William Woods Everyone Matters campaign was to host an event during dinner in our dining hall. During this event, students were asked to fill out surveys that asked for one or two word answers about themselves. The questions were things like, “How would you describe yourself in three words?” and “What is something that makes you happy?”

Once all the surveys were filled out (there were LOTS!), TaLisa entered them into this website called Tagxedo that takes simple words and colors and transforms them into really awesome collages! Check mine out!

I think it turned out pretty great, if I do say so myself!

The next phase of the campaign was to combine all of the collages onto one giant banner and take pictures of students holding it. Seeing everyone’s collages together was really cool and inspirational. Even though we are all unique in our own ways, seeing the student body come together for something like this made my heart smile.

My friends Jen, Michael and Maggie were pretty excited to hold the banner, too!

The final stage of Everyone Matters was less of a group effort and more on an individual basis. TaLisa had students write “I am” statements on a piece of paper and took photos of them that would later be posted to the official Everyone Matters website. Students also had the option of recording videos beginning with the words “I matter because..” and “Everyone at William Woods matters because..”

My "I am" statement was "I am full of love!"

Check this out! I got to be on the Everyone Matters Facebook page!

Everyone Matters is such an important campaign because I think sometimes we get so caught up in our own little bubbles that we forget about the big beautiful world that surrounds us and the people that fill it. No matter what race, sexual orientation, religion, gender or age, everyone DOES matter and they are IMPORTANT.

I am so proud to have been a part of such an incredible movement at William Woods. Having the opportunity to make a difference to the people I see every single day through Multicultural Affairs Club reminds me why I love WWU so much and why this campus community has become my home away from home.

Just so you know, YOU matter too! I hope you check out the Everyone Matters website to see just how cool this campaign is and why I’m so excited it’s now here at WWU. What a great thing to get involved in once you’re a student here!

Well, I hope you have an amazing rest of your week and have lots of opportunities to smile! I challenge you to tell someone in your life why THEY matter to YOU-talk about making their day! Good luck!

Smiles and sunshine!

Katherine

Breaks always seem to take such a long time to get here and then BOOM, they're gone! It means we're that much closer to Christmas break but between now and then.....this girl has a lot to do.

Since I live out of state, shorter breaks I typically don't go home for. Usually I'll head on over to St. Louis to my sister's house, but this year, I decided to give them some family time alone and venture out to do my own thing. One of my best friends from high school, Scott, was actually in St. Louis working - he is the head audio guy of the Blue Man Group and so he's currently traveling the country with them. Wednesday I packed a bag for one night and met him downtown at the Arch where we had dinner; I was able to see BMG perform and see his passion for his work up close, then we hung out and talked for hours. It had been a few years since we had seen each other, but it seemed like it was just yesterday. Those types of friendships are surely ones to cherish.

Scott and I in Germany on a school trip back in 2007!

The most recent picture of Scott and I that I have - from 2009!

Thursday night I headed back to Fulton to hang out with some friends for a bit, then re-packed my bags to head out to the Kansas City area, where I stayed with another friend and his awesome family for a few days. There were three of us extra kids from school there with his family, plus they already had five kids of their own {told you his family is awesome}! We were able to help decorate their Christmas tree, spent some time on their family's farm, and shared so many laughs. It was crazy, I didn't do enough homework, but this is life. And I'm trying my best to live it. Going on random adventures, doing silly things, staying up far too late while laughing with friends...I feel that it's these things and so many more that you remember for the rest of your life, cherish, and want to re-live.

Jacy, Sam, and I

Helping decorate the Christmas Tree - I haven't decorated one in years!

Kyle, Sam, and I

Kate, Sam, and I

Bernal, Joren, and I - clearly the boys had eaten too much pumpkin pie!

There's a quote that I've recently taken a liking to by Diane Ackerman that at first I kind of shrugged off, but now...it's a completely different story. I don't ever want to be complacent. I want to be on the go, trying new things, never giving up. And currently, this quote sums up how I'm feeling about my life:

William Woods has allowed me to experience living the breadth of this moment in my life and I am so grateful for it.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

{xx}

Sally Jane

We're uh...somethin' else..

You’ve probably seen the “Thanksgiving Challenge” all over Facebook this month-people posting something they’re thankful for as their status every day. I haven’t done that myself, but I’ve enjoyed reading what everyone else considers important in their lives.

Those “challenges” are always hard for me to participate in because I get too stressed that I’ll leave something out or place more importance on one thing over another. BUT I’ve decided to use this blog as my platform for letting the world know what I’m thankful for this year.

Of course I’m thankful for my family, my friends, my pets, my health, my freedoms, etc. Those are no-brainers. But today I’d like to focus on something else I’m thankful for: my education. My four years at William Woods University have FLOWN by, and I’m SO thankful for every moment I’ve spent here.

Freshman year first day of school selfie vs. senior year. My how times have changed..

When I started here as a freshman, I had no idea how much of an impact WWU would have on my life and the person I have become. I have learned, been challenged, struggled and succeeded. I have studied and explored, laughed and cried. Why? Because of everything I have experienced here at The Woods.

I am thankful for the professors who’ve had patience with me and my bosses who’ve hired me. I am thankful for the maintenance staff who has cleaned my bathroom and the cooks in Tucker who have fed me every day. I’m even thankful for those silly geese who sometimes hiss at me when I walk a little too close to them.

I'll just keep my distance..

But most of all, I’m thankful for the fact that I love my school so very much. I’ve seen so many of my friends’ statuses saying how they can’t wait to get back to good ‘ol Fulton and see everyone, and while I love being with my family so much, I feel the same way. I don’t think there are many people in this world who can say that they miss their school when they go home for breaks, but I’m happy to say that I’m part of the minority!

If you’re looking for a home away from home, a second family, a place that will be hard to leave when it’s time to graduate, then you need to check out William Woods University. Call the Office of Admissions, make an appointment and come learn about all the great things WWU has to offer. And since this is the season of being thankful, you can thank me later for encouraging you to visit.

Anyway, I’m gonna head upstairs now and watch “Home Alone” with my family (a Wortmann favorite!) I hope you’ve had an amazing Thanksgiving with your family and I hope even more that we’ll see you on campus very soon!

Until next time, smiles and sunshine!

Katherine

This past week has been very busy for me.  On Saturday the International office at the university I am attending here in Ecuador, Universidad Espiritu Santo (UEES), participated in a house building project with the foundation-Hogar de Cristo.  This non-profit organization builds homes for homeless people in a small country village outside of Guayaquil, Ecuador.  My fellow international students and I traveled an hour and 30 minute via bus to the small village to assist in building two homes for families there.  Prior to arriving in Ecuador I knew it was considered a "third-world country" however until arriving at this village, I had no clue just how "third-world" Ecuador really is.  As soon as the bus parked and all of us started getting off the bus, it really hit me.  I looked around me and I could not take in fast enough the images I was seeing, chickens, goats, pigs, dogs, and children all walking/running around with no order, havoc at its finest.

Our group split up into three smaller groups, two for house building and one on cooking duty.  Each of the two house building groups had one carpenter with them.  My group started from scratch, literally all we had was a small dusty plot of ground, lumber, two saws and two shovels; Hogar de Cristo supplied the walls for the house.  We started digging holes for the placement of the foundation.  After assembling all the lumber for the foundation we started building the floor.  We had to build the house on stilts because here in this part of Ecuador they have two seasons, dry and wet.  Along with wet season comes massive flooding and this small village is located about 1/2 of a mile in distance from a large river.  We spent the entire day in the blistering sun building the house; occasionally I would take breaks and walk around the village and play with the children.  After the completion of the house the most emotional part of the day was handing over the house to the family who would be living there.  They were so thankful for what we had done.  It was a special moment seeing how happy they were.  I am happy I got to be a part of this project.  Memories I made from this day will ever be engraved in me.

That was my weekend here in Ecuador.  This next week I have a little more free time-I plan on going to the beach!  I am coming home in 38 days; I cannot believe four months is almost over.  I have made so many memories and friends in this unique country.

Enjoy my pictures and if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Best,

Lucas W.

So this past weekend I had the opportunity to do one of the most spontaneous things I’ve ever done: fly out to Washington D.C. by myself on Friday and attend a weekend-long conference with a bunch of people I don’t know, then fly back home that Sunday night. WHAT?!

Now, if you know me, I like to say that I’m a spontaneous person, but that’s all in my head. My planner and I are best friends and we rarely part each other’s sides. But doing something out of the ordinary like this came with such excitement that I couldn’t pass it up!

Let me backtrack just a little bit before I proceed. For the past two years, I have had the honor of being invited to the Missouri Governor's Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values  at our state capitol, Jefferson City, MO. This weekend-long conference gives student leaders from around the state a chance to convene in one place for a weekend of fellowship and learning. There are speakers, trips to different places around Jeff City and time to chat with a small group of people that become your core group for the duration of the forum.

This past year, one of the facilitators of my group, Monica Hashemi, and I made a really great connection and still keep in contact today. At the beginning of the semester I received an email from the National Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values saying that Monica had nominated me to attend. I was SO EXCITED!! What an honor!

There was a little bit of money involved, including buying a plane ticket, so I waited to sign up at first until I knew I had the money. When I thought I would be covered, I went ahead and applied, but I was put on a waiting list because there were so many people interested in attending! (Insert sad violin music here..) I was sad for a second, but decided to keep my chin up and hope for the best.

And guess what?! My prayers were answered! At the beginning of the week of the forum, I received an email saying a spot had opened up if I still wanted to go. WELL DUH!! Immediately I got on planning for the weekend, booked my flight and got all my arrangements in place. Whew!

I’ve flown several times through different trips and things, but never by myself, so this was a whole new experience for me, but an exciting one! When I arrived at the airport, I did all the checking in and everything, got on my plane, and waited for my adventure to begin.

When I finally arrived in D.C., the smile on my face became permanent. It was SO COOL! And you know what else? My hotel was right. down. the. street. from the capitol building. Gaahh!!

Oh hey, Capitol! Just standing outside my hotel looking at ya!

After checking in to my room, it was exploring time! I grabbed my faithful camera and set out to capture the beauty of our nation’s capitol. It was so much fun just to walk around and see such amazing and integral parts of history right before my eyes!

What a beautiful fall day!

Playing tourist for the day!

Later on that night, the forum officially opened, and I met my small group for the first time. Immediately, I felt at home.  The women in my group were so open and compassionate and giving that it made me want to be a better person. So to Group Nine, I want to say THANK YOU!

I love my group so much!

Later that night, all 200 of us students who were attending the forum went on a “monument walk.” W.O.W. Obviously everything is beautiful during the day, but at night, the lights make it ten times more magnificent! I was in hog heaven with my camera!!

The flags were blowing so loudly in the wind!

This fountain at the World War II Memorial was so mesmerizing!

Getting to visit 'ol Abe at the Lincoln Memorial was my favorite part of the monument walk!

The rest of the weekend was spent hanging out with my group, listening to amazing speakers, visiting the House of Representatives (those chairs were really comfy!) and soaking in the awesomeness of the forum.  I definitely wasn’t ready to head back…

Not a pretty crier..

The major thing I want you to take away from this accidentally long story (sorry about that..) is how many doors William Woods University can open for you. If I hadn’t been a student here and gotten involved, I wouldn’t have been invited to the Missouri Governor’s Student Leadership Forum, I wouldn’t have met Monica, and she wouldn’t have nominated me for the National Student Leadership Forum. It just all fits together like a pretty puzzle!

WWU might be on the smaller end of the scale as far as size is concerned, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do big things while you’re here. I am so thankful for a school where I've had my eyes opened to things I never even thought possible.

If you’re looking at The Woods, I sincerely suggest you come check it out. Plan a campus visit, eat lunch in our dining hall and maybe even stay the night! I promise you you’ll have a good time. (You can thank me later.)

Anywho, that’s all I have for now, but I hope you enjoyed my story! Have a fantastic week and check back in soon!

Smiles and sunshine!

Katherine

Before I dive too deep into this post, first I’d like to tell you a little about me! I am a senior this year (ahh!), majoring in American Sign Language Interpreting and American Sign Language Studies. I am from Mexico, MO, which is a whole 20 minutes away from Fulton. You might think that I am a commuter since I live so close to WWU, but no! I am a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and live right here on campus with all my sisters!

I am all about being involved here on campus, which you’ll learn more about in my future blog posts, but the main organizations I participate in are Student Alumni Council, Hands Up Club, University Ambassadors and Phonathon. All of these are groups are fabulous to be a part of and I can’t wait to tell you more about them later on!

My school spirit started early. Check me out freshman year!

As you’ll find out really quickly (because you’re oh-so-smart!), I am a huge goofball, so I love just hanging out with my friends, having a good time and laughing till my sides hurt. I also really enjoy being creative-98% of the time I’m crafting something, and the other 2% I’m thinking about a craft I could be making!

Movies are something I really enjoy, too! Chick flicks? Heck yeah! Musicals? Yes please! Scary-gory nonsense? No, thanks.. There is a really awesome movie theater right here in Fulton, so you can find me there slurping on a blue Icee when a really great movie hits the theaters.

Have any other burning questions about who I am? Then head on over to my "About Me"  section and read on!

Ok, now to the good stuff. One thing you should know about me is how much I love William Woods University. I have so much pride in this school and absolutely love sharing it with everyone I meet. No matter if I’m at a soccer game, a theater production, an art gallery or a Greek philanthropy event, I’m always happy to be a part of The Woods community and represent my Owls!

My hope is that through these next few months of blogging, you’ll be able to pick up on how wonderful WWU is and want to see it for yourself! It is such a fun and beautiful campus with lots of great people. As you can see, I’ve got school spirit oozing out of me and can’t wait to share more with you!

Senior year and still going strong! Love my Owls!

From alllll the way back four years ago to where I am now, WWU has helped shape who I am today and I couldn’t be more thankful. This blog is not only dedicated to helping you figure out why WWU is so great, but also sharing the best things about The Woods as a thank you for all this community has given me.

This next month/semester is going to be lots of fun. Why? Because it’s my SENIOR YEAR! I hope you’ll tag along for the ride as I take my last few classes, get ready for graduation and start planning for my internship! Buckle up, people. Life’s about to get crazy!

Until next time, smiles and sunshine!

Katherine