Serving Others On and Off Campus

When you hear the word “service”, what generally comes to mind? The first thing most people think about is community service, doing activities such as visiting nursing homes or planting a garden. While these acts are service, service can be both on and off campus.

Service is giving of your time, resources, and/or talents to your peers, elders, or community at large. Through my years at UF, I have found it rewarding to do this both on and off the University of Florida Campus. I always reflect on the quote, “To whom much is given, much is required”. University of Florida has afforded me so many opportunities in life and I’ve always felt that I owe UF something. By serving as an ambassador for student involvement, admissions, and my college, I feel I’ve been able to accomplish this. I’ve also been active in the local community by volunteering with children at various elementary schools and after-school programs.

Well, service probably sounds great, but how does it benefit YOU? Some benefits or service include:

• You are able to help others. Who doesn’t want to make a difference in their community? When serving the UF campus, you are able to help students have a better college experience. Helping the greater community allows you to aid those less fortunate than you. You leave feeling blessed and appreciative of all you have in life.
• You become well-rounded candidate from grad school/jobs. We’re all students and we must not forget there is life after college. You are a much more competitive candidate when you have experiences showing that you have been active on your campus and local community. It’s great to go to school and do well, but its even better to show that you’ve taken the extra step to get involved.
• It’s fun! Many service activities are fun! Playing sports with children, going to recruitment activities for your college, mentoring youth are all enjoyable activities that would be considered service. Find something you’re passionate about and focus your service efforts on that. When you’re passionate about what you’re doing, you have much more fun doing it.

 It can be very hard to find service opportunities on campus. Many students want to be involved in service activities, but do not know go about finding them. Here are several resources on campus that will help you find them:

• Center for Leadership and Service (CLS). CLS is the department on campus dedicated to service both on and off campus. They are over mentoring programs, days of service, Florida Alternative Breaks, and many other service opportunities.
• Involvement Team (IT). These are the official ambassadors for Student Activities and Involvement. If you visit them on the 3^rd floor of the Reitz, they will be willing to help you find various organizations on campus that fit your passion.
• CALS Advisors/Newsletters. Read the newsletters your advisors and other CALS administrators send out. These often feature various service opportunities on campus and in the greater Gainesville community.

Now, you have all the tools to go and conquer! Take advantage of the opportunities being a UF student affords you. Good luck! 

Joy Scott
Class: Senior
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
Major: Food and Resource Economics
Specialization: Food and Agribusiness Marketing and Management
Involvement: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Minority Business Society Vice President, IDEAL, Admissions Volunteer Ambassadors, Savant Leadership Honorary
After College: Work in sales management for a food and beverage company

How I Chose My Grad School

“Next year will I be a Hokie, a Wildcat, a Badger, a Lion, or a Gator?” Like you might be thinking this isn’t a new version of the “lions, tigers, and bears…oh my!”, but simply what was going through my head for the last year and a half as I have been preparing for graduate school. When I first began this search for the graduate program that would be best for me, I constantly went to sleep at night thinking just that.

Over the past four years of my undergraduate career, I have attended several dairy/agricultural conferences and competitions. At these, I have met several graduate professors with outstanding dairy science programs. This past summer, I was approached by three of them with potential graduate assistantship offers, without me even having to ask! To be honest, it was the best feeling to be acknowledged for my achievements and begin thinking about the next chapter in my life. However, at the same time I wanted to attend all of them at once! Unfortunately this is impossible, so I had some decisions to make. I know that this is a common dilemma with most students, so I’ll share with you what helped me.

Keep a Pros and Cons list for each Graduate Program.

• I’m a list kind of person so this always helps me keep track of my thoughts and then the paper can speak for itself when it comes time to decide.
• The hardest part for me was that I may have had one or two cons for each school but several pros for each. The best part is, you can always go for a PhD after somewhere else!

Do your homework!

• Get on the computer and spend time on the website for the University’s graduate school. This saves time during your visit and answers a lot of the basic questions.(i.e.; location, professor’s previous research, application process, etc.)
• Prepare a list of questions for your visit to each University (some questions should relate directly to the specific program).

 Visit as many schools possible.

•  I know that once I visited the schools I was considering it really helped me decide if it was somewhere I could live, people I could enjoy being around, and research I enjoyed.
• It is also a great time to look at potential apartments if you have the time. It may not seem like it at first, but the closer it gets, you may run out of time to take another trip to figure all of that stuff out.

Arrange communication with graduate students in the respective programs currently.

• I had a Skype session with some of the graduate students at UK. I think having that initial conversation with them calmed my nerves a bit and also got me thinking about the things I couldn’t read on the internet.
• This also gave me more insight to not only my major professor and his habits and guidelines but also what it would be like to work with a group of people I hadn’t spent much time with.
• The current graduate students know more about the ins and outs of a program than you can read about or even find out from the professor sometimes.

Start figuring out what focus in your major that you’re most interested in.

• I took time to think back to what classes and experiences I enjoyed the most over the past years. Then I also considered what some questions were that kept me intrigued.
•  Look up published papers on different topics and see which ones you want to keep learning more about.
• Also, consider what your goals are afterwards and see if choosing a certain program will help you reach them.

Look at the financial aspect of it all.

• It was probably the least exciting part for me, but it’s something you have to consider. Learn more about the average graduate assistantship or fellowship in your field of study and at the specific University.
• However, don’t let a couple thousand dollars more in stipends make up your decision. The research and overall feel of the program should make up your mind.
• Make sure that it is a package that you could live on, so look up and ask about apartments, other college fees, and other living expenses in that area. If not, ask about alternatives.

Most importantly spend time communicating with your potential major professors!

• Something that Dr. Bewley at UK has told me for the last four years since I met him was to think carefully about the professor. He believes choosing a major professor is just as important as finding your spouse. This is because you’ll be spending a LOT of time with them over the next 2-3 years. It can make or break your experience in grad school sometimes.

Ask all schools you’re considering when they need to know your decision.

• Professors understand that you may be considering other schools. However, if you are not interested in their program, they need adequate time to find someone else that would be interested.
• Also, if the deadlines are close together, let all professors know that you are considering other schools. Some may ask if you are, but not all will. So be honest with them upfront.

Take your parents and current undergrad professors and advisers thought into consideration.

• They have a lot of great advice and think about things that you may not while you’re panicking about deciding.
• Plus, if you’re parents are like mine, they will make your favorite dinners and desserts during this somewhat stressful time.

These are the main things that I did to help me make the big decision. I am proud to say that I will be attending the University of Kentucky in the fall, and I know that I have made the right decision! If you ever have a question or run into me on campus feel free to say hi! I love getting to meet fellow gators! 

Go Gators & Go Wildcats!

Lauren Mayo

Class: Junior
Hometown: Riverview, Florida
Major: Animal Sciences Specializing in Dairy Industry
Minor: Agricultural Communications
Involvement: Dairy Science Club President; Collegiate Farm Bureau President; Block and Bridle Club; American Dairy Science Association Student Affiliate Division Officer at Large(2011); Girl Scouts of the USA Lifetime Member; Girl Scouts of West Central Florida Adult Volunteer;  coordinated UF Ag Facts Friday, educating college students and public about the importance of agriculture
Hobbies: Dairy cattle judging and showing, scrapbooking, cooking and baking, outdoor

Grad School Testing- "Tricks of the Trade"

It felt like you finally arrived, that you made it through the most perilous times of your undergraduate career. The majority of your course requirements were checked off and you were looking forward to a relaxing summer before your last year. WRONG. Your dreams of sun kissed beaches, salt watered t-shirts and amazing travel destinations were abruptly halted. Why might you ask? Because the next few months would be spent preparing for that lovely graduate school assessment test. Wait! But that wasn’t your story; It was mine.

Greetings, all! My name is Felicia and I will soon be a University of Florida alumnus in less than two months. This past year has been spent mastering the precarious balance between studying for the PCAT and keeping up with various courses and/or extracurricular activities. At first, the struggle was real. But with tips to keep you sane and calm, I am confident that my initial trials and tribulations will not be yours. Regardless of whether you’re taking one of the other various graduate school tests (GRE, LSAT, DAT, MCAT), it’s the same balancing act.

For me personally, I started studying this past summer while being a fulltime student. Looking back I don’t regret taking courses, but if you want to study and enjoy your summer DON’T DO IT.

With that being said, I’m going to interject with a few tips on how to study:

1. Study your most challenging course matter first.

          Because you’re just starting, you’ll be less weary at looking at what will essentially become a compilation of your undergraduate years in paper/book/packet form. Study the second most challenging course matter second, followed by the third, etc.

2. Save the reading preparation for last...if your graduate school test prep is science and math related (MCAT, PCAT, DAT and GRE).

Don’t focus on making flashcards for vocabulary words because how do you know which words will be on there? You don’t. There are a few that may repeat but it doesn’t benefit you to spend your most precious time madly scribbling definitions that won’t matter six months from now. Read books: British literature, NY Times Bestsellers and those favorites from high school. If you stumble across a word that you genuinely don’t know or can’t quite define from context clues, search the definition and make a flashcard for that. Comprehension and the need for speed is where reading challenges lie. If you can quickly understand what you read, you can answer the questions. The definition/analogy portion is pretty straightforward and the right answers can be eliminated through context clues and looking at the response choices.

Also, by saving the reading for the last, you can drop books in your suitcase as you enjoy a small hiatus here or there.

3. Study like it’s your job.

Quite frankly, this test is going to play an integral part of your application so put your all into it now to ensure you can enjoy grad school later. :) If you choose to take classes over the summer, go home to study and do homework for those courses, take a break and then test prep away! Stop when your brain starts to get tired or when it’s time for bed. You made it this far in undergraduate so you’ll know when you need to stop studying for the day. If you study for a few hours each weekday, you’ll be able to spend the weekends enjoying summer, or just life in general. Don’t forget to have fun!

Now that I’m done with that little Segway, I personally say take your exam the earliest date possible and plan accordingly with your studying if that is what you choose to do. Taking it early allows you to focus on your fall and spring classes and the actual application process, which takes time and attention to minute detail. I know many people who did this and even though I myself took the PCAT during the conventional school year, it turned out well for all of us in the end; It was just a bit more stressful so I want to spare you lovely readers.

Hopefully this little blog of mine sets your mind at ease and guides you in the right direction. When the time comes, those interviews and acceptance letters will be rolling in. You are a University of Florida student: one of the best and brightest in the nation! Don’t doubt your capability and never second guess a test question! ;)

XOXO,

The fun-sized dynamo

Felicia Metellus

Class: Senior

Hometown: Ocala, Florida

Major: Food Science and Human Nutrition

Specialization: Food Science

Involvement: Word Up College Ministry staff, Spirit of Faith Christian Center Gainesville Ministry of Helps, undergraduate researcher in the UF Food Engineering/Food Processing Lab

Hobbies: Going to the movies, baking, reading, traveling and spending time with family and friends.

After college: Attend pharmacy school and become a clinical pharmacist with a focus on pediatrics

Ambassador Leadership Summit- "The Big Hole!!!!"

“Oh Hey Mr. Cactus!” You don’t look like Homeboy Palm Tree! As College of Agricultural and Life Sciences ambassadors, we were able to see the Arizona beauty. From the beautiful orange mountains, powdery white snow on Mt. Lemmon to the amazing desert lands, we have seen Tombstone, Yuma, Nogales, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon; you name it we have probably been there. Aside from how amazing Arizona’s climate is, we got the opportunity to meet Ambassadors from the University of Arizona, The Ohio State University, University of Kentucky and University of Georgia. All roads lead to the BIG HOLE!

Our first day in Tucson started off with a leadership workshop with our fellow ambassadors by Dow AgroSciences. This workshop allowed us to get out of our comfort zones and really get to know each other while working together as a team. By the end of this workshop, we were able to learn and utilize the soft skills that employers look for when they are looking to hire potential employees. Soft skills are skills that make you a great leader. They are attributes that complement your technical skills. Which soft skill is the most important? Is it good listening, communicating or good decision-making? As you may have guessed, all of them are important. Based on feedback from employers that participated in a survey, communication is the most important soft skill, even though all the other skills are very important for being a great leader.

As our day progressed, we went up Mt. Lemmon and for me this was an experience. At the base of the mountain was the desert. It was dry and fairly warm. As the elevation changed, so did the climate.  Like most Floridians, I have never seen snow! Well, there’s a  “first time for everything”. I made my first snowball and sure enough, I had a snowball fight! And the view at the top of the mountain, breath-taking! We were overlooking the desert below.

On the day two, we had an opportunity to visit Nogales, a city close to the border of Mexico. We actually saw the fence that separated the United States from Mexico and it was awesome. Even though we were a few feet from the fence, we were still able to see a small piece of Mexico. While in Nogales, we had lunch at an authentic Mexican restaurant called Las Vigas. They served the best Mexican food I have ever tasted and it was the closest thing I have had thus far, that was truly Mexican. Just being over the border would have topped it all off. So after, we journeyed to Tombstone to see the famous OK corral to learn about the true history behind the Old West. This town still had its authentic western atmosphere with local vendors dressed in costumes, horse carriages and quint souvenir shops.

On day three, we were in Yuma County, exploring and learning about the agricultural aspects of Arizona. We saw the Colorado River that separates California and Arizona. We drove through California for 5 minutes. At least I can say I have been to Cali! Even though it was for 5 minutes. Our adventure continued to the Yuma County’s water distribution center, where we learned about the importance of water irrigation and how farmers have to order water. I thought this was strange because in Florida, we get water from our aquifers and we never really have to worry about turning the faucet on and water not flowing out. I never imagined having to order water in advance just to water the produce.  Afterwards, we looked at an entry point between the United States and Mexico, in San Luis, Yuma. Here, we had another chance to see the México border and how workers travel back and forth each day to work in Arizona fields then make their way back home to Mexico. Talk about time consuming! But the workers prefer it this way.

A few minutes north of the water distribution center, we got a first hand look at what happens in food processing plants from start to finish, how huge and labor intensive cattle farmer and feedlots are, and the lush field of fruits and vegetables. We even ate broccoli and carrots directly from the field to our mouths. Absolutely delicious! It was so fresh and you could taste all the nutrients. On top of all this, Arizona had some really good eats like IN-and-OUT burgers and Jack in the Box. These fast food diners aren’t common on the East coast; so eating at these places was a treat for all of us “East coast ambassadors”.

Day four, we ventured to Flagstaff, where it was cold as the North Pole! Well, at least to me it was! Flagstaff was -8 DEGREES!!! I have never in all of my 21 years experienced below 19-degree weather, let alone temperatures below zero! I was completely out of my element. Needless to say, I was dressed like an Eskimo the next morning, freezing but excited about seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the World!

After several hours of driving, we arrived at our final destination…the Grand Canyon aka the BIG HOLE!!! It looked exactly how I saw it in movies, but this time I was really there. And of course there was snow! Tons and tons of white, soft, powdery snow everywhere, just above the sculptured depths of the vast canyon. I took a brave step and made my first official snow angel! This trip kept getting better and better!

Although this trip was only for a few days, the wealth of knowledge we gained and great friendships we built in that such a short time was complied into many years of rich history and culture. I have a deeper appreciation for agriculture and a better understanding of why I am a CALS student and an Ambassador. Without agriculture, we are unable to sustain human life. I can honestly say that this was one of the best experiences I have been blessed to be apart of. I encourage anyone who is looking to explore new places, to try and get the “non-touristy” experience and spend a few days to absorb the culture and do what the locals do! This trip has inspired me to visit more places in Florida. I want to know more about what Florida has to offer and the great history behind La Florida.

Shornare Brown
Class: Senior
Hometown: West Palm Beach, Florida (Born in Jamaica)
Major: Family, Youth and Community Sciences
Minor: Food Science
Involvement: Word Up College Ministry, Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity
Hobbies: Loves to cook and dance
After College: Attend Pharmacy School to become a Clinical Pharmacist