Blog Posts from Baruch Scholars

Although my group did not utilize many resources, I am aware that my fellow peers have. I have noticed that resources such as the library, student clubs, peers, faculty, etc. can prove to be very helpful and will help me throughout my years at college. I plan to utilize as many of these resources as possible, and I am sure they will help me to succeed. My group already had everything we needed for our project through one of our members. Although we did not utilize any resources such as the library, we did receive feedback from our advisors: Sandy and Ms. Lalite. Their guidance and reviews helped us to put together a coherent project. I have come to realize that I will definitely need to visit some more academic centers. Just because I did not use them yet does not mean I should avoid them. I have already been spending extensive amounts of time in the library during my breaks between classes, just to study or just to relax. I am sure that I will be spending plenty more time there throughout college. I have not joined a student club as of yet, but I will definitely be looking to join one or more next semester. I have heard from many people that it is a great experience and it benefits you in the long run as well. I have purposely left a break on Thursday for next semester so that I may be able to participate in a club during club hours. In regards to community service, I have found out that there are so many opportunities to volunteer and to make a difference. I am well at ease, knowing that I have many different organizations to choose from to perform my community service every year. Over the next three years, I hopefully see myself being more active among clubs, and utilizing more academic resources to further help me maintain a high GPA.

The Community Service project that I took part in this semester did help me reach out and utilize the resources around me. More than the actual support centers of Baruch, I was able to learn from my fellow group members. The entire process was a testament to efficient teamwork and to intuitive execution. I found that I was able to learn from the way my fellow peers went about completing a task, and will attempt to apply their creativity, diligence, and  professionalism to future assignments that I complete. I was fortunate enough to work with honors students and see the type of work ethic and skills that earned them that title.

In addition to learning from my peers, this project helped me to a degree in utilizing the faculty to learn from their expertise. Both Sandy and Ms. Lalite helped to offer advice and constructive criticism in making our presentation successful. Unfortunately, I did not seek out any support centers such as the library or student clubs as a result of this project. Yet it did help in affirming my trust and appreciation for the continuous assistance offered to me in the form of my amazing advisors.

In the next semester I do plan on joining at least one club, and possibly joining the school newspaper. Maybe it is a coincidence, but I have been more active in reaching out and communicating with my professors and other faculty. I have been speaking with Dr. Abe Tawil, a dean and professor of management in Baruch, in planning out my future course- taking strategy, and in finding my major. I was also made aware of the STARR development center through this course, which i know will prove to help me tremendously here in Baruch.

I was lucky enough that my High School made a requirement for me to complete a huge amount of community service hours before I graduate. From then on, I valued the importance of service and incorporated it into my life. The project did help me diversify the type of service and the experiences I had taken part in previously. As of now, I am unsure of where ill be in three years. I hope that if i continue to soak up everything that is offered to me, experience as many different disciplines as possible, I will find my calling.

So far, with my experience at Baruch, the library and honors study room have been the most helpful resources I’ve utilized. I’m here pretty early so I almost always have time to work on homework for different classes in the morning. It has especially helped with researching and learning about various volunteer programs for my group to participate in. The library databases in particular helped tremendously to provide us with reliable information on different organizations. Because of the introduction I’ve had to using databases in my research for the community service project, it will be much easier for me to do so in the future for the research papers I will definitely have to write in later classes. I won’t be wasting time exploring the technical side of databases and instead I’ll be able to go straight to actual research. Aside from helping me with future research, this project has given me a greater appreciation for volunteer work in general. I’ve realized that it is an invaluable service to one’s community and society in general. It also brings a sense of personal fulfillment to me by being able to help those in need. I look forward to continuing volunteer work throughout my time here at Baruch and even past it.

This community service project has taught my group and I valuable lessons for my future at and beyond Baruch. At first, it was hard to secure an organization to work with. Through the Starr career center and social media sites such as Linked In, we discovered various organizations that appeared to be in need of volunteers; however, getting in touch with a representative was difficult at first. It was clear to my group that if we were going to find a charity, we needed to take the initiative and make a persistent commitment in coordinating a volunteer effort. This brought us to Meals on Wheels where we finally got in contact with a representative that was willing to make us apart of their team. The community service project forced us to go out of our comfort zone and deal professionally with our prospect. Personally, the project not only showed us the importance of seizing and opportunity, but more importantly the possibility of creating an opportunity and making it happen yourself. This challenge in our project only prepared us for the skills we will need to implement as our years at Baruch continue. A professional attitude is key, but also motivation, confidence and other communication skills are vital components to success. Unfortunately, I have no yet joined a job because I was trying to adjust to the school for my first semester. It seemed that I was waiting for the right club to just fall into my lap; however, it is clear that I need to go out and inquire about different clubs in order to find my nitch in the Baruch community. This community service project has emphasized volunteering as something far more valuable than anticipated. It is no longer a burden or just a requirement to check off in order to graduation. Volunteering is a learning experience that can help us grow on a personal and occupational level. It is clear that the work one does when they volunteer has a positive emotional impact on both the receiving and giving party. In the next 3 years, I hope to continue working with charities close to my heart, including but not limited to The Alzheimer’s Association. Finding time to balance charity volunteer hours with my demanding academic and occupational responsibilities will be a challenge, but I hope to stay motivated to help grow the community.

My understanding of community service has changed a lot since the beginning of the project. With my group, or individually, I will always need the help of other people in order for me to help other people. We have had to step outside our comfort zones and contact strangers just so we can help other strangers. Of course as any group project goes, we all learn new things from dealing with 3 or 4 other students on one collaborative project. Ultimately, these connections and the learning experiences from making these connections will help us advance not only in the realm of community service but in any kind of scholastic or social setting. Knowing how to find particular resources or use certain databases from the libraries website will be a definite advantage when we are writing 20 page research papers somewhere in the next 7 semesters.

In the next 3 years, I see myself in a vastly different place than I am right now. This first semester was a huge adjustment for me, so I kept my schedule relatively low key so I wouldn’t get overwhelmed. With my new knowledge of Baruch, time management, and (the social failure otherwise known as) the LIRR, I will be able to get more involved in various clubs and activities. My job search was sadly unsuccessful this semester, but hopefully I will be able to pick something up over winter break that will sustain me through the next three and a half years. I want to be living somewhere other than my parents’ house (sooner rather than later) before my time at Baruch is up. I want to be able to answer the question “What are you majoring in?” with a definite answer, not some mosh of incoherent words. As for my last year at Baruch, I want to be at an internship that requires me to do more than go on Starbucks runs. I want to be revising and sending my resume out to prospective employers, although the thought of having a full-time job definitely scares me more than I care to admit.

As a Baruch scholar, my time at Baruch will center around one word: responsibility. By being a part of the honors program, I have a taken upon myself a responsibility to fully integrate myself into the Baruch community. My role in Baruch should be that of an honors student; hard working, committed, excited, and a true role model for other students.

While I gain familiarity and confidence, I must take leadership roles among the myriad groups and clubs in Baruch. I must learn to inspire, to teach, to motivate, and to take full advantage of every opportunity that is presented to me. Above all, an honors student should be able to see the world as a well of information; being able to learn and grow from every person, every experience, and every challenge. The honors student must know how to embrace hard work and difficulties, knowing full well that it is the hard work and tests now that truly shape your strength and fortitude for the future.

As I go through my journey here at Baruch, it is clear that there is a rich culture of service and dedication in the atmosphere. With all the opportunities that are provided to for us to succeed, there is a definite responsibility for every student. It is a responsibility to live by a higher set of morals, to learn and grow constantly, and to live a life of giving and meaning.

Question:What does it mean to serve your community?

As a Baruch scholar I have the responsibility of meeting a certain standard, and to achieve that I must devote time to my studies…4 hours for math 3 hours for philosophy…etc. a week. That means I have to take it seriously. But aside from simply being able to recite the notes I took during the professors’ lectures, it’s also important that I can analyze and think for myself.

By being a dedicated student, I will be setting an example for other students …at Baruch, and probably for the college too because Baruch does have a reputation for it’s outstanding professors who lead students to become successful and right individuals.

As I volunteer in non-profit organizations such as parks, I will be giving back to my community because it is through their efforts to improve lives that allowed me to get  to where I am today…well I received a great education in public school, funded by the city so I have it to thank.

I think my role is to interact more with unfamiliar places and people because it will increase my tolerance and acceptance of others and their goals. And it will be for the good of the community because by while I work alongside others, I will have new experiences which will help me grow up.

The Honors Program encourages its students to prepare for life after college. One way to prepare is to first work for free…or volunteering, and I should not think of it in a negative light because what I get out of it is experience and you can’t put a price on that. It’s a win-win situation!

Being part of the Baruch scholars program, I have a responsibility to give back to my college in many ways. Baruch has given me the opportunity to represent its honors program as part of its elite students. Baruch has given me the ability to take free courses, and have advisors to meet with if I need any help. They also have given us special classes that only Scholars can take, and special grants to study abroad. These benefits will help me succeed in what I set out for. I must give back as much as I can to show how thankful I am to the Baruch Scholars Program. I must maintain good grades, and participate in the many clubs and programs here at Baruch college. I must also give back to my community by doing community service. The honors program here at Baruch college helps me achieve the goal I am setting out to accomplish. It has given me the chance to enroll in community service with classmates to help give back to our communities. They have also helped guided us by showing us how to approach these new classes and what are the criteria we must meet as Baruch scholar. They have also helped showed us which classes to take and how to take action in planning our future at Baruch. There is a challenging road ahead of us but we have to give back to our college for that they have done for us.

I think every person has their own way to contribute to their ever-growing communities. It is difficult to attribute all or most of the things we do as pure acts of kindness, however, considering for most of us, doing  community work gives us pride and joy. It is that sense of fulfillment of a duty that we have towards those around us that keeps community service alive and a thriving organism in today’s society.

Sadly, as of now, I don’t think I have a role yet in the Baruch community. I am hoping to form that role but as far as future prospects go, I rarely have the time. Perhaps that is just an excuse for myself because I know that as soon as you take something up seriously, it becomes a part of your schedule and somehow you find the time for that. So maybe I didn’t find my drive yet and once I find it, I’ll put it into full gear. As for being a Baruch Scholar I think it is my duty to guide the incoming freshmen next year. First year is for learning and then, once you gain that knowledge, you pass it down.

In my broader community, I teach kids. That is my role and my passion. Soon enough, I will begin volunteering at my friend’s community center out in Philadelphia. I will hopefully get the chance to teach kids who are not as privileged nor as influenced by the arts as the people in New York City. By doing so, maybe I will have an impact on society. Maybe I’ll save one kid from the harsh grasping arms of drug induced weekends. Maybe, by putting dance into their lives, I will promote healthier living. Maybe I will fail. For now, my book is open and my mark, even if it is the tiniest inkblot, is yet to be made.

To server the community is to contribute to it in a positive way. To serve the community is to take initiative and use your gifts and talents to help others and try to make a difference. As Baruch Honors Scholars we are called to serve our communities in every way possible. Not only are we asked to be leading, contributing, involved members of the Baruch community, but we are to be just as positive and instrumental members of society as a whole. I understand that this calling is for me as well, and as much as the Baruch community expects to deliver, I expect even more from myself. Although I appreciate the potential and abilities other people may see within me, I naturally know myself more than anyone else, thus I expect the most from myself.  I know exactly what I am capable of and I know when I am working to the maxima of my own abilities. I am also the only one that can keep myself from working as hard as I can. This is true in reference to all of us, we are all our own worst enemies. I believe that the Baruch Honors Program promotes all of us to essentially overcome ourselves, overcome any shortcomings we think we may hold, and find self earned success. This success is not for just ourselves, however. This success is for our surroundings. Selfish success is hardly success at all, success is only truly worth it when it contributes to the greater good of the community around you.