Baruch Scholars 2012

I have had a very enriching and active first semester here at Baruch. Coming from such a small high school, I found myself marveling at the wealth of opportunities and organizations here at the college. I have also been sure to utilize the school’s vast amount of knowledge and wisdom in the faculty and staff. The Community Service Project demonstrated to me that (unlike in my high school years), I need to actively reach out to the Baruch community if I want to get the most out of my college experience. I have found the one on one academic advisement extremely helpful and enriching, and as a result, I have a deep gratitude to the Honors Program.

Early in the semester, I signed up for about ten clubs here at Baruch. While I did not pursue an active role in all of them, I did strive to be an active member in the Honors Student Council. Aside from bridging the gap between Honors Students and the Honors Program, my participation in the Council has shown me the importance of networking and community. By cultivating a relationship with my peers and upperclassmen, I can have a much clearer, wider, more comprehension vision of own goals and how to achieve them. By talking about ideas with other students, I was able to better understand how to have the best possible experience at Baruch.

Previous to the Community Service Project, I understood community service to be something done with an hour of two of free time every once in while. I also considered many “community service” efforts ultimately useless. The Project has demonstrated how necessary, worthwhile, and consuming community service truly is. I’ve come to understand that without the efforts of the many non-for-profit organizations, society would be a much bleaker place, especially in New York City. Even through the mere research of various organizations, I’ve come to see how rewarding and enjoyable community service truly is.

As a freshman (and a young person), looking three whole years into the future can seem like an unnecessary and even impossible task to me. I’ve always made it my personal goal, however, to act on and plan for the bigger picture and the long term. In three years, I see myself finishing up my education here at Baruch, and being an active, positive force in my community, at Baruch, and in New York City.

Unfortunately I have yet to take part in any clubs or  utilize support centers but I have been introduced to a variety of clubs through conversations I have had with other Baruch students. Even though I am not a current member of any clubs I do, in fact, intend to participate in such activities and hope to be introduced to even more, which hopefully will lead me to find a club that fits particularly to my personality.

I have, however, visited the library a number of times, as it is a place of peace and abundant resources. It serves as a very useful environment to me as it shuts me off from everyone and everything else so that I may get my work done efficiently. Discovering that the library is such a convenient place to be will definitely aid me in the coming future as I pursue my studies here at Baruch.

The community service project [I believe] will be the catalyst of my involvement in the society. I have always had the intentions to take part in volunteering and helping others, and at times I have but it simply isn’t enough. This project will push me to become more involved in helping the society, and hopefully guide further along the road of giving back.

Where I see myself in three years is a hard question to answer since I feel that excess optimism only leads to an increased level of disappointment. I do, however, have goals for what I hope to achieve within the next three years, but whether I accomplish them or not will be up to time itself. I do hope to take part in as many clubs and community service projects as I can fit into my schedule without neglecting schoolwork, family responsibilities, and, of course, some free time allotted for myself. One very important goal I believe that I must achieve within the next three years is that I must learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. I have to step out of my comfort zone and step up to being more outspoken and outgoing.

Unfortunately I have yet to take part in any clubs or  utilize support centers but I have been introduced to a variety of clubs through conversations I have had with other Baruch students. Even though I am not a current member of any clubs I do, in fact, intend to participate in such activities and hope to be introduced to even more, which hopefully will lead me to find a club that fits particularly to my personality.

I have, however, visited the library a number of times, as it is a place of peace and abundant resources. It serves as a very useful environment to me as it shuts me off from everyone and everything else so that I may get my work done efficiently. Discovering that the library is such a convenient place to be will definitely aid me in the coming future as I pursue my studies here at Baruch.

The community service project [I believe] will be the catalyst of my involvement in the society. I have always had the intentions to take part in volunteering and helping others, and at times I have but it simply isn’t enough. This project will push me to become more involved in helping the society, and hopefully guide further along the road of giving back.

Where I see myself in three years is a hard question to answer since I feel that excess optimism only leads to an increased level of disappointment. I do, however, have goals for what I hope to achieve within the next three years, but whether I accomplish them or not will be up to time itself. I do hope to take part in as many clubs and community service projects as I can fit into my schedule without neglecting schoolwork, family responsibilities, and, of course, some free time allotted for myself. One very important goal I believe that I must achieve within the next three years is that I must learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. I have to step out of my comfort zone and step up to being more outspoken and outgoing.

The resources that Baruch Students are given are helpful as well stress relieving. The first opportunity for looking at various volunteer organizations was offered on the Baruch library website. Here my group was able to get a sense of some of the volunteer groups that were in the local area. The main issue my group had when starting our community service project was definitely finding the right organization to work with. There are countless opportunities to choose from, but its rather hard finding the one that seems the most interesting, beneficial to others, and has a just cause. If it were not for the volunteer fair, my group would most likely not have been prepared any time soon. It was very helpful when one of my group mates went to the Volunteer fair and learned about the various organizations that needed help. From this information we were able to select an organization called inMotion. My peers in my classes are great for working together and helping one another. I would not be doing as well in school if I did not have their support.
In the next three years I definitely see myself in the Zicklin School with some sort of business major. I am still undecided, but will most likely be going into accounting. I have a gut feeling that this may change at least one as I take others classes that may spark new interests. Starting sophomore and junior year I think it is necessary to start looking for internships. It is never too early to get an edge in the business world, but I must first learn to effectively manage my school work, family, friends, and relaxation time. I plan on continuing taking challenging courses that interest me as well as make me work to earn a good grade. No one said learning new information was easy, but it can be a fulfilling and fun process.

The resources that Baruch Students are given are helpful as well stress relieving. The first opportunity for looking at various volunteer organizations was offered on the Baruch library website. Here my group was able to get a sense of some of the volunteer groups that were in the local area. The main issue my group had when starting our community service project was definitely finding the right organization to work with. There are countless opportunities to choose from, but its rather hard finding the one that seems the most interesting, beneficial to others, and has a just cause. If it were not for the volunteer fair, my group would most likely not have been prepared any time soon. It was very helpful when one of my group mates went to the Volunteer fair and learned about the various organizations that needed help. From this information we were able to select an organization called inMotion. My peers in my classes are great for working together and helping one another. I would not be doing as well in school if I did not have their support.
In the next three years I definitely see myself in the Zicklin School with some sort of business major. I am still undecided, but will most likely be going into accounting. I have a gut feeling that this may change at least one as I take others classes that may spark new interests. Starting sophomore and junior year I think it is necessary to start looking for internships. It is never too early to get an edge in the business world, but I must first learn to effectively manage my school work, family, friends, and relaxation time. I plan on continuing taking challenging courses that interest me as well as make me work to earn a good grade. No one said learning new information was easy, but it can be a fulfilling and fun process.

The community service project has encouraged my participation in a variety of resources here at Baruch.  I started researching various potential organizations early on and started by asking upper class men about organizations what they have been a part of in the past.  The volunteer  fair held at Baruch’s multi-purpose room was very helpful and educational.  They had plenty of organizations and the representatives were nice and informative.  Although the organization my group picked was not at the fair, I still appreciate Baruch’s effort in bringing so many organizations and opportunities together for the students.  The library is also a resource that I have utilized since I have been here at Baruch.  I seemed to be there even more frequently than usual when I had to work on the community service project.  Its the perfect environment to get work done by yourself or with others.  The study rooms are a valuable resource, especially when working on a group project like the community service project.  I have not joined a student club but look forward to joining the Phi Eta Sigma honors society next semester.  They seem to care about the community as well as the students.  They are also dedicated to helping freshman adjust to college life.  Besides Phi Eta Sigma I might also start my own club dedicated to running and track and field.  I hope to use the club to benefit others my running fundraisers and supporting different races that are held for a good cause.  I have done community service in the past but this project had exposed me to the different needs of my immediate community.  Now that I am aware of the social issues in New York City, I will be more likely to volunteer more often than I did in high school.  Over the next three years, I hope to accomplish a lot of my goals.  I always place a priority on school work but I also will have a job or internship.  I know I will also keep in touch with New York Cares, my group’s organization for the community service project.  Now that I am a member, I will be more aware of volunteer opportunities that I will definitely utilize in the years to come.

The community service project has encouraged my participation in a variety of resources here at Baruch.  I started researching various potential organizations early on and started by asking upper class men about organizations what they have been a part of in the past.  The volunteer  fair held at Baruch’s multi-purpose room was very helpful and educational.  They had plenty of organizations and the representatives were nice and informative.  Although the organization my group picked was not at the fair, I still appreciate Baruch’s effort in bringing so many organizations and opportunities together for the students.  The library is also a resource that I have utilized since I have been here at Baruch.  I seemed to be there even more frequently than usual when I had to work on the community service project.  Its the perfect environment to get work done by yourself or with others.  The study rooms are a valuable resource, especially when working on a group project like the community service project.  I have not joined a student club but look forward to joining the Phi Eta Sigma honors society next semester.  They seem to care about the community as well as the students.  They are also dedicated to helping freshman adjust to college life.  Besides Phi Eta Sigma I might also start my own club dedicated to running and track and field.  I hope to use the club to benefit others my running fundraisers and supporting different races that are held for a good cause.  I have done community service in the past but this project had exposed me to the different needs of my immediate community.  Now that I am aware of the social issues in New York City, I will be more likely to volunteer more often than I did in high school.  Over the next three years, I hope to accomplish a lot of my goals.  I always place a priority on school work but I also will have a job or internship.  I know I will also keep in touch with New York Cares, my group’s organization for the community service project.  Now that I am a member, I will be more aware of volunteer opportunities that I will definitely utilize in the years to come.

My group was looking for an organization but, coming from different backgrounds, we weren’t sure which cause to give our attention too.  I visited a volunteer fair in the Multi-Purpose Room and found many groups doing good throughout the community in various ways.  My group decided to volunteer at the Page Turners Program of Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries, which is unaffiliated with Baruch.  However, through resources like the club fair and the volunteer fair, I learned about Phi Eta Sigma, an honors society at Baruch that coordinates with many different organizations to provide members with great volunteer opportunities.  I am definitely looking forward to working the Phi Eta Sigma in the future, so I am grateful for the chance I had to talk to some members at these fairs.  Back to the Community Service Project, the main problem my group faced became finding a good environment to organize our own thoughts and share them with each other.  We wanted to find a place at Baruch, and we realized just how convenient resources like the library and the Honors Lounge are.  We reserved a study room in the library and used the white board to communicate ideas.  Then, my learning community attended two workshops with members of the library staff.  Through these workshops, I learned how to effectively use different databases that I am given access to by the school.  These databases vary greatly and have proven beneficial to finding a large range of sources for my work outside of the Community Service Project.  I’ve learned how to use Google efficiently and how to determine the appropriate database for a given situation.  These resources helped me especially in doing research for my informative speech in my Public Communications class as well as for my analytical research paper in my Writing I class.

My group was looking for an organization but, coming from different backgrounds, we weren’t sure which cause to give our attention too.  I visited a volunteer fair in the Multi-Purpose Room and found many groups doing good throughout the community in various ways.  My group decided to volunteer at the Page Turners Program of Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries, which is unaffiliated with Baruch.  However, through resources like the club fair and the volunteer fair, I learned about Phi Eta Sigma, an honors society at Baruch that coordinates with many different organizations to provide members with great volunteer opportunities.  I am definitely looking forward to working the Phi Eta Sigma in the future, so I am grateful for the chance I had to talk to some members at these fairs.  Back to the Community Service Project, the main problem my group faced became finding a good environment to organize our own thoughts and share them with each other.  We wanted to find a place at Baruch, and we realized just how convenient resources like the library and the Honors Lounge are.  We reserved a study room in the library and used the white board to communicate ideas.  Then, my learning community attended two workshops with members of the library staff.  Through these workshops, I learned how to effectively use different databases that I am given access to by the school.  These databases vary greatly and have proven beneficial to finding a large range of sources for my work outside of the Community Service Project.  I’ve learned how to use Google efficiently and how to determine the appropriate database for a given situation.  These resources helped me especially in doing research for my informative speech in my Public Communications class as well as for my analytical research paper in my Writing I class.

In order to complete the community service project, it took more than just a group effort. The community service project encouraged us to use all the resources and help available to all Baruch students. Cooperation in the group is crucial, but various resources in Baruch College were also very important. Having the study rooms in the library provided a quiet place for our group to meet up, plan, discuss, and put together the PowerPoint and proposal forms together. Knowing that these study rooms exist, we would be able to use them in the future for group projects and to study together for midterms and finals.

Understanding the goals of community service reminded me of the importance of giving back and made me realize how many people in the community need our help and need our support. It reminds me of how privileged we are as honor students at Baruch College and how we need to help those who are not as privileged as us. This also makes have a stronger sense of responsibility and makes me feel obligated to help out the community.

In the next 3 years, I see myself as an active participant in the community. I plan to join VITA next year and help the poor file their taxes. I really wanted to join this club this year, but was unable to because of a planned vacation during the winter break. I also want to join TEAM Baruch and help other freshmen just like how Sam helps us. She was very helpful and gave a lot of useful advice such as telling us about the official ratings for professors, encouraging us not to give up in PUB, and also helped us in psychology by sending out her previous portfolio. I know that some peer mentors are not as helpful and active as she is and some of my friends are not receiving as much help. I want to participate in TEAM Baruch so that I could be a good peer mentor for future freshmen.