Author: b.abamdepass

For my final Baruch Blog post, I attended the November Majors/Minors Fair. At the Majors/Minors Fair, I was able to connect with advisers and faculty from different academic departments to learn more about what their programs can offer Baruch students. After speaking with the representatives from the Department of Natural Sciences, I became more aware of the different options and directions I could pursue alongside my Biology degree. The Department of Natural Sciences at Baruch’s Weissman School of Arts and Sciences offers a variety of flexible programs that can be tailored to my interests to help achieve my career goals. The representative I spoke with, informed me of all the opportunities I could partake in to enhance my resume for future employers and/or Medical Schools. Although I spent most of my time at the Natural Sciences Department table, I did get the opportunity to explore all of the other exciting options Baruch has to offer its students. Many of the faculty recommended having a non-scientific minor to complement my biology major. This is a possibility I will definitely be considering in the upcoming semesters, leading to the declaration of either my double major or minor.

What made this event so helpful, was the fact that it was filled with advisors and faculty from a wide range of the majors and minors on campus. This allowed me the opportunity to interact not only with informants from my major, but also with great faculty from varying departments. All in all, this fair was a great success, and it has helped me to move on forward with my career choices at Baruch.

Last Thursday, I was presented with the opportunity to attend the T.E.A.M. Baruch Information session during club hours. There, my peers and I were informed of what T.E.A.M. Baruch really stands for, as well as steps that can be taken to get involved in the club. The acronym, T.EA.M. is symbolic of their mantra, Together Everyone Achieves More. This team seemed to be extremely dedicated to improving Baruch College as a community through social and academic outreach, while also improving the health and well beings of the students here on campus.

One of the main reasons I attended this event, was to learn more about the requirements and responsibilities of a Resident Assistant (RA) in Baruch’s dorms. A Baruch RA has many roles and responsibilities, including building a residential community through programming, acting as a para-counselor for students, being a familiar first resource for students with academic, institutional, or personal questions, needs, and concerns, and enforcing residence policies.

There was another T.E.A.M. Baruch position that appealed to me. The Peers Advocating Wellness Services also known as PAWS, is responsible for health and wellness outreach on campus. By working in PAWS, students are given the ability to grow and develop subjectively while helping other students within the Baruch community. As someone with both personal and professional interests closely tied to health and wellness, I have taken a strong interest in PAWS, as an organizer and leader of events promoting healthy habits and lifestyles.

This meeting opened up my eyes to the magnificent variety of positions that T.E.AM. Baruch has to offer. The common factor linking all of the positions together is the fact that all members must balance their schedule and priorities with the needs of the students they are supporting, and above all, a T.E.A.M. Baruch member must lead as an example and uphold the professional and personal reputation of the college.

Last Thursday, I attended the Latinx Heritage Month celebration hosted by Student Life in the 2^nd floor lobby of the Newman Vertical Campus, with my roommate Meghan, as well as Zippy, and Brandon. This event served as the perfect environment to meet new people, and experience a culture other than my own, while also learning a tremendous amount about Latino culture. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to both familiar as well as unfamiliar Spanish tunes, immersing myself in all of the delicious scented entrees, getting showered in giveaways, and utilizing the photo booth to make memories of my time here at Baruch to last a lifetime. I was also approached by a few clubs and organizations to attend their interest meetings being held next week. I will certainly take advantage of this opportunity, as I would love to participate in more activities/events held in the Baruch community to expand my network, and understanding of people’s beliefs, practices, and backgrounds.

What I appreciated the most about this event, is the fact that so many people of various backgrounds had gotten together, to celebrate a culture that isn’t even necessarily theirs, during this especially difficult time in our history as Americans. Everyone at this event, regardless of geographic origin appeared to be extremely engaged, and open to learning new things. Coming from a community completely lacking in ethnic diversity, it was wonderful to experience a celebration with so many unique individuals, each proud to claim representation of their different backgrounds, while also happy to celebrate other people’s heritages. This experience has led me to a greater understanding of Latino culture through the lively music, DJs, food, and positive atmosphere, and it has a fostered a yearning in me to go out and explore/join a few cultural clubs, and attend different cultural events, even if its not something I’m necessarily familiar with. Overall, I was very pleased with my experience at the Latinx Heritage Celebration. Although Baruch is a commuter school, the sense of community, and inclusion that I witnessed, is something difficult to be found in any like Institution.