Freshman Seminar Fall 17 LC04

STARR

This week I went to the STARR program in order to see what kind of services they provide for college students and what kind of help we would be able to get in case we needed it. I came in and asked about how to get help on building a resume, and a very kind woman at the front informed me that they would be able to sit down and review my resume with me, (if I had a physical copy) or if I did not have a physical copy or even a resume at all they would be able to help me build one. They also discussed the internship opportunities, mentoring, etc, which are very helpful to learn about since being a freshman in college you don’t know a whole lot about these programs that are at your fingertips.

I really enjoyed speaking to the workers at STARR they are very welcoming and extremely helpful when it comes to any questions you have about your college experience. I have not tested out their resume shop yet, however, I did receive their resume workshop hours, which I plan on taking advantage of in order to build a stronger resume.

Moran, Alejandro- Starr Career Development Center

Today I went to the Starr Career Development Center and wow do they have a lot of helpful things to offer. They are a great tool for learning about workshops, internships, jobs, mentoring, and information sessions. Apart from those helpful resources, they also offer mock interviews and assistance with one’s resume, which are two things that are really useful when trying to land a job or internship.

I have not tried any of their services yet but I will in the near future after I update my resume. I definitely feel more at ease and confident knowing that the SCDC offers these service to all Baruch students who seek help with career services. One can either make an appointment or visit their office during walk-in hours. I recommend giving them a visit if your having trouble with any career related issues. They are friendly people and will be glad to help you.

Museum of Jewish Heritage

On October 26, our art history class went to the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial of the Holocaust. I didn’t know thats the museum we were going to until we got there. But, I have a lot of friends that have been there, not just for school, but for their own personal experience. We walked through parts of the museum instead of going through the whole tour because we wouldn’t have had enough time. There was a part of the tour that we passed but didn’t spend much time on that made me very emotional, which was the child’s stripped pajamas along with the pictures of the victims and it showed us a bit of each person’s history. To physically see the faces of the victims is actually insane because learning about the Holocaust in a regular classroom definitely does not have the same effect as going to this museum. I definitely would go back in the future to go through the whole tour from start to finish.

Attending an interest meeting for S&P

In an attempt to learn more about business, I attended an interest meeting for the corporation S&P Global Inc. The meeting, which required that I wear business attire, may very well have been my first step into the world of business. I was allowed to speak with representatives who work for their company about their jobs, and it was much different from what I expected. The primary focus of their experiences was not on the skills they practiced in classes but on the skills they acquired through communicating with people. This was a surprise to me, as I did not expect that charisma would be just as valuable a tool in the job market as a college degree.

The representatives, who were in their early 20s, first explained what their jobs actually are. Working for S&P, their task at hand is to “assess the ability and willingness of a company to pay back obligations in full and on time.” They gather information from management teams so that that company’s ratings are as accurate as possible.

While having the financial capability to complete their work is definitely a requirement, the representatives explained that your personality is just as important in gaining and keeping a job. Most of the people applying for the job have mathematical and analytical prowess, but the representatives explained that it is your own personality that sets you apart from those you are competing with. In interviews, you have to show parts of yourself that aren’t on your resume and sell yourself. Your enthusiasm for the job may very well be what earns you that position. When asked for career advice, the representatives said to be open and proactive and to seek mentorship.

Overall, I learned a lot from attending this interest meeting. I found myself very attentive to what the representatives were saying and became more motivated to enter the job market with high grades and an open personality. One of the great things about Baruch is that it has interest meeting from different companies all the time which truly allows its students to expand their networks and learn from experienced people. This is definitely one of the college’s aspects that I will find myself taking advantage of more in the future.

Wong, Sharon — Internship Seminar (Career Blog)

I decided to attend the internship seminar workshop as a way to prepare myself for the next upcoming years. I have heard many people speak about getting internships as a way to network and get real-life work experience. Also, it will make finding a full-time job after college way easier. I thought this would be a great chance to see what I should prepare and look for in an internship.

Attending this workshop educated me with the difference between paid and unpaid internships and how to receive academic credit. I initially did not know that getting an internship related to my major will give me credit so I was glad that I know this as a freshman. In addition, the presenter provided a lot of resources on the Baruch Starr page on how to find internship opportunities, which is a great starting point. I plan to work or intern somewhere this summer so having this material will definitely help me a lot.

In addition, he discussed a lot about the importance of resumes and cover letters. He emphasized that the resume and cover letter is representation of who we are, so it is important to be honest and to show off everything we have done. It was extremely helpful to note the requirements of a resume and a cover letter but I still plan on attending a walk-in sometime next week to have someone check over mine. In addition, he talked a little about interviews. Specifically, resumes are a way to introduce myself on paper but interviews give me the opportunist to show myself and to present me as a person.

Overall, the workshop was very beneficial because, not only did I learn about internships and what I can take away from it, but also resume-building and cover letters. I recommend all students to join the workshops as well!

Jewish Memorial

The museum trip the class took to the Jewish Museum taught me alot. I learned alot about the challenges that Jewish people faced during the holocaust from ghettos to a lack of food, to work/death camps. The holocaust is something you hear about in history as something far off and distant but it is difficult to grasp that just about 70 years ago in this world something like this could’ve taken place. it made it real to recognize the real faces pictures and families of the people this happened to. Everyday people like anyone else. after my experience I have a better understanding of what took place at the holocaust and I have a even greater sympathy then before.

9/11 Memorial and Museum

The other day I decided to visit the 9/11 memorial and museum and surprisingly it really was a fascinating experience. First of all, I decided to go there because the memorial is like 5 minutes from my house so I was like I might as well go and see. Before going to the museum I decided to go see the memorial and that was like on of the best decisions of my life. Seeing the memorial first I was really fascinated because it was so big and it looked fancy but after a few seconds I remembered the horrors that went down in this exact place and then I looked down the memorial and saw the hollow are. There I realized how many people have lost their lives here and it gave me goose bumps. It really was a memorial because it really made me remember what went down here and made me remember the horrific event that took the lives of many many people.

After seeing the memorial I decided to go to the 9/11 museum itself. At first I did not think it would be a big deal but after the moment I saw the firefighter helmets I got shivers down my spine. Seeing the helmets of the people who tried to save the lives of many and lost the lives of themselves in the process made me really see what happened here. It was something truly horrible. After walking more I saw a half destroyed firetruck and then saw the watch of a victim. It was truly horrifying but I really recommend people to go and see there so they can remember.

LGBTQ club

The LBGTQ club was such a warm-hearted and welcoming club, they are extremely inviting. They have an LBGT history month where they do all sorts of things allowing people to be informed about the LBGTQ community and what actions they can do to help or if they need any help. The day that I went, the club actually met up in the lobby and had a march outside the campus which was very interesting and sweet. This club allows you to meet people and allows you to get out of your comfort zone. This club’s history month activities include of, open mic where people are welcome to come sing, do poetry, etc. Aswell as a meet and greet day, exploring the LGBTQ culture, the gay and lesbian corp concert and many more activities. These activities are up around the school if anyone is interested and also is posted on the Baruch student life page.

I don’t usually like clubs and the fact that this club made me feel so welcomed and not overly pressured to be a part of everything they are doing was very new and nice. Most clubs I’ve been to are very pressuring and this club doesn’t really want kids to “Fit in” with the crowd, they like uniqueness and want you to stand out, whether it be in the way you talk, you dress, your personality. This club is very welcoming and you don’t have to be gay, trans, bisexual, or even questioning your sexuality to join, you can simply join to be a part of the LGBTQ family.

 

A Visit to the Met

Besides going on field trips, I’ve never really gone to a museum for my own leisure. The last time I went to the Met was because my friends heard the chicken nuggets in the cafeteria were really good and we had to try them out for ourselves (they were 7/10)…

For this blog assignment I decided to go back to the Met and really take time to look at the art. I found it a pretty entertaining experience. What boggles my mind is the artifacts they have from hundreds, almost thousands of years ago. To have a piece of history that old, on display, physically in front of you, puts things into perspective. My favorite pieces to look at were oil paintings and anything that had a lot of gold.

One exhibition we looked at that really stood out to me was P.S Art. It’s basically an art exhibit full of drawings by about a hundred young students all over New York City. What made it stand out to me was that fact that in such a ‘serious’ art museum was this little exhibit appreciating kids’ art. It was kind of adorable.

While we couldn’t get through the whole museum in one day, I was fascinated enough that I just might stop by again to finish exploring. Seeing everything from ancient to modern art and artifacts is eye opening. Knowing a human hand crafted that clay vase, or wove that giant tapestry, hundreds of years ago gives you a feeling that is hard to describe. I liked it a lot. A lot of the art created a lot of interesting conversations between my friends and I which was nice.

This experience overall changed the way I thought of museums. I’ve always known they were interesting places to go but really would’ve never considered it myself. So I am glad I went. However, this time they didn’t have chicken nuggets.

Overall 8/10 experience. Would recommend.

Sabha Says…

My heart was racing, my head was pounding, and I could just feel the sensation of stress and anxiety flowing through my veins. I knew I had to do something which was efficient and ultimately beneficial to my academic studies. This is when I decided that I had to take initiative. I attended the extra help workshop held by Professor Mohammed Sabha for Pre-Calculus. With the first test coming up for the course, I just didn’t know what to expect. During the workshop, all of my questions were answered. We went over functions, graphing equations and depreciation- topics we had learned during the sections of the course material. I even found out that there were sample tests and review sheets online which could help me prepare better for the exam. I would recommend going to these extra help sessions to anyone who seeks help to better understand the material. The professor will help you get a better grasp on the subject in an environment where everyone feels comfortable and welcome.