The Envoy Mar/apr 2009

Editor’s Note / Nota de la Editora STAFF An EPI Publication

Volume 2, Issue 2

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Publisher / Editor-in-Chief/ Art Director

s the late nights continue and the spring semester moves forward, thoughts of my future linger. While working hard to get The Envoy at a level of excellence I have also been working hard to validate my Marketing/Public Relations career. I have, in this my last semester, been stimulated by the lifetime experiences laid out in front of me.

Abi Leyva / San Diego

Columnists

Ned J Beedie / Los Angeles Chenyka Ramos / San Diego

San Diego Writers

I have been recognized for my marketing research skills at my internship and have demonstrated my skills as a Public Relations Representative while working for Sample U, (Alliant’s first Tryvertising Marketing Research Center) through the MPR Capstone. Although these new experiences have been rewarding, the tension is still there in the pit of my stomach! “What happens after I graduate in May?” In this issue the Envoy attempts to help guide Alliant’s student by providing them with their peer’s experiences and advice.

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unque las noches de desvelo continúan y el semestre sigue su curso, me invaden pensamientos de mi futuro. Mientras trabajo duro para llevar la revista The Envoy a un nivel de excelencia, también he estado verificando mi profesión como represente de ventas y relaciones publicas. En mi ultimo semestre yo e tenido experiencias estimulantes frente a mi. En la compañía en la cual he puesto horas de servicio han reconocido mi aptitud para investigación de recursos de ventas y promoción también e demostrado mi capacidad como Represéntante de Relaciones Publicas mientras trabajaba con el centro de Sample U (El primer centro de investigación de ventas y promocionas de Alliant) en colaboración con el curso del MPR Capstone. A pesar de que estas experiencias han sido gratificantes tengo unasiento nervios en el estomago, “?Que hare después de que me reciba en Mayo?” En esta edición de la revista The Envoy intentamos guiar a los estudiantes de Alliant con artículos de sus compañeros que ofrecen sus experiencias y sus consejos.

AbiLeyva

Matthew R. Polkinghorne Pedro Vicente Esteban Orellana Xiaoying Cai Steffi Weigand Lorenzo Bellini Dave Pursell Joshua Marcengill

LA Writer

Stefanie B. Mazer

Contributing Writers Dr. Kckenzie Betty Sauser Jeanne Bautier Erica Nogueira Marshall Goldsmith Alison Bowes

Contributing Editors Becky Jacques Thanayi Karenga Li Li Yi Chen Rebecca Nieboer Sabrina Rock Deanna Khan

Contributing Photographers

Ali Abu-Rahma, PhD www.Photobucket.com www.bigfoto.com

Faculty Advisor

Miles Beauchamp, PhD The Editor-in-Chief may be reached for comment at: P: 858.635.4540 e:[email protected]

For advertising information, contact the Editor at the above address. The opinions and statements made herein reflect those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Envoy or Alliant International University. Any other publication of the Envoy, either in part or in whole, without express written consent, is strictly prohibited. The Envoy March 2009

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Table of Contents 4

2 Campus news and Updates see whats new on Alliant’s campuses

4 Multilingual Pages 9 POETRY CORNER



Features

10 Hungry for Work? Then “Spruce Up” Your Personality With Behavioral Tools. Four meaningful behavioral tools to help you reach personal and professional success.

13 What Will You Do With All of That Money You’re Going to Make? Redefining the definition of wealth and experiencing a culture of encouragement.

18 Professional Skill Building In Your ‘Backyard’ Using your local resources to get ahead.

19 An Age-Old Question: Do You Love What You Do?

Taking time to reflect on where you are professionally to make sure you are where you should to be.



Insights

14 A Day at Justice Hall: Judge Mary Morgan’s Behavioral Health Court Observations from an alternative court program geared towards helping and not just imprisoning.

15 Beware!!! Posting your “Spirited Self”, can get you canned. What you post on Facebook or MySpace can cost you a job.

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16 Multicultural PART 1

Culture appropriateness is more relevent than ever.

20 A Lifetime Experience…(MPR Capstone)

Lessons learned from a student capstone project in marketing and public relations--advice for working with clients.



series 12 Psychs and the City

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17 Behind the Professor 20 Truthfully Speaking

On The Cover En La Portada

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In light of all the beginnings in a student’s life, the cover of this issue was an inspiration of Envoy’s editor Abi Leyva and this month’s featured photographer, Special Envoy to the President, Dr. Ali Abu-Rahma. The young and talented models Ryan Beauchamp, age 12, and Daniella Klayna Escobar, age eight, were a great part of the inspiration for this cover and their contribution at the Envoy’s photo shoot is appreciated. consecuencia de todos los comienzos en la vida de un estudiante, la portada de esta edición fue una inspiración

de la editora del Envoy Abi Leyva y el fotógrafo estelar de este mes, Dr. Ali Abu-Rahma, Mensajero Especial del Presidente. Los jóvenes y talentoso modelos Ryan Beauchamp, edad 12 años y Daniella Klayna Escobar, edad ocho años, fueron la inspiración para la portada y sus contribuciones en la sesión fotográfica es apreciada

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Campus News FRESNO CAMPUS NEWS

Fresno SGA to Host Casino Night Fundraiser

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lliant International University (Fresno) Student Government Association is hosting a Casino Night Fundraiser to benefit the Assistance Service Dog Educational Center in Woodlake. The event will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2009, beginning at 7pm at the Tulare County Fairgrounds, Commercial Building. The Assistance Service Dog Educational Center (ASDEC) is a non-profit, multi-faceted program that, with cooperation from Woodlake High School, teaches students to train service dogs for individuals with physical, mental, and developmental disabilities throughout the Central Valley.

Students participating in this two year program receive elective course credit while teaching service animals a combination of 90+ commands. ASDEC-trained service dogs can provide a variety of services, including picking up objects, pulling wheelchairs, opening and closing doors, turning switches on and off, and predicting seizures. ASDEC volunteers are currently working to develop programs to serve veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Children suffering from autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have also visited the Center and benefited. In the future, the Center hopes to create additional training

sites at other high schools. The Casino Night Fundraiser will feature dog demonstrations, a silent auction, appetizers, and a no-host bar. Tickets are $50 pre-sale and $60 that evening. For questions or to purchase tickets, please contact 559-253-2275 or 559-253-2292. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.servicedogcenter.org. For more information, contact Lea Kovacsiss at [email protected]

SAN DIEGO CAMPUS NEWS

Sample U, Tryvertising Comes to the San Diego Campus

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ample U, the first product research lab of its kind in the nation, opened its doors at Alliant International University on Wednesday, February 25, 2009. With the current trend of consumers wanting to try before they buy and the need for different product research techniques, Sample U will house a variety of new products for trysumers to offer their feedback on in exchange for the products, some of which are not yet on the market. During the last weeks of February, Sample U ran a sucessful trial phase and plans to open permanently in June with all NEW products. Sample U will work together with

San Diego Student Government News

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he Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA) in San Diego has been working with other campus affiliations such as the campus Sustainability Committee, facilities department, and local AmeriCorps volunteers on a campus beautification project. The project group has been planning and preparing for a Beautification Day that was held on February 28th, where volunteers gathered to refurbish and landscape a section of the San Diego campus. In addition, the GSGA is working with the Conference Coordinators on organizing, funding, and recruiting volunteers for the 2009 Leadership Conference. The event is open to all and will be held on March 18th on the San Diego campus. The Office of Campus Community Development recently approached the Co-chairs of the GSGA and asked for their assistance in organizing a reception to

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Alliant’s Center for Undergraduate Eduation professors, students and graduate students in the Communication Marketing Public Relations program to help product managers discover new ways to research products, while giving students the chance to learn hands on market research and professors the ability to study new trends happening in the marketplace. Sample U is a new concept using Tryvertising and new market research methods to fine tune products with the benefit of word of mouth advertising. Tryvertising Labs have become popular in Japan and Hong Kong and Alliant invites you to visit

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celebrate the graduating students of 2009. Last year the GSGA and the Undergraduate Student Government along with several other campus groups worked in partnership to host a dinner for graduating students and their families. This dinner was a huge success last year and the GSGA is looking forward to collaborating on a similar event this year!

GSGA San Diego

the only U.S. university sample center. For more information contact: Marla Adam President [email protected]

Campus News

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Alliant SSGA Awards its First Annual Scholarship

he Alliant Systemwide Student Government Association (SSGA), an organization dedicated to improving the quality of Alliant International University’s students’ educational experience, has chosen the first recipient of its Annual CSPP Spanish Language and Cultural Immersion Program

Scholarship. Armando Gonzalez, a first-year student in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program on the Sacramento campus has been selected to receive the entire program fee ($3500.00) for the Immersion Program, which takes place from July 5th to August 7th in Mexico City. Lissa Parker, Chairperson of

the SSGA and coordinator of the Scholarship Selection Committee, asks that you please join the SSGA in congratulating Armando and that you keep an eye out for future SSGA scholarship opportunities.

MEXICO CITY CAMPUS NEWS

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he Spring 2009 semester started with new things at the Alliant Mexico City campus. At the end of last semester, the staff and students packed up the campus on Alvero Obregon and moved to the new campus in Zona Rosa off of Hambergo. The new facility provides the students with larger and more technology-compatible classrooms. There is a student lounge, space for a new clinic for the psychology department, an

auditorium and new and improved offices for the administration and professors. On Wednesday February 18, 2009, classes were cancelled for the inauguration of the new building. This was a very successful event where over 150 guests gathered including members of the local Alliant community, the English speaking community in Mexico, Embassies, the English-Speaking Schools, and the medical

sphere as well as others from fellow Alliant campuses. From Alliant-San Diego, Mexico City welcomed President Geoffrey Cox, Board of Trustees member Linda Caballero Sotelo, Provost Russ Newman, and Dean Jim Goodrich, Founding Dean of the Marshall Goldsmith School of Management at Alliant International University.

The Alliant Systemwide Student Government Wants You

The Alliant SSGA is seeking applications for five (5) Executive Officer postions . Each position carries a one-year term (unless otherwise noted) running July 1st to June 30th. Chair (two-year term) Chief Administrative Officer Treasurer Intercampus Coordinator (Northern Region) Intercampus Coordinator (Southern Region)

Applicants must be registered students in good standing at an Alliant International University California campus.

For additional information on the SSGA and/ or to request application materials, please contact: Parker, SSGA Chair, at Lissa [email protected]

Positions are expected to be filled by SSGA Members. Elections no later than March 20th, 2009

Applicants for Chair must have a minimum of one-year of experience on a local SGA or as a SSGA member

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Multilingual

U.S.A vs. KINGDOM OF SPAIN

EE. UU. DE AMÉRICA vs. REINO DE ESPAÑA

By: Pedro Vicente Esteban Orellana EF Student

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he United States of America has quite a few cultural differences; nobody can deny that, especially if we compare it with other European countries, in this case, Spain. Of course there are some differences we cannot ignore. Americans have their own way of living life, socializing, and in general every single field that refers to habits. Let’s start by talking about cultural habits. In Spain on some occasions we copy some aspects of American culture, but during that process we alter the copy so it can fit better in the Spanish society. For instance, if we import the way of being Americans, when we refer to clothing, we don’t copy it as Americans know it; what we do is introduce some modifications which at the end makes it look different. It happens the same in most all areas. To begin with, Spaniards are a homogenous cultural, whereas Americans have a lot of different cultures in the country. In Spain, we also have immigrants, but sooner or later, they will end up adopting our culture, as well as participating in the society. However, in the United States, although a set of characteristics can be defined for a regular American, there are some differences between races, such as Hispanics, Blacks, Caucasians or Asians. Races are a subject that must be contrasted between Spain and the United States. For instance, in Spain we have not reached the point where immigrant races outnumbered Whites in Spain, whereas in California that has already started to happen. When we talk about races, it’s impossible to keep religion aside. The Spanish State does not have an official religion in its Constitution, but the majority religion is Catholicism. There are also some other religions, but none surpass 4% of total population. However, in the United States, the number of religions is high. Besides you can also notice the diversity of churches around the country, whereas in Spain it is more than difficult to find a nonChristian church. It is also true that in Spain a unique stereotype of culture to follow does not exist, but there is not such a big difference between one another like it is in the United States. One other thing we can highlight is the tobacco culture. In Spain, this not so healthy habit, has been expanding like cancer in the last 15 years whereas in The United

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States this habit is tending to disappear. The difference is obvious, you can see it in almost every single store, bar or pub, where all their policies allow people to smoke for their convenience. This not only happens in Spain, but in all Europe. As far as poverty and unemployment, I believe most of the people don’t realize how these two things affect the United States until they see it with their own eyes. Many people think that for being a country with a more than good economy as well as a high GDP, the country doesn’t suffer in other aspects. In Spain, on the other side, these last years of unemployment do not concern people as much as the international economic crisis is doing right now. The number of unemployed in Spain is really high, being the country in the UE with the most elevated rate. In United States the unemployment rate has reached unacceptable limits, but of course we are not going to compare a country with more than 303 million inhabitants, with

another one that only has 40 million. Returning to the cultural field, something that is typically American is the way of thinking something is better according to the size. It can be said that Spaniards do not think like that, or at least not all the time. This is a very curious fact that can be seen in how the highways are built and also the cars. Another example of this way of thinking is on some snacks, food, etc. In contrast with the Spaniard or European mentality, it could be said that we focus more on the efficiency than on size and on what we really need. I don’t mean that Americans don’t take this aspect seriously enough, but certainly we do it more. Another characteristic of Americans is the patriotism they have. They are proud of their country and they do not have anything to be ashamed of. Militarily they are almost unbeatable; technologically they have showed their supremacy in the last years. The flags that wave in each educational

institution or home are the clearest sign of American patriotism. This same situation does not happen in Spain at all. If you are the carrier of a Spanish flag, even if you are Spaniard, people will often describe you as a fascist when you probably are not like that. It is sad, but this is due to historical reasons like the dictatorship, when the flag was really important. It seems to be that these things that happened in the past are difficult to forget for some people. It is also difficult to find a flag, but the places where you will always see one are on the councils and in military bases, not on schools and houses like in America. As far as the character of people, we can say that the typical Spaniard is friendly and is almost always ready to speak most of the time. It is not that we are unfriendly when we are walking on the street, or in an elevator or bus, because we certainly continue a conversation if someone starts it it can make the moment less boring. It can be that Americans in this last point are more likely to establish a random conversation. Alcohol is a subject that always leads to a discussion. As almost everywhere in the world, in Spain it is legal to drink all kinds of alcoholic beverages at the age of 18 (it’s legal to drink light alcoholic drinks at the age of 16). Logically, this has repercussions on the culture and on how the people behave psychologically. In the United States the fact that you are not able to drink till you reach the age of 21 makes quite a few people think that Americans during the underage period don’t think about anything but when they are going to turn 21 so they can go to clubs, bars or pubs. On the other hand, Americans have the advantage of driving at the age of 16 with some limitations. That is something that many Spanish teenagers dream about all the time to happen in Spain, but it probably won’t come true due to the controversy the subject generates each time it’s on a politician’s plans because some adults believe teenagers are not mature enough at that age. Finally, some other Spanish values that contrast with the Americans are: We are not afraid of getting sick, since we have a free public health system in good shape. In fact, it can be said that Spaniards go to the doctor when we have really small symptoms. The death penalty is also criticized by most of the people in Spain. Guns are really easy to purchase in America, whereas in Spain it is almost impossible to get one unless you are in the military or in the Continued on Page 21

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stados Unidos de América tiene sus diferencias culturales, nadie lo puede negar, especialmente si lo comparamos con otros países del continente europeo, en este caso, España. Desde luego, hay numerosas diferencias, las cuales no podemos ignorar. Los americanos tienen una forma particular de vivir, de ser y en general todo varía en cuanto a hábitos se refiere. Empecemos hablando de hábitos culturales. En España se puede decir que en determinadas ocasiones, copiamos la manera de ser de los americanos, pero durante este proceso, alteramos esa copia para que encaje mejor en el entorno sociocultural español. Esto quiere decir que, por ejemplo, si importamos una costumbre tal y como puede ser la forma de vestir americana, no la copiamos exactamente igual, sino que introducimos pequeñas modificaciones que al final logran hacerse distinguir. Lo mismo sucede básicamente en todas las áreas. Para empezar, los españoles formamos un grupo homogéneo cultural, al contrario que los americanos debido a el multiculturalismo que se da en todo el país. En España, si bien tenemos inmigrantes, tarde o temprano terminan adoptando las costumbres socioculturales españolas. En cambio, en Estados Unidos, si bien se puede definir un conjunto de características que definan a un americano de calle, no se pueden salvar las diferencias culturales entre negros, blancos, asiáticos e hispanos. El tema de las razas es algo a contrastar ya que en España todavía no se ha alcanzado el punto en que en algunos puntos del país otras razas superen a la original del país, en el caso de Estados Unidos, la caucásica o blanca. Cuando se habla de razas, esto va a menudo relacionado con la religión que procesan. El Estado español no tiene una religión declarada, pero la mayoría de las personas procesan el cristianismo. Hay algunas minorías que procesan otras religiones, pero en el peor de los casos no superan el 4% de la población total. En cambio, en Estados Unidos la cantidad de religiones es abismal, se puede apreciar también en la diversidad de iglesias que existen, cuando en España es más que difícil encontrar una iglesia protestante. Es verdad que en España no existe un único estereotipo de cultura a seguir, pero no hay gran diferencia de uno a otro como lo hay en Estados Unidos. Otras cosas que se pueden destacar, es la cultura del tabaco. En España este hábito no tan saludable se ha extendido como un cáncer en los últimos 15 años, cuando en Estados Unidos esta tendiendo a desaparecer. Se puede apreciar básicamente en todos los locales, tiendas o bares a los

que se puede acudir, una diferencia más que palpable en comparación con este tipo de locales en España y probablemente en el resto de Europa. En cuanto a pobreza y desempleo se refiere, en mi opinión, yo creo que la mayoría de gente no se da cuenta de cómo estas dos cosas afectan a Estados Unidos hasta que viajan y lo comprueban con sus propios ojos.

Muchos, piensan que por ser un país con una economía más que próspera y con un GDP más que alto, el país no sufre en otros aspectos. En España, por otro lado se puede decir que la tasa de desempleo no es que haya sido baja que se diga, lamentablemente, en el presente, con la crisis internacional, estas cifras se han disparado hasta ser el país de la UE con la tasa de desempleo más elevada. En Estados Unidos esto también ha llegado a ser algo desesperante, pero por supuesto, no vamos a comparar un país con más de 303 millones de habitantes; con otro que apenas llega a 40. Volviendo al tema cultural en parte, algo típicamente americano es pensar cuanto más grande mejor es algo. Los españoles se puede decir que en parte no pensamos así, o al menos no todo el rato. Esto es más que demostrable en cuanto a autopistas o vehículos se refiere; los americanos siempre han ganado y probablemente ganarán en este terreno. Otro ejemplo de esto, lo podemos encontrar en snacks, comida etc. En cambio, la mentalidad española, o europea si generalizamos un poco más, está más centrada en la eficiencia o calidad, no en el tamaño. Con este punto, no quiero decir que los americanos no tomen este aspecto en cuenta, pero certeramente, nosotros lo tenemos más en cuenta. Otro aspecto típicamente americano, es el patriotismo que sienten por su país. Se sienten orgullosos de su país, y no es para menos, militarmente son casi inalcanzables, tecnológicamente han demostrado su eficacia a lo lago de los años y así con el resto de aspectos. Las banderas que ondean en cada



institución educativa u hogar es la más clara señal de este patriotismo. Esto por ejemplo en España es algo que no tiene nada que ver. Si eres portador de una bandera española, aún seas español, serás calificado como ultranacionalista aún así esto no sea cierto. Es triste, pero esto se debe más que nada a causas históricas como la dictadura, aspectos que al parecer cierta gente no termina de olvidar. En cuanto a dónde puedes encontrar una bandera española en territorio español, estos sitios se limitarían a ayuntamientos y bases militares; nada de colegios, institutos o casas particulares. En cuanto al carácter de la gente, podemos decir que el típico español es amigable y está dispuesto a hablar la mayoría de las veces. No es que seamos tan amigables cuando vamos andando por la calle, o cuando estemos en el autobús o el ascensor, pero seguramente si inicias una conversación en alguna de estas situaciones tampoco es que no sigamos el ritmo, pero tampoco te vamos a dar conversación para el resto del día. Puede ser que los americanos en este último aspecto sean mas prósperos a entablar una conversación aleatoria. Alcohol es un tema que siempre lleva a una discusión. Como casi en todas partes del mundo, en España es legal beber todo tipo de bebidas alcohólicas a los 18 años de edad (a los 16 se pueden beber ciertos tipos). Esto afecta lógicamente a la cultura y forma de ser de la gente en general. En Estados Unidos, el hecho de que beber alcohol sea un impedimento hasta que se cumplan los 21 años de edad lleva a pensar a mucha gente que durante este período de tiempo los americanos no estén pensando en más que en alcanzar esa edad para poder ir a discotecas, bares y pubs. Por el otro lado, ellos tienen la ventaja de poder conducir a los 16 años, aún sea con limitaciones. Esto es algo con lo que muchos jóvenes españoles no dejan de soñar, pero que dudosamente llegue a cumplirse alguna vez por la controversia que crea el tema debido a la inmadurez en general de los jóvenes a esta temprana edad. Finalmente, algunos otros valores españoles que contrastan con los americanos son por ejemplo, no tener miedo a enfermarse, ya que tenemos un sistema de salud pública en decente estado, la pena de muerte tan odiada por gente liberal, las armas tan fáciles de conseguir en América, el poder del que dispone la policía americana, el consumismo tan presente The Envoy March 2009

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INDOOR SOCCCER: HERE COMES THE EF! By: Lorenzo Bellini A new European challenge in the Indoor Soccer A-League EF Student

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ometimes dreams happen only in movies, sometimes they become reality and continue even better than you’ve planned. A sport field is one of the main places where you can find a dream become reality. That is happening in La Mesa, where an international team composed by students from all over the world is laying down the law in the A-League Indoor Soccer. A dream that was created last November by Joe Viskoe, teacher at the EF language school. After only a few months of life, the results obtained have become so surprising that the EF International, that’s the team’s name, is already in the main championship after only one season in the lower side of the competition. The American rules for indoor soccer are remarkably different form the European rules. No throw-ins, rare corners, fast running and it’s absolutely prohibited to fall, even if the adversary has pushed you. The difference is hard to get use to just in a few weeks. But Joe’s boys did it, winning the championship at their first attempt and leading the standings of the new season with two wins in the first two matches. A fabulous adventure, completed by guys coming from Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, Holland, Switzerland and, obviously, United States. So many countries, so many languages, and so many soccer histories. Joe Viskoe used to play indoor soccer and when he saw EF boys enjoying themselves on the school’s soccer field, a bell rang and the adventure began.

It was easy to choose the indoor version of soccer over its more popular outdoor version because the La Mesa Indoor Center is open during the whole year and during any part of the day and night. Maybe one day even the outdoor soccer fans will see an EF team, but that’s another part of the dream. For now Joe is focused on the present and on the season that’s begun. To train a team composed of so many people from different places has never been easy, as the manager admits, but the results are under everybody’s eyes. “Sometimes it is hard for

volte i sogni si realizzano solo nei film. Altre volte divengono realtà e continuano a rimanere anche più belli di come li si era immaginati. E un campo sportivo è uno dei principali luoghi dove si possa trovare un sogno tramutato in realtà. Questo sta avvenendo a La Mesa, dove una squadra internazionale composta da studenti di tutto il mondo sta dettando legge nella A-League di Indoor Soccer. Un sogno creato da Joe Viskoe, insegnante della scuola di lingue EF, e nato lo scorso novembre. Solo pochi mesi di vita, ma i risultati ottenuti sono diventati così sorprendenti che l’EF International, come è stata chiamata la squadra, si ritrova già nella massima serie dopo solo una stagione nella parte bassa del campionato. Il risultato è ancora più sorprendente se si pensa che l’indoor soccer americano è

differente dal calcetto europeo. Regole diverse e tattiche diverse. Niente rimesse laterali, rari calci d’angolo, corsa veloce e proibizione assoluta di cadere a terra, anche se è stato un avversario a spingere. Difficile abituarsi in poche settimane. Ma i ragazzi di Joe l’hanno fatto, vincendo il campionato al loro primo tentativo e conducendo la classifica della nuova stagione con due vittorie nei primi due incontri. Un’avventura entusiasmante, portata a compimento da ragazzi provenienti da Germania, Francia, Danimarca, Italia, Olanda, Svizzera e, ovviamente, Stati Uniti. Tanti paesi, tanti linguaggi e tante storie calcistiche. Joe Viskoe era solito giocare e quando ha visto i ragazzi dell’EF divertirsi sul campo da calcio della scuola gli si è accesa una lampadina. E l’avventura ha avuto inizio. È stato facile scegliere la versione indoor

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the players to understand the new rules, but thankfully there’s always somebody that can translate for his companion. And even tactics are not so easy to learn. We usually train on Friday and not always is possible. The secret resides all in the player’s feet.” Two wins in a row in the new tournament recalls the amazing victory that had baptized the team, an incredible win by 12-4 against the St. Pauli’s Girl. This was only the first step of a great ride till

the final game. Opponents of the Play-off’s final were the Chicos Balls, a real battle that lasted till the final minutes, with eleven goals for the opponents, and twelve for the EF International, like in their debut. The movie was concluded with a classic happy ending and it was only the first episode. This was an epic exploit, possibly thanks to the efforts of all the players. Joe Viskoe, Hugo Gonzalez and Leo De La Cruz are the only American representatives of a world team composed by the Germans Alex Grimm, Timo Löher and Christian Maltese, the French Nicolas Fink and Loic Schnebelen, the Italians Giacomo Casonato and Luca Gardella, the Danish Klaus Olsen, the Dutch Woody Hamelink and the Swiss Fabian Gerber. Schnebelen is the top scorer of the team, with more than 20 goals on his schedule. For defense stands out Olsen and Fink, who as the mythological brothers Castor and Pollux are the protectors of their goalie Gonzalez. The future is unknown. The new season has just begun and nobody can foresee which targets the EF International is able to reach. Some players are going to leave next March, so it’ll be necessary to find new members and a new equilibrium. Only one thing is sure: the team will always continue to play with their best weapon, the passion for soccer.

del calcio, invece della sua incarnazione più popolare, poiché il La Mesa Indoor Center consente di giocare durante l’intero corso dell’anno e in qualsiasi parte della giornata. Forse un giorno anche gli appassionati di calcio a undici potranno vedere una squadra dell’EF, ma questa è un’altra parte del sogno. Per ora Joe è concentrato sul presente e sulla stagione che è cominciata. Allenare una squadra composta da così tante persone provenienti da luoghi così differenti non è mai stato facile, come ammette il manager, ma i risultati sono sotto gli occhi di tutti. «Alcune volte è difficile per i giocatori capire le nuove regole, ma fortunatamente c’è sempre qualcuno che può tradurre per il suo compagno. Anche le tattiche non sono sempre facili da imparare. Ci alleniamo il venerdì di solito e non sempre è possibile». Il segreto, dunque, risiede tutto nei piedi dei calciatori.

Due vittorie consecutive nel nuovo campionato, che richiamano la sorprendente vittoria che ha battezzato la squadra. Un’incredibile vittoria per 12-4 contro il St. Pauli’s Girl. Solo il primo passo di un grande cammino verso la finale. Avversari nell’ultimo

incontro dei Play-off erano i Chicos Balls. Una vera battaglia, che è continuata fino agli ultimi minuti. Undici marcature per gli avversari, dodici per l’EF International, come nel debutto. E il film si è concluso con il più classico dei lieti fine. Ed era solo il primo episodio. Un trionfo epico, possibile grazie agli sforzi di tutti i giocatori. Joe Viskoe, Hugo Gonzalez e Leo De La Cruz sono gli unici rappresentanti americani di un team mondiale composto dai tedeschi Alex Grimm, Timo Löher e Christian Maltese, i francesi Nicolas Fink e Loic Schnebelen, gli italiani Giacomo Casonato e Luca Gardella, il danese Klaus Olsen, l’olandese Woody Hamelink e lo svizzero Fabian Gerber. Schnebelen è il miglior marcatore della squadra, con più di

Multilingual 20 gol al suo attivo. In difesa spiccano Olsen e Fink, che come i mitologici fratelli Castore e Polluce sono i protettori della porta difesa da Gonzalez. Il futuro è sconosciuto. La nuova stagione è appena iniziata e nessuno può prevedere quali obiettivi sarà capace di raggiungere l’EF International. Alcuni giocatori stanno per lasciare la squadra il prossimo marzo, quindi sarà necessario trovare nuovi elementi e un nuovo equilibrio. Solo una cosa è certa: la squadra continuerà sempre a giocare con la loro migliore arma, la passione per il calcio.

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Poetry Corner Untitled by Stefanie Mazer M.A. G-4 Psy.D. Los Angeles Campus

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s the New Year has brought change and hope to the lives of many, the harsh realities of today’s sociopolitical economic climate require us to be able to adapt and become innovators. It takes a strong leader to lead our country and it takes the strength and efforts of each and every one of us to support the resilience of our country, our people, and ourselves. It is by working collaboratively that “we” can meet the challenges that we are faced with today to ensure a peaceful and collective tomorrow.

Walk with me. Can you? Tolerate? Not tolerate?

Which is it? What is it? Listen and be with me I then can listen and be with you. Two different marching styles two different drummers, two different beats. Two beating hearts. the millions of beating hearts. Not I. Not You. Not Them. Not Us. We. We all have hearts and souls when we can tolerate being with. Can we? When we can tolerate being with the pain. Can we? When we can tolerate being with the love. Can we? When we can tolerate each other . We can. We can then walk together, marching together to our own beats The world an orchestra. No longer orchestrating strategies

to tolerate the intolerable. The world an orchestra, The Symphony has a beat I can hear it. Ah, the harmony of unity.

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Multilingual

An International Student’s Journal

In a Big City

By: Steffi Weigand EF Student days ago, my plane landed in San Diego- my new home for the next nine months. I didn't know what to expect. I've never been to the US before. Everything I knew about the US in general and California especially, I learned from TV shows and in school. But how would it really be? I chose to live with a host family instead of on campus because I wanted to be part of the real American life and I am glad. As soon as I arrived at my families' house I was greeted by my “mom” and “sister” and felt like home immediately. I always seem to have luck with stuff like that. Over the next few days I was about to learn that not only my “family” but also my city was more than I could have ever dreamed of. Many people complained about the beach, downtown, and everything being too far away. For me a 20

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minute drive means nothing. At least there WAS the beach, a downtown and places to do something. For me, going to San Diego didn't only mean to live in the United States but also to live in a city, a BIG city, for the first time. I grew up in a 900-population village in the middle of Germany with nothing to do other than go to school and get drunk on the weekends. No city anywhere near to be found. I have seen about five movies in one month. At home that would be impossible. In my by now five months of living in San Diego, in SoCal, I really learned how it feels to live here, to be a part of it. My mom is laughing at my German, my friends make fun of me for saying “like” all the time, I eat burgers almost every day and for the first time I have my own car. When people ask me what I miss about my home country, I have to think and then I probably say Bratwurst, Milka and Haribo Gummy bears. What else is there to miss? To be honest, I've never been that German. I hate soccer, I don't listen to German music and I don't watch German TV shows. So of course I enjoy watching football and going to concerts yet there is something that I'm

going to miss more than anything else when I have to go back to Europe in June – the people. Not only my friends but also the friendliness that you can find all over San Diego. When I first came here, I thought Americans were like Germans, cold and distanced to each other, or even worse, but soon I was to be proven wrong. The bus driver says “Bye. Have a nice day” to every passenger; if you don't buy anything in a shop the workers seem to be sorry that you couldn't find what you were looking for and still wish you a nice day. People on the street just talk to each other and nothing is wrong with that. It seems as if not everybody just thinks about themselves. It is so easy to make new friends yet some people complain about Americans only making small talk and not really caring, but I can’t complain; I haven't meet these people yet. Especially during the last two months, I made many new friends that are just fun to be around and that I can talk about every topic with. Of course not everything in the U.S. is perfect but for me it seems to work out and the longer my stay, the more I fall in love with San Diego and especially it's people :D

Vor 142 Tagen landete ich in San Diego - meinem neuen

sondern auch das erste Mal in einer Stadt, in einer großen Stadt, zu leben. Ich bin in einem Dorf mit etwa 900 Leuten in der Mitte Deutschlands aufgewachsen, wo man nicht viel mehr machen konnte als in die Schule zu gehen und sich am Wochenende betrinken. Keine Stadt in der Nähe. In meinen bisherigen 5 Monaten die ich in San Diego, in SoCal, lebe habe ich wirklich gelernt was es heißt hier zu leben, ein Teil davon zu sein. Meine Mutter lacht über mein Deutsch, meine Freunde machen sich darüber lustig, dass ich ständig “like” sage, ich esse fast jeden Tag Burger und habe das erste Mal ein eigenes Auto. Wenn mich Leute fragen, was ich hier vermisse, muss ich immer erst eine ganze Weile nachdenken und dann sage ich meist so was wie Bratwurst, Milka und Haribo Gummibärchen. Was sollte man sonst groß vermissen? Um ehrlich zu sein, ich war nie wirklich typisch deutsch. Ich hasse Fußball, ich höre keine deutsche Musik und ich sehe keine deutschen Serien. Und ich genieße es Football zu gucken und auf Konzerte zu gehen. Aber es ist etwas anderes, dass ich am meisten vermissen werde wenn ich im Juni nach Europa zurück muss - die Menschen. Nicht nur meine Freunde sonder auch die ganzen freundlichen Menschen die man in ganz San Diego findet.

Als ich ankam dachte ich die Amerikaner sind wie die Deutschen, kalt und distanziert oder sogar schlimmer. Aber bald wurde mir das Gegenteil bewiesen. Der Busfahrer verabschiedet jeden Fahrgast mit “Auf Wiedersehen”. Ich wünsche ihnen einen schönen Tag. Wenn man in einem Laden nichts kauft wirken die Verkäufer enttäuscht darüber, dass man nicht gefunden hat was man suchte und wünschen dir ebenfalls einen schönen Tag. Leute reden einfach auf der Straße miteinander und das ist vollkommen normal. Es scheint als würden die Leute nicht nur soviel an sich selbst denken. Es ist einfach neue Freunde zu finden und natürlich beschweren die Mensch sich darüber, dass die Amerikaner nur schön daher reden sich aber nicht wirklich für die Probleme anderer interessieren, aber ich kann mich nicht beklagen. Solche Leute habe ich noch nicht getroffen. Besonders während der letzten 2 Monate habe ich viele neue Freunde gefunden mit denen ich gerne meine Zeit verbringe und mit denen ich über alles reden kann. Natürlich ist nicht jeder Aspekt am Leben in den USA perfekt aber für mich scheint es zu funktionieren. Umso länger ich hier bin umso mehr verliebe ich mich in San Diego und die Menschen die hier leben.

Zuhause für die nächsten 9 Monate. Ich wusste nicht was mich erwartet. Ich war noch nie zuvor in den USA gewesen. Alles was ich über Amerika und Kalifornien wusste hatte ich in der Schule und aus Fernsehserien gelernt. Aber wie sieht die Realität aus? Ich hatte beschlossen in einer Gastfamilie zu wohnen, statt auf dem Campus, weil ich am wahren amerikanischen Leben teilnehmen wollte und ich bin froh, dass ich mich so entschieden habe. Als ich beim Haus meiner Familie ankam wurde ich sofort von meiner “Schwester” und meiner “Mutter” begrüßt und ich fühlte mich gleich zu hause. Ich scheine bei so was immer Glück zu haben. Während der nächsten Tage lernte ich, dass nicht nur meine “Familie” sondern auch meine Stadt mehr war als ich je zu träumen gewagt hätte. Viele Leute beschwerten sich darüber, dass der Strand und die Innenstadt und alles so weit entfernt sei. Für mich ist eine Fahrt von 20 Minuten gar nichts. Immerhin gibt es hier einen Strand, eine Innenstadt und Orte an denen man was unternehmen kann. Nach San Diego zu kommen hieß für mich nicht nur in den USA,

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Chinese New Year Celebration

By: Xiaoying Cai Undergraduate, Business Administration. s a Chinese student, I will not be first time we held an activity to celebrate the homesick during the Chinese New Chinese New Year. Year because a Chinese New Year We bought traditional Chinese celebration took place this year on our San decorations to decorate the cafeteria. The Diego Campus. majority of the decorations were red. That is The celebration was held on because the color red symbolizes happiness Thursday, February 5th, 2009 during lunch and joy in China. The New Year celebration in the cafeteria. Although the actual Chinese also included traditional Chinese foods and New Year is on Monday, January 26th, it snacks. The food served by our cafeteria didn’t matter to us, because we were still in staff included wonton soup, fried rice, stirthe holiday spirit. fried Chinese vegetables, fried dumplings, This celebration was sponsored and other delicious dishes. Snacks included by the Office of Campus Community sun-flower seeds, peanuts (with shells), and Development and the Undergraduate Student traditional Chinese candies. Of course, there Government Association. Personally, I think was one more thing we could not forget it was a successful event. I have been at about China and her tradition-- Chinese Alliant for over two years, and this is the tea. We provided five types of tea so that

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Multilingual people could choose. The first ten people to show up in the cafeteria received a “Red Envelope,” a special gift people give out during Chinese New Year. There was also a game area where people could play Chinese checkers and fish catching, traditional Chinese games, after their meals. Little gifts were also available for winners. All in all, I think this was a great event! I think we should have more of these activities on campus. I am eager to learn more about other’s culture and traditions. According to the Chinese calendar, this year is the year of the Ox/Bull. I wish everybody a successful year!

The World Leader in International Education More than 40 years of experience - 400 schools and offices around the world - 15 million students. EF is the Official Language Training Services Supplier of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

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Feature

Hungry for Work?

Then “Spruce Up” Your Personality With Behavioral Tools.

By: Matthew R. Polkinghorne CSPP, San Diego common theme of thought seems to be trickling through the minds of most people these days; it is darn tough out there - the economy is like a closed shell, impervious and impermeable to the effortful movements of proactive, hard-working, and hopeful individuals. Such people are looking to hash out the new beginnings of a career or re-enter the workforce after a major career setback or job layoff. Of course, individual work circumstances are too wide and varied to consistently and accurately measure. Jobs and careers are lost, attained, and temporarily put on hold to such a varying degree that it must give even the brightest of statisticians and mathematicians an enormously enigmatic headache.

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aligned just right and I think I saw Venus radiating brilliant beams of blue. I know the heavens will usher me to a peaceful state of mind and meaning.” Regardless of what is what, who says and thinks what, and what circumstances we are all in, there are ways, especially if you are a person ready to take a stand and go for it, to impress and captivate the attention of a potential employer, mentor, or boss. Times are tough, yes. and the hopes of many are dwindling. It seems, however, that the opportunities for business remain constant and graspable, especially if you have developed behavioral tools to enhance your chances of success. Here are four behavioral tools or ways of being and acting that will increase your odds of interactive, professional, and personal success, whether it is in the nook of business or the vicinity of personal relationships: 1. Curiosity: this is just as simple as asking well thought out questions that have a specific purpose and useful direction. If you are seeking to get connected with or work for someone else that may have similar interests, then take the time to brainstorm meaningful inquiries that will tantalize and exercise the brain of the person you are seeking to know and understand better.

For highly educated but workinexperienced individuals, the pressure to find a reliable niche in the marketplace is huge. Corporations, non-profits organizations, and institutions continue to be mindful of their budgets in the wake of this volatile economy, making it ever the more difficult to secure an employment position that is dependable and provides some prospects of a brighter future. As a result, some individuals are stuck. They pull the pockets of their trousers inside out with a mild frown as if implicitly saying “Look at where I am right now. Look at what is happening to me.” In response to this type of personal and professional calamity, an analyst might say, “You got yourself into this mess, get yourself out and for goodness sake. Do not become a victim.” A spiritualist may then add, “You have to look inside of yourself and listen to what your existential being is telling you. It will guide you along the right path.” Better still, the astrologist may come along and proclaim, “Well, last night the stars were

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2. Genuineness: just be real. People can tell when you are faking it or when you are putting on a well orchestrated façade, which by the way, probably took many hours of well disciplined rehearsal in front of the mirror. To be effectively curious, you have to be genuine. Fake curiosity is draining to perform and even more exhausting to endure. If you are not interested and do not care, forget it and move on. Besides, other opportunities, challenges, and relationships are bound to surface. 3. Attentiveness: when you feel real and are being real and have a lot of meaningful questions to ask, it becomes much simpler to pay close attention to the responses, thoughts, and ideas of the other person (i.e. – your potential employer, business partner, or mentor). When you are authentically attentive, two things happen. One, you learn more with greater expedience, thereby enhancing the breadth of your knowledge. Two, you simultaneously instill feelings of worth and value in the person you are listening to. To be genuinely attentive, you have to listen

carefully and feel the need to clarify points that may have become distorted and muddled during the interaction. 4. Receptiveness: the short version of this is just to be a good listener, remaining focused on the “what” and “how” of ideas and thoughts and their expressions. A receptive person combines all of the other behavioral tools mentioned and is highly successful at internalizing the importance of the sender’s message(s). Being a good listener sounds easy, right? Well, you may be surprised to discover how much energy it actually takes to absorb the being and experience of another person, no matter who they are or what they do. individuals are vastly complex creatures with uniquely different backgrounds and lives. Nevertheless, effective receptivity is a tall order and it requires a high degree of skill, understanding, and patience. So, we have investigated and discussed four behavioral tools that will, without a doubt, improve the quality of your interactions both personally and business wise. If you are stuck in a funk or trying to complete the seemingly incomplete equation, relax and refocus energies on meaningful and effective behavioral skills. In time, most life kinks and uncertainties work their way to the clear. Remaining dedicated to the development of crisp interactive skills will always serve you well in the long run. If you are up to the challenge, willfully incorporate these outlined behaviors into your social repertoire. You will likely be pleased with the results and eventual returns. You do not have to be an expert at all four proposed behaviors. Just one or two, if practiced enough, will give you the gusto and skills you need to impress those who were once deemed to be, unimpressable. In the meantime, keep your head in the game, believe in yourself and keep on making a positive difference in the life of your self and the lives of those around you. It is up to you. The ball is in your court.



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Series

Psychs and the City

By: Ned James Beedie CSPP, Los Angels true. I remember when we gave our What an awesome responsibility. verdict I thought that the backs of juror’s e m e m b e r What a great and interesting break. seats should come with a barf bag like on back in Then day three arrived and all that airplanes. I was so nervous that I was shaking adolescence, fall changed. The Coroner took the stand and for and literally thought I might throw up. There would arrive after over an hour explained how the deceased had was no doubt in any part of my being of my what seemed like died. A projector filled with pictures helped decision, of our decision, as all 12 of us had an idyllic summer? him show us, in excruciating detail, the to vote unanimously. I was just upset over Everyone returned violent death. what would be set in motion in the lives of the to school with It’s true when you hear that our defendant, and the families of both defendant their new Trapper society is so saturated with violence we’ve and victim. I was now a part of this murder, a John folders, sharpened Number 2 pencils become numb to its effects. For awhile the part of its ugly history. Every essence of my and some excitement, despite the daily images didn’t really affect me. I’d seen much being was revolted by that. freedom now being curtailed. Usually in worse in the movies or on T.V. However, I I had a huge drink when I got home. English class, the assignment of “What I did started to question my own compassion when I knew I was supposed to make some phone over my summer break” was the first essay I was able to stare at these pictures and take calls and finally reveal what I’d experienced. out of the gate. My winter break was spent notes from the ME’s testimony without any What I wanted to recount at the beginning sitting on the jury of a murder trial and likely emotional response. I knew I needed to be was now something that I had no interest sent someone to prison for life for taking objective and fair in the trial but that didn’t in doing. How does one talk about it? Is it another life. mean I had to be cut off from my own empathy dinner conversation? “Oh my God, did you Winter break has always conjured by what happened to this poor individual. hear that Angelina is going to wear either up for me a connection with that sense of There, in Marc Jacobs or Valentino couture at youthful innocence. With the relief of first front of me projected the Oscars? By the way, that murder semester being over, the exhilaration from on a huge screen, was “I was now a part of trial I was on…” How distasteful that the holidays, a new year always brings about a body on a stainless this murder a part of something so sacred could be reduced the possibility of a “better you” (even if the steel gurney. A sheet its ugly history.” to gossip. resolutions seem to be forgotten quickly). covered only the Now school is back in session. It’s happy and serene and represents a genitals; the rest was In a few weeks the craziness of beginning. fully exposed for us all to see. There is no classes and assignments will overwhelm my So it was with this juxtaposition way wanting to be remembered in this state life. Periodically I’ll probably think of the of wrapping paper and too much food and by a photograph. It is beyond undignified to defendant and what’s going on locked in some sleeping late mixed with forensic evidence say the least: lifeless, the corpse’s odd color small cell. Does that person have remorse for and sadness and death that made my break so was captured in an ugly and grim way. The what happened? Does the victim’s family jolting. Behind the tree, decorations, holiday grip of death was palpable. feel any compassion towards the person in parties, real life still exists. For some there is And from here on out, the trial prison for killing their loved one? I’ll always no break or holiday from the dark realities of couldn’t be over fast enough for me. This remember the pictures of the deceased almost humanity. There’s no entry for compassion in wasn’t an episode of “Law & Order” or totally naked on a metal slab. I’ll think that their dictionary. “Prime Suspect.” I wasn’t on one of those they don’t get a chance to wonder about I must rewind though. When I first boat tours that take you out for a few hours anything ever again. was selected for the jury of a murder trial I with actors and someone “dies” while the I know this was a profound was oddly intrigued. Wow, how cool. No one passengers get to play a real time version of experience in my life. It wasn’t what I ever gets chosen for interesting things during “Clue.” This was real. There was one person envisioned. The remnants and how they jury duty. This sentiment was echoed by those who had been murdered; there was another assimilate into my personality aren’t clear. few friends and family members I told. None who stood trial for that crime; and there were I do hope that I hold onto that compassion of them had been on a murder trial nor had people from both families coming and going that slapped me in the face that one afternoon anyone they knew done it either. I was told from the courtroom, tears in all their eyes. after eating lunch. The lesson of how easy it to keep a detailed journal; when it was over One event with hundreds of ripples. is to get caught up in day-to-day living and I must be able to relay all the minutia of the As the days passed many forget how we treat others. It seems pat, a case. I was going to be the bridge for people preconceived notions I had shifted. First, the cliché, but ask yourself when’s the last time I knew to peer into this alternate world. obvious difference was that real life wasn’t this trait was truly a part of your afternoon or In my jury seat, I had my pencil always entertainment. Second, I was forced to every day living. and pad. I took notes. I was going to be the confront my own prejudices and stereotypes. I’ll conclude with one final thought: best juror ever. I felt like Detective Chief The way I see our judicial system in this when you get that dreaded jury service letter, Inspector Jane Tennison, nothing was going country also changed. Finally, I connected and you will, remember that if you do get to go by me. I’d piece the evidence together with a sense of compassion that had gotten selected for the voir dire process, hope you like an elaborate puzzle, connecting it in the lost because of my laser-like focus on “just get a case involving something to do with only way it could possibly make sense and be the facts.” insurance.

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Feature

What Will You Do With All of That Money You’re Going to Make?

By Joshua Marcengill Alumnus 2006 o ahead and say it… “I’m gonna be rich!”… one more time, and this time really embrace it… “I’m gonna be RICH!” How many of you know that being rich is a state of mind? You don’t have to finish school to be rich. You can be rich in the bottom echelons of society, in the lowest economic class in civilization. But you can also be poor at the top of your game… it’s all in your head. That is where the war is fought and lost or won… in your head. I can’t speak for you, but for me, I went to school to—like Benjamin Franklin once said—“become healthy, wealthy, and wise.” His advise was to go to bed on time. Mine is to redefine your definition of wealth. One day you will be wealthy but only if your thoughts don’t stop you… and in this world we are taught that the most desirable wealth is the wealth that you do nothing to attain. This is untrue for the healthy rich man and women. The healthy rich consider the journey itself to be the wealth. Your degree will open doors, your degree will shine a light on the path that may be right for you. The spirit of excellence is right here all around you. MGSM and Alliant have teamed up to provide a thriving culture of encouragement, but ask yourself… ‘is that

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the way you see it?’ It is a choice. It is easy to let the funk get to you so that you feel like it’s all a chore, but if you can embrace the journey as the wealth you wish to attain then you will see it. You will experience a culture of encouragement. You will achieve your dreams as well because you have tapped into the ability to color your world and recognize the fact that it’s up to you. So, how do you battle in your mind?

How do you color your world? Well, I’m not talking about the universe or some new-age religion here although for some that is the help they need and for others a worthy outlet. What I want to suggest is that you simply learn how to give. Giving is a way to keep yourself clean and it keeps the cobwebs from darkening your thoughts and coloring your world black when you have every opportunity to see light all around. The world has turned and today people want to live wealthy, and not just achieve it. The thing that many are missing however, is that the real way to achieve wealth is to give wealth. Give to get?!! Come’on now, you know I’m right if you check your heart… and for the mind there are the obvious benefits like feeling part of a community, stepping outside of yourself and becoming less selfish… the purging of the conscience. Yep. There are also some familiar downfalls like vulnerability, limited means, and becoming completely selfless. Therefore, it is important to learn giving. Becoming an effective philanthropist requires a sincere look into what it is that you have to give. Giving from your strengths instead of your weaknesses is how you invest in giving and that is why I wrote this article. Your strengths are where you have abundance… not in your weaknesses. Find out what your strengths are and give those. If it’s money, give money, if your administrative give your organizational advice and assistance, if you are brave then be brave for others (find out what your strengths are by taking the free test at www. authentichappiness.org). Too often, weaknesses are where we give. We give money to the local bum, we give time to our TV’s, we give in to the thought that wealth is only made up of money and this is not healthy thinking that will win the battle in your mind. Wealth is all the things that make your life feel whole. Some break it down into three categories: people, prosperity, and planet. You may recognize this from Professor Bainbridge’s classes that talk about Sustainability. If not, look up the word, and learn something about a system of wealth that, I believe will help you to give more effectively. The point I wish to finish with here is that when you give from a place of abundance,

you’re twice as likely to receive in the places that you’re lacking. Giving helps you by helping you win the battle in your mind to recognize the culture of encouragement all around you and stop giving in to those that would steal your mental happiness from you. Giving will help all of us by way of us receiving your signature gift. A gift that by default we do not have the ability to give.

Only you can give it. Plus a world of givers is what a community is set up to be. You can’t do it alone so go out, discover your strengths, discover your community and give, give, give so that you can be rich, rich, RICH!! Joshua Marcengill is an alumnus of the Marshall Goldsmith School of Management. He has an MIBA in Sustainable Management and graduated 2006. He has since started two organizations based on philanthropy. To read more about becoming an effective philanthropist by focusing on your strengths visit Josh’s blog at : http://externalitology.blogspot.org also, find out what your strengths are, where your abundance lives… go to www.authentichappiness.org to complete a free strengths assessment.

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Insights A Day at Justice Hall: Judge Mary Morgan’s Behavioral Health Court Dave Pursell, Psychology Trainee Case Conference San Francisco, CA

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he Law Library on the second floor of San Francisco’s Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant Street was flooded with natural light coming in through the three large windows that face east. From my chair, there was a clear view of the mammoth Yahoo! billboard alongside highway 80, the one visible just before getting on the Bay Bridge, eastbound. The steady swoosh of traffic managed to seep in through the double panes. The room was divided: on one side was an audience of eight psychology trainees, a psychiatrist, and a program director from OMI Family Center, where I am presently fulfilling my Practicum II placement; on the other side were six professional women seated at a conference table. They were discussing the fate of a long list of individuals who have histories of mental health issues and substance abuse and have been arrested for various crimes. Judge Mary Morgan, who heads the Adult Behavioral Health Court (ABHC) sat at the head of the table. She is an attractive woman, about 50 years old with short curly hair, rosy cheeks, and a warm smile. Also present were three representatives from the District Attorney’s office and two case managers—one from Jail Psychiatric Services and one from the Citywide Case Management Forensic Program. A rotating cast of legal counsel for the defendants, mostly public defenders, shuffled in and out of the room over the next two hours. The actual defendants were not present, but would be in court later, when it convened in Department 15. Line by line, down the roster, cases were presented and discussed in a collaborative, interdisciplinary fashion: clinicians and legal counsel working together to determine the best route to rehabilitation for each individual. Case managers sat at their open laptops, accessing a specialized database and relaying each defendant’s most recent clinical report. One defendant was off heroin and had titrated from 145 mg to 45 mg of methadone; another had only missed one session of group therapy in the past week; and another had been attending anger management classes and hadn’t broken the terms of his restraint order. Everyone expressed concern or praise for each participant’s status. It was clear that Judge Morgan’s court is different

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from most. The ABHC team members have ongoing relationships with the adjudicated. Team members expressed compassion, and their concern appears genuine. Their goal is to keep the participants out of jail. Jail Psychiatric Services and Citywide case managers work in close contact with the defendants’ community clinic case managers to keep the defendants in the appropriate treatment facilities. When participants “graduate” from the program, their charges are usually reduced or expunged. ABHC members stated that they want to mitigate as much as possible the damage that can result from a criminal record. Adult Behavioral Health Court Gets Results The ABHC in San Francisco began toward the end of 2002. It now handles about 200 cases per year. Each participant receives an individualized treatment plan with a case manager who assists the participant in finding housing, getting the appropriate medication, and getting sober. The theory is that if a person can be managed in the community rather than being incarcerated, it is better for the individual and society in general. Data

are beginning to offer empirical validation to the theory. According to a SF Chronicle article published in November 2007, a study by UCSF published in the American Journal of Psychiatry revealed that 18 months after completion of the program, the risk of

defendants being charged with a new violent crime was 54% lower for ABHC graduates than for mentally ill people in the regular court system. During the case conference, the ABHC team identified defendants who had been complying with treatment and making progress toward their goals. About ten such defendants were placed on the “Honor Roll.” Many of these individuals would be offered movie or museum tickets later that day when court convened. At one point during the case conference, a philosophical debate erupted. The case involved a woman who had been eliciting some irrational behavior, but seemed to be getting by. There was talk of remanding her, that is, removing her from the community and placing her in custody again. Judge Morgan paused to check the team’s motivation: “What is it we’re trying to do here?” she asked. She explained that she wanted to make sure the team wasn’t simply trying to mold the defendant’s behavior into something that mimicked their own. She wanted to be sure that they weren’t using a definition of rationality and socially acceptable behavior that was too narrow. After about five minutes of discussion, it was decided to give the defendant one more chance. Another defendant had moved to Sacramento. The team decided to transfer mental health treatment to a facility close to his new home, but not to transfer his legal proceedings. The reason: the courts in Sacramento might end up throwing him into jail without giving him the option of community mental health treatment. According to Judge Morgan, San Francisco’s ABHC is one of the 150 - 200 behavioral health courts across the nation. It is more individualized than most. Except for homicide cases and sex offenders, San Francisco ABHC doesn’t issue blanket statements about what sort of offenders can qualify for its programs. If a judge, attorney, or Jail Psychiatric Services staff member refers a defendant to the ABHC, a representative from the DA’s office then contacts the victim of the crime and explains that the perpetrator is mentally ill and has been offered rehabilitation treatment. Continued on Page 21

BEWARE!!!

Insights

Posting your “Spirited Self”, can get you canned. By: Alison Bowes

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“There were keg stands, Jell-O shots, people jumping in the pool, and even a guy passed out with messages written with a Sharpie all over his body. I can’t wait to post the pictures on Facebook!”

ll too often, students on college/ university campuses can’t wait to post pictures and comments about their fun weekends or spring breaks on popular social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, etc. These sites are a great way to stay in touch with people and share pictures and news about your life. But what if your boss or a potential employer went to your Facebook page? This a question that you should be asking yourself. In this day and age, and especially in this economy, employers are becoming more selective with whom they choose to hire for jobs and internships. There are numerous qualified students out there job searching with fewer jobs to go around. One of the resources that employers are using to

learn more about their applicants are social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Social networking sites can be an excellent tool for your job search, if used in an appropriate way. If you already have an existing page, used for personal and social purposes, and you are beginning a job search, be sure to set your privacy settings. On Facebook, Myspace and many others, you can set your privacy settings so that only your “friends” or people that you give permission can view your page. For job search purposes, create a new account and post your resume. On your new account, keep your page visible to all, and make sure to add only “friends” who are colleagues, professors, previous employers, or those

who might be of professional value to you. Make sure to post that you are job searching and mention the type of job in which you are interested. As your friends network expands, so will your opportunities. Social networking sites serve many purposes. It is important to be savvy about when and how you are using them. If you have any questions about how to maximize your job search online, please contact Career Services for an appointment at (858) 635-4568.

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Multi Cultral P By: Dr. Kckenzie

he primary issues that are needed for a therapist to provide effective treatment for a person of a different culture are perhaps earlier than the twentieth century. Emil Kraepelin (1904) the father of modern Western psychiatry, suggested a new specialty within psychiatry called Comparative Psychiatry to study cultural differences in psychopathology.

Kraepelin like many 19th-century psychiatrists committed to a biological view of mental illness as one of the key factors when assessing cultural differences. Since, that time progress has been made to include: ethnopsychiatry, cross-cultural, transcultural psychiatry (Marsella, 1993). This has led to new conceptual and methodological works that position cultural factors as a major determinant of the onset, and outcome of mental disorders. Indeed, for as much as century mental health professions and sciences failed to recognize or acknowledge the importance of cultural factors in psychopathology (Mezzich, Kleinman, Fabrega, & Parrone, 1996). There are important facts one should be aware of that reflect a resistance to the study of cultural differences. Many western professionals and scientists who were pioneers of the field of transcultural psychiatry ( Murphy, Wittkower, 1976)were marginalized as well as minority group members of scientists because their lack of positions of power and influence. Non-Westerners who studied in western medical schools were all part of the western ideology embedded and enmeshed in a professional worldview and ethic whose assumptions argued in favor of

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universals and against cultural difference in mental disorders (Pow Meng Yap, Adeyo Lambo, 1963). This dominated view still exists and remains current today. A perfect example of goodwill, an unintentional abuse of power in which western medical science considers itself objective in its quest for truth. However, the failures to understand these truths are rooted in western cultural and tradition, which are difficult to overcome (Jenkins, Kirmayer, 1998; Kleinaman, Fabrega, & Parrone, 1996; Lin, Tseng & Yeh, 1995). The views of modern technological societies who dominated the world are aware of their economic and political power. Although, in recent years as ethnic and racial minorities and non-westerners cultural members have become more prominent in numbers and influence among mental health professions and sciences, these bias inherent in our past, has become widely known and criticized (Chakraborty,1991; Lin, 1995; Misra,1996). In time much of the services towards different cultural differences has been change to adapt to ones particular culture that they are providing therapeutic service too. The American Psychological Association (1992) adopted guidelines for psychologists working with patients from different ethnocultural groups. The guidelines are clear in their explanation that a psychologist should refrain from working with people from different ethnocultural traditions if the psychologist has no knowledge, experience, or training with the group. The guidelines were enacted when evidence was found out that there was bias in their Code of Ethics and that many minority patients were being inaccurately diagnosed and inappropriately treated (Pedersen & Marsella, 1982). According to McGoldrick and Giordan, (1996) they feel that the therapist’s job is first to identify the client’s presenting problems as the client themselves define them, and to help their client increase their flexibility to adapt to America’s multicultural society. In multicultural literature, it has been implied that clinicians and counselors be cognizant of how being a racial or ethnic

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minority in the United States has influenced the psychosocial development of minority groups (Jackson, 1987). Many models of multicultural psychology share the assumption that minority groups develop modal personality patterns in response to white racism (Helms, 1987, p. 241) Clinicians are expected to be knowledgeable in regards to the sociopolitical forces that have affected the minority client and to be comfortable with differences that exist between themselves and therapist (Sue & Sue, 1990 p. 160-167). Although , the majority of therapists and graduate students in clinical and counseling program are white, there is usually a respectable percentage of minorities who will eventually work with client’s that they will have to provide services that ethnicities differ from their own (Russo, Olmedo, Stapp, & Fulcher, 1981). Ethnic prejudice exists throughout the world and throughout history (Ponterotto & Pedersen, 1993). Some multicultural authors ( Corvin & Wiggins, 1989; Sue, 1993)demand openly for white therapists to acknowledge and resolve their ethnic prejudices in order to better serve non-white clients, yet minority

therapists are left unchallenged to confront their prejudices that can equally jeopardize the quality of services they provide to white Continued on Page 21

Behind The

Sky Magdalin, PhD

By: Betty Sauser Miramar Community College

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hen given this assignment to interview a person for a position in a job that I would be interested in, my thought went from left to right. I thought about doing it on a multi level marketing company, but when thinking about what I would like to do with my life the thought of helping other people like me accomplish their dreams was what appealed to me. Dr. Magdalin is an adjunct professor at Alliant International University. She works a full time career as a pharmaceutical representative and uses her extra time helping students just like me realize their dreams and strive towards them. My objective for this report is to obtain the knowledge of what I need to do to teach undergraduate students in business management concentrations. While working at a full time career doing what I love the most, business management and encouraging

Series

Professor

eyes she praised me for being brave enough to ask the hardest question of all, Help? Dr. Magdalin brings 40 years of life’s experiences to the classroom every night she teaches her students. I have talked with them individually and heard of how she makes them at ease and wanting to know more. When I questioned her on why she wanted to become a professor her simple statement, which spoke volumes to me was that she just wanted to “Pay it forward.” When I was puzzled she simply said that she wanted to be a part of making other women around her successful and give them the opportunity she worked so hard to have. She went to school and graduated with a Bachelors Degree; wanting to be an attorney she researched what she could do to help battered women and children. Her inquires lead her to a battered women sheltered, there she asked, “What can I do to help? I want to be an attorney. How can I accomplish

community college level usually a Bachelors will do, a masters is better, college level a masters will be good. Yet at the University level, a Doctorate is recommended for the finer schools across the US. At Alliant you can not teach upper level graduate courses with out a Doctorate degree. You can teach lower level graduate course with a Master’s degree, but only if your concentration or major is in that particular field. When asked if there was any advice Dr. Magdalin had for me that would help me in my quest to complete my degree and become a part time professor her comments were, “Be sure to evaluate the value of this quest and goal. If you were to be told you would possibly die in six months, is this how you would want to spend your last months of your life? If the answer is “no”, you may want to evaluate this goal.” When I asked her the basis behind her comment, she told me of a really dear friend of hers that lost her

“Be sure to evaluate the value of this quest and goal. If you were to be told you would possibly die in six months, is this how you would want to spend your last months of your life?” students to reach their dreams. I choose Dr. Magdalin because of her resilience, the love and passion that she has for teaching and improving lives, and because she is a survivor of many trials in life. No matter what those trials were she was strong and pushed forward. Finding the right person for my interview was difficult; I could have had my choice of any core faculty member on campus. I wanted the right person, the one that was holding the dreams that I some day hope to hold. Scheduling the time with Dr. Magdalin was difficult due to her career and teaching schedule. I tried email, telephone, an in person meeting before her scheduled courses. On a Friday night in a baseball field at a Carlsbad park, we sat eating fine cheeses, having sparkling wine, and sharing the challenges and rewards to teaching. The challenge of having the right questions to ask was an event on it’s own. I had a list of some basic questions which I thought were pretty good at the time, but when she answered them in less than 60 seconds I knew I was in trouble. Not knowing what else to say or ask, and with the feeling that I did not have enough information to complete my assignment I acted on desperation. I asked her for her help and advice of what other information she felt I needed to complete my assignment. With a surprised look in her

that and help.” She was told that what they needed were judges. She was shortly invited to a Master’s in Business Degree program. After she accomplished her MBA she decided that the best way she could help her fellow women was to move forward and complete her Doctorate degree in Marketing. This is how she came to Alliant International University. Her sole drive behind completing her DBA was to be a role model because if she could accomplish her degree and dreams so could other women. Degrees and dreams have no age limits; barriers and obstacles can be over come, and if you want it, then go get it because the rewards are wonderful. She did not graduate from high school, this lead her to over compensate for that, she holds a DBA, only one percent of the population hold this, the highest degree possible. She is quite accomplished in what she does, her students are her little eaglet and she is mother eagle, guiding them to success. This is what I want to be, a supporter, a role model, someone whois accomplished. Dr. Magdalin believes that your qualifications for becoming a professor are minimal. Depending on the level of school you want to teach in, University, College, or Community College. Political connections help you at all levels. You have to have a Doctorate, Master, or Bachelors. It will all depend on where you want to teach. At a

husband to cancer. She didn’t know what to do with her life, so in her 40’s she returned to school to become a nurse. She was accepted into the country’s top nursing school. She had an injury that put her back and then a heart attack, but no matter what she never gave up. She was just about to graduate when something wasn’t right and she went to the doctors. She got the news that she had colon cancer, the silent killer as it is known. She had to have surgery three weeks before school ended, a straight A student slated to be valedictorian of her class. She spoke to her professors; two professors understood and graduated her with A’s. The two other professors didn’t and they were going to fail her but after protest from other students they did give her a C and D for the courses. She graduated with her nursing degree and with chemotherapy she lived nine months then passed on. Dr. Magdalin’s friend was her inspiration. My inspiration is that I have a network of supporters from family and colleagues encouraging me to press forward. I have worked on this degree for twenty years now and have no intentions of stopping until I get there. I have chosen my career path because I enjoy working with people, students, and young adults as an Executive Administrator. I am now choosing my next part time adventure to become a professor and make a difference in their lives. The Envoy March 2009

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Feature

Professional Skill Building In Your ‘Backyard’

By: Becky Jacques CSPP/MGSM, San Diego

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hen I graduated with my Bachelor’s degree in psychology, I was determined to change the world. I sought out employment at various social service agencies and nonprofits, as well as research positions in corporate America. While I was invited in for many interviews, I struggled to find a job. What was the problem? I had a degree from a highly reputable college with a strong academic program. Why wouldn’t anyone hire me? The answer was simple: no experience.

As an undergrad I worked part-time jobs and participated in sports, but wasn’t forward thinking enough to start building professional skills related to my career goals. Eventually, in my post-graduate job search I found a position with a fantastic nonprofit organization. However, it was my experience as a competitive swimmer and summer swim instructor that led to my employment working in childcare and aquatics. My college degree and performance on the job helped my rapid promotion at this organization, but it was my previous work experience that got me the job in the first place. Now, as a graduate student at Alliant, I’m doing things a little differently. I’m considering what opportunities I need to seek out in order to gain the skills needed to meet my new career goals. Alliant offers numerous skill-gaining experiences as required components of the academic programs, but it also offers many optional experiences where student can gain valuable, marketable, professional skills--opportunities right here on Alliant campuses. 1) Student Government (local and system-

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wide). Every Alliant campus has a local Student Government Association (SGA) that offers opportunities for service to the students on the individual campuses. In addition, Alliant also has a System-wide Student Government (SSGA) with an elected Executive Committee. The Chairs of the local SGAs also serve as members of the SSGA and have the opportunity to work together on system-wide issues and events. Being involved in student government allows the students to gain inside knowledge of Alliant’s administration and operations. Marketable skills: leadership development, work motivation, fiscal management, event coordination, student advocacy, problem solving, recruitment and marketing, interdepartmental communication, change management, policy and systems development. 2) Work Study Jobs. There are various opportunities on many of the campuses to work in administration or departmental offices including admissions, financial aid, student life, the library, career services, professional training and field placement offices, and academic program offices. Besides specific skills, students acquire knowledge on the details of operations within the area they are working in (ex. financial aid process; admissions procedures). There are also campus jobs as research and teaching assistants within specific academic programs. Marketable skills: administrative and bookkeeping proficiencies, customer service, creative problem solving, delegation, time management, computer and technology skills, instructing/tutoring, research and analytical skills. 3) On Campus Internships. Some campuses offer internships to students to help with professional projects or events. In San Diego the Office of Student Life offers an internship to two students every year for coordination of the annual Leadership Conference. These

interns develop and coordinate the conference from start to finish. Also, in San Diego and Los Angeles, the Organizational Consulting Center offers internships to Consulting and I/O graduate students. Also, the Center often seeks help from other students (non-interns) on various consulting projects. Similar opportunities to gain hands-on professional experience may exist on other campuses. If your campus does not offer internships and you see a need, then advocate for one. You may be able to develop valuable organizational development skills by creating a proposal for an internship position. Marketable skills: advocacy, organizational development, project management and coordination, leadership, communication, among other skills depending on the internship position. 4) The Envoy Magazine. This student led publication is gaining momentum and always looking for student involvement. While the publication is based in San Diego, it is distributed to all Alliant campuses. Writers and editors from all campuses are encouraged as it provides a well rounded student perspective. This is a great way for students to gain publication credits and to develop editing skills that can be applied to your credentials when seeking positions as peer reviewers for professional journals. Marketable skills: journalism and research competencies, editing, magazine layout and graphic design, photography, writing proficiency, creative writing, marketing, fundraising and sales. 5) Task Force or Change Management Committee. Alliant often seeks student participation on task forces and projects created to identify specific University needs or to help produce change. Ongoing initiatives include: campus sustainability, diversity, international relations, student satisfaction, university scholarship programs, and APA site visits. Previous initiatives have also included the San Diego Cornerstone/ Scripps Ranch merger and the Mexico City campus relocation. Continued on Page 21

Feature

An Age-Old Question:

Do You Love What You Do?

By: Dr. Marshall Goldsmith

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ong one of my heroes, Dr. Warren Bennis is a distinguished professor and founding chairman of the Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California and a visiting professor at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School. His leadership books have sold more than a million copies. Along with being one of the greatest teachers and writers in our field, he is also a good guy. At various stages in my career, he has taken the time to give me words of recognition, support, and encouragement. His consideration has meant a lot to me. Besides being successful and brilliant, he’s thoughtful. These words don’t always go together. The other day, Warren and I were speaking to a group of educators from many of the top MBA programs. As Dr. Bennis was discussing his latest views on leadership, he decided to "take a detour." He began to ponder his own journey through life and the lessons he'd learned. He openly reflected upon his personal struggles -- not as a teacher of leadership but as a practitioner of leadership -- when he was the president of the University of Cincinnati. His voice noticeably quavered as he recalled one of the most important moments in his career. As he was speaking to a university audience in his presidential role, one of his friends in the room unexpectedly asked: "Do you love what you do?" A long, awkward silence filled the room as he pondered the question. As a president, he searched for the right answer, but as a human, he wanted the real answer. Finally, in a quiet voice, he replied, "I don't know." That revelation plunged Warren into deep reflection. It dramatically altered his path through life. He had always thought that he wanted to be the president of a university. It had not dawned on him that after he got there he might not actually enjoy the life of a

university president. Do you love what you do? This may be the seminal question of our age. In yesterday's world, where professionals worked 40 hours a week and took four weeks of vacation, this question was important, but not nearly as important as it is today. I remember visiting, in the early 1980s, the corporate headquarters of one of the world's most successful companies at 5 p.m. There was almost no one there. You could fire a cannonball down the hall and not hit anyone. Those days are gone. It was much easier to find meaning and satisfaction in activities outside of work when we were under a lot less pressure and worked far fewer hours. Not only did people have more time, they weren't as tired. Almost all of the professionals I work with are busier today than they ever have been in their lives, working 60 to 80 hours a week. They feel under more pressure than ever. Cell phones, PDAs, and emails forever tether us to our work, whether we like it or not. Put it all together and -- if you don't love what you do -- it can be a kind of newage professional hell. We can be wasting our lives waiting for a break that never comes. Life is too short. It's not worth it. In the new world, we don't have to love everything that we do, but we need to find happiness and meaning in most of our professional work. One of my coaching clients, Vicky, has a mind that races at about 1,000 miles an hour. She's extremely

creative and entrepreneurial. Vicky was working as a division president in a large, somewhat conservative company. The people who hired her believed that they wanted someone who would "rock the boat" and "make waves." Once they began to experience "waves" and "boat rocking" though, they decided that this might not be such a great idea after all! Although I was hired to help her fit in with the existing culture, it was just a bad match. She was becoming frustrated with her life and was frustrating many of the executives who were running the firm. Summing it up in one sentence, she groaned, "I feel like a racy sports car that's being asked to act like a Ford pickup truck!" As her coach, my advice was simple: "Leave." She had beaten me to the punch, replying, "I just did!" There's nothing wrong with Vicky. There's nothing wrong with her company. She just didn't belong there. When she asked herself, "Do I love what I do?" her answer was a clear no. Vicky's time off for reflection after leaving her job didn't last long. She's playing a key role in an entrepreneurial startup, she's on two boards of nonprofits doing a lot of good things for her community, and most important, she's having a lot of fun. As for Warren Bennis, he's of course having fun too. It's scary to think what we all would have lost without his moment of reflection. Dr. Marshall Goldsmith's 24 books include "What Got You Here Won't Get You There" - a New York Times best-seller, Wall Street Journal #1 business book and Harold Longman Award winner for Business Book of the Year. His latest book "Succession: Are You Ready?" - is the newest edition to the Harvard Business 'Memo to the CEO' series. His personal website, www.MarshallGoldsmithLibrary.com, contains hundreds of his articles and videos.

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Insights

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A Lifetime Experience By: Jeanne Bautier and Erica Nogueira



ur capstone project was a priceless experience but wow, where do we begin to describe it? Let’s start with a little overview for those of you who don’t know what a capstone is. A capstone project is senior level class in which groups of students work for real-life clients and are completely responsible for the planning and development of a Marketing Public Relations campaign. Students must plan all meetings with and all presentations to the client, and determine their needs. From there the group must do the necessary market research to resolve the client’s problem, and then develop a comprehensive campaign. Our group had four students, all female, with ages ranging from the early twenties to sixties, all from completely

different backgrounds and countries, and oh, not to forget all of the different personality types. This set us up for a true real-world experience because when it comes to your job, you cannot choose who your co-workers are. With all that diversity in one group you can only imagine the pros and the cons, the frustration and the fun. On the pro side, having such a diversified group we were never at a loss for good, original ideas and good, although sometimes intense, debates over those ideas. Each group member eventually found their specific talent and we complemented each other well, which made us a productive group. If only we had started there…it took us awhile, but like every life experience, it takes time to adapt. Once we learned to deal with the cultural and personality differences, the entire project became easier and turned out better than we could have ever hoped.

The cons of the project were there, but as we look back on them they were actually really positive learning experiences that were and still are incredibly valuable lessons. If anything, we can leave you with some advice: Always listen to your client’s needs. Be patient…..very, very patient. Make sure you know who your group members are and the personalities you are dealing with. It will help you to adapt faster. Quality research is invaluable. Keep an open mind and be willing to compromise. (Does it remind you of your special someone?) And, yes we know it’s cliché but, Don’t Give Up! Yes We Can!

Truthfully Speaking By: Chenyka Ramos

We have a Dream, that dream is Obama. elcome b a c k Alliant!

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First and foremost let me congratulate all of you for getting through a tiresome fall semester. With the spring semester now having begun, it is my hope that we will all be able to overcome this country’s dwindling economy and embrace the new changes in the White House. There was no better time than Black History month (February) to celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama. President Obama, no words can express how wonderful it is to finally be able to call Barack Obama the president of The United States. It is likely that many of you will automatically assume that these feelings stem from the undeniable fact that we have a our first African American President; however, my sense of pride stems from multiple factors. While ethnicity had an impact on the joy Americans and citizens across the globe felt during the inaugural celebration, there was much more to take pride in besides having a black president. The U.S. has an intelligent man running the country. Obama’s eloquent style and manner only add to his influential capabilities. President Obama’s most powerful aspect in his campaign was the fact

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that he rarely spoke about race. Despite what many had anticipated, President Obama did not use race to gain a lead on his opponent McCain, instead he let Americans decide who they would vote for based on equality. Using the race card (in my opinion), while easy and accessible would not have granted such intensity and respect towards our new president. Therefore, not only do we have an intelligent commander in chief, but also an African-American who beat the odds to enter the White House. Many have said, “So what, we have a black president, what’s the big deal?” While it’s hard to believe it, I have actually heard Americans utter these words. To them I reply these words: Obama represents something African-Americans and minorities had long hoped for and what many of us thought we would never witness in our lifetime … equal opportunity. The 2008 election marked a place in history when Americans acknowledged their readiness for change. Yes, color has a lot to do with it; Americans are ready to see someone in office who looks like them. The reality is that America has become more blended with each day. With more multiracial families populating the nation, we need to have a leader who not only looks more like us but can relate to our needs and concerns. Obama’s rise to the presidency symobilizes a generational shift in thinking and a deeper transformation for voters. This election by far brought more young voters to

the polls because these voters have seen the hardships of their grandparents and parents and are and ready to take a stand for their futures. For black voters it was a chance to support a man who had not only been brave by competing against all white contenders, but also by remaining true to himself and the issues of his minority supporters. The country had begun a transformation from ‘land of the free’ to ‘land of the equal’; (there have been many generations of freedom; although, many have remained unequal). A black man in the oval office means a new beginning on the journey of true equality. While Black History month celebrated the great accomplishments of President Obama, it cannot be forgotten how others paved the way for his triumph. Other African-Americans who have had great influence on black history include Frederick Douglas, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr., (to name a few). Although they did not live in a world where someone like Obama could become president, they changed the course of American society and did not struggle in vain. The dream of racial equality continues to inspire future generations of Americans who believe in the power of change which only they can bring.

Continuations

Marketable skills: team building, collaboration, change management, project management and implementation, policy development, volunteer recruitment, student advocacy, and quality control. These are five examples of ways students can gain valuable, marketable, professional skills on Alliant campuses as they prepare to enter the job market. It is important, especially in this increasingly competitive job market, for students to gain and to strengthen their professional skills to their maximum potential if they want to succeed. What better place to start developing these skills than right now in our own academic backyard? The greater the time we invest in developing skills relevant to our career goals, the more marketable we will be to a prospective employer. To become involved in any of these activities discussed above, contact your local SGA, Student Life or Student Activities office, or your Program Director for more information on the specific opportunities on your campus. If you are not sure where to start seeking, then ask me and maybe I can point you in the right direction: [email protected].

U.S.A vs. Kingdom of Spain Continued/Continuation pg 4

police forces. Consumption is also strong in America as credit card culture, whereas we don’t use credit cards that much. Americans also became independent really soon; usually Spaniards become independent by the age of 26 or later. The last thing is the “love” Americans have for their careers; Spaniards don’t work that much but we admire Americans for that quality. así como el gasto que los americanos hacen inconscientemente con las tarjetas de crédito. Y como no, se puede decir que los españoles tardamos un poco más en independizarnos de nuestros padres; el “amor” que los americanos veneran por su trabajo es algo también a contrastar.

A Day at Justice Hall: Judge Mary Morgan’s Behavioral Health Court Continued/Continuation pg 11

According to Judge Morgan, most victims are supportive of the program. They usually respond that they are happy that the court is working toward the perpetrator’s rehabilitation to ensure that others aren’t victimized the way they were.

There was a maternal quality to the way she praised their accomplishments with a kind and nurturing affect. Many participants openly shared recent events in their lives and thanked the judge for her help. One woman, when called to the podium, handed the DA a package wrapped in foil. The DA relayed the package to Judge Morgan. The defendant explained it was homemade honey-buttered corn bread she made specifically for the judge. Judge Morgan’s eyes lit up as she thanked the woman.

Court Convenes At 2pm, court at Department 15 convened. Before Judge Morgan entered the courtroom there was murmuring chatter. It was clear that many of the defendants knew one another. The two women sitting in the front row smiled at each other when the judge entered the room. Judge Morgan started with the Honor Roll. Each Honor Roll member was called in turn and congratulated on their accomplishments. Congratulations were followed by applause throughout the courtroom. These are choreographed moments, designed to build each participant’s self-esteem. As Judge Morgan explained, “Many of the participants have never experienced any positive attention from people.” But it’s not all candy and kisses. Judge Morgan can also be stern. During case conference the team discussed how it is necessary to use very simple, concrete language with many of the participants. The judge even advised the participants’ public defenders how to speak to their clients. In the courtroom, she exemplified the speaking style. When speaking with participants who were at risk of noncompliance, she spoke very deliberately without compromise. Several times, I heard the following statement, “If you do not comply with your treatment plan, you cannot be in behavioral court, which means you go back into the criminal system. That means you go back into custody. Do you understand?” The pace was rapid. Most cases were heard in a matter of minutes and many of the defendants were told to come back in a week for another check-in. Judge Morgan offered encouragement and positive reinforcement to the ABHC participants.

Multi Culture PART 1

Continued/Continuation pg 14

clients and to dissimilar minority clients. Besides therapist knowledge of other cultural values, it is imperative that an effective therapist have the following qualities: conduct a sound clinical interview, be an empathic listener, have on nonjudgmental attitude, sensitive intervention, non-directiveness that is equally applicable to cross cultural setting. The particular culture that is different than mine is the Latino culture, and by studying and researching their cultural identity has help me to incorporate an awareness and sensitivity in providing effective treatment . According to U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1990 it is projected by 2010 Latinos will account for 42% of our country’s new population growth. Therefore, culture appropriateness appears to be a relevant topic. Look for part 2 of this article in the May Issue.

The Envoy March 2009

envoy.alliant.edu

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Alliant International University 2009 Study Tour July 22 – August 4, 2009

Intrigue and Romance:

Morocco – Spain – France Come join us on this exciting excursion! Trip cost includes airfare, hotel, ground and sea transportation, breakfast each morning, hotel transfers and taxes*. Cost is $3736.00 per person (based on double occupancy). To reserve your space on this trip and/or for a complete trip itinerary, contact Dr. Herbert Baker ([email protected]; 858-635-4412). Trip cost does not include tuition if taken for course credit. *Tax amount may increase slightly based on airline.