OWWR: Old Westbury Web Radio

Under 18 And Having A Baby

by Zymia Lewis

What is it really like to have a child at such a young age? Is it different for the mother than it is for the father? This podcast explores these issues with a young woman who had a child at the age of 17 and a young man, who fathered a child at the age of 16. Many young men face the problem of not being with their "baby mother" but want to be a part of their child's life. Regardless, both men and women are truly affected by having a baby at a young age. For help or information, the National Institutes of Health is a good place to start.                      

Download Untitled.mp3

photo:

www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu                              

Studying Abroad May Be Closer Than You Think

by Grace Sabale

     Imagine learning near the Great Wall of China or along  the River Thames in England. An exciting learning experience for sure, and for many college students, it's reality.  For those who have taken advantage of the study abroad program through Old Westbury, the experience has had a positive impact on their academic, professional, and personal lives.  The program offers participants the chance to live and explore foreign lands and to interact with its people and cultures.  The student also develops a sense of independence, learning to adapt to new surroundings and situations.  Other benefits include the potential to learn or improve foreign language skills and to make new friends. Students become more marketable in  the work environment as well because they gain the skills that a prospective employer will be looking for.

    By traveling to a foreign country, study abroad students see the world from a different perspective.  In turn, the student will gain a greater tolerance for the dfiferences in all of us. Those interested in studying abroad can get more information from The Office of International Education at Suny Old Westbury.

Here is a picture and audio clip of one of the students who is studying at Old Westbury as a study abroad participant. She is from China.
study abroad_experience.WMA

9 Year Anniversary of Matthew Shepard's Death

by Jackie Waite            

Mathew Shepard would have turned thirty-one years old on December 1^{st .}

He never made it to his 22nd birthday.

He died on October 12^th 1998, the victim of a vicious murder that many believe was committed because Mathew was gay.

On the night of October 7^th 1998, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson took Matthew to a deserted area in Laramie, Wyoming. They tied Matthew to a spiked rail fence and savagely beat him. McKinney and Henderson left Matthew tied to the fence to die.  The beating was so horrific that a passerby who found Shepard 18 hours later, told police he thought it was a scarecrow tied to the fence. Because of the nature of the murder, it was prosecuted as a hate crime, something McKinney later denied in a TV interview.

Matthew succumbed to his injuries at 12:53am on October 12^th 1998. His family and friends were by his side. McKinney and Henderson were convicted and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

There have been three movies based on Matthew Shepard- “The Laramie Project,” “The Matthew Shepard Project,” and “Anatomy of a Hate Crime.” Both “The Laramie Project” and “The Matthew Shepard Project” have won numerous awards.

On March 20^th 2007, Congress passed a new act called ‘'The Mathew Shepard Act'. According to ABC News, the legislation gives the federal government more leeway to investigate and prosecute hate crimes and increase federal jurisdiction on such crimes. More importantly, it would expand the groups protected under current law to include such categories as disability, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Farewell Class of 2008

This is a formal event and it is not limited to seniors only. It will be an enjoyable night of dinner, dancing and a night to remember. Bring out your best dresses and suits. The tickets are $15 for couples and $10 per person.  The Winter ball will be held at the multipurpose room on Sunday, December 2,2007 from 7:00pm-11:00pm.  For more info contact Tiffany M. ext. 1531 or Tiffany T. ext.1321

Sources: www.facebook.com keyword party-holiday party 

Let Out a Little Anger with Paintball!!!!!

Sophmore Class presents.....Paintball !!!!!

Sign up begins on November 1st thorugh the 7th.

Cost for students from Old Westbury, Briarcliff and NYIT is $10 and $15 for off campus guest (I.D. must be provided)

Sign-ups will be held in the SGA office between the following items:

Monday & Wednesday: Common Hour, 5pm-8pm   Tuesday & Thursday:12pm to 6pm

For further information please contact via email [email protected] or campus line 516-479-1126.

Date of Event: November 17,2007

Time of Event:2-5pm

Time Bus Leaves: 12:30pm

 

Blackout screening Dec.4 at Recital Hall

Blackout is a fiction film that takes place in the summer of 2003 when New york experience a massive power outage.  The blackout was a widely reported a peaceful. But in Brooklyn's forgotten East Flatbush neighborhood, mayhem unfolded. The film is the untold story of the blackout, but as night fell, looters, emerged, violence and residents feared for their lives. The film stars Melvin Van Peebles, Robert Tate Bricles (OW Student) and Jeffrey Wright.

The Producers, Debra Tate and Andrea Holmes Thompkins Have agreed to be at the Screening of Blackout at 6:30pm.Tuesday, December 4th at the Recital Hall. They will be joined in the panel discussion by Jerry LaMothe,the director; Omar Scroggins, an actor; and George J. Fontenette, the composer. Robbie Tate-Brickle will also be present. The film has played in the Soho Film festival and several others.  It's a major accomplishment.  A main character is our own student Robert Tate Brickle.

Help Take The Chill Out Of Winter

By David Imondi

There are a lot of people out there in the world who like to give back and help out those in need. Fortunately, there are a number of people right here at Old Westbury who feel the same way.

The Winter Wear Drive asks for folks to donate clothes and other items which help and make a difference. The director of the drive, Saima Anjam, is one of the major forces behind the drive, "We get such amazing responses whenever we do a drive," We see more volunteers and involvement with every semester that passes," she said.

Anjam has been at Suny Old Westbury for about a year and a half and said that the response to everything they've done has been great, "We tend to do a drive every semester and things have only been getting better."  In her first semester, they had 3 car loads of clothes to donate and it has only increased since then.

This drive, along with all of the others, is run through the NYPIRG State Orginization. They have chapters on 21 campuses. In the past, they've also run food drives, peanut butter and jelly drives, poetry drives, and sleep outs for the hunger and homeless.

When asked if there was anything that people can do to help, Ms. Anjam said " It would really nice if we could get more donations." The Winter Wear Drive will begin right after Thanksgiving and go up to December 12th so there is plenty of time to donate.

Items can be dropped off at these locations: Student Union rooms 301-B, 301-J, 331; Residential Hall Building 4 room 106.

First-Year Experience

by Grace Sabale

     The First Year Experience Program at Old Westbury offers a First-Year Seminar course that is linked to a Community Service Engagement internship Program. Tonya Thomas is in charge of helping students who are taking the first year seminar course and choosing an internship.  A few of these internships are offered at Winthrop University Hospital. Students at Winthrop will participate in the Reach Out and Read Program.  They will read story books to children between 1to 5 years of age, while they are waiting to be seen by a physician.  The program is designed to foster an interest in reading and to enhance their cognitive and reading skills.  Other internships included in the program are Acorn, NYPIRG, and on- campus community service.  Last semester, several students participated in helping with the Katrina Disaster in New Orleans as part of the community engagement program.  The community engagement internship program is a rewarding experience. Students help their assigned community by filling specific needs and interacting with professionals in a work environment.  By establishing good relationships and contacts, interns can tap the resource for future jobs and job referrals.  The program experience helps build confidence, set future goals, establish new friendships, manage time better, establish identity of purpose, and become more mature and independent.  Upon completion of the internship program, First-Year Experience and the Community hold a fair. Most of the directors and staff members of the internship sites are invited to attend, to view all the posters students have created (the posters consist of pictures of what they have done,information about the company, and their overall experiences at their internships).  They present guest speakers, and food and beverages are offered. 

The First-Year Experience Program also focuses on making sure students succeed academically and become adjusted to their first year of college.  The office is located on the third floor of the Student Union building in room 313.  The Interim director of the program is Dr. Laura Anker. She can be reached by phone at 516 876-3460 or by e-mail at [email protected].  The office has a reception area from 9-5p.m. for students to stop by and ask questions.   

All first year students will be involved in a learning community.  The first year seminar course will be linked to an internship and a course on a related topic.  The topics will be on career planning, time management, note taking, reading articles in The New York Times and group discussions on these articles.  Each student will also be asked to give their analysis of a selected academic topic. 

The First-Year Experience Program will offer special events through out the year.  Some of these events include: workshops, dances, contests, field trips, film festivals, and lunches.  It also offers three clubs; The First-Year Community Service Club, Fresh-Prep, and The First-Year Honor Society. 

Old Westbury student, Rosemary, participated in the Community Civic Engagement Program last semester and said it was a great learning experience.  She took the First-Year Seminar course and she completed an internship at Winthrop Hospital, in the Reach Out and Read Program.  You can hear from Rosemary directly by clicking on the link: My first year experience-WS_30040.WMA

Civil Rights or Civil Wrongs

Come and Join Civil Rights Activist and Lawyer C. Vernon Mason, "50 Shot" Survivor Joseph Guzman and The Widow of Sean Bell, Ms. Nicole Paultre-Bell as we discuss the nature and direction of Civil Rights in our country. On Monday, December 3,2007 from 8:00pm-11:00pm at the Recital Hall, Campus Center.

For more information please call 516-479-1408 or email at [email protected].

Red White and Blue Day

JOIN SGA on Thursday, November 29th to represent american culture and display why our country is one big melting pot. T-SHIRT GIVEAWAYS ALL DAY and VIDEO COVERAGE ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AMERICAN.

CONTACT SGA OR AFRICAN STUDENT UNION ABOUT ANY EVENTS DURING CULTURE SHOCK WEEK!