The Snapper: Millersville University » summer

One Book, One Campus discusses the freshman reading process

Webmaster Kris Gundel — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 16:18:52 +0000

Millersville students have all been subject to some sort of summer reading book prior to starting freshman
year. Whether it was Ishmael, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, or, most recently, Einstein’s Dreams, The Common Reading Program has inched its way into students’ lives. The Common Reading Program is an organization which selects the book that the incoming class is assigned to read. These books are very carefully chosen. “The Common Reading Program is intended to create community and university community as a whole”, said Dr. Caleb Corkery, assistant chair of the English Department.

There are several ways that The Common Reading Program branches out on our campus, such as through the different academic departments, campus life, themes, and programming. It makes sense that the Administration is thinking about changing the name of this program to “One Book, One Campus”, because its purpose is to bring everyone together. For the time being, the name change is still under discussion.

How are these books chosen? Every year the board discusses possible books that could qualify as a summer reading selection. The process takes a very long time before everyone comes to an agreement, because there are so many campus-wide factors that
affect this decision.

The freshman class of 2014 was assigned Einstein’s Dreams, a book that correlates with the science majors on campus. Its overall theme is connecting through time, past and future. The book is about experiences and how people connect throughout the reality between times.

This book was definitely a great choice for the freshman class because it directly relates to the experiences that these students will have on campus. Einstein’s Dreams is not set up like a regular book; it is actually broken up into several short stories, so do not get too attached! Even Dr. Corkery had a difficult time getting a handle on the book because it was very abstract and the plot line was a bit jumpy.

So, the next time you think of your summer reading book as just summer reading, think again.

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Summer charity benefits us all

Tyler Staley — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:30:54 +0000

As summer approaches, some of us look forward to relaxing with four months of beach fun and late night barbeque’s. Other people, such as myself, have a full-time job to look forward to in order to pay for school the next semester. In either case, you will more than likely experience some down time in which you might get bored, or just feel like doing something different. Charity work is a great outlet for these urges, and Pedals for Progress (P4P) is a great association to work with.

Pedals for Progress was founded on the idea of taking unwanted bicycles, fixing them up, and sending them to developing countries in order to promote economic growth. By supplying bicycles to poor and developing areas, P4P hopes to stimulate economic growth by allowing the bikes to be used as tools. The bikes can become food haulers, taxies, farm tools, or transportation for jobs far away. This charity has seen great results, hence P4P’s growing program that is receiving more bikes every day.

The bicycles also allow for doctors to visit places where automobiles cannot go, making the bikes an invaluable tool for hospitals. P4P is a wonderful organization to work with (the company I work for over the summer has a program set up with P4P) and the reward is great in the end. P4P.org supplies all the information needed to set up a bike collection group with them; all you have to do is ask them before you start collecting – that way they can plan accordingly.

The best thing about P4P is that it takes the numerous unwanted and discarded bikes laying around, fixes them, and makes them useful to someone else. On top of that, there is one less thing being tossed into a landfill that could otherwise be saved. I encourage you to check out P4P and see if there is a group in your area. Whether you are bored, want to help, or simply love charity work, P4P is definitely worth checking out.

Here is wishing everyone a safe and happy summer. See you next semester!

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Sieze the Opportunity This Summer

Ashley Keefer — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:39:37 +0000

The summer always seems so far away. It is hard to think that, despite the mounding snow on campus, summer is a mere three months away.

College students generally spend their summers in one of four ways. For some, the summer is full of relaxation and fun in the sun. Then, there are the students who use the summer months to work and save money. For others, there is the opportunity to continue their education. And as always, some college students use their summer time as an opportunity to travel.

Millersville University is offering a wide variety of classes and travel opportunities for students this summer. The summer is perfect for taking a class or two, whether you chose to take a class on campus, at a different university, or through an affiliated program, such as the Marine Science Consortium in Virginia. You can also opt to take your summer classes in a foreign country. It is a little more costly, but the experience is incredible!

It may only be February, but it is never too early to start planning for your summer. Registration for certain courses is coming up soon. Even though other registrations may be later in the semester, you may want to consider saving your money now in order to pay for courses, or cover additional costs that you may encounter in a study abroad experience, for example.

This week, we are taking a look into various courses and programs offered for college students this summer. Summer is the perfect time to seize unique opportunities.

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Summer School Two Words Not as Dreadful as They Once Were

Emily Mace — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:48:03 +0000

For many students, taking summer courses is a great way to obtain credits. Summer classes at Millersville are offered in three sessions. Each session is treated as a different term. The duration of each session varies. Millersville offers four, five, nine, and ten week sessions. The University recommends a student take no more than two classes in one session.

Not all classes are offered during the summer sessions. The Registrar’s website contains a bulletin with all the classes available. Academic advisors can be helpful in deciding which course(s) to take during a summer session. Classes are held Monday through Friday, Monday through Thursday, Monday through Wednesday, Tuesday and Thursday, and one night a week; depending on which session a student enters.

Some summer courses are also offered online, which is helpful for students who cannot be on campus. Information about online courses is available at http://www.millersville.edu/gps/distancelearning/courses. Not all of the courses are available online.

Housing is available on campus during the summer sessions. On-campus living information is available at the Housing Office in Harbold Hall.The Summer Session One web schedule is now available for viewing online at http://www.millersville.edu/registrar. Having the schedule available online now is a good way to see which classes you may be interested in taking. Registration for Summer Session One begins March 30.

Financial aid is available to students during the summer sessions. The deadline to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is March 15. This form can be completed at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Millersville University Summer Financial Aid Request Form will be available online to be completed March 1. It is extremely important to pay attention to deadlines for financial aid. Failure to do so may result in having to pay without financial assistance.

Taking summer courses at Millersville is a great way to catch up on credits and even accelerate your expected graduation date. Students interested in taking summer courses should speak to their academic advisors.

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