Newsletter for September 29th, 2009
Quote of the Day
Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.
-- William Butler Yeats
Help Center Announcements
Save the Dates:
PASS Group (Parents as Student Support Group)
Pass meets on a weekly basis on Wednesdays from 12-2pm in Appleby Hall, Room 24. The group allows students to get to know other student parents, share the joys and frustrations of academics, learn about others’ experiences with parenting, and enjoy a FREE lunch with your SPHC peers.
PASS discussions are determined primarily by you, the student parents. If you have questions, concerns, or ideas, you can share them openly with your friends at SPHC. By sharing your personal struggles and successes, you are helping others who may be experiencing similar situations. We hope that you can join us on a regular basis. You can come for part, or all of group, whatever your schedule allows. (Little ones are welcome!!!) What is ahead in PASS:
September 30th, 2009: Group will continue with community building, choosing topics for future groups, and will review any important issues raised during the last group. Lunch will feature Lasagna.
October 7th, 2009: Group schedule includes check-in, community building time, and open discussion. Lunch menu to be determined.
Note: Please know that the SPHC staff does not want student parents to skip class in order to attend the weekly group meetings. Academics are considered student parent’s priority at the U. If there is a specific topic you are interested in and you are unable to attend group, please inform a staff member and we will be happy to provide information to you afterwards.
If you have suggestions for a specific topic or program, contact Jerri Clark Wagner, or Elise Niedermeier at sphc@umn.edu.
Please remember that the center is closed during group on Wednesdays from 12-2 for all other computer use and studying spaces. Please come back in around 2 PM and we will re-open the doors. If you are going to join us for lunch, please stay at least 1/2 hour and join in the group in order to respect the food budget of the HELP Center.
Flu Season:
It’s that time of year again. The leaves are falling, the birds are migrating south, and the person sitting next to you in class is sneezing and coughing. The Flu vaccine, which is free of charge, is being offered on campus. Go to http://www.bhs.umn.edu/services/fluclinics/#fluschedule to view the University’s vaccination schedule. The Flu vaccine is being offered on all three campuses to help accommodate students.
Certain groups of individuals are considered priority for receiving the H1N1 vaccination. For example women that are pregnant, children under five, and those providing child care should receive the vaccination. Talk to your care provider for more information.
Another way to help protect you and your family from the Flu is to be informed. The Center for Disease control developed a helpful brochure, listing information about the Flu and H1N1. You can access the brochure at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/2009-10/pdf/pan_flu_brochure.pdf for more information.
On Campus Events:
Save the Dates:
Non-Traditional Student Week
November 2nd-6th
Stay tuned for upcoming details and events!
Share with each other:
Student Parent Success Stories and Announcements
We would like to continue featuring personal success stories and announcements in our bi-weekly newsletter. If you will be graduating this fall, having a baby, buying a home, getting married, or are experiencing a related event, please let us know. You can send the announcements or stories to the SPHC e-mail address (sphc@umn.edu). We are proud of all of your accomplishments and upcoming events, and would love to share them with others.
Student Parent Pictures
Have any great family photos that you want to share with others? If so, please send them to us so that we can feature them in the newsletter. Please send us any pictures you want included in a newsletter to sphc@umn.edu as an e-mail attachment.
Scholarships:
Veterans Internship Grant Program
Student Veterans and Service Members - get paid for your internship!If you have an internship that is unpaid or low-paid (less than $1800 asemester), you may be eligible for a U of M Student Veterans and ServiceMembers Internship Grant! Find all the details and applicationinstructions at http://onestop.umn.edu/veterans/gift_aid.html.
Another great source for scholarships is Free-4U, a National database of available scholarships. At Free-4U, you can search for scholarships based on things such as your major, the state you live in, your religion, military service, and even your athletic abilities. For more information, check out their website at www.free-4u.com. It’s free!
Looking for more scholarship opportunities? Go online to your One Stop page. Under the category “Finances” select “Financial Aid.” On the left hand side of the screen, under “What’s Inside” select “Scholarships.” From there you can search for scholarships that fit your credentials. Applying for scholarships! It only takes a small amount of time.
Top Ten Tips for a Winning Scholarship Application:
1)Apply only if you are eligible for the scholarship
2) Complete the entire application
-Don’t leave ANYTHING blank
-If something doesn’t apply to you, specify that in the application
3) Follow all directions
4) Make sure application is tidy
-Type application, or type neatly and legibly
5) Write essays that leave a strong impression
-Be personal and specific
-Include concrete details: who, what, where, and when
6) Be conscious of deadlines
-Try to finish your application two weeks before deadline as a safeguard
7) Make sure application gets to where it needs to go
8) Give application a final overview
-Also, have a friend, colleague, or mentor look over application too. Sometimes it is easy for someone to catch their own mistakes
9) Don’t be afraid to ask for help
10) Take Pride in your application
-It represents who you are
Parenting Information and Resources
Everyday Miracles
Everyday Miracles is a wonderful non-profit organization that helps expecting and new moms through a variety of programs. Educational classes provided include: prenatal classes in English and Spanish, breastfeeding support, breast pump information, and car seat clinics. Classes are to start in November. All are welcome to attend these classes. Everyday Miracles asks for a small donation, or for you to volunteer, in exchange for services.
Are you currently expecting? Everyday Miracles provides a Doula free of charge, to eligible expecting parents. Doula is an Ancient Greek word that roughly translates to “a woman that helps another woman”. Doulas offer emotional, physical, and informational support to women before, during, and after childbirth. Individuals receiving Ucare or MHP are eligible for free Doula support.
If you are interested in more information, or to see if you are eligible, call 763-323-0012. You can also check out the website at www.everyday-miracles.org.
For more Parenting Information and Resources, check out our website at www.sphc.umn.edu.
Community Resources
Energy Assistance
Whether we like it or not the cold is coming! Many Minnesotans will see significant increases in their energy bills, sometimes beyond the ability of some to pay. The Energy Assistance Program provides grants for individuals in need. Please visit the following link for more information: http://www.state.mn.us/portal/mn/jsp/content.do?id=-536881374&contentid=
Are you looking for specific information for your County?
If so, please check out the following links for metro Counties:
For more Community Resources, please check out our website (www.sphc.umn.edu).
Community Events and Activities
Family Friendly Activities in the Twin Cities!
“Bert and Ernie, Goodnight”: Now through October 25th
Join your old friends, Bert and Ernie in their new exciting musical-comedy. Poor Bert just wants to go to sleep, while Ernie has other plans. You can expect tap-dancing sheep, and sing-a-long pigeons, making this a must-see family event.
The show is being performed at the Children’s Theatre Company, in Minneapolis. Get 25% off ticket prices through Creative Kidstuff for select shows (Wednesday, Friday, and Sundays at 5pm) when ordered by October 4th. Use promo code 2510. You can order online (BertandErnieGoodnight.com), or call the ticket office at 612-874-0400.
Prince Rama’s Journey: October 3rd, 10-3pm
Join the Walker Art Center for a free day of fun filled activities, based off of the Indian Epic, Ramayana, a story about heroes, gods, and villains. The day’s events include:
Epic Images: Art making for the entire family10-3pm
Work with your family to create your own epic story
Story Time: Tales from the Ramayana: 10:30, 11:15, and 12:15
Listen to a variety of stories from the legendary Indian poem
Music and Dance Sampler: 1 pm
Enjoy a live performance that combines Balnese dance, and the traditional South Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam Dance Workshop:2pm
Follow Ragamala dancers as they lead families through the movements of Bharatanatyam
If you can’t make this event, but are looking for an affordable family outing, don’t despair. The Walker has free admissions on Thursday evenings from 5-9pm. The first Saturday of each month is also a free admission day (10am-5pm). For more information go to http://www.walkerart.org/index.wac, or call 612.375.7600
Afton Apple Orchard Festival: October 3rd & 4th, or 10th & 11th
If you are looking for a fun day trip, head to Afton Apple Orchard in Hastings, Minnesota. Afton Apple Orchard has an upcoming Orchard Festival, where you and your family can take part in a day full of fun-filled activities for a very affordable price. 10-6pmAdmission is $3.00 for adults, $2.00 for children under age 4
Free Festival activities include:hayride,petting farm,cider pressing demonstrations, and face painting
For more information or directions to the orchard go to http://www.aftonapple.com/index.htm, or call (651) 436-8385
Quick and Easy Recipes:
Tuna Noodle Bake
What You Need:
1. ½ c. frozen peas
2. ½ c. low fat cottage cheese
3. 1 c. sautéed mushrooms
4. ¼ c. chopped onion
5. ½ oz. reduced fat cheese
6. 3 oz.tuna
7. 1 c. vegetable juice
8. 2 oz. whole wheat egg noodles
Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Cook egg noodles according to package directions; add peas to pastaduring last 3 minutes of cooking. 3. Spray pan with non-stick spray and heat over medium heat. Addmushrooms and onions and cook until tender. 4. Place cottage cheese in a blender, and blend until smooth. Addcottage cheese to vegetable mixture. 5. Add cooked macaroni, peas and tuna to vegetable mixture; mix well. 6. Place noodles and veggies in an oven-safe dish; sprinkle with reducedfat cheese and bake until bubbly (about 20 minutes).
If you have any healthy quick and easy recipes that you and your family enjoy, please share! E-mail us at sphc@umn.edu, and we will feature your recipe in an upcoming newsletter.
Who’s Who at SPHC:Susan Warfield, MSW, LICSW
As the Director of the SPHC, I am responsible for overseeing all programs of the Student Parent HELP Center, managing our child care grants and supervising SPHC staff. This has meant that I have had to step back from having the degree of direct contact with students I have always enjoyed having in the past. This has been a difficult but necessary step for me to take in order to meet the needs of our growing program. If you have an issue that absolutely cannot be addressed by another SPHC staff member, you may schedule an appointment with me. These appointments should be booked through the SPHC front desk at 612-626-6015. Intakes and basic questions about services offered should be directed to Jerri Clark Wagner, Chanee Rudolph or our Graduate Social Work Interns. I am entering my 10th year with the HELP Center and during this journey have moved from on-line staff, to Coordinator and now Director. With this evolution has come an increase in responsibilities and duties. Please know that even though you may not see as much of me in the actual Center as you may have in the past, I continue to work each and every day to bring you the programming, funding and visibility on campus that student parents need to have a successful experience at the U of MN. It has been fun to get a chance to meet and greet our new students and to hang out with our new and on-going students. Rest assured I am always right next door and will always be working hard to bring you the services and funding needed to assure that each and every SPHC student parent has what they need to succeed at the U!
Jerri Clark Wagner, MSW, LGSW
I am the Direct Service Program Coordinator for the Student Parent HELP Center. Originally from New York State, I graduated from Syracuse University in 2000 with an undergraduate degree in theatre, with minors in sociology and women’s studies. After undergrad, I was an AmeriCorps volunteer for one year in Chicago, teaching arts integration on the west side in a Chicago Public School. In June of 2003, I graduated with my Master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago. While in graduate school, I served as a therapist with Chicago’s Metropolitan YWCA, working with survivors of sexual assault and their families. From 2003-2006, I coordinated two statewide youth violence prevention programs for the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention in Chicago. Prior to relocating to Minneapolis, I spent March-June of 2006 traveling and learning abroad in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. I would love to talk about any of these varied experiences with you and really look forward to working with such an amazing and resilient population at the SPHC!
Elise Niedermeier
Hi everyone! I’m one of the Graduate Social Work Interns this year. I’m a first year community practice student, and I’m also working on a dual master’s in Public Health here at the U. I am pumped to be working with the Student Parent HELP Center this year! I received myundergraduate degree in Women’s Studies, Social Welfare, and LGBT Studies from UW Madison and moved to Chicago after graduating to work as an HIV test counselor with AmeriCorps and the National AIDS Fund. I’m excited to get to know you and your families throughout the year, so be sure to stop by to say hi!
Tannie Bemis-Wiegert
Hey everyone! I am one of the Graduate Social Work Interns for the 09-10 school year. I am a second year direct practice graduate transfer student. I recently moved here from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2008. I majored in Psychology, and minored in Sociology. During my first year of graduate school in Milwaukee I joined Americorps, where I served as an Early Literacy Tutor for at risk students in kindergarten through the third grade. I am extremely excited to be working with the Student Parent Help Center this year. I look forward to getting to know each of you, and your families. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask!
Chanee Rudolph
Hello!! I am the Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UGTA) here at the Student Parent HELP Center. This is now my second year working here at the Student Parent HELP Center, but like many of you I am still learning a lot of new and exciting things. My job here is to assist you with anything you need as well as make you feel comfortable and welcomed, so please don'thesitate to ask me for anything if you have questions. I am currently my fourth year here at the University and I am a Family and Social Science major with a minor in Family Violence Prevention. So far, I have enjoyed myself more than any of you know and I am looking forward to many more memorable moments to come!