Newsletter for February 10, 2009
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
" There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million."
Walt Streightiff
HELP Center Announcements
U of M Construction Cam
We were talking in group last week about free things to do with kids and several of us mentioned how fun it is to watch the building next door being torn down....and eventually a new building installed. So for any of you who have kiddos who are budding architects, construction managers or like heavy equipment.....there is a link below that allows you to watch the demolition going on near Appleby......at times it looks like a giant T Rex biting into the building.....AWESOME!!!!!
http://socsciencecam.oit.umn.edu/en/JViewer.html
Upcoming Career Fairs
*The SPHC has a limited number of adult interview and career clothing available. Please call the front desk line at 612-626-6015 to schedule an appointment to "shop" the in the clothing closet if you are in need of career clothing.
Community Involvement Fair
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
11:00 am -4:00 pm
Coffman Union, Great Hall
Stop by this Fair to talk representatives from more than 90 Twin Cities nonprofits. You'll learn about volunteer and internship positions available this spring and summer. It's a great way to find an opportunity that matches your major or interests. This event is free and open to all U of M students and staff.
Careers in Law Forum
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
12:00 pm -3:00 pm
Wiley Hall Atrium
All students thinking about law are welcome to attend this free event. Stop by to learn about law schools or law-related career options. You can talk with representatives from law schools, paralegal organizations, corrections and law enforcement organizations, and test prep services. Some representatives will also have information on volunteer or internship opportunities.
Stop by anytime during the event. You do not need to register in advance to attend. More information is available at www.cclc.umn.edu/events
Exploring Interests and Majors
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Coffman Union, Great Hall
Are you a U of M student wondering what to do at the U of M, and what is has to offer? Stop by this big event for advice and info. All students are welcome, and you do not need to register in advance to attend. Don't miss this chance to find your own path and interests at the U of M!
http://www.cclc.umn.edu/EIM/index.html
Architecture Career Fair
Thursday, March 5, 2009
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Coffman Great Hall
Join us at the annual Architecture, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture Career and Networking Fair, sponsored by the College of Design and the College of Design Student and Alumni Board. Students attending will be undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Design.
For more information and to register, please go to www.design.umn.edu/careerfair
Idealist Non-Profit Career Fair
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Coffman Great Hall
The Idealist.org Minneapolis Nonprofit Career Fair is generously co-hosted by the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, Minnesota's Private Colleges Career Consortium (MPCCC), the Minnesota College and University Career Services Association (MCUCSA), a consortium of 30 career offices from across the state of Minnesota, and the The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. This year, the Minneapolis Idealist.org Nonprofit Career Fair is joining with the Working for Change conference. This collaborative event will provide the opportunity to explore careers with a focus on social justice - with particular focus on jobs in the nonprofit sector. There will be speakers, workshops, and panels to attend throughout the day offering information about working for change.
The nonprofit career fair will consist of:
- An informal networking period for nonprofit recruiters and representatives from local colleges and university Offices of Career Services.
- The fair itself, where job seekers can distribute resumes and speak with nonprofit recruiters about current and future employment, internship, and volunteer opportunities.
- Free information sessions offering nonprofit career advice to all job seekers.
http://www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/CareerFair/Viewer/default?career-fair-id=210
*Check out this website for other upcoming U of M Career Events: http://www.career.umn.edu/campusevents.htm
Save the Dates:
Student Parent Visibility Day
Tuesday, April 21, 2009 from 10 am-2 pm
We need volunteers badly and any time people can commit is welcome. Grab a volunteer form in the SPHC and sign up today. Sponsored by the Student Parent HELP Center and the Student Parent Association. This is our largest venue event we do all year and it is specifically designed to raise awareness of student parents in higher education and our U of M student parents specifically. We will also be hosting over 100 teen parents from across the metro area to encourage their continued educational development. Please join us for this inspiring, parent focused event.
PASS Group (Parenting as Students Support Group)
Wednesdays 12:00 PM–2:00 PM
The Student Parent HELP Center meets weekly on Wednesdays from 12:00-2:00 in Room 24, Appleby Hall.
The group provides the opportunity to connect with other student parents, discuss the challenges and joys surrounding academic studies and parenthood and share a FREE lunch with your fellow SPHC friends.
The direction of the group will be determined in large part by your needs and ideas. Your willingness to share experiences and personal challenges will undoubtedly help others, so we hope you will join us as often as you can. Feel free to come for all or part of the group and remember that you are not obligated to come every week. Simply come as often as your schedule allows. (Your little ones are welcome!!). See below for upcoming group topics.
February 11, 2009: Deb Wilkin will be joining us from financial aid to discuss the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and to answer all of your aid-related questions! Please come prepared to make the most of Deb's time and expertise. We will be serving Crock-Pot Enchiladas with accompaniments for lunch.
February 18, 2009: This week we will have an open discussion on parenting strategies. Please bring your top three favorite parenting tips to share with the group, which we will compile and post in the next newsletter! Lunch will be vegetable soup and homemade bread.
February 25, 2009: Back by popular demand...Jan Merrell, from the University Child Care Center! Jan will be here to answer all of your child development questions, with a special emphasis on sleep. Join us for minestrone soup and homemade bread and bring your questions for Jan!
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 parents' 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 after the group meets.
If you have suggestions for a specific topic or program, contact Jerri Wagner
or Melanie Opay at sphc@umn.edu.
We Need You…
The Student Parent Association (SPA) is a University student group specifically designed to address the issues facing student parents on campus. As the new academic year gets underway, SPA is looking to enroll new members and officers. Membership and officer application forms are available on their web site under the “Links” tab. Complete applications can be returned to Susan Warfield, via email attachment sent to her direct email address: warfi002@umn.edu.
We will also have applications available at the HELP Center and you can attend a meeting and sign up then as well. Meetings are held each Friday from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM in the Student Parent HELP Center. This type of engagement looks wonderful on a resume and goes a long way toward increasing the visibility of student parents at the U of MN. Please visit their web site to learn more: www.tc.umn.edu/~umspa/
Happy Valentine's Day!
The History of Valentine’s Day
Courtesy of the History Channel at http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day
Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.
One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
Valentine’s Traditions Around the World
Australia
During the Australian gold rush period, miners who were suddenly in possession of money from the new-found wealth of the Ballarat Mines were willing to pay a princely sum for elaborate valentines and merchants in the country would ship orders amounting to thousands of pounds at a time. The most extravagant Australian valentines were made of a satin cushion, perfumed and decorated in an ornate manner with flowers and colored shells. Some might even be adorned with a taxidermied humming bird or bird of paradise. This treasure, contained within a neatly decorated box, was highly valued, being both fashionable and extremely expensive.
Austria
Austria has some rather obscure courtship customs that may or may not be associated with Saint Valentine's Day. Nonetheless, it is customary for a young man to present his beloved with a bunch of flowers on February 14.
Denmark
The Danish valentine card is known as a "lover's card." Older versions of this greeting came in the form of a transparency which, when held up to the light, depicted the image of a lover handing his beloved a gift. One custom in Denmark is for people to send pressed white flowers called Snowdrops to their friends. Danish men may also send a form of valentine known as a gaekkebrev (or "joking letter"). The sender of this gaekkebrev pens a rhyme but does not sign his name. Instead, he signs the message with dots...one dot for each letter in his name. If the lady who receives the card guesses the name of the sender, then she is rewarded with an Easter Egg later in the year.
France
In France, a custom known as "drawing for" once occurred. Unmarried individuals, both young and not so young, would go into houses facing each other and begin calling out across from one window to another, pairing-off with the chosen partner. If the young man failed to be particularly enthralled with his valentine, he would desert her. As a result, a bonfire would be lit later where the ladies could burn images of the ungrateful sweetheart and verbally abuse him in a loud tone as the effigy burned. This ritual was eventually abandoned since it left much room for nastiness, ridicule or even outright malice and the French government finally handed-down a decree officially banning the custom. Elegant French greetings cards known as cartes d'amities, which contained tender messages, were given not totally as a Valentine but chiefly as a result of a fashion which was popular in England at the time.
Germany
In Germany, it has become customary for the young man of a courting couple to present his beloved with flowers on February 14. Valentine gifts in Germany are usually in the shape of love tokens, complete with endearing messages. However, these are not distributed solely on Valentine's Day, but on any occasion. Even early German baptismal certificates or marriage certificates were considered at one time to have been valentines, but were more likely simply decorative and pictorial documents which contained lovely verses.
Great Britain
The poets of Britain have probably penned the majority of the best-loved romantic verses associated with Saint Valentine. Different regions of the nation celebrate their own customs to honor this day, although the sending of cards and gifts of flowers and chocolates is standard procedure throughout the entire country. One uniform custom is the singing of special songs by children, who then receive gifts of candy, fruit or money. In some areas, valentine buns are baked with caraway seeds, plums or raisins.
Italy
In Italy, Valentine's Day was once celebrated as a Spring Festival, held in the open air, where young people would gather in tree arbors or ornamental gardens to listen to music and the reading of poetry. However, over the course of the years, this custom steadily ceased and has not now been celebrated for centuries. In Turin, it was formerly the custom for betrothed couples to announce their engagements on February 14. For several days ahead of time, the stores would be decorated and filled with all manner of bon-bons.
Japan
In Japan, Valentine's Day is celebrated on two different dates...February 14 and March 14. On the first date, the female gives a gift to the male and on the second date...known as White Day and supposedly introduced by a marshmallow company in the 1960s...the male has to return the gift he received on February 14. Thus, strictly speaking, a Japanese female has the luxury of actually choosing her own gift. Chocolate is the most popular gift in Japan. However, since most Japanese females believe that store-bought chocolate is not a gift of true love, they tend to make the confection with their own hands.
Korea
The traditional gift of candy takes place in Korea on February 14, but only from females to males. There is another special day for males to give gifts to females and this is celebrated on March 14. Very similar to the custom in Japan, March 14 in Korea is known as "White Day." On "White Day," many young men confess their love for the first time to their sweethearts. For those young people who have no particular romantic partners, the Koreans have set aside yet another date...April 14, also known as "Black Day." On that date, such individuals get together and partake of Jajang noodles, which are black in color, hence the name of the day.
Scotland
In Scotland, Valentine's Day is celebrated with a festival. At this festival, there is an equal number of unmarried males and females, each of whom write their name (or a made-up name) on a piece of paper which is then folded and placed into a hat...one hat for the ladies and one for the men. The females then draw a name from the hat containing the men's names and vice versa. Of course, it is highly likely that the two drawn names will not match, in which event, it is usually expected that the male partner with the female who selected his name. This rite having been completed, the company split up into couples and gifts are given to the ladies. The females would then pin the name of their partner over their hearts or on their sleeves. A dance often follows and, at the end of the festival, it is not unusual for marriages to take place. According to another Scottish custom, the first young man or woman encountered by chance on the street or elsewhere will become that individual's valentine. Valentine's Day gifts in Scotland are frequently given by both parties in the form of a love-token or true-love-knot.
Spain
In Spain, it is customary for courting couples to exchange gifts on Valentine's Day and for husbands to send their wives bouquets of roses.
Taiwan
Valentine's Day is celebrated in Taiwan on February 14, but there is also a special Valentine's Day on July 7 of the lunar calendar, based on an ancient Chinese folktale (**). Both dates are equally as important. Many men purchase expensive bouquets of roses and other flowers for their sweethearts on these days. According to Taiwan tradition, the color and number of the roses holds much significance. For example, one red rose means "an only love," eleven roses means "a favorite," ninety-nine roses means "forever," and one hundred eight roses means "marry me."
United States
In the United States of America, there have been many varieties of cards given over the course of the years, some of which have often been rude or even quite cruel in their humor. In the times of the Civil War, cards were flagged with rich colors accompanied by patriotic and/or political motifs. Early American valentine cards were especially lithographed and hand-colored, beautiful and distinctive in design, produced with intricate lace paper and decorated with such ornaments as beads, sea shells, cones, berries and all manner of seeds. Cards were also available decorated with seaweed or moss, in addition to dried and/or artificial flowers, all of which were attached to a string which was pulled and could then be suspended, thereby creating a three-dimensional picture. Many early American cards were imported from abroad, given the poor quality of American paper at the time which was not particularly suitable for embossing. Today, American children usually exchange valentines with their friends and there may even be a classroom party.
21 First-Rate Cheap Date Ideas
by Rod Froseth
http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Froseth1.html
These cheap date ideas are by no means second-rate. If you're a real romantic, you know that romantic living need not be expensive. Rather, it's simple, but a little involved as you'll see in these 21 cheap romantic date ideas.
What makes a date romantic is not how extravagant the price tag is but how much you reveal of yourself and how creatively you interact with one-another. Most free romantic date ideas are far more enjoyable than their pay counterparts. These cheap date ideas require something of your creative, and sometimes wild and risky side. One or two are downright outrageous. You'll enjoy!
Cheap Date Idea #1
Pay your local library a visit, and ask the librarian where you can read aloud. Choose an engaging mystery or steamy romance and spend the afternoon reading aloud to one-another.
Cheap Date Idea #2
Take two pads of lined paper, some nice pens and visit a quiet coffee shop. Order two cappuccinos, and write the stories of your lives. After one hour, read them aloud to one-another. Then ask lots of questions.
Cheap Date Idea #3
Take a digital camera, go to a downtown or busy area of town and make believe that you are paparazzi, gathering as many candid shots of interesting people as you can. Next date, see number four.
Cheap Date Idea #4
Upload your paparazzi shots which you took in number three to a computer either at home or at an internet cafe and write fantastic or crazy news stories incorporating the photos. Email them to a friend or post them on a free web site and send friends a link.
Cheap Date Idea #5
Take some nice watercolor paper or sketch pads with brushes, paints and pencils and go to a town square or park. Situate yourself at a table or bench and find something beautiful in your surrounding to paint or sketch. Sign and exchange your works and post them at home or work.
Cheap Date Idea #6
Here's a romantic date idea for when you don't know one-another well. Go to a cemetery where your relatives are buried, plant flowers and share with your sweetheart some stories about your family history.
Cheap Date Idea #7
Take bicycles or roller blades, pack a lunch and choose an easy trail ride or wander through some country roads. Stop often when you find something interesting to look at or just to rest and talk.
Cheap Date Idea #8
Visit an art museum, conservatory or botanical garden and pretend it's your first date. Unless of course it is your first date, then you won't need to pretend. Stop to sit on every bench, hold hands and kiss.
Cheap Date Idea #9
Get tickets to a local high school or college musical or drama performance. Ask the stars of the show for their autographs on your program. Afterward, go for a walk in the dark.
Cheap Date Idea #10
When in season, go to a strawberry patch or apple orchard and pick a few baskets of your own. Have a cup of coffee and enjoy some of your freshly-picked fruit. Finally, return home with your produce and create a special fresh-fruit-in-season dessert.
Cheap Date Idea #11
Visit an invalid or elderly person in your neighborhood, and plant some flowers in their yard or flower box for them. Stop in and share a cup of tea to brighten their day.
Cheap Date Idea #12
Stay Home! If you're married-with-children, send the kids out to a babysitter and just stay home. Order some Chinese take-out, leave the TV off and spend some really intimate time together.
Cheap Date Idea #13
Make a trip to the grocery store and pick up some creative pizza ingredients. Take your groceries home and assemble your masterpiece pizza together. Choose a CD of music from your youth, light candles and enjoy.
Cheap Date Idea #14
Check with your local parks and recreation for the schedule of summer dramatic and musical performances in the parks. Prepare a picnic supper, take in the concert, then go for a quiet stroll after the show.
Cheap Date Idea #15
Get your school district's community education program literature and choose a class on a subject about which you know absolutely nothing. Attend together. You'll be surprised at what you've been missing.
Cheap Date Idea #16
Check your yellow pages for the locations of two or three used book stores. Visit them together and unearth some literary treasures. Stop at a coffee shop and examine your finds over a cappuccino.
Cheap Date Idea #17
Pick up your Sunday newspaper and look up the local parade of new homes. Get in the car and visit three of the most expensive homes making believe that you're really rich. Be careful that you don't sign anything! Afterward, stop at a service station to pick up their 3 for $1 hot dog special and a Coke.
Cheap Date Idea #18
Call your local college or university and inquire about their film society's schedule. Take in a screening of a foreign or art film and join the discussion group afterward. You'll enjoy the departure from the usual theater and DVD fare.
Cheap Date Idea #19
Take your digital camera, choose 10 or 12 unusual or even bizarre locations and ask a stranger at each location to take a picture of the two of you. Go home and prepare an album of your day out or post them on a free website and send friends a link.
Cheap Date Idea #20
Go to a second hand clothing store together and select an outfit for each other without the other knowing what it is. Exchange outfits, and change into them. Go out for an inexpensive romantic dinner and find out how merciful (or not!) the other is.
Cheap Date Idea #21
Here's our simplest, yet most traditional and romantic cheap date idea. On a hot August night, take a stroll to your favorite ice cream shop. Get a cone or sundae and stroll down the city street to check out the shop windows.
Add your own, but mostly be together. Enjoy your dates!
Celebrating Valentine’s Day with Your Kids
Great Ideas to make this Valentine’s Day a fun and sweet, memorable day for you and your kids.
Enjoy this holiday of love by sharing these fun Valentine’s Day activities , crafts, games, and gift ideas with each other.
Make some thumbprint heart cookies. This is a great recipe for little ones to help with! Use a roll of readymade sugar cookies dough. Place cookies on an un-greased cookie sheet. Dip thumb or index finger in egg mixture to generously coat with color. Press finger onto each cookie at an angle twice to make heart shape. Sprinkle with red sprinkles and bake. Create a small baggy with some colored cellophane, and add some cookies. Tie with a special ribbon and card. Share these tasty treats with your neighbors and friends.
Make a family photo book. Cut a cover page out of red craft paper and write the title "I Love My Family" on the top of the page. Cut a heart out of pink craft paper and decorate with glitter pens. Each family member creates a page for the family book. Have each family member add a photo(s) to their page and decorate. Laminate for extra strength. Punch holes in the pages and tie them together with ribbon or string. Cut out a small heart and attach to the end of the string. This makes a great coffee table book.
Create a Valentine’s Day craft mouse bookmark. Make this easy Valentine’s Day Bookmark to give to someone special. Use a wooden craft stick and paint red. Trace and cut one large and two small hearts out of red and pink craft paper. Glue small hearts to the top of the large heart as ears. With marker draw eyes and whiskers onto the face. Glue onto craft stick and add a conversation heart just below the face.
Play and learn with Valentines Conversation Hearts. Use a muffin tin and add colored circles to the bottom of each tin. Have children sort the conversation hearts and fill into the correct colored tins. Let your child be the candy store keeper and you are the customer shopping for candy. Example: I would like to buy 3 pink candies and 2 green candies. Have children count them out and hand them to you. Add them up to see how many candies all together you bought.
Have a family game night. Enjoy some quality family time and share some laughter over a game of Candyland.
Valentine’s Day gifts from the heart. Make homemade valentines to share with your classmates. Buy some lollipops and make your own lollipop cards. Be sure to remember special people to have your child make Valentine’s for, like elderly neighbors.
Valentine's Day is a wonderful celebration of love to be shared with friends and family. Make this Valentine's Day a fun and sweet memorable day.
*For Valentine’s craft ideas, visit http://www.kidssoup.com/Valentine/ValentineDay.html#
Hot Tip
Scholarships
KaiserEDU Essay Contest
KaiserEDU.org is now accepting entries for its Annual Essay Contest, giving undergraduate and graduate students a chance to win a prize of $1,000 by writing an essay addressing the elements of health reform that President Obama's team should focus on in 2009. Essay Topic: President Obama has stated that reforming the health care system is one of his top priorities, and there is broad interest from policymakers and the public in making a change. During the campaign, he outlined a framework for reforming health care. The essay should cover: what elements of his plan should be prioritized given the current economic crisis, what elements are most likely to garner support and which ones will be most challenging and why?
Contest Details:
Eligibility - Submissions will be accepted from undergraduate and graduate-level students enrolled in a university-based, degree-granting program at the time of submission.
Essay length - Essays must not exceed 1,000 words in length and must be original work, prepared by one author only.
Essay submission - Entries must be submitted online only. No emails will be accepted.
http://www.kaiseredu.org/essaycontest2009/ Deadline: March 2, 2009
Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Scholarship Program
Scholarships offer more than financial assistance. They also acknowledge the unique accomplishments of brain tumor survivors. The PBTF is proud to offer a scholarship program to students who have survived a central nervous system tumor. Awards may be used to cover tuition, fees and books at any post-secondary institution, including technical schools, vocational schools, junior colleges and four-year colleges or universities. (At this time, our scholarship awards are not available to graduate students.)
Students must meet the following criteria to apply for a PBTF scholarship:
- Diagnosed at or before age 19 with a primary malignant or non-malignant central nervous system brain and/or spinal cord tumor
- At least a senior in high school
- 23 years old or younger on or before Aug. 31, 2009
- Not in graduate school
*Note from Susan: If anyone, heaven forbid, has a child of their own that has survived such a medical crisis, I would apply based on that as well. I doubt they would be thinking of student parents as most do not, but I am sure if you applied as a parent of a child who survived they would accept the application.*
http://www.pbtfus.org/survivors/education/scholarships/ Deadline: March 2, 2009
Beth Wilder Dillingham Award
The Beth Wilder Dillingham Award was established in 1989 to honor Beth Wilder Dillingham’s contributions to the CSAS and to assist undergraduate or graduate students in any subfield of anthropology who are responsible for the care of one or more children. This award is meant to reflect one of Beth Dillingham's major concerns-the difficulty of building an academic career while raising children at the same time. An applicant for the Dillingham Award may be male or female, need not be married, and need not be the legal guardian.
For more information and to download application materials, visit the website.
http://groups.creighton.edu/csas//Awards.htm Deadline April 17, 2009
EMPOWER Scholarships
EMPOWER Scholarships are open to ethnically diverse students accepted to, or enrolled in, an institution of higher learning. The EMPOWER scholarships were established in 1994. They are made possible through the David Hersey Endowment Fund. Applicants must be a Minnesota or Western Wisconsin (i.e., St Croix, Pierce, Polk, Burnett counties) resident. Volunteer involvement in the community is required. Applicants must have demonstrated interest in medical or rehabilitation field by having some volunteer involvement related to a healthcare field. A minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale is required. You may request an application from Courage Center's Volunteer Services Department, or download it at their site listed below. Fill it out in its entirety, and send the application and submit the following items by the deadline:
1. Two letters of personal recommendation; one MUST come from a coordinator of volunteers and should include hours worked.
2. Most recent transcript, grade or progress report (high school, trade school, or university).
3. One letter of personal recommendation from a school faculty member.
4. Copy of school acceptance letter if you are a new student or transferring to a new school.
http://www.couragecenter.org/ContentPages/empower_details.aspx Deadline: May 15, 2009
Akash Kuruvilla Memorial Scholarship
The Akash Kuruvilla Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to one male and one female in the amount of $1000 for each recipient with $500 given at the beginning of the academic year and $500 given at the midpoint of the academic year upon maintaining GPA requirements and enrollment as a full time student. Eligible applicants must be enrolled full-time in an accredited university in the United States in the Fall of 2009. It is open to any field of study. Candidates for this scholarship must meet all of the requirements and submit all requested materials to the AKMSF Selection Committee by the appointed deadline. Late applicants will not be considered. The ideal candidate must demonstrate excellence in leadership, diversity, integrity and academia. The selection committee will also base its decisions on financial need, content of character and the candidates’ potential to make an impact on his/her peers and community. For additional application criteria and materials visit the website.
http://www.akmsf.com/forms.php Deadline: June 1, 2009
Opportunities to Share
Student Parent Success Stories
We would like to continue featuring announcements of student and family successes as regular newsletter items. If you will be graduating at the end of fall term, are welcoming a new child, purchasing a home, getting married or experiencing any related event that you would like to have us post in the newsletter, please send the details to the SPHC email address, spch@umn.edu. We would be proud and honored to share in celebrating these wonderful life transitions with you and your families.
Photo Gallery
Sharing photos of our children and families is a great way to get to know each other. If you have a photo of your child(ren) or family and would like to see it featured in one of our upcoming newsletters, send it as an e-mail attachment to sphc@umn.edu.
Community Resources
Crock Talk
Beginning Thursday, January 22, and continuing for 12 weeks, receive a Pioneer Press-tested-and-approved crock pot recipe delivered to your e-mail inbox. No grey glop here, these recipes will make you want to use your CrockPot more often. Now's the time to enjoy learning just how tasty Crock Pot cooking can be! Sponsored by the Pioneer Press, TwinCities.com and MinnMoms.com.
Sign up at http://www.twincities.com/ci_11460899?nclick_check=1
Tubman
Please note that Tubman Family Alliance and Chrysalis, A Center for Women, have merged their operations and are now known as Tubman. The merge unites the complementary strengths of Chrysalis' chemical dependency and mental health programs with Tubman Family Alliance's domestic violence prevention work. If you are interested in more information on the programs available through Tubman, or would like to download any of their program guides, please visit their website at www.tubman.org.
Fare For All
Big savings every month on fresh, high quality, nutritious groceries – that’s what Fare For All is all about! As food prices continue to rise, more Minnesotans are experiencing significant difficulties affording basic expenses each month. Fare For All is open to anyone who wants to save money on their groceries. Participants have the opportunity to save 40-50% off their monthly food budgets and access fresh fruits and veggies, frozen meats of all kinds, and a variety of non-perishable staple items.
For more information visit www.fareforall.org or call 763-450-3880 or 1-800-582-4291 (outside Metro area).
MinnesotaHelp.info
MinnesotaHelp.info is an online directory of services designed to help people in Minnesota find human services, information and referral, financial assistance, and other forms of help. It is especially rich in resource information for seniors and their caregivers; people with disabilities and their caregivers; parents and families; and low income people. http://www.minnesotahelp.org/public/
211, First Call for Help
Looking for information on childcare, food, housing, transportation or senior services? The Minnesota 2-1-1 database lists more than 10,000 organizations and 40,000 services throughout the state. Just dial 2-1-1 (or 651-291-0211). It's free, confidential and available 24/7. Trained information specialists can connect you to more than 40,000 community resources. Multi-lingual lines are available Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-5:00 pm. You can also download a copy of the 2-1-1 application and database (http://www.ctkodm.com/gtcuw/211_app/ ) directly to your computer. By doing this, you will be able to search for resources at any time without needing an Internet connection.
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:
Parenting Information
Minnesota Parents Know
Trusted parenting information, resources, and activities to help your children grow, develop, and learn from birth through high school.
This website features special sections for newborns, children ages 1-2, children ages 3-5, grades K-8, and grades 9-12. Links to other parenting resources are also available.
http://www.parentsknow.state.mn.us/
Parent Zone
Welcome to the most comprehensive resource for Twin Cities parents. This site proves that the area has far more to offer families than the Mall of America! This over-flowing directory of local resources includes free things to do around town, great classes for kids, the most family-friendly of the 10,000 lakes, and more! Plus, the local events calendar features family fun on both sides of the river. It's Minnesota nice! http://twincities.parentzone.com/
MinnMoms.com
Welcome to MinnMoms.com -- a Web community designed for busy moms just like you. This new venture, from the folks at the Pioneer Press and twincities.com, was created to meet a need we kept hearing about in the community. Moms wanted local solutions to their everyday dilemmas (What's for dinner?), they wanted help making important decisions (What school should I choose?) and they wanted the latest information on issues that matter to them (bispheynol-A in kids products). They also wanted a way to connect and share with other local moms. And they wanted it all in one easy-to-use place available at a time that was convenient to them. MinnMoms.com does just that and we hope you'll enjoy MinnMoms.com. More than that, we hope you will make the site your own by participating in discussions, commenting on our Daily Juggle blog and sending your feedback. If you can't find something you need, let us know. MinnMoms.com is here for you.
http://www.minnmoms.com/
Mommy Savers
Money Saving Ideas for Frugal Moms
Welcome to Mommysavers! This is the site for all moms who want the best for their families, but don't want to spend an arm and a leg to get it. Here you'll find the best internet bargains, money saving ideas, arts and crafts activities, work at home resources, and support from other moms on the internet.
http://mommysavers.com/money-saving-ideas/index.shtml
Mom Talk!
Looking for a place to learn from other moms, share resources, recipes and experiences? Visit www.momtalk.com. This is a great online forum with information on health and wellness, upcoming events, pregnancy and just about anything related to being a mom in the Twin Cities.
Dads Today!
Welcome, Dads! Here's a place just for you to get the answers you're looking for, make new friends and be a part of an active community. Visit http://www.dadstoday.com/. Have fun!
University of Minnesota Extension Service
The University of Minnesota Extension Service offers a host of resources for Minnesota parents. Please bookmark the following website for access to answers and advice regarding a number of common parenting questions. http://www.extension.umn.edu
Learn to Swim
Learn to Swim focuses on providing safety and fun in and around the water. Participants learn a solid base of swimming skills and build upon them throughout the program. The classes are taught following American Red Cross Learn to Swim Guidelines.
Learn to Swim is a program through the University of Minnesota Recreational Sports and classes are offered at St. Paul and Minneapolis. Classes are offered for parents and children (6 months to 5 years old), children lessons (age 4 and older), and for adults.
Rates for University students is: $50 per participant.
For more information visit www.recsports.umn.edu, call 612-625-3794, or email lts@umn.edu
Parent Warmline 612-813-6336
The Parent Warmline is a free consultation service for parents provided by Children’s Hospital. If you have questions or concerns about behavioral or developmental issues such as toilet training, discipline, sleep patterns, temper tantrums, fears, etc., call this free hotline (612-813-6336) and leave your name, telephone number and a brief description of your concern. Within 24 hours a professionally trained volunteer will call you back to offer practical advice, encouragement or community resource referrals. Please note that the Parent Warmline is a non-crisis, non-medical service. This service is free to parents who live in the Twin Cities metro area.
Community Events and Activities
Family Friendly Activities in the Twin Cities!
Wild Rumpus Books
Wild Rumpus Books is a great children's bookstore in south Minneapolis where they
have a bunch of live animals for the kids to pet - birds, chinchillas, lizards, even a tarantula. They also let cats & 2 chickens roam around the store freely. There are lots of comfy spots to sit & read stories to the kids & they have a great selection of used books for purchase between $0.25 & $1.00.
Wild Rumpus also offers Tale Time! Stories for the wee....every Monday at 10:30 AM...guaranteed NOT to put you to sleep! Babies through preschoolers welcome! (oh, parents too).
www.wildrumpusbooks.com
Free Third Sundays at the Minnesota Children’s Museum
Check out this great museum just for kids of all ages, free on the third Sunday of every month!
Saint Paul, MN 651-225-6034 http://www.mcm.org/
Free Thursdays at the Walker Art Center
Admission is free every Thursday at the Walker Art Center.
Minneapolis, MN 612-375-7622 http://www.walkerart.org/index.wac
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Ten Sundays each year the MIA hosts Family Days. These events feature music, art, dance performance and hands-on activities for kids. March’s event is “Birds, Snakes, and Flying Foxes"! Discover the art of the Asmat of New Guinea and other Pacific Island cultures. Learn about animal and nature symbols as you create your own replica of an Asmat shield. Try out the drum on the Pacific Island Art Cart and get your passport stamped while you’re there. Plus, don’t miss great performances and a fun-filled gallery hunt that will take you into the special exhibition “Time and Tide: The Changing Art of the Asmat of New Guinea,” on view in U.S. Bank Gallery. This event is free and takes place on Sunday, March 8th between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm. There is no pre-registration required-simply show up anytime between 11 and 5.
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is located at 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404. Visit http://www.artsmia.org/ for more information.
The Bell Museum of Natural History
The Bell Museum of Natural History located right on our own U of M, East Bank campus, offers two fun family events. Visit their website for more details: http://www.bellmuseum.org/calendar.html
Nature Play
A drop-in family program from 1-3 p.m. on the 2nd Saturday of each month. Free with museum admission. For families with kids ages 4 and older.
Nature Tots
A program for toddlers and preschoolers with their parents, held the first Thursday of every month from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Free with museum admission, but registration is required. Call 612-624-9050.
Science Museum of Minnesota
Did you know…families who receive any assistance in the form of WIC, MFIP, GA, MA, MN Care, SSI, FS, or Section 8 qualify for reduced admission rates at the MN Science Museum. Just bring along current proof that you receive any of the assistance forms listed above, and you and your family can enjoy the Science Museum for the following prices:
Exhibits: $1.00
Exhibits + Omni Theater: $3.00
Please contact the museum with any further questions: 651.221.9444, www.smm.org
Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday 9:30 am-5:00 pm, Thursday-Saturday 9:30 am-9:00 pm, Sunday 9:30 am-5:00 pm CLOSED MONDAY
Quick and Easy Recipes
Hearty Taco Soup
This recipe is a good source of Vitamin C, which keeps gums and blood vessels healthy.
Makes: 12 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cups hot vegetable broth
- 1 can (14.5-ounce) tomatoes, chopped with liquid
- 1 can (15.5-ounce) pinto beans
- 1 can (15.25-ounce) whole kernel corn
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 6 crisp taco shells
- 2 cups (16 ounces) grated cheddar cheese
Directions:
- Sauté pepper and onions in a large skillet over medium-high
heat (350 degrees in an electric skillet).
- Add broth, tomatoes, beans, corn, and seasonings.
- Reduce heat to low (250 degrees in an electric skillet), cover and
simmer for 20 minutes.
- Crumble 1/2 taco shell in each bowl, add soup, and top with cheese.
- Serve hot.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2-3 hours.
*Tip: Try black beans in place of pinto beans.
Magic Fruit Salad
Makes: 12 Servings
Ingredients:
- 4 cups assorted fruit, fresh and/or canned: apples, bananas, oranges,
grapes, pineapple, etc.
- 1 small package (3 1/2 ounces) instant lemon or vanilla pudding
- 1 3/4 cups cold milk (use non-fat or 1%, or mix nonfat dry milk with water)
Directions:
- Rinse fresh fruit. Chop into bite-sized chunks.
- Open and drain canned fruit.
- Sprinkle pudding mix over fruit. Add milk and mix toss well. Refrigerate
for 5 minutes.
- This salad is best if eaten as soon as it is ready.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2-3 hours.
Bacon Explosion: The BBQ Sausage Recipe of all Recipes
http://www.bbqaddicts.com/bacon-explosion.html
http://www.nytimes.com/ads/editpromo/020409/attimes.html (Click on #1-Dining & Wine: Take Bacon. Add Sausage. Blog)
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds thick cut bacon
- 2 pounds Italian sausage
- 1 jar of your favorite barbeque sauce
- 1 jar of your favorite barbeque rub
Directions:
- To kick off the construction of this pork medley you’ll need to create a 5×5 bacon weave. If the strips you’re using aren’t as wide as the ones pictured, then you may need to use a few extra slices to fill out the pattern. Just make sure your weave is tight and that you end up with a nice square shape to work with.
- The next step is to add some barbeque seasoning on top of your bacon weave. Seeing as not everyone has the time, or the expertise, to create a tasty rub of their own, I would recommend trying Bad Byron's Butt Rub
, Rendezvous Famous Seasoning
, or Steven Raichlen's All-Purpose Rub
. - Now that you’re pork is well seasoned, it’s time to add more pork. Take two pounds of Italian sausage and layer it directly on top of your bacon weave. Be sure to press the sausage to the outer edges of the bacon creating a patty that is the same thickness all the way across. Most grocery stores carry loose sausage, so just pick out one you like. I chose to go with a mild sausage, but spicy would work just the same. If you really want to get crazy, take a stab at making your own homemade sausage.
- Next up is bacon layer number two. Take the remaining bacon slices and fry them up the same way you would for breakfast (or lunch, or dinner, or a midnight snack). If you like soft bacon, make it soft. If you like crunchy bacon, make it crunchy. If you like your bacon burnt to hell so the smoke detectors go off, then burn it to hell so the smoke detectors go off. These pieces are going to be a major part of the inner flavor of our sausage fatty, so cook them your favorite way. Personally, I like my bacon right at the point when it starts to get crispy, but hasn’t quite lost all of the softness yet. Regardless of how well done you like yours, you’ll need to crumble or chop the cooked strips into bite size pieces and place on top of the sausage layer. (Note-It’s okay, and encouraged, to snack on these pieces while your chopping/crumbling. But keep in mind that once those bacon morsels touch the raw sausage, you’ll need to resist all temptations to nibble. This can and will be difficult, but hospital trips are no fun, so stay strong.)
- Since this is a barbeque recipe, we need to add another layer of barbeque flavor. Take your favorite sauce and drizzle it all over the top of the bacon pieces. If you’re torn on what brand to use I recommend Cowtown, Blues Hog
, and Fiorella’s Jack Stack. Once you’ve sauced the bacon, sprinkle on some more of the barbeque seasoning you used on the bacon weave. - Now comes the fun part. Very carefully separate the front edge of the sausage layer from the bacon weave and begin rolling backwards. You want to include all layers EXCEPT the bacon weave in your roll. Try and keep the sausage as tight as possible and be sure to release any air pockets that may have formed. Once the sausage is fully rolled up, pinch together the seams and ends to seal all of the bacon goodness inside.
- At this point we can start to see the final shape of our Bacon Explosion, but we’re missing one key item. To complte the constuction process, roll the sausage forward completely wrapping it in the bacon weave. Make sure it sits with the seam facing downward to help keep it all sealed up.
- Sprinkle some barbeque seasoning on the outside of the bacon weave, and now this bad boy is ready for the smoker
. Cook your Bacon Explosion at 225 degrees in a constant cloud of hickory smoke until your Thermapen
gives an internal temperature reading of 165 degrees. Normally this will take about 1 hour for each inch of thickness, but that could vary depending on how well you maintain your fire and also how many times you open the smoker to take a peek. Mine took about 2.5 hours, which was right on target with its 2.5 inch diameter. - Now that our Bacon Explosion is fully cooked, we need to add some finishing flavors. Remember that barbecue sauce we used for inner flavor? We’ll be using that same sauce to glaze the cooked bacon weave. Using a basting brush, coat the entire surface with a thin layer of sauce. Sweet sauces are loaded with sugars, so they’ll give your fatty a nice glossy finish. Spicy and vinegar based sauces don’t contain as much, so they won’t set up as well. If you’re dead set on using those sauces, just cut them with a bit of honey and you’ll get the same effect.
- Slice the Bacon Explosion into quarter to half inch rounds to serve. If your roll was good and tight, you should now see a nice bacon pinwheel pattern throughout the sausage. Obviously pork is best served by itself, but if you feel the need to make this meat monster into a sandwich, try placing a couple Bacon Explosion slices on a warm Pillsbury’s Grands Biscuit. You’ll reach pork Nirvana is no time flat!
*Health Warning: The SPHC does not endorse eating Bacon Explosion or serving it to children.
Grants Update
Post-Secondary Child Care Grant Update: Anyone who has submitted an application for the spring Post-Secondary Child Care Grant should start checking their student accounts in the next couple of weeks to see if the money has been processed. Financial Aid will also be sending an email to students who have received the grant.
CCAMPIS Grant: Susan will be processing the grant applications the week of February 9th, and possibly into the following week. Susan will notify second tier students by Friday, February 20th as to whether there will be funds available to process their applications.
All programs of the SPHC are available to undergraduates only.
COOL WEB LINK:
NyeLabs: Bill Nye the Science Guy
Bill Nye the Science Guy makes science fun! Check out the daily demo, watch a video clip or listen to an audio clips, and learn more about Bill Nye The Science Guy himself. Fun for kids and adults alike!
Visit http://www.billnye.com/
Featured Books
*Note* All of the books/CD’s listed below are available for check-out at the Student Parent Help Center
- How to Have a Smarter Baby by Dr. Susan Ludington-Hoe, with Susan K. Golant
- The Grieving Child: A Parent's Guide by Helen Fitzgerald
- Kids Can Cooperate: A Practical Guide for Teaching Problem Solving by Elizabeth Crary
- Raising Children Toxix Free: How to Keep Your Child Safe From Lead, Asbestos, Pesticides, and Other Environmental Hazards by Herbert L. Needleman, M.D., and Philip J. Landrigan, M.D.
- How to Be Your Own Best Friend by Mildred Newman and Bernard Berkowitz
- Frugal Luxuries: Simple Pleasures to Enhance Your Life and Comfort Your Soul by Tracey McBride (2 copies available)
- The Whispering Cloth: A Refugee's Story by Pegi Deitz Shea
- The Great Change by White Deer of Autumn
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 (once she returns), Chanee Rudolf or our Graduate Social Work Intern. I am entering my 9th 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. Over the summer and beginning of fall term I have had a chance to step back into the direct service world while our Direct Service Coordinatior is on leave; and will be leading group and completing the largest share of the new student intakes for the 2008-2009 year. 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 in group once again. Rest assured that whether acting as the stand in group facilitator, or working on grants and other administrative duties for the center, 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 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!
Melanie Opay
Hi everyone! I am the new graduate social work intern this year. I am a first-year direct practice student in the Master’s of Social Work program and am very excited to be in the program, at the University of Minnesota, and working in the Student Parent HELP Center for the entire year. I received my undergraduate degree in psychology from Augsburg College and since then have been working in St. Paul as an MFIP job counselor. I’m thrilled to be working with student parents in a different capacity and look forward to getting to know you and your families throughout the school year!
Chanee Rudolph
Hello!! I am the Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UGTA) here at the Student Parent HELP Center. This is my first year so like many of you I am 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't hesitate to ask me for anything if you have questions. I am in my third year here at the University and I am a family and social science major and developing 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 to come!
Comments, questions or ideas about useful information for this newsletter can be directed to Melanie Opay at Sphc@umn.edu.