SUNY OSWEGO Transfer Connect NOVEMBER 6, 2006 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 On the Web! By: Chris Hockey, Transfer Coordinator When I first arrived here at Oswego to start this new position, the first thing I did was jump on the World Wide Web and see what kind of information my office had posted on the Oswego website. Much to my dismay, I found that my office didn�t even have a website! I was shocked! How in this day and age, when there seemed to be a website for everything known to man, could my office not have a web presence? It turns out that getting a website for Transfer Services was just not a priority for my predecessor, which is fine, but for me, it was like not having an arm or a leg. I decided that I must remedy this situation. I poked around on other schools� websites to see what everyone else was doing and put together a type of website wish list of all the different things that I would have liked to have on my website. I contacted the Oswego webmaster to figure out what I needed to do and found out that I needed to go to training before I could get a website. I was thinking how unnecessary this training was, after all, I�ve dabbled in web design before when I was a student here. It�s a good thing I went to the training! It was much harder than I thought to design a webpage on the Oswego website. At last though, I had my website and I began to design it. After a couple of weeks of doing nothing but creating links, uploading images, and ripping my hair out trying to create a .pdf file, the website is done...for now. I�ve realized that creating a website is like having a child. You don�t just have a baby and say �well, that�s finished,� turns out that I have to keep updating the website as things change and as I get new ideas and suggestions. So, with that said, I would encourage you to go to the website and see what has been done thus far and please let me know what changes or additions you would like to see. The website was made for you and other transfer students, so feedback is welcome. Check us out on the web at www.oswego.edu/transfer. Getting that Real World Experience Information Provided by Experience-Based Education Internships give you job experience, while developing people skills and connections that give you an edge in job hunting. Experience-Based Education provides two courses, Career Awareness-GST 303, and Internship Program� GST 498 for students to get hands on experience working in the real world. The Career Awareness program is a structured course, requiring students to work six to ten hours a week, depending on the number of credits, with work sites on campus or in the local community. Students attend classroom sessions, and complete assignments relating work experience to classroom training. Transfer students can partake in this program immediately. GST 498 can be completed any semester, including the summer. It is exclusive to juniors and seniors, who have completed at least two full semesters at Oswego. You can work either part time or full time, depending on the number of credits and can pick your site. Sites can be local, in your hometown, or out of state. Summer internships capitalize on time, relieving transfers from feeling urgency because of their abbreviated time frame, and allow time for you to hold a summer job. Some internships are even paid. In the fall and spring semesters, no need to worry about a commute, SUNY Oswego offers 175 professional positions around campus. For more information, contact: Experience-Based Education Office 138 Rich Hall 312-22151 ebe@oswego.edu www.oswego.edu/ebe The Office of Transfer Services is looking for transfer students to be a part of several committees dedicated to the improvement of life for transfer students. If you have an interest in serving on a committee, please contact us at x3638 or chockey@oswego.edu. To Be or Not to Be Greek? By: Michael Paestella Is involvement in fraternity and sorority life for you? One key thing to consider in answering the question is the question of� are you ready for a life long commitment?� Involvement in fraternity and sorority life should be about participating in a brother or� sisterhood and it should be with people who you want your parents,� friends and kids to know someday.� It should not be about a great� place to party during your undergraduate years. While there is room for a responsible social side to any student� organization, one should go Greek to find a community that is about� building better men and women, not creating situations that hurt your� academic pursuits.�� One thing to do, if you are looking to affiliate� is to be a smart shopper, ask about the costs up front and then ask what your dollars are going towards.� If you don't understand where�the money is going or what it is paying for, have someone explain it�to you and if they can't or won't, think about if you really want to�invest your dollars and time in that organization.� If you like what�you see and learn that it will go to paying for national dues,� insurance policies, leadership events, community service, house�projects and things you want to be a part of then it might be a great� investment for you. Realize that affiliating (pledging) an organization is a major time�commitment.� It can be comparable to taking an additional 4 credits.�� If you think you can handle that with your present academic load and�other commitments, it might be right for you.� If you are barely�getting your assignments done and know its a busy semester for you,� then it probably is not the best time to go Greek. As with any major life decision, do your homework.� Ask around and� see what chapter is a good match for you.� Are their members involved� in other clubs and organizations?� Do you see them involved on campus�or only involved in the local night life?� Ask them how their grades� are and take a semester to watch and see how their new members�(pledges) do and if that is something you would like to participate� in while you are a student. For additional information on Greek Life and all of SUNY Oswego's�registered student organizations, please visit Student Organization� Services (SOS) at: http://www.oswego.edu/campuslife/sos Student Spotlight This month we highlight Megan Jackson. Megan is a sophomore political science major and is a workstudy in the Office of Transfer Services: Q: Why did you decide to transfer to Oswego? A: I liked the location and the study abroad program. It was comfortable here. Q: What do you enjoy most about being at Oswego? A: The weather! Q: What do you do in your spare time? A: I enjoy supporting the Oswego hockey team and taping the 12 shows that I never get to watch! Q: What has been your best experience so far? A: Dealing with the financial aid office. They are so nice over there and prompt! Q: If you could change one thing about your experience so far, what would it be? A: I would change the schedule for the dining hall. Sometimes you want to eat when it�s not open. Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? A: I�ll probably be in Law School which means that I�ll also be grossly in debt. Every day is a new beginning. Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been, and look at what can be.--Marsha Petrie Sue (The CEO of You) The Office of Transfer Services is dedicated to improving the academic and social experience of all transfer students. Through collaboration with our regional community colleges and SUNY Oswego�s faculty and staff, the Office of Transfer Services aims to provide programs and initiatives that will ease the transition process for transfer students, improve academic performance and learning as well as create opportunities for social interaction and growth. SUNY Oswego LET�S TALK Office of Transfer Services 611 Culkin Hall Transfer Coordinator Chris Hockey P: 312-3638 F: 312-5183 chockey@oswego.edu AIM: OzTransferHelp www.oswego.edu/transfer The Office of Transfer Services is dedicated to improving the academic and social experience of all transfer students. Through collaboration with our regional community colleges and SUNY Oswego�s faculty and staff, the Office of Transfer Services aims to provide programs and initiatives that will ease the transition process for transfer students, improve academic performance and learning as well as create opportunities for social interaction and growth. All great achievements require time.--David Joseph Schwartz Important Events November 6th Great American Smoke-Out 11am-2pm Hewitt Union Main Lounge November 7th Election Day November 6th Career Information Night 5:30pm-7pm 223 Hewitt Union November 11th Concert: Mike Stern Trio 7:30pm-9:30pm Waterman Theatre November 22-26 Thanksgiving Recess