I have never slept so much

Wow, now that I'm at home I am sleeping so long, it's great. I guess these five weeks will be the only time that I will be able to do this, since I after this I will probably begin looking for jobs. I'm going to get as much rest as I can, so when I get back to school and work, I wont need to sleep. Happy Holidays!

Jeremy

greets from LOS ANGELES <3

I was really excited to finish up my finals on Wednesday! In my opinion, they weren't too bad at all! I feel that I did fairly well considering it was my first semester of my first year in college! It feels kind of wierd saying that. I remember completing college applications only a year ago!. Time certainly flies when you are having fun! My older friends always told me that highschool will come and go as fast as you could beleive. I didnt believe them, but now I understand what they meant! I cant believe that I am finally on winter break. I have 5 whole weeks with no work to do! I'll be enjoying my vacation by relaxing, hanging out with great friends in Los Angeles, and I'll be doing some traveling as well. Last year, I was in Paris ( right underneath the Eiffel Tower) for New Years 2006 and this year I'll be in Madrid when the ball drops. Speaking of traveling, Id like to let you all know that Dominican University offers alot of travel opportunities! For example, Jayati Ghosh will be leading a group of about 30 (3 of which are Student Ambassadors) to Greece from March 1- March 12. It's through the honors program, but its open to everyone! Also, Sibdas Ghosh will be leading a group of Dominican students to South Africa sometime during the year. Our school also promotes Semester at Sea, a study abroad program in which students take courses on the sea and visit several countries on the weekends. Sounds like fun, right? I bet it will be! As much as I enjoy being home, I miss Dominican already...and...its only day one!!! I love my friends here, but I miss my friends back at school. Well, Ill be posting agiain soon, but until then, Happy Holidays kiddies!

Victoria Rivera
Student Ambassador
Freshman Class Representative
class of 2010

I finally finished all of my finals this week...yaya! I'm excited for my classes to finish, but I think I'm more excited that I am that much closer to getting my degree. Sunday I am heading home, and all I have to do all 5 weeks of break is work out, play golf, and video games. Tough, I know haha. I will miss hanging out with all of my friends though...oh well, 5 weeks is just enough time to be gone. Aiight, I'm out all!

Peace,

Jeremy

Tis the Season of Finals

So much is going on this last week of classes, and this semester as flown by. I think the fall semester always seems shorter than spring. I had a great Thanksgiving with my family at my Grandmother's house. The Raiders internship is going really well. I am really lucky I got the opportunity. I do not think it is right for me. If you follow sports news very closely you know that there is some internal conflict within the organization. I have so much fun and have learned a lot, but I think they have some simple problems with communication between departments. One reason to do an internship is to see if it is right for you. I now know that the professional sports thing is just not my thing. I want to use my Sports Management minor more with schools, like college or High School. Well there is a 21st birthday party, and dance this weekend, with finals there is also the celebration of the end of the semester. I have a real tough final in accounting on Monday, and three more after that.

Wish me luck, I might just need it!!

-Phillip

Winter Wishes...

Hey all! Thanksgiving is almost here. It is a very exciting time here at Dominican everyone is excited to go home for a short break between finals and the end of the semester. There is a lot coming up in the last couple weeks of school. Dominican will be hosting many holiday socials. We will be having ornament and cookie decorating. This will be a lot of fun and it’s a good opportunity to spend some time with our friends we won’t get to see for a while during the holidays. Finals are a very stressful period for students, we have to study like crazy and then actually take the exam.

Lack of Z's if I want A's

I need to sleep hahaha. This past week there were about three days in a row that I slept less than 6 hours a night. I suppose some of it is my fault since I stayed up until 1am when I had to be up at 6. Although, my schedule sort of changed this week because golf is beginning, right before the break. Now I need to change my sleeping and eating habits because I have to add another activity to my schedule. I suppose next semester I will have to narrow my focus and pursue what really interests me. I have to seperate the needs from the wants so that I may actually survive lol. As for the end of this semester, it's going to be a rough one, but I'll do it. Wish me luck,

Jeremy

A great night with the student body

Its 12:25a.m, early Friday morning. I just got in from Rock N Bowl, a bowling event hosted by the Student Alumni Association of Dominican University. I am lucky enough to be the president and for the first event of its kind, we consider it a success. We had 62 students that actually paid to bowl, eat, and dance for 2 hours. I have already heard from students that they want to do it again! Next semester, it’s on.

On another note, it is 12:25a.m and I am doing homework. Well, not really homework. More like putting the finishing touches on a presentation for class tomorrow. The next three weeks are going to be busy. I have term papers, quizzes, and presentations due after Thanksgiving. It’s plenty of time but I would rather be relaxing during my Thanksgiving break than working on papers and presentations.

On the athletic front, all of our teams fell short in Cal Pac. Interestlingly enough, I believe all of our teams – Mens and Womens Soccer and Womens Volleyball – placed second in Cal Pac. That’s good but everyone wants first. Basketball has had some rough preseason games. Heading down south to Southern California and losing both games over a weekend. Mens Lacrosse and Womens Softball look promising this year – each team won a majority of their fall ball games and are pumped going into their respective spring schedules.

I am happy that our Mens Volleyball team is finally off the ground. We have 12 guys, a great coach, and have finally begun practices. In the Spring, we will be playing some high school teams, a couple of college teams, our coach’s club team, and hopefully our very own Dominican Lady Penguin Volleyball team. The guys are excited and so am I.

Well, that’s it from now from this penguin! Got to finish homework and get some sleep for class much later today! See you guys at the Campus Visit Day Saturday and eat it up for Thanksgiving.

Stay Cool and Lets Go Penguins,

Chilly

The end is near!

The end of the fall semester is near and I'm beginning to get excited. I have prepared and given a few presentations, submitted and working on a few papers, and getting ready for tests. I love the end of the semester because it seems to me that I am most productive during this time. At the beginning and middle of the semester things are kind of flowing. However, when we near the end the paper due dates get close and everything seems like it all starts to come together. When I step out of my last final this semester I will be glad to take on the winter break. Five weeks later I guarantee I will be ready to come back to school though :-)

TIME FOR ME TO CATCH UP!

First off, I would like to apologize for not posting a blog for the past few weeks.
I have been very busy and I honestly just forgot to do it! Well, im back on track now and I feel alot better now. Whoever said that college was NOT stressful lied! It is and sometimes it can get overwhelming. But, having a great head on your shoulders helps you out alot.
Besides my hectic schedule (school, work, and extra cirricular activities), my social life has been very fun! You know that you're an offical freshman when you are able to gather a team of 10 people at 1am just to play soccer in the rain on the library lawn!!! Dominican is a fun school, and for some reason the people seem to be really nice as well.
Aside from being a Student Ambassador, I am also a Global Ambassador here at DUC. On Thursday I will be leading a presentation for several second graders at San Rafael High School. Im really excited because I get to share my culture and heritage with them. Where is my culture from you may ask? I am proud to be Mexican-American and I'm looking forward to the hour long presentation.
As Freshman Class Representative, I have been attending all of the ASDU meeting on Wednesday evenings. Im glad to be a part of a team that cares so much about our school. Things have been moving productivly and smoothly.
This week has been tackled...now, i can only wait to figure out what next week will bring=)

Until next week,

Victoria D. Rivera
Student Ambassador
Freshman Class Rep
class of 2010

21...finally!

Well, I've waited 21 years and it's finally here. Yep, that's right. It's my 21st b-day tomorrow. Like most people I will test my newly obtained powers ;-) It's a great time in college though (when you turn 21). Finally you get to go out with all your friends who have been 21. I'm excited, it's going to be great. Though my b-day is tomorrow I will end up going to class and wont party until the weekend. School comes first on my list of priorities, and I'm going to keep it that way. Later players

Jeremy

Hi everyone! Well we only have two more weeks until Thanksgiving break! It’s so exciting! That means the semester is almost over and we have a lot of studying to do for upcoming finals. Recently the school had free swing dance lessons many students attended and had a great time. I hope everyone is doing well and is enjoying the crisp fall weather. - Miss Gretchen

Semester’s coming to an end

Start school the 3rd week of August, get out for Winter Break the 2nd week of December. Sounds nice right? 16 weeks of instruction, homework, projects, presentations, and busy work. 16 weeks of doing work to make those high grades by the end of the semester. It’s amazing how 16 weeks can go by so quickly. Even more startling that of those 16 weeks, 2 weeks play a major part in your academic careers – midterm week and finals week.

We are in week 12; close to the end of the semester. For me, it has been a relaxed semester but now the real works starts. I have lots of term papers and there due dates are coming up. Not many projects but term papers, 5-10 page term papers. Those can give a person a headache.

Last Friday was a great day. I was part of a ceremony to induct the new members of Alpha Lambda Delta, the first-years honor society. I has happy to hand over the reigns as President to a friend of mine, I know she will do a great job at leading the group to a good year full of activities and social events.

Saturday seemed like the longest day of my life. A couple of weeks back, I agreed to help out at a Conference. Those running the Conference wanted me to do technology support. I agreed. It wasn’t until I agreed that all the information about the Conference began to come to me. On a Saturday, my day off, I worked from 7a.m to 5p.m. The Conference occupied numerous rooms on campus and those that used technology were supposed to let me know of their needs before the actual event. Did that happen? Nope. I ended up getting much need equipment the day of the event. I was not happy but that check I received at the end of the day made me feel a little better.

The month of November is always nice for one reason – Thanksgiving. The dining hall prepares a great pre-Thanksgiving Day dinner on Monday, the week of the festive, belly-filling holiday. Then that same week, classes are cancelled starting Wednesday. Man, classes only on Monday and Tuesday, that is a great week! But the down side is – once we get back from Thanksgiving break, projects are due and finals follow.

Just thinking about November and all the work I have to do makes me want to jump in bed and never leave. But, if you take care of your work during the semester, rushing to get things done at the end wont be your problem. Just remember, College is all about time management. If you manage your time and get your work done, you don’t have to worry about rushing towards the end to make sure you get those papers done and turned in.

Stay Cool and Lets Go Penguins

Chilly

Work Hard, Play Hard

Not much happened this week. I have had a lot of homework and, as of late, I have had motivation to finish it. So I've just been doing it. However I played hard this past weekend. That's what I do: work hard/play hard. I'm having fun; that's all that matters right? :-P

Exciting News on a Great Opportunity!

This week at Dominican has been very exciting. I've been invited to participate in a business research project that will affect a volunteer tax organization that generates more than $3 million in tax returns to those living under the poverty level. This is a very large project, and I am excited because I will learn so much from it. I'm very satisfied with the way my business studies are progressing thus far at DU. I think if I attended a larger institution I wouldn't have opportunities such as this current one, because of the thousands that would compete for it. I'm going to work hard so hopefully all goes well, wish me luck!

Jeremy

How a college weekend should be

Men’s and Women’s Soccer and Women’s Volleyball are top contenders for the Cal Pac title this year. Each team is either 1st or 2nd place in Cal Pac standings and has had multiple players earn honors as the NAIA athlete of the week. This weekend, all teams, including the Men’s Basketball, are in action. For Soccer and Volleyball, these are very critical games with regards to Cal Pac standings. For the Men’s Basketball team, this will be a fun exhibition game against Dominican Alumni players. Every year the game is good and this year should be not different.

Other than sports, ASDU is hosting three huge events. On Friday night, we are having a dance, a Blacklight Dance, which will have DU students “glowing” the night away with dancing and fun. Students should wear white and will be given glow-in-the-dark markers and paint. The dance is a great way to get students in the Halloween spirit. Saturday night, we have the Annual Haunted House. ASDU has been working on the plans for the house since September and this year, the house promises to scare and surprise. Also on Saturday, ASDU will be sponsoring a “Sport Crawl.” The “Sports Crawl” is to get DU students to attend all of the games on Saturday. At each event, ASDU will be giving away special prizes and to claim your prize, you must be present. What a great weekend to be a Dominican student.

On a personal note, one of my Tuesday / Thursday classes has been cancelled all week because my professor’s wife just had a baby boy. He has been telling about her going into labor and how excited he was for the last couple of weeks. All the students are really happy for him, his wife, and their new bundle of joy; the fact that we don’t have classes is also a plus : ).

I am so happy that midterms have come and gone. This year was much easier than past year but it’s jus the fact that midterms bring about exams and papers; a college students worst nightmare. The fact that all professors want to give midterms at about the same time doesn’t help matters any.

It’s had to believe that Winter Vacation is just around the corner. I wish I could say that I was going to sit on my butt and do nothing for Winter Vacation, but that’s not the case. I am talking with a woman at a newspaper in Los Angeles to see if I can organize an Internship; something all Dominican students must do no matter your major. I am honestly really excited about the opportunity to work in the real world of print publications. According to the woman, their interns learn about the whole newspaper process. I hope all works for me.

We just had a Campus Visit Day two days ago. It was great. I meet some great people like Joshua, Diana, and Anasticia. It funny, after meeting them for the first time, I feel like I have known them all my life. Thanks for coming you guys, you guys made my Saturday work while!

Well, that is all from this Penguin. Got to get pumped up for this weekend because Chilly will be a busy boy.

Like always,

Stay Cool and Lets Go Penguins,

Chilly

Sit Back, Relax

This past weekend was the most relaxing weekend I have had in a while. "I did absolutely nothing and it was everything I thought it could be" (OfficeSpace). It's good to take a break every once in a while though. Sometimes even going out to have a good time takes a lot out of you and time sleeping and doing nothing can make you feel refreshed and ready to go again. Though my relaxation this weekend was so grand, I'm not sure it would have been had I been at a larger institution. Dominican is small, we all know this. For some reason this past weekend a lot of people went home, and because of its size, the campus was empty and very peacefull. It was perfect! I took a walk in the quiet breezy, sun shinny weather, slept until noon, and stayed up until 2 am watching tv and socializing with friends. I can't wait to see what next weekend brings because my quiet weekend for the month has been used up. Bring on the Par-Tay!

Just Kidding :-D

Jeremy

San Rafael winter

Being from sunny Southern California, I’m used to the warm sun shinning on me all day and everyday. Marin is not like that. Every year about this time, “San Rafael Winter” kicks in.

So, what is “San Rafael Winter?” It is really simple. “San Rafael Winter” is non-stop rain until March. Last year, “San Rafael Winter” went till May, which made the Student Life Department nervous because we have our commencement exercise outside in our beautiful, sunken amphitheater. “San Rafael Winter” is a hassle when we have lacrosse or softball games and they are cancelled on account of the weather; which happens a lot during the spring.

It is almost Halloween and DU students are already in the spirit. There are a number of students that have decorated their dorm room doors with pumpkins, spider webs, and skeletons. There is even one hall in Pennafort that is completely decked out in a Halloween theme. When DU students get in the spirit, they really get in the spirit.

On the DU athletic front, all our fall sports are undefeated in conference play which began last week. Men and Women’s Soccer and Women’s Volleyball are all on track to bring that California Pacific Conference home this year.

Besides winning conference games, we have has some special games this weekend. Our Women’s Soccer team faced off against the “Black Queens,” the Ghana National team Sunday. It was amazing to just be able to have a team of such skill and discipline play against our women. Also, as an early exhibition game, Women’s Softball had a match Friday and also won.

On the academic front, professors are assigning term papers. I’ve noticed two things.

1. all professors tend to give you papers around the same time and make those papers due around the same time. So, if you start off the week with a professor assigning a paper, be prepared for at least one other during the same week.

2. Junior year brings lots of term papers. During freshman and sophomore year, I had papers but they were usually due in a couple of weeks.

Term papers are different. Since you are given the entire term to complete the paper, more is expected. More research, more background, more to say, and more pages to the paper. All my term papers range from 5-10 pages and my topics are all over the scales. The one thing I am happy about is that your term papers are usually topics you choose.

For those of you that are coming to the Campus Visit Day, dress in layers, an umbrella would be helpful and I’ll see you then.

Stay cool and Lets Go Penguins,

Chilly

Sunny Days @ DU

Hey guys and gals!

The sun is back at DU! I'm so happy we are able to enjoy a few more warm days before fall really
Kicks into gear! This week is going well. Most students have mid-terms this week, which equals stress, and a lot of studying! I have two mid-terms next week so I have to study, study, study!

Every year Dominican hosts a haunted house. I'm on the committee that puts it together. It's an event that is planned by the community service committee. It’s for students and the community. So far we've been meeting for the last four weeks discussing what themes we want the house to have. The haunted house will be the weekend before Halloween; I’ll have more details as the date approaches.

Until next time-

~Gretchen

HOME FOR THE WEEKEND!

INDEED! I AM SO GLAD TO BE HOME THIS WEEKEND. I FLEW IN FROM OAKLAND AIRPORT TO BE GREETED BY MY BEST FRIENDS. AS MUCH AS I LOVE MY NEW HOME IN MARIN COUNTY, NOTHING BEATS LOS ANGELES!!! I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO AND SO LITTLE TIME. MY FRIENDS AND I ARE GOING TO BOTH SIX FLAG FRIGHT FEAST AND KNOT'S SCARY FARM...ITS TRADITION! IT FELT SO GOOD TO HUG MY MOM, SHES MY BEST FRIEND AND WE HAVE ALOT OF CATCHING UP TO DO. DOMINICAN HAS SOME GREAT ACTIVITIES UNDERWAY AS WELL AND IM REALLY EXCITED! IMLOOKING FORWARD TO ASDU'S BLACK OUT DANCE AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH'S HAUNTED HOUSE ON OCTOBER 28TH. ITS GREAT TO KNOW THAT OUR SCHOOL IN TRYING TO MAKE THE SOCIAL LIFE ON CAMPUS MORE ENJOYABLE FOR ALL CLASSES. WELL I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND-IM GETTING BACK TO MINE.~~UNTIL NEXT WEEK:)

~VICTORIA RIVERA
STUDENT AMBASSADOR c/o 2010
FRESHMAN CLASS REPRESENTATIVE

Cutting Corners ~ The Productive Way

Today I was very busy. I was walking all over the place because I had two meetings, class, and golf practice. In this mess of things to do I had to include lunch and dinner, and then tonight, after I'm done with work I have RA duty in the res halls. While walking around campus I noticed that I walk directly over lawn, avoiding sidewalks, if it is quicker. I also noticed I'm the only one doing this. Then I began to think about how this related to the way I organize and work. I have come to the conclusion that I cut corners whenever possible, however I never decrease the quality of my work by doing so. So if you can do a task well, and you can do it easier than others, or easier than you once did, do it! Don't be affraid to walk accross the lawn because you are the only one, do it because it's quicker and your time is valuable. Later players!

Jeremy

Midterms = mid-semester

It’s crazy to think that we are half-way done with this semester. This coming week, I have a huge midterm for my Latin American Art class. Memorizing slides is not something that I am good at. That just means that I have to study that much harder so that I can pass the midterm. It’s not till Wednesday, so I have time to really study and focus.

Besides my big midterms, I have lots of group projects to work on this week. Though they are not due until the end of this term, it’s great to start now so that me and my group don’t have to rush towards the end to get it done.
The end of this month spells fun for Dominican students. We have Volleyball games, soccer games, and a special alumni basketball game, all scheduled for October 28. Later that night will be the annual Dominican Haunted House. The night before, student government (ASDU) is hosting a Blacklight dance in the dining hall. The dance is scheduled from 10p.m – 1a.m. Man, that weekend is going to be out of control.

For some reason, Dominican has scheduled lots of special guest lectures this month.
Brian Copeland and Ariana Huffington will speak this month. It’s amazing the guests our faculty and staff are able to get to speak.

Academic advising continues until November. I already figured that next semester; I will be taking 16 units instead of the 17 I have been taking since freshmen year. Though it’s a 1 unit difference that could spell one less class I have to take in the spring.

Like always,

Stay Cool and Lets Go Penguins

Chilly

Rainey days at DU

Hi everyone and welcome to week seven! This week has been pretty relaxing. Everyone is excited for fall break day which is next week it’s a great opportunity to relax and visit our families. I’m going home to Seattle I can’t wait. This past Friday was the annual boat dance, it was a blast! We danced until we couldn’t dance anymore! My feet hurt after from so much dancing! Most students said it was the most fun they’ve ever had in their college experience! I think it was great. Until next time have a fantastic week!

-Gretchen-

Happy October

This week flew by! At the Raiders game on Sunday I went up to see a lot of my friend that had bought tickets though the school. I saw them getting out of their bus when I was driving a golf cart around the parking lot with three other people looking for the MVG (Most Valuable Griller) winner. The winner was a group with an RV and 8 families. It was a real fiesta on Latin American Heritage day. This week has gone by fast with a lot of classes trying to gear toward midterms next week. I have 2 next week and one after that. I am going to study hard this weekend. Some of my friends are going to Tahoe, but I am going to pass because I want to go in a few weeks for a Halloween Party at the end of October once midterms are over. I will let you know how midterms go. Also I am going to help out at the California Indian Conference next weekend, and I am looking forward to that because I think it is something that will be interesting.

Happy Aloha Friday,

Phillip

WEEK 7

WEEK 7

Boat Dance was this past Friday and I had a blast. Cruising under the San Francisco Bridge was amazing and beautiful! That day was the most fun I had this week because come Monday...the work load piled up again!
This week and next week have and are going to be a bit hectic. We are taking mid-terns for our classes. College is way different than highschool because in some classes your final grade is refelcted soley on two class grades!
This is the time you need to buckle down and really think about your future.

Word of advice to incoming freshman: choose your friends wisely. period. new school, new environment, new home, new friends-things can get overwhelming! Its very easy to hang out with a group of people and call them your friends. These people may be the people you just so happened to bond with first. Make sure you get out there and make friends with all people, and then rule out the true from the fake!!!

The weather has changed! Im from Los Angeles so Im not used to the chilly weather in San Rafael, but im getting use to it and I like it. Its not so bad!

Well Im off for now-time to do laundry! Laundry day will be one of the things youll look forward to being a new college freshman...haha..yeah right!

Until next week! =), have a great day!

Victoria Rivera
Student Ambassador c/o 2010
Freshman Class Rep

Around the Bay

Howdy Partners,

Like so many times in the past, this weekend I was reminded of the fun things the Bay Area has to offer. This weekend my g/f, her friends, and I went to Paramounts Great America...so much fun! I think we rode almost every ride and spent all day in the park. I was amazed that the park was only an hour drive from DU. Also an hour or less are a few ice skating rinks. My g/f and I went skating a few weeks ago in Palo Alto (south of San Francisco) and it was also a great time. Last time I went ice skating was in middle school and the last time I went to Paramounts Great America was 8th grade, so it had been a while. Other fun things in the bay include clubs, Union Square in San Francisco (great shopping, and where you find the Cheesecake factory....yummm), Kodiak Jack's: a square dancing club in Petaluma, jazz clubs and good food in Berkeley, Raider and 49er football, Stanford and Cal Berkeley basketball and football, Giants and Athletics baseball, USF and SFSU basketball, San Jose Sharks ice hockey, Fisherman's Warf, Alcatraz, and the list goes on (as you could imagine). I told myself that this year I was going to spend my money on experiences and not material things because pretty soon I will graduate and then who knows when I will have enough time to go out and have this much fun. I'm glad I'm at Dominican because I have so much so close; it's really apart of the whole DU experience.

Peace,

Jeremy

Time to get to know your advisor

It’s the sixth week of school and we are heading into academic advising. You may ask, what is academic advising? Being in college teaches many lessons; one is being responsible for your future. During academic advising, you meet with the advisor of your academic discipline (your area of studying: also known as a major or minor) and you plan out your academic schedule for the following semester.

Academic advising can be a troubling time. You have a certain amount of G.E (general education) classes, major class, and minor classes that must fit into your schedule at sometime and you must somehow satisfy their requirements in the time you have here at Dominican. Going into my third year, second semester at Dominican, I feel as though I have mastered academic advising but it depends on how the schedule falls into place.

One of the greatest things about academic advising is that you make your schedule. If you do not like morning classes, you can choose not take morning classes. Personally, starting class by 9:25a.m and being done by noon is great. Plus, I can live with having classes four days a week. But again, it all matters how the schedule falls into place. I have to fit in my communications major classes, business administration minor classes, and the rest of my general education requirements.

On the athletic front, this is a dry week for Dominican athletics. Just men and women’s soccer games Tuesday. This is heavy traveling time for our teams. One big development for me is that I am working with the women’s volleyball coaches to create a men’s volleyball club team. So far, we have 7 players including myself that want to play and the coach said, once we get 12, he will get us going with some drills. It shows how much students can make a difference here at Dominican.

Stay cool and Lets Go Penguins,

Chilly

Get my study on...

Last weekend was the first Campus Visit Day. I was the student speaker and everything went really well. There were people that came all the way from Wisconsin to see the school. This week there has been a lot of homework. With midterms around the corner, there are a lot of assignments before the tests come. I have been staying up until about 2 am the last couple of nights to make sure I have most of my assignments due by next week. Boat Dance is tonight! We are taking a new boat out so I am sure it will be off the hook. It is always fun with a lot of people on a boat dancing because it creates a unified environment where everyone has as much fun as possible. I am going to work at the Raiders game on Sunday. I found out yesterday that I am going to be riding around the parking lot with a bbq grill company trying to find the best tailgating party. You know what that means right? FOOD YUMMY! I don't know if they will win, and hope to go see the other people from DU that got tickets from the Raiders and Student Life here at school.

Happy Aloha Friday!

-Phillip

Its Almost Friday..

Hey all!
Welcome to week six! I’m really excited for Friday! It’s my first year at DU, and this Friday is the annual boat dance. As for school this week it’s been pretty normal. Studying here and there! The pop quiz for my stats wasn’t exciting, but I have moved on! There are a lot of things going on at DU this week, on Monday there was free Salsa dance lessons! Free! The favorite word of any college student! Well I hope everyone has a great week! Until next time- Miss Gretchen

BoAt DaNcE.......Yay!!!

Yay! Boat Dance is this Friday and my friends and I are excited! Our school rented out a luxury yatch and we get to cruise around the Bay Area and under the Golden Gate Bridge! ASDU sold over 550 tickets these past two weeks. Im looking forward to getting ready with my girls in the dorm rooms. Its going to be so much fun. We can't wait!

I was in line for dinner yesterday when someone shouts,"Hey, did u see yourself in the school newspaper?" There I was, front page, unvailing the class on 2010 shield. I thought that was kinda of neat!

We had our first Campus Visit Day for the Fall 2006 semester this past Saturday. I had lots of fun. My friend Josh, a fellow Student Ambassador, and I led a tour of 6 students and their families. They were able to see our beautiful campus for themselves, ask questions about our school, attend financial aid workshops, and have lunch at Caleruega (our cafeteria). Overall, it was an informational day for prospective students and their parents. We all had fun!

I am also excited because I have officially declared a major! I have decided to take the 5-year program that Dominican offers in Occupational Therapy. I know that the experience will help me with what I want to do when I graduate-join the Peace Corps! I realize that the work load will be difficult, but im ready for the challege. I came to college to work hard,but nevertheless, fun is still a must. Here, at Dominican University of California, you can do both!

Victoria Rivera
Student Ambassador
Freshman Representative
Class of 2010

Busy Busy

Okay campers, this week was crazier than an exgirlfriend (or exboyfriend). I have been doing so much on and around campus that I have been forced to prioritize and make a list of things that I need to finish. If not, I may never get these things done. I chose the game I am playing though, so now I just have to worry about winning. I have projects and homework due in my classes, which wouldn't be a difficult task if that is all I had to do. However, since I'm an RA I have created and am organizing a social event I named Mariachi Monday. For this event there will be a Mariachi band playing on a Monday night, while Monday Night Football plays on at least one large screen, and there will be a yipping contest. The winner of the yipping contest will receive a front of the borrito line pass for the month of November for our dining hall (a very sought after prize here at DU). The dinner will also be a mexican or fiesta theme. Of course these are all ideas, but so far they seem to be in "go" status. I have the approval of the dining hall management and student life staff, but now I have to follow through on making it all happen. I will make this vision a reality, and get my homework done because I want to win this game of hectic proportions. If all goes as planned Mariachi Monday will be epic, and perhaps when you attend DU you will look forward to Mariachi Monday as well. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh! (my best yip ;-)

Peace,

Jeremy

School really begins

We have been in school for 5 weeks now and I have felt like I was on vacation -- no papers, no projects, no tests, and no worries, but that all comes to an end this week. I have papers due, project presentations to be done, essays to complete and turn in, term proposals to submit and quizzes; a very busy week for me.

This weekend did not help much with preparing for this major week for me. We had the Campus Visit Day Saturday which I must admit, was lots of fun! Meeting new students is always a great experience. Finding out where they are from, what they are interested in studying and what they are looking for in a University. It takes me back to my senior year in high school.

Then, because I am a Resident Advisor (R.A), I was on duty Saturday night. Talk about a long day. I was on duty until 1a.m. I was able to get some work done but my focus was on the students and the building.

Sunday, I decided to just have some fun. Got a group of friends together and played some indoor volleyball. Man, there is no greater feeling that doing something you enjoy after a busy week of classes, meetings, and work. I am so sore right now but I’m loving it.

This is one week I am not really looking forward to on the academic side but the extracurricular activites side is a totally different story. The Women’s Volleyball team is hosting Pacific Union College on Tuesday, comedian and actor Brian Copeland will be in Angelico Concert Hall on Thursday, and the Boat Dance is Friday, that’s a great way to end the school week!

Until next week, Stay Cool and Lets Go Penguins!

Chilly

Wake me up when September Ends

Everything is really busy this week. I had to have my first draft of my senior project topic approved. Also, I had a write up for a field trip to the De Young museum due as well. I went to Oakland on Tuesday and there was no office work for me to do so my boss took me to the Coliseum stadium to meet to sales people from Chevy Motor Co. to negotiate a deal. It was cool to see how it went down; we offered them sign spaces on the scoreboard, a few places to display cars around the stadium, and links through our website. It was a pretty complex deal, but fun to watch and to speak up when I had something to add. This week is the first Campus Visit Day. I am speaking at it and I know it will go really well.

Last night I proposed an idea to some of my friends on ASDU which is the student government. One was talking about a Black and White Dance and the other was talking about the annual Haunted Houses in Meadowlands Dorm that is about 125 years old. I told them that they should make the students go through the Haunted House to get to the dance, which was a similar idea that I had heard student had done at Stanford. I heard this morning that the Assistant Dean of Students liked the idea and it might go through. I hope it all works out, but if it doesn't it was just an idea and goes to show why you should always speak up and have your voice heard.

Happy Aloha Friday,

Phillip

UPDATE!

Update!

My first meeting with the active members from ASDU (Associated Students of Dominican University) went well. The cabinet is made of twelve intelligent and opinionated students with strong personalities. I didnt really know what to expect because I was the new addition to the group. At first, It was a little bit intimidating because people with years of experience were already on board with their duties! We had a productive meeting and Im glad to be a part of leadership on my campus.

They say that high school goes by fast, but college life goes by even faster! It really does! I cant believe thatt we are already on week 5...soon, we will all go back home for the holidays.

Working with the fellow Student Ambassadors is so much fun! We answer questions for prospective students and guide campus tours. I have a tedious year ahead of me, but Im looking forward to it because I can grow with experience!

This weekend will be fun as well because we are having a Campus Visit Day. I encourage you all to attend!

Victoria
Student Ambassador and Frosh Rep c/o 2010

week 5

Hi everyone! Welcome to week five! It’s so exciting! This Saturday I had my JR seminar for psychology. It was from 9am to 6pm! It was long, but worth it! I learned about careers that are available with a bachelor’s degree in psych, you can work in advertising, in therapy, as a social worker, and much more. Most people further their education in psych to become psychologists. We also got to go in depth about grad schools and furthering our education in psychology. As for the week ahead it’s a busy one! I have a paper and a presentation both due on Friday! This weekend is also my first campus visit day, so I’m excited for that. Here’s to a great week ahead! -GRETCHEN

Change is in your hands

If you want something done right do it yourself, right? I am apart of a leadership group here at Dominican that is trying to bring about change on our beautiful, yet not perfect campus. Don't get me wrong, there are more positives to DU's campus than negatives but 1. you will find negatives no matter where you go and 2. I wouldn't have come to, or stayed here at DU if the negatives outweighed the positives. Also, this group promoting change is a good thing in itself. We discuss issues such as the food on campus, lighting, and security. The most important thing about this leadership group is that we discuss how to go about making the change happen. This is the most important thing wouldn't you agree? Change is in your hands so will you talk about it or make it happen?

Jeremy

Great weekend, hopefully a Great Week

This has been an intense weekend for Dominican athletics. Our women’s teams are showing their male counterparts that they are here and looking to capture the California Pacific Conference title this year in Soccer and Volleyball. The Men’s Soccer team, Women’s Volleyball team and Women’s Soccer team each played back-to-back games this weekend. Ultimately, the Women’s Volleyball team walked away with 2 wins, the Women’s Soccer team broke even with a loss on Friday, but a win on Saturday and the Men’s Soccer team fought had but lost both games this weekend.

On the academic side, I am doing great in classes. I have really interesting classes. I had a field trip to the de Young Museum in San Francisco for my Latin American art class. I had never been to the museum but quickly fell in love with the varying display subjects and various methods of art created by artists of that time. One of my favorite pieces had nothing to do with the exhibit our class was scheduled to view. It was a portrait of George Washington created with dollar bills.

On the extracurricular side, I’m busy and loving it. Student government has begun selling tickets for the anticipated Boat Dance which has been set for September 29. Right now, I know have sold over 200 tickets and hope to reach out target of 600 by the end of the week. The dance will be lots of fun!!!

On the Resident Advisor (R.A) front, I am really enjoying the relationships and friendships I am forming with my residents and residents from other building. It is great just getting to know people and being able to get them to actually utilize you as a resource because that is what an R.A is, a resource for students.

After this weekend, I am hoping for a great week. Besides class, all I have scheduled this week are a couple of meetings, a couple of Men’s Soccer games, work, and a Campus Visit Day this saturday. Sounds like a lot but believe me, it’s manageable.

Like always,

Stay cool, Lets Go Penguins!

Chilly

P.S. hope to see you at the Campus Visit Day this weekend.

Monday Night Football

This week I had to work at my first game for the Raiders. I was not nervous
when my friend texted me in class saying ESPN was showing a huge line for
the parking lot because I had a pass for the lot for the Raiders employees.
But I really did get caught in traffic it took me 50 minutes to get off the
highway and in the parking lot. For those of you that have been to the
Coliseum you know it is right next to the highway too! Well after helping
out in the new Tailgating Zone, I met the contestants and the CEO of
Mitsubishi East Bay and got them all checked in, because another man in the
sales department asked me to do so since he was working on a deal with
people from Safeway. No one made a 20 yard field goal though so that was
disappointing so I guess they can’t win a truck anymore. It was fun to see
some guys from ESPN up in the press box that I always see on TV too.
I also decided on my senior thesis goal this week. I am going to compare
and contract on American colonization. I am going to show how Teddy
Roosevelt colonized the Philippines in the Spanish American War and show how
that was similar and different to what Bush is doing in Iraq. My history advisor
Sister Pat is asking us to submit an abstract so we can present at a
national research conference NCUR that is going to be at DU this spring so I
am looking forward to that. She also is introducing a mentor program for
upper classmen to talk to under classmen history majors and maybe even a
history game night off campus at a pub for all history majors. Its more of
the fun thing DU offers especially if you want to study history.

Happy Aloha Friday,

Phillip

Week 4

Hello! Welcome to week four!

The tests have begun at Dominican, and that means studying! I had my first test on statistics for health and behavioral sciences. I believe that my instructor prepared us well for the exam.

This week Dominican celebrated Shield Day. It started with the mass of the Holy Spirit. It was a bright sunny day! After mass we went to the revealing of the shield for the freshmen class. This is an ongoing tradition at Dominican.

Well its back to the books for me! On Saturday I will attend a JR. seminar. It’s a one credit class that gives psychology majors the opportunity to explore careers in the field.

Until next time-

Miss Gretchen

ANOTHER GREAT WEEK

This week (9/7-9-13) was an amazing week. I ran and campaigned for Freshman Representative, and when elections came along I was very nervous! Students from the clas sof 2010 had the opportunity to vote for who they wanted to rep the class for the entire year. Thursday was the longest day ever, but it was only because i had something to look forward to-the outcome of the election! I finally received a phone call at 10:30pm that night and got the call I had anticipated. I was so excited when it was announced that I won! Im looking forward to working with ASDU this coming year. It should be a great year!

Weekends at Dominican are always fun! Knowing you dont have any morning classes allows you to stay up all night with friends that you have created close bonds with. With San Francisco only being 15 minutes away, there's always something to do.

Tuesday, September 12, was Shield Day at Dominican University. The senior rep presents the freshman rep(this year it was me!) with the Class of 2010 shield that will guide us throughout our four years at Dominican. Wisdom through Reflection, is what our class has to offer. I liked the ceremony because it was a day I played a role in and will remember for a long time!

Ill be going home this weekend, so Ill be missing the Beach Bond-Fire this Friday=[
Im excited to go home and see my family, but I know once Im there...Ill miss my school, my job, the food, my dorm, and best of all..all my new friends!!!

Victoria Rivera

Student Ambassador/Freshman Rep, Class of 2010.

Get in the groove!

Things are getting hectic! Yet, I’m starting to get back into my groove as the second month of school is upon us. I feel I have a strong understanding of the expectations of my professors, and finally my schedule is set. Sadly, I don’t have much free time and I must be very organized to have a successful year. I am currently a Resident Advisor on campus, a Student Ambassador, a Teacher’s Assistant, and I have 17 units to keep track of. So yeah, I’m slightly busy :-P What keeps me going is the support I receive from my friends and family and the rewarding feeling when summer arrives. My hopes are to make a difference on the Dominican Campus. “One day at a time, one task at a time:” this is how I have to live my life, otherwise I may go crazy. Haha, j/k Let me know some of the things you are all involved in, and how you manage your busy lives.

Jeremy B

Following a Tradition

This week brings about a yearly tradition that is possibly the oldest existing Dominican tradition, Shield Day. This very special ceremony will be held Tuesday, September 12. Shield Day begins with the Mass of the Holy Spirit which is the official blessing for a safe school year for all us students and DU faculty and staff. Following Mass, is the Procession of Flags which shows how diverse our University really is. A flag is carried from any county that our students are representing. This year, we are expecting at least 55 flags, not counting any of the flags from the United States! After the Procession of Flags, we have the actual Shield Day activities and Convocation.

At Shield Day, the senior class officially welcomes the freshman class to Dominican. As the senior classes means of welcoming, they present the freshman class with a shield. On the shield are words of wisdom that are expected to guide the freshmen through their four years at Dominican. My class shield reads, “We grow from our roots.”

The Convocation is when an honorary degree is bestowed upon a person from the outside. I have no idea who is receiving the honorary degree this year.

Besides all the activities and history of Shield Day, lots of students love Shield Day because our Tuesday morning classes are cancelled so that everyone has the opportunity to attend the festivities. After Shield Day, our cafeteria catering company, Bon Appitit serves a deliciously amazing international lunch. Last year, Bon Appitit served foods from Mexico, Italy, and Japan, I think. (I couldn’t remember where that other food was from).

On the recent front, this was a busy weekend for Dominican. Our Men’s and Women’s soccer teams played Hope International University. Sadly, we lost both games but it wasn’t conference play so it doesn’t matter ;). We also hosted an amazing special guest lecturer, Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner. I had never seen Angelico Concert Hall that full and Angelico Concert Hall seats 800 people!!!!

Besides Shield Day, this week kicks off a long weekend of Dominican Athletics. Our Women’s team will serve against Williams Jessup University on Friday and Simpson University on Saturday. Soccer’s back in action as the Men host Fresno Pacific University on Friday and join the women to face-off against Northwest Christian College. This is going to be an action packed weekend!

Stay cool, Lets Go Penguins!

Chilly

DUC relationships the first week of school

I think most people at Dominican, especially the freshman, are always the most excited for school to start again so that they can meet new people. Who's hot? Who's not, you know the drill. After two whole years, or four semesters, I have come to learn that friendships and relationships play a huge role in a college experience. I like to say that everybody's eyes are wide open for the first month or two of school. This is the time when you and your friends sit in diningning hall and ask each other, "Who's that girl/guy sitting over there? What's her/his story?" After about a month all that crap wares off and students become more concerned with their English or math grade than they are with who they are attracting (the way it should be I think (okay well not entirely). This is the point were people who used to wake up two hours before class to shower and apply all the "pretty stuff" just don't give a rip any longer, and they are barely waking while class is starting, still in pj's of course. Most likely those people go back to their rooms after class and resume sleeping; Sad, but true. Don't think that everybody who attends college turns into slobs after a few weeks, that is not how it is by any means. I'm just saying that people become more comfortable around each other, especially at DU because of the small size. If I could give all of you one piece of advice concerning relationships when you enter college it's this: Ask yourself, "Will this limit my ability to have fun and meet new people?" That's what college is all about. Have fun when you enter college and, more than anything, be safe troopers.

Peace, Jeremy

Starting Senior Year

The new school year has started and it was so good to see all my friends again. It’s funny because most people find that they are missing friends from High School while meeting new friends their first year or years at college. Then you develop so many great relationships here people get tired of home and I know by the beginning of August all of my friends couldn’t wait to reconvene at Dominican.

This being in my last year at Dominican it is busier than ever! That is a good thing however because I have so many good things going for me right now. I was surprised to find out when attending my first class I need a topic for my senior thesis by September 22nd. I will be graduation in three years because I took summer school and lots of units so planning for my senior thesis wasn’t exactly the first thing I thought about this year. I do think it is going to be fun, I have one of my favorite professors Arthur Scott as my advisor and we will meet soon to select my topic. I am a history major and have three ideas, one being about the reconstruction of the South after the Civil War, another is research when the United States turned from a isolationist country to a World Power, and the third is to write about the situation in the Middle East since I went to elementary school there. I will keep you all posted on what I chose.

Probably the most exciting thing that has happened to me early this year was receiving an internship, and getting school credit from my Sports Management Minor, with the Oakland Raiders. I got it because a faculty member in the Business office, who I met on a school Honors Program trip to China in May, gave me contact information with someone they knew in the ticket office. I had an interview even though they said they had no positions open and that contact opened a door to someone in the corporate sales department who was looking for an intern.

I will be at the game working on Monday Night Football with a pre-game promotion with Mitsubishi East Bay in a competition where fans kick field goals to try to go to the finals the last game of the season to win a truck. I went to the last preseason game and it was real cool to see the field, and watch from the press box, the free soda, popcorn, and hot dogs were a plus as well. I’ll let you know how that goes too. I can’t stress enough though how my connections I made here at school helped me get this internship. I think it is a bonus of smaller private schools and something everyone should consider when looking at schools, and Dominican!

Happy Aloha Friday!

Phillip Young
Senior Student Ambassador

What DUC is Like For ME!

When I first visited Dominican University in March, I knew that this was the school for me! I graduated from Eagle Rock High School in Los Angeles. Coming from a school with over 3,000 + students, I wanted to go to a small college where I could have 1 on 1 personal attention with my professors. If you’re use to being active in school, like I was, Dominican offers great opportunities so that you can be involved with the campus. There are many clubs and organizations, such as ASDU (associated students of Dominican University, SPDI (students promoting Dominican ideals, and Student Ambassadors, which may interest you once you learn more about them. When I graduated from high school, I wasn’t sure about what I wanted to major in. All of these new college decisions can become very overwhelming. Dominican offers a great program for undeclared students called the Vision Quest. I am able to do course work for several subjects until I find the major that truly appeals to me.

The campus is beautiful and the people here are friendly and always willing to lend a hand. It’s fairly easy to find a place to study. The campus is serene, peaceful, and full of deer! I will never forget my first week at DU as a college freshman. Meeting new people and forming strong bonds with friends are some memories that I’ll cherish for a long time. Living in the dorms allows you to experience what college is all about! Most of my time is dedicated towards work and study, but there is plenty of time for fun as well! Only having to drive about 20 minutes before getting into San Francisco has its advantages on weekends.

Dominican University always has something going on! Whether it be movies and games on the lawn, performances by well- known comedians, special guest speakers (Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Laureate), rock-band concerts, open-mic night, or school dances, entertainment is always a bonus once classes are over. This school allows its students to grow and experiences how the “real world” will one day be. Dominican University of California truly does change people-in a positive way!


Victoria Rivera
DU freshman

Welcome from Chilly

Welcome to Dominican University of California’s official blog site. I’m Chilly the Penguin, the coolest person at Dominican. I’ll be here to let you know the current goings-on with Dominican student life, athletics, and everything in-between.

Right now, I’m getting back into the swing of things. We all returned to school a couple weeks ago and going back to classes after a summer of fun and relaxation is not the easiest thing to do. Meeting the new students and reuniting with the returners helps to get readjusted.

Besides class, student government (ASDU) has been busy planning events. Last weekend, theCityDrive performed on campus, along with comedian Dat Phan. A couple days ago, ASDU released the day for the biggest dance of the fall, the Boat Dance. Always a favorite of Dominican students, the Boat Dance is a beautiful cruise on the bay for 3 hours that consists of friends, fun, and music. The cruise travels underneath the three bridges of the bay area, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, and the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge.

Other than the Boat Dance, student government is planning many other activities on campus; dances, intramurals, socials, and information sessions. This week, all Dominican clubs/organizations will represent themselves at Club Day and next week, Shield Day occurs. Shield Day is a yearly Dominican tradition which the University offers its official welcoming of students and blessing for a safe school year.

It time for this penguin to head back to the igloo and get some rest. Huge weekend coming up with the Men’s and Women’s Soccer teams kicking-off against Hope International University.

Check back here often to hear from myself and current Dominican students.

Stay cool, Lets Go Penguins!

Chilly