In Love with Philly - Sarah Mullen (Guest Blogger)

It has been over seven months since my husband and I moved to Philadelphia from Madison,Wisconsin, yet there are still tons and tons of places that we have yet to explore in this city! Since I am not yet a Pro. when it comes to introducing this fun city to you, I have invited my friend Sarah Mullen to blog about her perspectives this week. Please enjoy! :) 

Brief Bio. of Sarah Mullen
Sarah graduated in 2009 from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in International Relations. As an undergraduate, she participated in the Penn-in-Tours summer language program in Tours, France, and spent her junior year studying at St. Edmund Hall, University of Oxford. Immediately after graduating, Sarah received a full scholarship to pursue coursework in International Studies at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. Upon returning from Geneva, she worked as a Project Manager for an international translation company in New York City. Sarah is focusing on the international aspects of higher education during her studies at Penn GSE, and plans to pursue a career in international programming and study abroad. She is currently working as the International Programs Assistant for Penn’s College of Liberal & Professional Studies, where she assists with the management of the nine Penn Summer Abroad programs and the International Guest Student Program.

In Love with Philly 
        I’ve been in love with Philadelphia since middle school, and with Penn since high school. At 15, I walked onto College Green and decided I was done looking at colleges. To be honest, I didn’t know hardly anything about Penn when I decided it was the right place for me, I just knew I wanted to be in Philadelphia, and I loved the way Penn was so seamlessly integrated into the cityscape. In retrospect, I have to give my teenage self some serious props for knowing what’s up. After graduating, though, I never imagined that I would end up back here again. I figured that after three years in Philly (I spent a year abroad), it was time for me to move on, live in new places, and see the world. But three years later, here I am. I always forget just how much I love this city when I’m away. Sometimes it’s a bit strange being a graduate student at my alma mater, but no matter what, it always feels like home.

        Prospective students who haven’t lived here before are sometimes nervous about moving to Philly, whether it’s because they haven’t lived in a city before, or because they’ve heard less than stellar things about the city itself. But really, there’s little reason to worry, and I’m going to tell you why. 

Here are some things I love about Philadelphia: 

· It’s walkable. You can get pretty much anywhere with just your own two feet. You can always find your way around, because the street numbering system is logical and consistent. And the grid city blocks are exactly a tenth of a mile apart, so you always know how far you’ve gone. Yet the city itself is big enough that there are always new things to see and new places to discover. 

· It’s adorable. Philly is the homiest city I’ve ever lived in. There are so many neighborhoods, and each one has its own distinctive character. 

· It’s livable. There are open, green spaces, cute markets, and a cost of living that is insanely reasonable for a major metropolitan area. 

· It’s full of delicious food. I cannot stress this enough. The restaurants here are out of control amazing, and are often way more affordable then similar places in other metropolitan areas. 

· It’s full of art. The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the best in the country, and you can get a student subscription with unlimited free tickets for a whole year for $25. There is a thriving theater scene with great student ticket options. Lots of great artists perform here – no joke, I once saw the Roots pull up on a trailer in the middle of the street and play an impromptu show. The museums are full of amazing things (see: arms and armor in the Philadelphia Museum of Art or the Barnes Foundation – one of the world’s largest collections of impressionist and modern art). And I couldn’t possibly forget the murals. This one is my favorite: http://explorepahistory.com/displaygallery.php?gallery_id=1-7-37&bcolor=tan 

· It’s full of history. Whether you’re near independence hall, at a museum, or just walking around, it’s crazy how long this city has been around. 

        I could probably keep going, but instead, I’m going to end with this video, which pretty much sums up everything I’m trying to say in under five minutes: http://vimeo.com/58032782. Enjoy!

Happy Year of the Snake!

I have always appreciated the luxury of having two new year celebrations every year. During the celebration of Chinese new year, it has always been bittersweet to me. I wish I could enjoy some quality time with my extended family during the holiday, but the time is still yet to come. 

This year is a little easier to me, thanks to the great Chinatown here in Philly! I was able to eat almost anything that I wanted to, and everything tasted just like home! I guess good food does have some magical power of comfort. 

As I have stepped into the Year of Snake, changes (big events) are anticipated to take place one after another. Next weekend is when we will have our Higher Ed. Comprehensive Exam. Surprisingly, I am not stressed out about it (yet). We will have a prep. session next Wednesday, and I should have more clues about the exam then. 

Quite a number of my cohort members have started their job search, but I am still in the process of improving my cover letters. Part of me starts to feel a bit stressed with the thought of the job search process, but the other part of me seems to intentionally delay the process because I just cannot believe that we will all be graduating in less than three months! 

One of the questions I typically get from prospective / accepted students is whether I like the one-year format of the program or not. Initially, I would find it super easy to say, "Well, I absolutely love the one-year time frame! I come in to learn, explore, further my skills and extend my network, and then I get back out into the professional field to apply and enjoy my professional life again, all within one year." However, I might just have forgotten the fact that there is another crucial step in between the graduate program and the professional job - the job search process, which can take up a significant amount of the already limited time we have during this rigorous program. That said, if I were to choose again, I would probably still choose to finish the program in roughly one year, by taking one or two courses in the summer prior to the Fall semester to leave some extra time for job search and continued enjoyment of Penn's wonderful resources. 

As much as I look forward to graduating and finding a job in the very near future, I am feeling very sad with the thought of not being able to take classes with my wonderful cohort or working with my supervisor and other staff in the office then. However, on the flip side, this early sadness has indeed motivated me even more to cherish every opportunity with them. To me, it's been very sweet waking up (most of the days), knowing that I am about to do something that I enjoy doing, especially with the people that I truly appreciate. 

Have a great week, everyone! Happy Year of the Snake!

"Highs" of the Week

This semester has been wonderful so far. I'm loving the classes because they are all focusing on the two fields (Admissions and Student Affairs) that I am passionate about. I'm also continuing to learn something new every day at my assistantship, and I am so grateful that I am coached by amazing professionals like my supervisor and the office staff on a daily basis. Life in general is so much better when I do what I love despite of the challenges along the path. Below are the "highs" of my week. 

Penn GSE Chinese New Year Celebration - 

Teaching my friends some moves! :D

This year marks the 8th year when I am not able to 

celebrate Chinese New Year with my family back home. It has always been very emotionally difficult for me at this time of the year since I came to the U.S., but I have found a relatively effective way to cope with this unavoidable challenging period of time - to actively be part of the new year celebration in my community. Tonight, I was honored to perform a Dunhuang solo dance at  TC@Penn's third Chinese New Year celebration in Houston Hall at Penn, part of this country's first student union. Other students also danced, sang, and performed Kungfu talents in honor of this special time of the year for Chinese around the world. I've always felt closer to home when I am able to share some of the rich Chinese culture with others in my life. My husband also treated me to a fabulous lunch in Chinatown today when I learned that starting next week, there will be a new year's parade in Chinatown every Sunday morning. I am so glad that there is a Chinatown here in Philly!

Ph.D. Weekend - 

I had a long but fun and meaningful day yesterday. My teammate Kevin and I greeted 31 Ph.D. applicants at the hotel at 8a.m. and brought them back to campus to join the rest of the group for a whole day of events ending at 10p.m.! Altogether, we welcomed 41 Ph.D. applicants yesterday and had a wonderful time meeting them at various times. I always find it fascinating to meet different people with different background stories, and it was such an easy time connecting with those applicants! It is events like yesterday that once again affirmed my passion for Admissions. :) I am loving my GA job as I complete this program. Nothing is better than applying what I have been learning in class right in the field! 

Admissions Workshop for Chinese high school students - 

Last semester, I wrote a research paper on U.S. College Preparedness for First-Time Chinese International Students for my Qualitative Modes of Inquiry class. This past Wednesday, I had the privilege to present a workshop on the topic of U.S. college preparedness and application strategies for a group of 17 visiting Chinese high school students. I am deeply touched and inspired by their curiosity of U.S. higher education system, their enthusiasm of learning new things, and their high level of energy during participation. I cherish every opportunity, formal or informal, to share my experiences with university-bound and university students, and enjoy seeing the spark in their eyes whenever something clicks. 

It is one of my goals to be more intentional about networking during this semester, and so far, I am pleased with my progress. 

School/Work/Life Balance

"Work/Life Balance" has been one of the hot topics that we have been discussing in class and outside of class since the beginning of our program. As many higher ed. professionals have shared with us, there is really no "8-5" job within the field. People are almost always "on board" to serve their students and the institution, dedicated to making a difference on a daily basis. One of the pieces of advice that I have received from Dr. Rudie Altamirano, Director of International Student and Scholar Services at Penn, is that anyone who is looking to step into this field needs to truly "love the job and love the field." 

So far, this program has definitely been giving me plenty of opportunities to get a taste of what it truly means by balancing school/work/life on a daily basis. During this coming week, I have the following MAJOR things to accomplish:

* Three papers due by the end of the week

* Three projects done by the end of the week

* Resumes / Cover letters done by Tuesday

* One 90-minute workshop on Wednesday

* Two jobs to apply for ASAP

* Prep. work with the team for the Ph.D. weekend

* Dance practices for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration

...

All of these need to be completed sometime in between my classes, assistantship, networking, time with my husband and parents (over the phone), and sleep! The two most effective tools for me to keep track of everything are my 8x11-inch planner and the Google Calendar. I have assigned a specific time slot for each task that I have to and would like to get done for the day, and so enjoyed the moments of crossing off a completed task as time goes by. I am definitely feeling more equipped to complete this semester strong after a VERY rigorous semester last year! Also, thankfully, I have my wonderful family, cohort, GA supervisor and staff in the office, as well as some close friends by my side who continue to show their strong support and sweet love.

The classes that I am taking this semester are: 

- Enrollment Management

- Globalization of Higher Education

- Administration of Student Life

- Diversity in Higher Education

- Professional Development

Compared to last semester when most classes are foundational, we have more options to choose from an even bigger range of classes of our own interests. I am very interested in Admissions and International Student Affairs, so I am absolutely loving all the classes that I have this semester! If there is anything specific that you would like to know about my classes, please let me know. I would be very happy to elaborate more. 

By the way, I have been very excited to "meet" those of you who have been accepted and joined our Facebook group! Best to those of you who have applied and are still waiting to hear back from the Admissions, and to the rest of you who have been reading our blogs! 

One last note - I did get to meet Dr. George Kuh at the Penn GSE Exec. Doc. Alumni Leadership Conference last week! He has such a genuine heart for students! No wonder why he is regarded as an "Icon" for Student Affairs in this country.

Until next time, take care! :)

Refreshed, Recharged and Ready to Roll!

Back to Campus! :)

Hello, everyone! Thank you all very much for following our blogs last semester! We are all back for another brand new semester, and I am extremely excited to see how things are unveiling for me as time goes by.

My winter break was very relaxing! My husband and I were in Philly most of the time except for spending five days in Maryland visiting our close friends. I was able to catch up with sleep and some movies, and am feeling all refreshed and ready to roll!

Photo taken by one of my cohort - Nadila

Having gone through a super academically rigorous semester last year, I am more confident about taking another five classes this semester while continuing with my awesome assistantship, starting job search, and taking advantage of all the amazing resources Penn has to offer. (I was just volunteering with two of my cohort members this afternoon at the Penn GSE Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management Leadership Conference where renown scholars and Higher Ed. Icons like Dr. George Kuh and Dr. Vasti Torres were present! Well, I got to meet Dr. Torres very briefly but have yet to meet Dr. Kuh! Hopefully, I will meet him tomorrow during the time when I am volunteering! Fingers crossed!! Two days ago at Penn, many of my cohort members went to see John Legend and listened to him speak at the 12th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture.)

Speaking of classes, I thought I had made up my mind on what to take this semester, but I just learned about another class that I am very interested in. There are just so many cool classes that we can take within Higher Ed. division or within GSE or even outside of GSE, so it can be difficult to pick only five to take. I will share what classes I am actually taking this semester once I make up my mind.

On another note, congratulations to those of you who have been accepted! Please feel free to join the 2013-2014 Accepted Students Facebook Group. We are also planning a lot of exciting events for you to help you learn more about what it is like to be a student here at GSE.

To those of you who are one button away from completing your application, or still working on your application, or considering to apply to GSE, all the best to you!! I still remember how I was very nervous and reluctant to click SUBMIT even though I had read through everything on my application form a million times, and how I was so relieved after letting things go out of my hand, knowing that at least I have done my part to the best of my ability.

Please feel free to leave a comment here or email us if you have any specific question. I will try to blog more this semester now that I have a much better sense of how to manage my time well in order to do a lot more before I graduate. :) Stay tuned~~~

Higher Ed. Cohort Love, from us to YOU!

       Happy 12/12/12!!! My husband reminded me that it is the century's last sequential date, so I decided to post my blog before I miss such an important opportunity! I hope you all have done something special on this special date. Perhaps that means that you have completed your applications to grad schools? :)
       As for me, I am trying to push myself really hard this week, so that I can be done with all my final projects and start to catch up on my sleep!
       At the same time, I am still not sure how "all of a sudden," the Fall semester is coming to an end. Again, where did the time go? Being at the Orientation and trying to find my way around campus and the city seemed just like yesterday! I remembered being nervous about starting school again, feeling "excitedly anxious" about meeting all the new people, and somewhat uncertain about what this was all going to mean to me in this new stage of life.
       Even though these past four months have been the most intense time of my life, I am absolutely loving it! I am thankful that I have all of these awesome friends studying and working hard side by side with me day and night, all sharing the same level of passion for education with me and truly caring about the well-being of every single one of the members in the cohort! I am very blessed!
       Here are two photos of some of us at the two recent events together!

Higher Ed. Holiday Party
(Disclaimer: all of us are over 21. :) )

Study Break at President Amy Gutmann's House!!!

       Hopefully some (or many) of you have submitted your applications to graduate schools, or at least are working to complete them before the deadline at this point. Many of my cohort members are thinking of you as well, as we were just in your shoes last year, trying to determine which programs/schools to apply to and consider what to be mindful of in the application process. I have put together some students' profiles here, and hope that they will be helpful to you. Please feel free to contact us and all the best to you!

Name: Matthew A. Nelson (mnel@gse.upenn.edu) 

Graduate Assistantship: I work in the Communications office of GSE. My office has a three person staff responsible for the content creation and maintenance of the GSE website, most general publications about GSE faculty work. We are also responsible for the campaign (and accompanying materials) that drive the U.S. News & World Report graduate school rankings, which take place annually.

Hometown: Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

Undergrad. Education: B.A. Communication Theory and Marketing / Prairie View A&M University

Why Higher Ed. program? I came to the higher education program because I have always had a passion for working with students and business and it is very important to me that students receive the education they need. I am interested in preparedness of students (and student-athletes) when they leave the campus. I am also interested in access for students of low socioeconomic status. I hope to work in a career driving or academic advising role and help students find their passions and prepare themselves for opportunities beyond the campus gates. Also hope to provide access to students of low SES in some capacity, professionally or otherwise.

Advice for prospective students: It is important that you get what you're looking for out of the education you are seeking. The best way to do that is to understand what the school generally provides and offers. Different schools focus on different things. Do research beyond the websites of prospective schools to understand the schools' culture and focus. Speak to students currently in the program or alumni. This will help you find the school that is right for you.

Danielle & Payal 

Name: Danielle Staggers (staggers@gse.upenn.edu)

Graduate Assistantship: I am assisting the Program Manager with communicating vital information to the cohort and handle the administrative details of the Professional Development in Higher Education course. I also serve as the lead coordinator for the Annual Accepted Student Preview Weekend. 

Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina 

Undergrad. Education: Sociology, B.A./ University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Why Higher Ed. program? I chose to complete a HED program because of my strong passion for college access and working with first generation college students. I spent the past two years serving as a College Adviser and I have seen the need for more student affairs personnel in programming for first generation students and underrepresented students. After graduation I hope to continue my work and research in college access with a position as a high school college counseling director or an Admissions administrator in a community college or four-year university. 

Advice for prospective students: I would advise prospective students to be honest about your interests and goals and look for common interests in the faculty at the school you choose to apply to or attend. Do not let your undergraduate GPA or GRE scores deter you from applying to a graduate school; focus on your personal statement and letters of recommendation. Best Wishes :-)

Name: Maurice Williams (mawill@gse.upenn.edu) 

Graduate Assistantship: Office of Student Life at the Community College of Philadelphia. I oversee the Student Programming Board that plans all student related activities on campus. Mentoring, supervising, counseling and developing are duties I preform on a daily basis at my Grad Assistantship.

Undergrad. Education: B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Elementary Education; Claflin University

Why Higher Ed. program: As an undergraduate, I was involved in several clubs and organizations and served in a number of leadership capacities including student government vice president and president. I was also a Call Me MISTER scholar (scholarship program for African American males entering the education field).I hope to gain further knowledge in higher education administration with specific interests in student affairs, historically black college and universities, and organizational leadership.

Advice: Show your diversity and versatility through your personal statement.  Do not be intimidated to mention your successes.  Express how you can be an asset to the program and what you hope to gain for your instructors and cohort members. 

Name: Sri Rao (srirao@gse.upenn.edu)

Graduate Assistantship: Rosemont College Office of Leadership and Engagement - Working at a small college, I am treated as a full time staff member and have the opportunity to have lots of hands on experience. I helped run all aspects of our orientation program as well as advising student run organizations and planning our fall leadership retreat.

Undergrad. Education: Lehigh University '11 Major: Behavioral Neuroscience. Minor: Health, Medicine and Society

Why Higher Ed. program: During undergrad I became heavily involved in many aspects of campus including being a class officer, an orientation leader, on house council, president of the american medical women's association, part of our senior class gift committee and working at our women's center. All of these experiences led me to realize that student affairs was the perfect career path for me. I hope to work directly with students in some capacity, specifically through first year student programming or student activities and leadership development.

Advice: Make sure that you are passionate about higher education/student affairs. Do not stress about applications, you will get in to the programs that are right for you. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. 

Name: Andrew Martinez (andmar@gse.upenn.edu)

Graduate Assistantship: Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF) - Aid undergraduates in finding research opportunities and applying to fellowships in and outside of the University.

Hometown: New York City

Undergraduate Education: Cornell University; College of Arts and Sciences; 

B.A. Sociology; Minor: Inequality Studies & Latino Studies

Why Higher Ed. program? While I was at Cornell I became very involved with student organizations and saw the value in student development and leadership. I also developed a passion for social justice and found myself very interested in intercultural dialogue and conversations concerning diversity and access. With a Masters in Higher Education, I hope to pursue a career with student affairs in order to have a significant impact in the lives of the students I will eventually help to become great leaders. I also hope to pursue my education further to study access and retention rates in elite institutions for underrepresented groups. With that knowledge, I will be able to implement strategies to increase and retain more students of color within higher education.

Advice: Find out which faculty members' research aligns with your interests when you are writing your personal statement to further emphasize why you are a great fit for Penn GSE.  Try to visit Philadelphia if you can so you can see what the area is like. 

Love for Penn and the City!

        I can't believe that there are only 17 days left for the semester! Looking back at the days spent at Penn and in this city so far, I cannot express my gratitude enough for being part of this wonderful and rigorous program and of this incredibly amazing cohort! 

 

     I have always loved taking photos everywhere I go, but just realized that I hadn't posted that many photos since I started the program. So here are some of my most recent ones. Hope you will enjoy them. 

GSE - 3700 Walnut Street - My second home in Philly

Graduate Student Center, my third home in the city! :) This is where I get free tea and coffee! 

College Green - U Penn                         

Inside of the Penn Bookstore

GSE Student Lounge, where we often chill out and gather with our study groups

Inside of Houston Hall, the 1st Student Union in the nation :) 

There are many Victorian style houses like this one in Philly!   

Philly - City of Brotherly Love!  

Out and about in Center City on a cloudy day - still beautiful! :)

Another look at the Center City - Doesn't it look like a diamond in the sky? :)

I have yet to try the megabus! Hoping to hop on and visit NYC!