University of Pittsburgh

For a long time, I thought I had my life planned out. I thought I knew where I wanted to go to school and live, I even thought I knew who I wanted to marry. I wanted to be a lawyer in the military and work my way up through the ranks to the office of Secretary of Defense, and that was it: no personal life or anything else. Once I got out of my parents’ house and started to live I realized all the things I thought I want or thought I was interested in; all those things were just things I was told…

Rose, Mike. “What College Can Mean to the Other America.” The Mcgraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across the Disciplines. Gilbert H. Muller, 12th ed., Mcgraw-Hill, 2014, pp. 195-197. In “What College Can Mean to the Other America,” Mike Rose discusses the issue of how America’s economy leaves the underclass without opportunities in postsecondary education. Rose seems to direct this issue towards an audience who can make a difference. At the end of his article, Rose states, “What kind of society do we…

Ideal Vacations What is your ideal vacation spot? Many people work hard all year long for a vacation, saving up money to be able to go to different places to relax or to do fun activities they cannot do at home. When people choose to go on vacation they like to know how much the trip will cost them, what activities you can do there, the scenery, and the great food from other places then home. Many people have different desired locations for a vacation. Popular vacation spots are the beaches,…

“College Calculus” Kenzie R. Lincoln Roncalli High School College Calculus In “College Calculus” John Cassidy presents both sides regarding whether or not a higher education is necessary. For hundreds of years Americans have stated that a higher education is key to human betterment. Recently the demand for a higher education has increased because it does not just help a person acquire higher-paying jobs; it also raises wages and helps with rising inequality. Colleges have also…

If you want to be happy, you have to be happy on purpose. When you wake up, you can’t just wait to see what kind of day you’ll have you have to decide what kind of day you’ll have. This quote, by Joel Osteen, has shaped my perspective for the past few years. Popularized by singer songwriter, Lauren Sanderson, I began to appreciate the abbreviated form, You Have to be Happy on Purpose. This quote impacts daily life as a reminder to live purposefully and not passively. To be Happy on Purpose,…

The second lecture in the Berges Lecture series was a presentation by John Heiser, President and Chief Operating Officer, Magnetrol International, Inc., discussing the idea that leadership is a journey and began his talk by reflecting on his on journey of leadership. John went to college to become a lawyer and after graduating from law school, began his career as a lawyer. After 10 years however, John had an intervention in which he ultimately decided that his current career path was not what he…

Having a proper education has always been deemed by the general population as one of the most important skills a person can acquire to have a successful career. Those who succeed in doing so move forward, while those that do not drop out and are overlooked by society. In 2006, economist Alan S. Blinder wrote the article “Will Your Job be Exported” informing society that education is no longer our biggest concern, but rather our jobs that are being offshored. Blinder states in his…

Terrell L. Strayhorn presents a series of research studies, from qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods, while focusing on different types of college student populations and groups. Throughout his research he incorporates the theory of belonging and mattering in College Students’ Sense of Belonging: A Key to Educational Success for All Students in order to gain a better understanding of their sense of belonging in higher education. Strayhorn (2012) frames sense of belonging as a “basic…

Most parents often wish to send their kids to an Ivy League school, so that they can be notable in their education and excel in their academic experience. According to Yale Professor and author, William Deresiewicz, Ivy league schools may not be the best choice, because of the academic standard that an Ivy League student is expected to have. It has been shown that it could harm them by the extreme course load, the expectation of being involved in school events, and extracurricular activities..…

Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail What comes to mind when you hear the word failure? How do you respond when it happens to you? Do you take it negatively or positively? Everyone has a different perspective and interpretation about failure. Some people see failure as an unpleasant thing or a limitation of their capabilities, while others see failure as a learning opportunity or a guide on how to become better. For example, in the article, “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail,” the…