Mike Oswald is the Dean of International Students at BYU-I.
He didn't plan on this being his job. "I'm still trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up," said Oswald with a big hearty laugh. He however, did several things throughout his life to prepare him for his position now.
He use to work as an interpreter for Japanese and English.
He studied International Business at the University of Southern California. He then worked at the International Representatives office in Tokyo for the University of Southern California.
He's lived in Japan 3 different times including his mission, for a total of 9 years. He's traveled well across Asia.
He saw the position open up at BYU-I and thought he'd apply. "I'm originally from Idaho so, thought I'd give it a try and come back up here," said Oswald. He got the job and has been here since.
Most of his work is done behind the scenes, he deals a lot with US immigration reporting. He also is responsible for 400-450 students a semester. He sees anywhere from 1 to 30 students a day, it just depends on the time of the semester. He gets to know some of the students very well. The most rewarding part of his job is watching students grow and develop from when he first meets them all the way until they graduate. Helping students accomplish goals or get through the immigration process and get on the right track.
He sees some of the hardships International students have to go through. The most difficult thing International students have to deal with is learning English and finances, especially if they have a sponsor and they pull out. The International Student office has one party a semester for International students. They also invite different attorneys and agents over the semester to come and speak to students.
"I think the important thing to realize is that they go through great trials and tribulations just to get here to go to school," said Oswald. "They have a much different perspective on the world than Americans do and it is a great opportunity to get to know them and what their hopes and dreams are."
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Latin Dance
Every Friday students at BYU-I can have fun, get a workout, and experience a little Latin culture by coming Latin Dancing. The dance is held in the Hinckley Gym from 8:30-11:30 pm on Fridays.
The first hour usually involves a dance instructor teaching some new moves and steps to couples.
As energetic xylophone music plays in the background, hips shake from side to side. While the instructor counts one, two, three, five six, seven, couples spin around and giggle trying to familiarize themselves with the foreign steps and each other.
Then at around 9:30 the lights go down and a rainbow of flashing lights turn on. Loud and fast Latin music turns on which encourages heels to click, and skirts to twirl.
"I try to come every Friday," said Jana Mortimer, a senior studying CIT. "It's fun to meet new people and to learn the different cultures of dancing. I brought my little sister this time and it was fun to teach her how to shake her hips."
As the night progresses more and more people and couples file in and join in on the fun, and the room doubles in size from about 25 couples to around 50 or more.
The first hour usually involves a dance instructor teaching some new moves and steps to couples.
As energetic xylophone music plays in the background, hips shake from side to side. While the instructor counts one, two, three, five six, seven, couples spin around and giggle trying to familiarize themselves with the foreign steps and each other.
Then at around 9:30 the lights go down and a rainbow of flashing lights turn on. Loud and fast Latin music turns on which encourages heels to click, and skirts to twirl.
"I try to come every Friday," said Jana Mortimer, a senior studying CIT. "It's fun to meet new people and to learn the different cultures of dancing. I brought my little sister this time and it was fun to teach her how to shake her hips."
As the night progresses more and more people and couples file in and join in on the fun, and the room doubles in size from about 25 couples to around 50 or more.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Online Media Law: The Basics for Bloggers and Other Publishers
Here is the link to proof of my completion of the course:
http://www.newsu.org/course-tracking/report/nwsu_medialaw08/9ab396d69a23bbdd3095e711472cb852
How to protect yourself:
http://www.newsu.org/course-tracking/report/nwsu_medialaw08/9ab396d69a23bbdd3095e711472cb852
In this course I learned about:
Defamation-injury to reputation caused by the publication of falsehoods. Thiss includes libel-written defamation and slander-spoken defamation.
How to protect yourself:
- Follow good journalism practices.
- Strive to be as accurate as you can be.
- Use reliable sources.
- Be willing to correct or retract your mistakes.
- Be cautious when publishing negative info.
- False light.
- Commercial misappropriation-use of someone's name or image in a commercial setting.
- Intrusion.
- Publication of private facts.
- Report on subjects and facts that are newsworthy.
- Gather info in public places and from publicly available sources.
- Where possible, get consent from the people you cover.
How to protect yourself:
- stick to the facts and avoid taking someone else's creative expression.
- Use works you created yourself.
- Seek the copyright owner's permission to use the work.
- Make sure your use is a fair use.
Five Steps to Multimedia Storytelling
Here is the link to proof of my completion of the course:
http://www.newsu.org/course-tracking/report/ucknight_multimedia07/f57b2471bce0546b6f240bb752b0db9e
In this course I learned the Five steps to Multimedia Storytelling:
http://www.newsu.org/course-tracking/report/ucknight_multimedia07/f57b2471bce0546b6f240bb752b0db9e
In this course I learned the Five steps to Multimedia Storytelling:
- Choosing a story- multimedia stories are nonlinear, they engage readers by letting them choose which elements to read and when to read them.
- Making a story board-a sketch of how you plan to organize a story. You organize a story by defining the elements, identifying the media, and story boarding the concept.
- Reporting with multimedia-what is the proper equipment to pack your bag with when reporting with multimedia.
- Editing for the web-taking a storyboard from rough to refined.
- Producing the story-a multimedia reporter shapes the story, while a web designer will serve as the editor.
- video
- audio
- still photos
- graphics
- text
The Be A Reporter Game (journalism basics)
Here is the link for proof of my completed course:
http://www.newsu.org/course-tracking/report/knight_reportgame08/3d691cce6efda104da3570f3bcecda44
This course was really fun because I was able to pretend I was a real reporter. I learned how to interview multiple people and ask the right kind of questions while racing against a deadline. I learned that it's important to go back to sources you've already interviewed because they may have new information or you may get them to reveal more information. I learned the importance of looking into documented sources because that is where you can verify a lot of facts. I learned that even though it is important to get your story out fast, it is even more important to verify all your facts before putting out your story.
http://www.newsu.org/course-tracking/report/knight_reportgame08/3d691cce6efda104da3570f3bcecda44
This course was really fun because I was able to pretend I was a real reporter. I learned how to interview multiple people and ask the right kind of questions while racing against a deadline. I learned that it's important to go back to sources you've already interviewed because they may have new information or you may get them to reveal more information. I learned the importance of looking into documented sources because that is where you can verify a lot of facts. I learned that even though it is important to get your story out fast, it is even more important to verify all your facts before putting out your story.
News Sense: The Building Blocks of News
Here is the link to the completed course:
http://www.newsu.org/course-tracking/report/mah_newssense05/87a23e7424feb53fcbaf0c0ed7ae2f19
I learned that news happens all around us and good reporters are always open to finding a story. Good reporters strive for fairness, accuracy, context, and truthfulness in their stories.
A story is newsworthy if it has one or more of these elements:
http://www.newsu.org/course-tracking/report/mah_newssense05/87a23e7424feb53fcbaf0c0ed7ae2f19
I learned that news happens all around us and good reporters are always open to finding a story. Good reporters strive for fairness, accuracy, context, and truthfulness in their stories.
A story is newsworthy if it has one or more of these elements:
- Prominence-who
- Importance-what
- Human Interest-what
- Timeliness-when
- Proximity-where
- Meaning-why/how
- Direct Observation-finding the details
- Interviews-identify people being quoted, attribute facts and quotes, and double check facts.
- Documents and databases
- Leaders, Experts, and officials-use them judiciously, don't over use them.
- Researching-knowing your story
- Asking- asking for simpler terms, or the main point
- thinking-understanding what's going on and being able to put it into simpler terms for someone to understand.
- translating- telling what the meaning of the story is.
- Invite-your lead needs to invite readers into the story.
- Inform-tell the reader what's going on.
- Illuminate-shed further light on something to give the reader a clearer picture.
- Connect-connect a reader to a larger picture for understanding, such as history, culture, wider community, and human nature.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Excellence in Journalism
These are all news stories found off of Romenesko.
Jan. 14
Screen gems: Roger Fidler talks about e-readers and tablets
This is a good example of a feature article. Instead of just having a story on E-readers like the Kindle and the anticipation of the Apple tablet, I like how it told the story of Roger Fidler as well, because he is an expert on E-readers. The article had a good use of quotes, paraphrasing, and background information on Fidler. It was an interesting read to hear about how Fidler thought technology and the news would be in the future, which is today. This story is a good story for timeliness because E-readers and tablets are a popular topic right now, especially with Apple’s tablet coming out. I like this article better than others though, because it was nice to hear what a long time expert in this field had to say.
Jan. 22
John Edwards's paternity admission vindicates National Enquirer, its editor says
This article is a good example of journalism because it has a great comical lead in. The article has newsworthiness because, it has prominence, because it is about the scandal of John Edwards’ infidelity and denial of paternity and how the National Enquire of all publications, broke the story. It has human interest because the National Enquire is not a publication that wins Pulitzers and now the Editor is entering its work. The article also has timeliness because this scandal is something that happened recently. The article is enjoyable to read because it goes from the lead into the story of the scandal and back to what was discussed in the lead for a good closing.
Jan. 24
Next News From Haiti: Pulling Out
I really like this article, because it was a well written journalism story about good journalism, so it was good journalism on good journalism. The article had some fantastic quotes by prominent news figures such as Anderson Cooper. This story would be of great importance and human interest to people because the earthquake in Haiti was such a big story. The story also has timeliness because the Earthquake just happened. This article gives great details of what happened in Haiti and what journalists experienced and felt.
The story also had a great lead in and quote from Anderson Cooper and to tie it in another great quote from him to close the story.
Feb. 1
Fewer copy editors after staff cuts means more grammar errors
I think this article was an example of good journalism because it went at a story in an interesting point of view. Instead of talking about how cuts in journalists and copy editors is affecting the news, the story showed how the loss of copy editors is directly affecting the paper, by letting 133 errors get by in one paper. I liked how they also let you get to know a little bit of the story about the teacher to make it more personal. I also liked how they showed detail by putting actual mistakes that got by in the paper.
Feb. 9
Twitter is not killing journalism, journalists are killing journalism
This article is a great example of good journalism. I really like the journalist’s style of writing, it’s fun to read, it’s even comical at points. I like how he shows both sides on things. He shows the advantages and disadvantages of having Twitter as a source of journalism, and he shows examples of how some journalists are using Twitter for good and how others are using it for bad. The article is a good example of journalism because it is of importance because a lot of people use Twitter and use it to get breaking news. The article is of timeliness because it is something that is happening now, Twitter is continuously changing journalism at this moment.
Feb. 17
Survey: Paying for online content a tough sell
I found this article to be an example of good journalism for several reasons. First the lead drew me in, this article is on a topic of interest for me and many others so the lead made me continue to want to read more into the article. Since it is a popular topic it is of importance because it could effect all internet users. The article also has timeliness because it is on a research survey that was released the day before. The article was a great example of using documented sources because it pulled lots of information from a survey. The article also used a good amount of quotes and detailed facts.
March 1
Pew Research: 26% read news on mobile devices
This article is a good example of using documented sources in journalism. The article goes over a new research report with lots of factual and statistical data, this could be boring to read but the way it was done in this article makes it enjoyable to read. The article has timeliness because it is about a research study that just came out. The article is informative and has connectivity for the reader to a larger community because as the article says, “80 percent of adults now own cell phone and 37 percent use their phones to access the web” so, since most people have cell phones and a lot of them use them to go online, they would be interested in this article.
March 1
Magazines Team Up to Tout 'Power of Print'
This article is a good example of journalism because it had a good mix of sources. First it draws the reader in to want to know more about why the magazine industry is switching from being all about going digital to now wanting to preserve and promote print. Then it goes into the specifics of what the new campaign is, with quotes from experts, and people on the campaign. The article gives good details such as what the campaign will look like, who will participate in the campaign. The article also has documented sources giving statistical data about ads and magazine readership.
March 8
Digital Lift-Off
This article was a good example of journalism because it is a short article but it fit a lot of informative information in it. It is an interesting read because it is about something that has never happened before in the advertising world and it is a big deal in the journalism world as well. It has a good use of quotes from experts and statistical data from a study. It is balanced and unbiased and shows a good example of how digital advertising is not necessarily that much better of an investment than print if you look at revenues rather than numbers of people.
March 15
C-Span Puts Full Archives on the Web
This article was a good example of journalism because it was very balanced and unbiased. The first two quotes are even by journalists who favor different political parties. This article has lots of good quotes from leaders and experts. The article also has good usage of factual data. The article is of prominence and importance because it is about C-SPAN, which does video coverage of all the important political acts that happen in Washington, which is important for American citizens to know that this video coverage is available. The article is informative by telling about the history of C-SPAN and what C-SPAN on the web will have to offer.
March 25
What The Reader Elite Means for Journalism Schools
I think that this article is an example of quality journalism because it is a well written and interesting article to read for journalists, future journalists, and people interested in the news or journalism and it’s future. It’s unbiased and informative. Although it didn’t have quotes or documented sources, it was still good journalism because it was an editorial like piece since it was on the writer’s blog, and yet it wasn’t too opinionated, it was more informative. It brings up some good points about expertise and credibility in the world of journalism, and is speculative of the future of journalism itself.
April 1
The Citywide Leader in Sports?
This article is a great example of quality journalism and is extremely well written, it is lengthy and you don’t even notice because it is so interesting to read. It leads the reader into the story by describing things as if you are seeing them and experiencing them for yourself. This attention to detail continues throughout the rest of the story, as it captivates readers. It has lots of good quotes from leaders and experts. It has quite a bit of factual information to back things up including hard numbers and percentages. It answers the questions it poses through an investigative means, and obtains viewpoints from different sides making it unbiased.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
On the Media: March 26th
a.what did I learn about the practice of journalism and or expectations of journalists as described in the ten elements of journalism?
I learned that we should go back to the principles of journalism started by the forefathers of the profession and offer voice to the voiceless rather than focusing on celebrities and stars. We should also know what we are talking about, how can we tell the truth if we don't understand what is happening?
We need to always fact check, don't just get quotes from people making a crazy statement and leave it at that, get the facts of why they think what they do and also have facts to back up your story so it is truthful and not biased.
b.what did I learn about the ethics of journalism or an ethical challenge faced by a journalist?
We should avoid the sins of mischaricterization, such as saying their are large numbers of Americans for or against something, it misrepresents the public opinion, actual data should be used. We should cover all the points, views and groups, not just the groups we agree with. We should avoid point and laugh coverage which is where you find a group doing something crazy and make fun of it.
We shouldn't pay too much attention to when someone steps way over the line, you need to dig into the policy objection. So, if someone says something crazy you can't just put it in your story because it would seem biase, and you can't leave it out because it is biased as well, this is why you need to cover all the views and angles.
c.how can I apply what I learned from my chosen source this week to improve coverage of my beat or my future work in journalism?
What I learned this week can apply to my beat or future stories because it made me realize that I don't just need quotes from leaders, experts, and well-known people, I need to offer voice to the voiceless as well and tell their stories and opinions. I also learned that I need to be better about doing research and background information so I can know what I am talking about and be better able to share the truth.
I learned that I need to get more points of view for my stories as well so that I don't sound biased. I also learned to avoid and (ook for when listening to the news my self) the sin of saying this group believes this or the majority thinks this, without having good hard numbers to back it up.
I learned that we should go back to the principles of journalism started by the forefathers of the profession and offer voice to the voiceless rather than focusing on celebrities and stars. We should also know what we are talking about, how can we tell the truth if we don't understand what is happening?
We need to always fact check, don't just get quotes from people making a crazy statement and leave it at that, get the facts of why they think what they do and also have facts to back up your story so it is truthful and not biased.
b.what did I learn about the ethics of journalism or an ethical challenge faced by a journalist?
We should avoid the sins of mischaricterization, such as saying their are large numbers of Americans for or against something, it misrepresents the public opinion, actual data should be used. We should cover all the points, views and groups, not just the groups we agree with. We should avoid point and laugh coverage which is where you find a group doing something crazy and make fun of it.
We shouldn't pay too much attention to when someone steps way over the line, you need to dig into the policy objection. So, if someone says something crazy you can't just put it in your story because it would seem biase, and you can't leave it out because it is biased as well, this is why you need to cover all the views and angles.
c.how can I apply what I learned from my chosen source this week to improve coverage of my beat or my future work in journalism?
What I learned this week can apply to my beat or future stories because it made me realize that I don't just need quotes from leaders, experts, and well-known people, I need to offer voice to the voiceless as well and tell their stories and opinions. I also learned that I need to be better about doing research and background information so I can know what I am talking about and be better able to share the truth.
I learned that I need to get more points of view for my stories as well so that I don't sound biased. I also learned to avoid and (ook for when listening to the news my self) the sin of saying this group believes this or the majority thinks this, without having good hard numbers to back it up.
Friday, March 26, 2010
French Fondue
The French Association had their closing social on Friday, March 26 at 6pm at French teacher, Sister Geddes house.
Students from BYU-I French classes, French speaking Returned Missionaries, and French Teachers and their families were in attendance.
After a prayer was offered in French, the Fondue party began.
There was fondue from different French speaking parts of the world. choices included traditional cheese, marinara, and chocolate fondue from France, and a pot of maple from the French speaking region of Quebec, Canada.
You could dip a variety of bites sized food into the big pots including, graham crackers, grapes, bananas, strawberries, olives, tomatoes, meatballs, cheese, angel food cake, and homemade french bread.
"All the fondue was delicious, although my favorite fondue was missing, which is Fondue Bourguignonne, an oil fondue," said Branden Pronk, a Senior studying Mechanical Engineering who is a French-speaking Canadian, who served his mission in France. "It consists of heated oil in a small pot and your choice of raw meats including small pieces of steak which you dip into the hot oil and deep fry to your preference, such as rare, medium rare, well, and well-done."
As everyone ate, soft french music played in the background while laughing and chatting in both French and English could be heard.
Then some of the group went down to the basement and watched a french movie called, Les Choristes at the end of the party.
Students from BYU-I French classes, French speaking Returned Missionaries, and French Teachers and their families were in attendance.
After a prayer was offered in French, the Fondue party began.
There was fondue from different French speaking parts of the world. choices included traditional cheese, marinara, and chocolate fondue from France, and a pot of maple from the French speaking region of Quebec, Canada.
You could dip a variety of bites sized food into the big pots including, graham crackers, grapes, bananas, strawberries, olives, tomatoes, meatballs, cheese, angel food cake, and homemade french bread.
"All the fondue was delicious, although my favorite fondue was missing, which is Fondue Bourguignonne, an oil fondue," said Branden Pronk, a Senior studying Mechanical Engineering who is a French-speaking Canadian, who served his mission in France. "It consists of heated oil in a small pot and your choice of raw meats including small pieces of steak which you dip into the hot oil and deep fry to your preference, such as rare, medium rare, well, and well-done."
As everyone ate, soft french music played in the background while laughing and chatting in both French and English could be heard.
Then some of the group went down to the basement and watched a french movie called, Les Choristes at the end of the party.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
International Students Statistics
According to Mike Oswald, Dean of International students, this semester there are 430 International Students at BYU-I on track.
"The majority of International students are from Canada, then South Korea, and either Brazil or Mexico depending upon the semester," said Oswald.
The statistics for winter Semester are being calculated right now.
In analyzing the trends from previous semester's data we can extrapolate to predict trends of this semester and the future.
We can see from these graphs that the International student population is trending upwards. We can therefore predict based on this trend that the international student population will continue to grow year by year, with the majority of international students being present in the Winter and fall, but with an ever increasing percentage starting to attend during the summer months.
"The majority of International students are from Canada, then South Korea, and either Brazil or Mexico depending upon the semester," said Oswald.
The statistics for winter Semester are being calculated right now.
In analyzing the trends from previous semester's data we can extrapolate to predict trends of this semester and the future.
We can see from these graphs that the International student population is trending upwards. We can therefore predict based on this trend that the international student population will continue to grow year by year, with the majority of international students being present in the Winter and fall, but with an ever increasing percentage starting to attend during the summer months.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
On the Media: March 19
a.what did I learn about the practice of journalism and or expectations of journalists as described in the ten elements of journalism?
Plagiarism is a major sin in journalism. Journalist are known to declare to people the importance of not plagiarizing and that they won't plagiarize, so we should uphold to that and not plagiarize.
One thing about plagiarism that people forget is that if you plagiarize you don't know if the information you are lifting is the truth or not, which helps prove the claim that there is no line between fabrication and plagiarism, they are the same. The best journalism is reproduceable, given similar tools and sources, you can come up with a similar story, so there is no point to copying other's work. Don't make excuses for bad behavior and mistakes like plagiarism.
b.what did I learn about the ethics of journalism or an ethical challenge faced by a journalist?
c.how can I apply what I learned from my chosen source this week to improve coverage of my beat or my future work in journalism?
I can apply what I learned this week to my beat or future work by knowing the laws of where I live so I don't get in trouble or hurt someone else because I don't know the laws. I can also apply what I learned about plagiarism. I sometimes forget that plagiarism can happen on accident on occasion if you are not careful. So, now I will pay more attention to proof read and check my work before I turn it in to make sure all quotes and credit is given where it is due. I’ve also learned that it might be wise to look into ways to check stories for plagiarism with software or sites on the web and that I shouldn’t ever be offended if someone wants to check my work for plagiarism.
Plagiarism is a major sin in journalism. Journalist are known to declare to people the importance of not plagiarizing and that they won't plagiarize, so we should uphold to that and not plagiarize.
One thing about plagiarism that people forget is that if you plagiarize you don't know if the information you are lifting is the truth or not, which helps prove the claim that there is no line between fabrication and plagiarism, they are the same. The best journalism is reproduceable, given similar tools and sources, you can come up with a similar story, so there is no point to copying other's work. Don't make excuses for bad behavior and mistakes like plagiarism.
b.what did I learn about the ethics of journalism or an ethical challenge faced by a journalist?
Know the rules and rights of your state on things like what is ok to write about or what is considered private information such as privacy laws on things like 911 calls. Don't write about private things like this, it is not ethical. Accidental plagiarism is just as bad as intentional plagiarism because it is still plagiarism! It would be a shame if you forgot to paraphrase or quote something and it went into print when it could have been caught, so always proof read your stories multiple times so you never have to worry about accidental plagiarism and don’t count on someone else to find your mistakes.
c.how can I apply what I learned from my chosen source this week to improve coverage of my beat or my future work in journalism?
I can apply what I learned this week to my beat or future work by knowing the laws of where I live so I don't get in trouble or hurt someone else because I don't know the laws. I can also apply what I learned about plagiarism. I sometimes forget that plagiarism can happen on accident on occasion if you are not careful. So, now I will pay more attention to proof read and check my work before I turn it in to make sure all quotes and credit is given where it is due. I’ve also learned that it might be wise to look into ways to check stories for plagiarism with software or sites on the web and that I shouldn’t ever be offended if someone wants to check my work for plagiarism.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Closing Socials
Winter semester 2010 is sadly coming to an end, which means the different International Associations at BYU-I will being saying adieu, ciao, adios, and aloha.
The following is a list of closing socials that different Associations will be having:
For more information, you can contact the different Associations' pages by visiting byui.edu/associations.
The following is a list of closing socials that different Associations will be having:
- The Philippines Association will have a closing social on March 25th at Nauvoo house loung at 7:00pm.
- The Japanese Association will have a potluck closing social on Friday,March 26th in Taylor 105 from 6-7pm.
- The French Association will have a fondue party closing social on Friday, March 26th at Sister Geddes house at 6:00pm.
- The Chinese Association will have a potluck closing social on March 31st at Sister Shen's place from 6-8pm.The Hmong Association will have a Movie/Closing Social/Pot Luck Saturday, April 3.
For more information, you can contact the different Associations' pages by visiting byui.edu/associations.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Cultural Extravaganza
On Wednesday March 17th at 6pm, the Crossroads was filled with students from all over the world.
Colorful flags from countries around the world lined a wall. M.C. Wesly Two Eagles dressed head to toe in traditional Native American apparel, took the stage to start the nigh of East/West Fusion.
Two Eagles played a traditional son he made up and How Great Thou Art on the Flute. He later did a traditional dance and got about 25 people from the audience to come up and join him.
The Polynesian Association was definitely a crowd favorite. They performed the hakka, a New Zealand dance where the men chant, make faces, stick out their tongues, while making a beat on their chests. The members all had red hand prints on their chests after the performance. The association later did a Somoan dance in colorful sarongs, sitting on the floor slapping, clapping, and yelling in unison. The third dance they performed was a fast paced Tahitian dance.
The Latino Association's girls dressed in flowy black and polka-dot dresses did a Flamingo Dance with fans from Spain.
The African Association performed a modern dance, and skit about a king.
The Vietnamese Association in long modest dresses sang a song about their dress and how it represents Vietnamese women.
The Desi Association got the crowd excited when they performed two Bollywood style dances while they wore colorful sari's.
The Chinese Association had a girl sing A cappella Opera about women.
The Russian Association did a dance about how girls meet guys and later sang a Russian song A cappella.
"Everything went really well, minus some technical difficulties," said Eric Christoffersen, who was in charge of the event and President of the Russian Association.
The night included many skits, songs, and dances and showed that BYU-I has many talented students. It also showed that we have students from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures that we can learn a lot from.
Colorful flags from countries around the world lined a wall. M.C. Wesly Two Eagles dressed head to toe in traditional Native American apparel, took the stage to start the nigh of East/West Fusion.
Two Eagles played a traditional son he made up and How Great Thou Art on the Flute. He later did a traditional dance and got about 25 people from the audience to come up and join him.
The Polynesian Association was definitely a crowd favorite. They performed the hakka, a New Zealand dance where the men chant, make faces, stick out their tongues, while making a beat on their chests. The members all had red hand prints on their chests after the performance. The association later did a Somoan dance in colorful sarongs, sitting on the floor slapping, clapping, and yelling in unison. The third dance they performed was a fast paced Tahitian dance.
The Latino Association's girls dressed in flowy black and polka-dot dresses did a Flamingo Dance with fans from Spain.
The African Association performed a modern dance, and skit about a king.
The Vietnamese Association in long modest dresses sang a song about their dress and how it represents Vietnamese women.
The Desi Association got the crowd excited when they performed two Bollywood style dances while they wore colorful sari's.
The Chinese Association had a girl sing A cappella Opera about women.
The Russian Association did a dance about how girls meet guys and later sang a Russian song A cappella.
"Everything went really well, minus some technical difficulties," said Eric Christoffersen, who was in charge of the event and President of the Russian Association.
The night included many skits, songs, and dances and showed that BYU-I has many talented students. It also showed that we have students from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures that we can learn a lot from.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Hmong Cultural Association
I had never heard of Hmong until I looked at the list of associations on campus. I decided to go to the Hmong Cultural Association's potluck dinner Saturday night, interested to learn what Hmong exactly was.
I arrived promptly at six and was sad to see no one was there. I waited for about 10 minutes hoping the event wasn't canceled. A few minutes later a group of very friendly and welcoming people started to arrive. They brought with them an array of Asian cuisine, rice, sushi, spring rolls, pork, won tons, egg rolls, and a variety of sauces. As everyone ate I started to ask questions to figure out what Hmong was.
It turns out Hmong is not a place, it is a language and a culture of a minority of people. Hmong people are primarily from Thailand and Laos, but they can be found all over, from France, Vietnam, China, Germany, even Australia and South America. All of the students in the club however, were born in America or moved over when they were younger and then were raised here, so none of them are actually International Students.
David Chambers a recent graduate in History was one of the few people in the association who was not actually Hmong. He however served his mission in Thailand and knows more about Hmong people than anyone in the association, because he plans on getting his Masters in Hmong studies and the History of South East Asia. "Hmong means free and Hmong people are often referred to as Nomads or Hill people," said Chambers. Apparently, they lived in the mountains doing small scale agriculture and whenever their soil wasn't good anymore they would migrate.
"The Hmong people started in China and had wars with the Chinese in the 1800s and they got pushed farther down China and Laos," said Chambers. "On the way they picked up things from different cultures, like Tai and Chinese words, and food from different places like egg rolls from Vietnam." So, their culture really is a fusion of several different Asian cultures, as was the food at their potluck.
I arrived promptly at six and was sad to see no one was there. I waited for about 10 minutes hoping the event wasn't canceled. A few minutes later a group of very friendly and welcoming people started to arrive. They brought with them an array of Asian cuisine, rice, sushi, spring rolls, pork, won tons, egg rolls, and a variety of sauces. As everyone ate I started to ask questions to figure out what Hmong was.
It turns out Hmong is not a place, it is a language and a culture of a minority of people. Hmong people are primarily from Thailand and Laos, but they can be found all over, from France, Vietnam, China, Germany, even Australia and South America. All of the students in the club however, were born in America or moved over when they were younger and then were raised here, so none of them are actually International Students.
David Chambers a recent graduate in History was one of the few people in the association who was not actually Hmong. He however served his mission in Thailand and knows more about Hmong people than anyone in the association, because he plans on getting his Masters in Hmong studies and the History of South East Asia. "Hmong means free and Hmong people are often referred to as Nomads or Hill people," said Chambers. Apparently, they lived in the mountains doing small scale agriculture and whenever their soil wasn't good anymore they would migrate.
"The Hmong people started in China and had wars with the Chinese in the 1800s and they got pushed farther down China and Laos," said Chambers. "On the way they picked up things from different cultures, like Tai and Chinese words, and food from different places like egg rolls from Vietnam." So, their culture really is a fusion of several different Asian cultures, as was the food at their potluck.
On the Media: March 12th
a.what did I learn about the practice of journalism and or expectations of journalists as described in the ten elements of journalism?
I didn't really learn anything about journalism in this weeks episode, except that in order to have a great story it is important to get as many sources and quotes as you can from a wide range of different people who are experts, leaders, or just the averge joe, but who have an intersting view to add to your story. This week's podcast had so many different people from the music industry on this episode, and each person had something completely different to say, which made this episode really informative, enjoyable and interesting to listen to.
b.what did I learn about the ethics of journalism or an ethical challenge faced by a journalist?
I learned that it's important to know the laws behind journalism, but it's also important to learn the laws and details of the story you are covering. I really liked how in the podcast they went over the laws of fair use when it comes to sampling, which are, "are you using the borrowed bit commercially, did you transform it in some way, did you take a sizeable portion of the original, the heart of it, will your use have an effect on the market for the original song, these are the legal questions designed to be applied to music sampling." One thing I thought about is how Greg Gilles could be sued one day for his samplin and the more and more coverage he gets the more popular he gets and the higher chance he has for being sued so it made me think whether having publicity such as on this podcast is a positive or negative thing for him.
c.how can I apply what I learned from my chosen source this week to improve coverage of my beat or my future work in journalism?
The main thing I learned from this podcast is that I need to be much better about getting multiple human sources who are really different from each other for my news stories rather than just one or two people. The more people you add to a story the more colorful and interesting your story can become. Another thing I learned is that adding sound to a story can have such a greater impact rather than just the written word. The music in this podcast really made the story, even if you are an amazing writer I still don't think the feeling from the actual music in the podcast could have been conveyed.
I didn't really learn anything about journalism in this weeks episode, except that in order to have a great story it is important to get as many sources and quotes as you can from a wide range of different people who are experts, leaders, or just the averge joe, but who have an intersting view to add to your story. This week's podcast had so many different people from the music industry on this episode, and each person had something completely different to say, which made this episode really informative, enjoyable and interesting to listen to.
b.what did I learn about the ethics of journalism or an ethical challenge faced by a journalist?
I learned that it's important to know the laws behind journalism, but it's also important to learn the laws and details of the story you are covering. I really liked how in the podcast they went over the laws of fair use when it comes to sampling, which are, "are you using the borrowed bit commercially, did you transform it in some way, did you take a sizeable portion of the original, the heart of it, will your use have an effect on the market for the original song, these are the legal questions designed to be applied to music sampling." One thing I thought about is how Greg Gilles could be sued one day for his samplin and the more and more coverage he gets the more popular he gets and the higher chance he has for being sued so it made me think whether having publicity such as on this podcast is a positive or negative thing for him.
c.how can I apply what I learned from my chosen source this week to improve coverage of my beat or my future work in journalism?
The main thing I learned from this podcast is that I need to be much better about getting multiple human sources who are really different from each other for my news stories rather than just one or two people. The more people you add to a story the more colorful and interesting your story can become. Another thing I learned is that adding sound to a story can have such a greater impact rather than just the written word. The music in this podcast really made the story, even if you are an amazing writer I still don't think the feeling from the actual music in the podcast could have been conveyed.
Friday, March 12, 2010
The Japanese Cultural Association
The Japanese Cultural Association meets Fridays at 6pm in Taylor 105. In tonight's meeting, President Courtney Dommer gave announcements and then members broke up into beginning and advanced Japanese speakers. Dommer went over simple nouns like book, pencil, and watch, with the beginning students. Then they went over numbers and counting.
While the beginners were just students interested in learning Japanese, the advanced students were made up of a few fluent speakers and returned Missionaries who spoke Japanese on their missions. The advanced students went into another room and just chatted together in Japanese like old friends. "I miss cultural diversity and being able to speak Japanese with people," said Jintoku Tai. "I'm in the association so I can feel that once a week." The students enjoy their weekly meeting because it is the one time they can get together and speak Japanese, since there aren't very many people who speak Japanese in Rexburg.
The Japanese Association will have a Soap Opera night next week where several beginning students will act out a dramatic scene, like that of a Spanish Soap. The Association will also have a potluck closing social on March 26th.
While the beginners were just students interested in learning Japanese, the advanced students were made up of a few fluent speakers and returned Missionaries who spoke Japanese on their missions. The advanced students went into another room and just chatted together in Japanese like old friends. "I miss cultural diversity and being able to speak Japanese with people," said Jintoku Tai. "I'm in the association so I can feel that once a week." The students enjoy their weekly meeting because it is the one time they can get together and speak Japanese, since there aren't very many people who speak Japanese in Rexburg.
The Japanese Association will have a Soap Opera night next week where several beginning students will act out a dramatic scene, like that of a Spanish Soap. The Association will also have a potluck closing social on March 26th.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
On the Media: March 5th
I learned that an expectation as a journalist is to abide by the wishes of the government as a media person both in our country and other countries. So, as a journalist I need to know the local, and national laws of where I live and plan to do my work, and if I am to do work else where, such as over seas, I need to know some of the basic laws I need to follow as a journalist. Also, I need to have an independence from those I cover, so if someone is paying me to write a positive article (like in the podcast about a movie), that is definitely breaking that element.
b.what did I learn about the ethics of journalism or an ethical challenge faced by a journalist?
The podcast had two ethical challenges journalists would have to face. The first ethical challenge would be should I report about a terrorist event because the public needs to be informed of it, or should I follow the laws of the country it took place in and not cover it because it is against the law. This is a tough ethical question but it seemed as mentioned in the podcast that most journalists would still cover the event. The other ethical topic brought up in the podcast was writing a positive review of a movie because you knew that the movie was going to pay you. I think the answer to this is, don't work for a newspaper or magazine if you know that this type of unethical behavior goes on.
c.how can I apply what I learned from my chosen source this week to improve coverage of my beat or my future work in journalism?
I can apply what I learned this week to my beat or future work that I should have independence from those I cover because than I won't have to worry about being biased or having others accuse me of being unfair. Another thing I learned is that I should strive to work for companies that are ethical and honest and strive to write stories that are ethical and honest. Another thing I learned is that when interviewing it is good to play the devil's advocate and ask questions that the interviewee might not agree with to get different points of view and answers for my piece.
Friday, March 5, 2010
The American Dream
Even though America has gone through some tough times over the last decade, people around the world still dream of coming over to have the American dream. Jintoku Tai a Freshman studying Economics is from Yokohama, Japan and has always wanted to come to America. "I've always dreamed of going to school in America," said Jintoku Tai. In preparation he took English in school and did a lot of self studying. 4 years ago he joined the church and it helped his dream become a reality.
"I've been secular minded for a long time so when I goined the church I realized I really wanted to go to BYU so I could be in a spiritual environment and learn both spiritually and secularly," said Tai. "It also is is a cheap and competitive school with a good Business school." Tai didn't get in to BYU and so he decided to come to BYU - I rather than go to BYU - Hawaii. "I decided to come here because it would force me to speak English since there aren't as many people here who speak Japanese," said Tai. Tai plans on transferring to BYU in a year and then plans on getting his MBA at BYU as well.
Although Tai enjoys school in America, he was a little depressed about the Church in America.
"The church is a little bit different, in America it is too common and general, the people don't seem involved," said Tai. "In Japan the church is not big at all so the people are more respectful of it and seem more faithful from the heart." He was also very disappointed about how people in America prepared for missions because they didn't seem as responsible and prepared for it as people in Japan. Tai plans on going on a mission himself after he gets into Provo.
America has many opportunities for International students, but we as Americans have a lot to gain and learn from them as well.
"I've been secular minded for a long time so when I goined the church I realized I really wanted to go to BYU so I could be in a spiritual environment and learn both spiritually and secularly," said Tai. "It also is is a cheap and competitive school with a good Business school." Tai didn't get in to BYU and so he decided to come to BYU - I rather than go to BYU - Hawaii. "I decided to come here because it would force me to speak English since there aren't as many people here who speak Japanese," said Tai. Tai plans on transferring to BYU in a year and then plans on getting his MBA at BYU as well.
Although Tai enjoys school in America, he was a little depressed about the Church in America.
"The church is a little bit different, in America it is too common and general, the people don't seem involved," said Tai. "In Japan the church is not big at all so the people are more respectful of it and seem more faithful from the heart." He was also very disappointed about how people in America prepared for missions because they didn't seem as responsible and prepared for it as people in Japan. Tai plans on going on a mission himself after he gets into Provo.
America has many opportunities for International students, but we as Americans have a lot to gain and learn from them as well.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Canada Wins Gold
I have never been a hockey fan, but I married a Canadian, which means I married a hockey fan. I was pretty happy when the US beat Canada in their match, not because I like hockey, but because I love when America wins and I thoroughly enjoyed rubbing it my husband and our Canadian friend's faces.
So, when I learned that the US would be playing against Canada for the final Olympic game for the gold I was pretty happy.
My husband and I gathered with our fellow Canadian friends at one of our Canadian friend's houses. I was the only one out of 7 people cheering for team USA. It was a very exciting game and my eyes were glued to the TV.
Canada was a ahead the whole game but the US got a goal in seconds before the buzzer and it went into over time. I literally jumped in the air down to my knees with several fist pumps in the air. I was the lone one cheering. The Canadians in the room were all booing, but I didn't care, I was so shocked and excited.
Then minutes into overtime Canada got a goal in and won. I felt so sorry for the US goalie, he looked so upset and sad. Needless to say I was happy in the end because I didn't want to have to deal with a grumpy husband for the next week. And hockey really is Canada's sport and it was on their home turf so it would have been really sad if they didn't win.
I guess I learned from this game that no matter where you are in the world you will always have the pride of your country in your heart. Even when you are not in your own country, or maybe you will have even more. And I guess I found out that hockey isn't as boring as I thought.
So, when I learned that the US would be playing against Canada for the final Olympic game for the gold I was pretty happy.
My husband and I gathered with our fellow Canadian friends at one of our Canadian friend's houses. I was the only one out of 7 people cheering for team USA. It was a very exciting game and my eyes were glued to the TV.
Canada was a ahead the whole game but the US got a goal in seconds before the buzzer and it went into over time. I literally jumped in the air down to my knees with several fist pumps in the air. I was the lone one cheering. The Canadians in the room were all booing, but I didn't care, I was so shocked and excited.
Then minutes into overtime Canada got a goal in and won. I felt so sorry for the US goalie, he looked so upset and sad. Needless to say I was happy in the end because I didn't want to have to deal with a grumpy husband for the next week. And hockey really is Canada's sport and it was on their home turf so it would have been really sad if they didn't win.
I guess I learned from this game that no matter where you are in the world you will always have the pride of your country in your heart. Even when you are not in your own country, or maybe you will have even more. And I guess I found out that hockey isn't as boring as I thought.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
World Dance Workshop
If you need to get in shape or want to learn some new dances from across the globe, than come to The World Dance Workshop. It will be held on Thursday, March 4th in Kirkham 233 from 7 to 10 PM. The workshop will be student-led and is free to all students.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Teaching French
A lot of students who end up at BYU - I don't plan on coming here, the same is true for teachers who come and teach here. Charlotte Carlus is one of those teachers. Carlus was living in Southern France and felt that her family really had no future in France, so she prayed to figure out what she should do.
"The Spirit had always told me that we would go back to the US one day (this is the third time I've moved to the US)," said Carlus. "I prayed, the Lord told me to resume my PhD and that would open a new door for us." Carlus did and her family then lived off of food storage for a year. Then a miracle happened. A lady who had lived in France and known Carlus' husband 40 years ago called and told the family about a French teaching job available at BYU - I. Carlus got the job and the family moved back to the US. Carlus began teaching in August of 2008.
Carlus has found a different set of difficulties teaching American students rather than teaching French students. "The nice thing is that students here are usually quite disciplined and polite, and I don’t think this is just because it is BYUI, I had noticed the same thing when I was teaching at the University of Utah," said Carlus. "Whereas students in France have a real problem with behavior and values nowadays. But the students in France had a much higher level of education, they are much more analytical and profound too, whereas most American students I have here are very ignorant, and at a total loss as soon as you ask them to think."
Student are not the only differences between the two countries. Carlus also misses quite a bit from home. "I miss my family and the beauty and esthetics of France: everything is beautiful over there, the buildings, the food, the clothes, whereas people do not seem to worry about esthetics or quality here," said Carlus. "I also miss the diversity and open-mindedness of the people, in France it is OK to be yourself, not here… especially in the Church."
On the other hand, Carlus has found that America also has some wonderful opportunities. "I like the freedom you have here and all the opportunities that you can find. If you want to do something with your life and progress and are ready to work, you can in Northern America, not in France," said Carlus. "The nice thing about living here is that it is easier for us to live an LDS life. The temple is very close (there is no temple in France, you have to go abroad), the chapel is close, you don’t have to have more than one calling, and it is OK to say that you are LDS." Apparently saying you are LDS is not an easy thing to do in France, since a lot of people, especially teenagers, mock people who believe in God.
Although America may have it faults, the Carlus family plans on staying here for a long time.
"The Spirit had always told me that we would go back to the US one day (this is the third time I've moved to the US)," said Carlus. "I prayed, the Lord told me to resume my PhD and that would open a new door for us." Carlus did and her family then lived off of food storage for a year. Then a miracle happened. A lady who had lived in France and known Carlus' husband 40 years ago called and told the family about a French teaching job available at BYU - I. Carlus got the job and the family moved back to the US. Carlus began teaching in August of 2008.
Carlus has found a different set of difficulties teaching American students rather than teaching French students. "The nice thing is that students here are usually quite disciplined and polite, and I don’t think this is just because it is BYUI, I had noticed the same thing when I was teaching at the University of Utah," said Carlus. "Whereas students in France have a real problem with behavior and values nowadays. But the students in France had a much higher level of education, they are much more analytical and profound too, whereas most American students I have here are very ignorant, and at a total loss as soon as you ask them to think."
Student are not the only differences between the two countries. Carlus also misses quite a bit from home. "I miss my family and the beauty and esthetics of France: everything is beautiful over there, the buildings, the food, the clothes, whereas people do not seem to worry about esthetics or quality here," said Carlus. "I also miss the diversity and open-mindedness of the people, in France it is OK to be yourself, not here… especially in the Church."
On the other hand, Carlus has found that America also has some wonderful opportunities. "I like the freedom you have here and all the opportunities that you can find. If you want to do something with your life and progress and are ready to work, you can in Northern America, not in France," said Carlus. "The nice thing about living here is that it is easier for us to live an LDS life. The temple is very close (there is no temple in France, you have to go abroad), the chapel is close, you don’t have to have more than one calling, and it is OK to say that you are LDS." Apparently saying you are LDS is not an easy thing to do in France, since a lot of people, especially teenagers, mock people who believe in God.
Although America may have it faults, the Carlus family plans on staying here for a long time.
"[We plan on staying here] hopefully forever, this is where the Lord wants to be, I know that," said Carlus.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
A change of Plans
Malvina Muca Reed, a Senior studying Communications from Durres, Albania never thought in her wildest dreams she would end up at BYU - I.
"I never thought I would come to America," said Reed. "I tried to get a good education [in Albania] but things weren't going as I had planned." At that time her best friend was begging her to come to BYU - I, because she had been here for a year. "I felt like I needed to change something in my life, [so I] prayed about it, and felt good," said Reed. "I applied, and here I am."
Reed has had to face some disadvantages as an International Student at BYU - I. Especially with English, such as trying to take tests and not being able to look up English words she did not know in the dictionary. "In the beginning it was a challenge, but now very rarely," said Reed. Reed also has a very thick accent so sometimes students would treat her differently. "In class discussions, some students feel that they know better because they can speak English better," said Reed. "My accent is a big thing, and I am working on it."
Reed likes America but misses her culture, food, and a lot of things from her home. "I miss my family and friends, and the living close to the sea. I love the sea," said Reed.
Reed has had to face some disadvantages as an International Student at BYU - I. Especially with English, such as trying to take tests and not being able to look up English words she did not know in the dictionary. "In the beginning it was a challenge, but now very rarely," said Reed. Reed also has a very thick accent so sometimes students would treat her differently. "In class discussions, some students feel that they know better because they can speak English better," said Reed. "My accent is a big thing, and I am working on it."
Reed likes America but misses her culture, food, and a lot of things from her home. "I miss my family and friends, and the living close to the sea. I love the sea," said Reed.
In the end, Reed is happy she made the decision to come to BYU - I. She looks forward to graduating soon and starting a family. "I want to be a mother, that's the first thing on my list, and then have my own office at home and work to support my husband."
Love of Culture
Many students look forward to the Cultural Extravaganza held at BYU - I as a way to experience many different cultures in one night. Eric Christoffersen, President of the Russian Association a Junior in Health Science is the man in charge this year. "I did not attended it last year due to being in [school at BYU] Provo, but I heard that last year was a great success and many students enjoyed it," said Christoffersen. "The main difference this year is that we are starting to prepare for it sooner that way we can have the full cooperation with other departments here on campus."
Christoffersen is looking forward to experiencing the different cultures at the Extravaganza as different groups represent some of their countries and cultures.
Christoffersen has been interested in different cultures since his youth. He was adopted from Russia at a young age and his parents taught him to love different cultures.
" I was raised to parents that love culture, they instilled the importance of accepting others despite their backgrounds," said Christoffersen. "As a result, I have traveled to Denmark, Japan, and a lot of places in the States learning about people, their culture, and their backgrounds." Christoffersen looks forward to helping others gain an interest and appreciation for the different walks of life here on Campus and hopes that the cultural night will help in this endeavor.
Christoffersen is looking forward to experiencing the different cultures at the Extravaganza as different groups represent some of their countries and cultures.
Christoffersen has been interested in different cultures since his youth. He was adopted from Russia at a young age and his parents taught him to love different cultures.
" I was raised to parents that love culture, they instilled the importance of accepting others despite their backgrounds," said Christoffersen. "As a result, I have traveled to Denmark, Japan, and a lot of places in the States learning about people, their culture, and their backgrounds." Christoffersen looks forward to helping others gain an interest and appreciation for the different walks of life here on Campus and hopes that the cultural night will help in this endeavor.
On the Media:February 19th
a.what did I learn about the practice of journalism and or expectations of journalists as described in the ten elements of journalism?
From this week's podcast I learned what negative effects can be caused if journalism is not an independent monitor of power. In Iceland it is illegal to report on the activities of the Banks. Because of this, Banks were using risky and unethical economic practices. The media could not report on this due to fear of lawsuits. The consequence? During the economic meltdown of 2008-2009, the Icelandic economy utterly collapsed due to the economically unhealthy Banking practices in Iceland. Ultimately, because it was illegal to report about these practices, the media could not act as an independent monitor of power by informing the population, and the economy crashed. The Laws are now being changed so that journalists will not have to fear lawsuits or negative reactions from the government.
b.what did I learn about the ethics of journalism or an ethical challenge faced by a journalist?
An ethical challenge faced by journalists is that they have to deal with weather or not to fully disclose peoples background or motives in interviews or in seeking "expert" analysis. On example in the podcast was someone represented as a politician lobbying for Obama's new green energy policy to include more nuclear energy, giving his expert analysis on TV. What was not disclosed is that he was paid by the nuclear energy company he worked for to publicly lobby his position. Is this not a conflict of interest? This case is not one isolated case either. A journalist on the podcast discovered over 70 such people who regularly appear on TV lobbying their cases without disclosing their motives.
c.how can I apply what I learned from my chosen source this week to improve coverage of my beat or my future work in journalism?
I can apply what I have learned during this weeks podcast to improve coverage of my beat or future work in journalism by fully disclosing the backgrounds and motives of those who I interview so as not to deceive the readers. I can also be an avid supporter of public policies and laws that allow freedom of the press and other journalistic freedoms that create checks and balances of power so that what happened in Iceland will not repeat itself in the future in the United States or in whatever country I live in in the future. This means being actively involved in current political issues so that I am well informed when I go to the polls and vote.
From this week's podcast I learned what negative effects can be caused if journalism is not an independent monitor of power. In Iceland it is illegal to report on the activities of the Banks. Because of this, Banks were using risky and unethical economic practices. The media could not report on this due to fear of lawsuits. The consequence? During the economic meltdown of 2008-2009, the Icelandic economy utterly collapsed due to the economically unhealthy Banking practices in Iceland. Ultimately, because it was illegal to report about these practices, the media could not act as an independent monitor of power by informing the population, and the economy crashed. The Laws are now being changed so that journalists will not have to fear lawsuits or negative reactions from the government.
b.what did I learn about the ethics of journalism or an ethical challenge faced by a journalist?
An ethical challenge faced by journalists is that they have to deal with weather or not to fully disclose peoples background or motives in interviews or in seeking "expert" analysis. On example in the podcast was someone represented as a politician lobbying for Obama's new green energy policy to include more nuclear energy, giving his expert analysis on TV. What was not disclosed is that he was paid by the nuclear energy company he worked for to publicly lobby his position. Is this not a conflict of interest? This case is not one isolated case either. A journalist on the podcast discovered over 70 such people who regularly appear on TV lobbying their cases without disclosing their motives.
c.how can I apply what I learned from my chosen source this week to improve coverage of my beat or my future work in journalism?
I can apply what I have learned during this weeks podcast to improve coverage of my beat or future work in journalism by fully disclosing the backgrounds and motives of those who I interview so as not to deceive the readers. I can also be an avid supporter of public policies and laws that allow freedom of the press and other journalistic freedoms that create checks and balances of power so that what happened in Iceland will not repeat itself in the future in the United States or in whatever country I live in in the future. This means being actively involved in current political issues so that I am well informed when I go to the polls and vote.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Cultural Extravaganza in the works
This years Cultural Extravaganza will be on Wednesday, March 17th at 7:00pm in the Crossroads. This years theme is an Eastern/Western Fusion. Eric Christoffersen, President of the Russian Association is in charge this year.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Active International Associations
After looking up information about the active fifteen International Student associations for Winter Semester 2010 on campus from the school's Associations page at www.byui.edu/Associations, I have come to the conclusion that very few of these active associations are in fact very active. The majority of the association's individual websites have not been updated in several semesters and some in several years, and others have no information to show at all. I found that the French Association's page lists that they meet every Thursday at 6 pm in Hinckley 245. They are one of the very few associations who supposedly meet on a weekly basis. I go to the meeting promptly at 6 pm with no french cuisine or francophone people to be found. It is sad to see that there appears to be a lack of involvement or excitement about the different International associations available on campus to become apart of. It seems like it is a wonderful opportunity not found elsewhere where we as students can become enlightened by learning to appreciate the cultures of those across the globe. I assume people are too busy with the day to day duties of being students, or are just ill informed because there seems to be a lack of leadership or organization over some of the International Associations available at our school.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Life after gradution
Looking for a job after school in this economic climate can be a scary time, but it's even more intimidating for international students. "It's tough to decide what to do since I don't have a ton of experience yet," said Jason Steward who graduated from BYU-I in Fall of 09 with a Bachelors in both Business Management and Communications. Jason is from Calgary, Alberta, Canada but he decided to stick around in Rexburg instead of going back up to Canada after graduation. "I'm looking to move to Utah, but I think I'll stay around here for awhile," said Steward. "I'm hoping to get a job at Melaleuca, so I might move to Rigby."
Staying close to friends and an uplifting environment is appealing, but the availability of jobs in this area is scarce. "It's very difficult finding a job in this area because people with lots of experience are applying for the same entry level jobs because of the economy," said Steward. Steward is applying for companies in the business and marketing departments, however companies don't want to hire him quite yet because he is in America on his F1 student visa, which means he cannot work off campus. "Companies don't want to hire me, they want Americans because they don't want to have to deal with the visa," said Steward. Steward is currently waiting for his work authorization to go through on his Visa so he can hopefully land a job soon.
Staying close to friends and an uplifting environment is appealing, but the availability of jobs in this area is scarce. "It's very difficult finding a job in this area because people with lots of experience are applying for the same entry level jobs because of the economy," said Steward. Steward is applying for companies in the business and marketing departments, however companies don't want to hire him quite yet because he is in America on his F1 student visa, which means he cannot work off campus. "Companies don't want to hire me, they want Americans because they don't want to have to deal with the visa," said Steward. Steward is currently waiting for his work authorization to go through on his Visa so he can hopefully land a job soon.
A lengthy process
Making a living as a young married couple can be hard when you are students, but it is even more challenging when one of you is an International student. Stephen and Jessica Brownlee met at school and have been married almost a year. Jessica is from Burley Idaho, and Stephen is from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, a Junior studying Business Management.
Stephen started the lengthy process of applying for permanent residency in November 2009, so that he would eventually be allowed to work off campus. "The hardest part about applying for my residency is paying for it, it's fifteen hundred dollars," said Brownlee. "It's been extra hard to save up money because I can't work off campus or make much money working on campus. I'm currently working on Campus at the Internship and Career Services Center as a career preparation mentor. I'm happy to have a job but, we ended up having to take out a student loan to pay for the application," said Brownlee.
The application also requires a thorough background check. "I had to fill out a bunch of detailed paperwork because they wanted a lot of my background information, they even wanted my finger prints," said Brownlee. "I also had to do a physical and several medical tests because they wanted my medical information as well." It usually takes a year to find out if you've received your permanent residency, but the Brownlees are hoping hey will hear back much sooner.
You can't leave the country during this time, so the Brownlees haven't been up to Canada for several months. "We should be getting or travel documents in about 1 to 3 months so we can travel outside of the United States again," said Brownlee. The Brownlees are happy to be able to travel again, but they seem to want to stick around this area. "We plan on staying in America after I'm done with school. Where I get my career will depend if I get my American citizenship in the log run, " said Brownlee. "It's a lengthy process but we are anxious and excited to hear the results."
Stephen started the lengthy process of applying for permanent residency in November 2009, so that he would eventually be allowed to work off campus. "The hardest part about applying for my residency is paying for it, it's fifteen hundred dollars," said Brownlee. "It's been extra hard to save up money because I can't work off campus or make much money working on campus. I'm currently working on Campus at the Internship and Career Services Center as a career preparation mentor. I'm happy to have a job but, we ended up having to take out a student loan to pay for the application," said Brownlee.
The application also requires a thorough background check. "I had to fill out a bunch of detailed paperwork because they wanted a lot of my background information, they even wanted my finger prints," said Brownlee. "I also had to do a physical and several medical tests because they wanted my medical information as well." It usually takes a year to find out if you've received your permanent residency, but the Brownlees are hoping hey will hear back much sooner.
You can't leave the country during this time, so the Brownlees haven't been up to Canada for several months. "We should be getting or travel documents in about 1 to 3 months so we can travel outside of the United States again," said Brownlee. The Brownlees are happy to be able to travel again, but they seem to want to stick around this area. "We plan on staying in America after I'm done with school. Where I get my career will depend if I get my American citizenship in the log run, " said Brownlee. "It's a lengthy process but we are anxious and excited to hear the results."
Friday, January 29, 2010
Pros and Cons
Living in America when you are an international student definitely has it's pros and cons. Craig Steward a Sophomore studying Biology agrees. "The job situation is annoying and you don't have the freedom to do what you please because you're kind of tied down when you are here," said Steward. "Everything is a pain, even little things like setting up a bank account."
But, Steward also enjoys the advantages. "Going to school here is a lot cheaper than going somewhere at home," said Steward. "I also really like the atmosphere of our school, I couldn't go to a church school in Canada."
After weighing the pros and cons Steward wants to stay down in the states. "I want to stay down here and go to Med school," said Steward. "I just want to be independent from my family and there is a lot more opportunity here," said Steward.
But, Steward also enjoys the advantages. "Going to school here is a lot cheaper than going somewhere at home," said Steward. "I also really like the atmosphere of our school, I couldn't go to a church school in Canada."
After weighing the pros and cons Steward wants to stay down in the states. "I want to stay down here and go to Med school," said Steward. "I just want to be independent from my family and there is a lot more opportunity here," said Steward.
Canadian and Jobless
Sleeping in until noon and having the whole day to lounge around in a robe doing whatever your heart desires might sound like the dream life when students are overwhelmed with jobs and school work, but Daniel Brownlee feels otherwise. "I hate it, I really wish I could work and have an actual good job," said Brownlee.
Brownlee, a Sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering, is on his off track and jobless. Brownlee is from Calgary, Alberta, Canada and his F1 student Visa permits him to only work on-campus on his off track. Brownlee spends his days sleeping in, working on business plans, and working out. While these activities were nice at first, they quickly grow tiresome.
Brownlee applied for several jobs on campus with no luck. "I was beaten out by a professional plumber for a job doing maintenance for the school," said Brownlee. "People seem less likely to hire international students because of the hassle of all the extra paperwork and having to wait for me to get a social security number." The search for a job in the this economic climate is tough for the average American student, but even more challenging for international students such as Brownlee.
Brownlee, a Sophomore studying Mechanical Engineering, is on his off track and jobless. Brownlee is from Calgary, Alberta, Canada and his F1 student Visa permits him to only work on-campus on his off track. Brownlee spends his days sleeping in, working on business plans, and working out. While these activities were nice at first, they quickly grow tiresome.
Brownlee applied for several jobs on campus with no luck. "I was beaten out by a professional plumber for a job doing maintenance for the school," said Brownlee. "People seem less likely to hire international students because of the hassle of all the extra paperwork and having to wait for me to get a social security number." The search for a job in the this economic climate is tough for the average American student, but even more challenging for international students such as Brownlee.
Friday, January 22, 2010
International Associations
There are 15 International Student Associations this semester. Here are the meeting times and places of those that meet weekly.
- The French Association meets every Thursday at 6 pm in Hinckley 245.
- The Japanese Cultural Association meets every Friday from 6 - 7 pm in the Taylor building room 105.
- The Latin Association meets every Thursday at 7 pm in the Taylor building in room 105.
- The Polynesian Cultural Association meets every Thursday at 7pm in Spori 137.
- The Russian Association meets every Thursday at 6 pm in Hinkley 383.
International Marriage
I sometimes feel like I am International student myself because I am married to a Canadian, so I can definitely relate to some of the difficulties International students have to go through. The biggest challenge that we have faced is money. It is so incredibly hard to get a job in Rexburg, I can never find one and my husband can only work on campus and hasn't had much luck finding one there either. My husband also does not qualify for government aid such as Pell Grants because he is not American, so, we continuously have to move back up to Canada to work, which I do not like at all.
My husband is a mechanical engineering major and most of the United States engineering firms have government contracts which require their employees to be U.S. citizens. So, when we are done with school, we will probably have to go back up to Cananda because he won't be able to work down here.
So, I can relate to many of the financial difficulties International students struggle with. We hopefully will be able to afford to apply my husband for permanent residency and eventually citizenship so we won't have to keep moving back and forth every six months.
My husband is a mechanical engineering major and most of the United States engineering firms have government contracts which require their employees to be U.S. citizens. So, when we are done with school, we will probably have to go back up to Cananda because he won't be able to work down here.
So, I can relate to many of the financial difficulties International students struggle with. We hopefully will be able to afford to apply my husband for permanent residency and eventually citizenship so we won't have to keep moving back and forth every six months.
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