Summer Away From the Sea

Summer Away From the Sea

Students Juggle Part-time Jobs for Extra Cash

This summer Hamptonians are completing internships and jobs throughout the country and abroad. Whether they are in Hampton,Va. or as far as China, they are applying the valuable lessons they’ve learned at their Home by the Sea. This series of blogs will feature undergraduate and graduate students, who are doing something noteworthy this summer.

 

Lumpkin’s New Endeavors

Tiffany Lumpkin has her hands full this summer as she works two part-time jobs as a receptionist and a freelance/contracted independent makeup artist. She is also taking summer classes at Hampton University. Lumpkin is a senior, biology major from Suffolk,Va., who enjoys all of her time spent at HU.

Lumpkin spends most of her time completing assignments for class and studying for the GRE and LSAT. She is preparing for graduate school, while balancing personal and professional tasks.

When she isn’t working, Lumpkin enjoys hanging out with friends.”We form study groups on the weekends and then party later that night. It helps give us something to look forward to each weekend and provides discipline at the same time.”

Lumpkin finds that this summer is significantly different than last. “I had a lot of fun last summer. I traveled with my family oversees and enjoyed a leisure lifestyle. This summer is different, I am on the grind. Focusing on my short term and long term goals is my number one priority,” said Lumpkin.

Doing makeup has been the highlight of Lumpkin’s summer. “I am in the process of building my clientele as a professional MAC cosmetics makeup artist and I am doing a lot of weddings and special occasions on the weekends. They say you should do what you love and the way you know you love it is that you would do it for free. It’s just that rewarding,” said Lumpkin.

Stevens Spends Summer at Captain Ds

Rising Junior, Da’Reinn Stevens is ready to start the fall semester at Hampton University, after spending her summer working at Captain Ds Seafood Kitchen.

Stevens turned down numerous unpaid internships, and took advantage of the opportunity to make money before returning to HU. Her responsibilities at the restaurant include serving food and being a cashier. Working at Captain Ds has motivated her to work hard to ensure that she will not have to return after college. “I realized how fortunate I am to be able to leave and get a quality education,” said Stevens.

This summer was fun for Stevens but last summer she had more friends to hang out with. Many of her friends have moved elsewhere. During the time she is not at work she is hanging with the friends that haven’t left, and looking up other opportunities to further her experiences. She also dedicates some of her free time to volunteering. By the end of the summer she hopes to take a trip to Bermuda to visit her family.


-Jalisa Stanislaus is a print journalism major who is interning at the office of University Relations at Hampton University this summer.



VDOT Commissioner says young people are, ‘future of transportation.’

Program participants stand with Program Director Dr. Sonja Pollard- Mitchell and Assistant Director Shontae Taylor .

Program participants explain their VDOT posters at the closing luncheon. 

Program Director Dr. Sonja Pollard-Mitchell stands with VDOT officials at the program's closing luncheon.

VDOT Commissioner says young people are, ‘future of transportation.’

The Hampton University National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) Summer Program ended July 20 with a heartfelt sentiment from Virginia Department of Transportation Commissioner (VDOT) Gregory Whirley.

“You represent the future of transportation,” said Whirley, to the 23 high schoolers who participated in the six-week program on HU’s campus. “You came up as a team because you worked together. That’s what’s going to make you successful, working with other people.” 

At the program’s closing luncheon, where Whirley was the guest speaker, students presented group work that consisted of a handcrafted symbol of VDOT and what the organization represents. As a whole, the free program exposes students to careers within the transportation industry, including science, engineering and construction. 

Program Director Dr. Sonja Pollard-Mitchell, also a marketing professor at HU, said exposing students to the variety the transportation industry provides was a promise she made to participants’ parents, and one she kept.  

“I told you at the beginning of this program that I would expose your children many opportunities,” she said.

Students visited Washington, D.C., Kitty Hawk, N.C., and Jamestown to learn of their transportation hubs, how those industries are maintained, and how they thrive.

“Our goal is that students are challenged to think outside of whatever box they’ve placed the transportation industry,” Mitchell said. “Many of them may have never considered the field of transportation as part of their work future, but now, they know it’s an option.” 

Though several students playfully admitted not being interested in the program initially, student testimonials relayed they were pleased with the program's academic and social offerings. 

“I enjoyed making the connections and building relationships with my peers and instructors,” said 16-year old Skyler Greene. “ I learned that VDOT has a variety of jobs not just (related to) the roads, but business, science and photography.” 

Leha Byrd 

Summer Away from the Sea

Summer Away from the Sea

Jaron Scott Explores India

This summer Hamptonians are completing internships and jobs throughout the country and abroad. Whether they are in Hampton,Va. or as far as China, they are applying the valuable lessons they’ve learned at their Home by the Sea. This series of blogs will feature undergraduate and graduate students, who are doing something noteworthy this summer.

Jaron Scott has gained a new outlook on the world from his experience studying abroad in India. Scott is a senior, political science major from Hampton, Va. who has spent part of his summer studying the Hindi language and micro-finance through a program with the Mid-Atlantic Consortium-Center for Academic Excellence (MACCAE).

Being in India was a very unique experience for Scott. He gained a lot of insight and a new sense of understanding of other cultures.

“Micro-finance is the practice of loaning small amounts of money to poor people so that they may start their own home business or expand their current business. This is used to help alleviate the widespread poverty that plagues India.” This helps underprivileged people generate their own wealth.

“I learned that the best way to help people is to empower them by giving them the means to help themselves,” said Scott.

Scott spent most of his free time in the markets talking to people and in the gym working out. “While working out I had the opportunity to talk to the 25 year old owner of the gym and hear about how he was able to build his fortune by buying and selling houses and other property.”

Adjusting to the new culture was not difficult for Scott. The time difference and the food were the hardest things to get used to. Scott found himself jet lagged for a couple days due to the nine hour difference in time. He loved the food but found that Indians put spices in everything. “One time I ordered a drink at an Indian restaurant that was full of spices,” said Scott.

Scott observed that many Indians are very conservative when it comes to water and electricity. “Since these things are in short supply and very expensive to obtain people generally do not waste them.” People take baths out of buckets to conserve water.

Although Scott took classes at HU that gave him a solid understanding of Hindi, the language barrier was still Scott’s biggest obstacle. “It was difficult to understand and talk to the people.” As the program progressed, Scott learned more Hindi, and was eventually able to communicate with the natives.

“I decided to study abroad because I really wanted to experience a culture different from American culture. I figured the best way to do this was to travel to another country and learn the language,” said Scott.

-Jalisa Stanislaus is a print journalism major who is interning at the office of University Relations at Hampton University this summer.

Hampton University's Business of Engineering Exposes Youth to Energy Alternatives

Hampton University's Business of Engineering Exposes Youth to Energy Alternatives

This summer the School of Engineering and Technology and the School of Business hosted the Business of Engineering Summer Program. The program, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, allows rising high school freshman to learn about the problem solving and business side of the transportation industry.

The two-week program allowed students to investigate different energy sources and how each can be used in today’s world. For their final presentations students researched multiple different energy sources that could be used to power the HU campus including wind, geothermal, hydroelectricity, lightening, and solar power. 

In class students used home energy simulators, solar panels, and wind energy and electricity distribution simulators to analyze real-world situations. 

The Business of Engineering took learning beyond the classroom and traveled to Nauticus, Batelle, Jefferson Labs and Busch Gardens. The program closed on June 28, with a reception that featured presentations from students and awards.

Summer Away from the Sea

Summer Away from the Sea

Studying in Singapore: Jennifer Jackson

Jennifer Jackson in Singapore

Jennifer Jackson in Singapore

This summer Hamptonians are completing internships and jobs throughout the country and abroad. Whether they are in Hampton,Va. or as far as China, they are applying the valuable lessons they’ve learned at their Home by the Sea.  This series of blogs will feature undergraduate and graduate students, who are doing something noteworthy this summer.

Jennifer Jackson is experiencing new food, people and culture as she studies business at Nanyang Polytechnic in Singapore this summer. She is a senior 5 year MBA major from Richmond,Va. and has learned a lot during her time spent in Asia.

Jackson wanted to do something life changing, while experiencing a different culture.  “Before this experience I had never left the United States, or even been too far off the East Coast. So I had no idea what to expect,” said Jackson.

Most of the people that Jackson has befriended are other international students, so every day she experiences something new. “I have learned a lot about world cultures and how everyone has different perceptions,” said Jackson.

Jackson has found that there are many differences in the cultures, but what she found most interesting, is how similar the people are. The biggest difference for Jackson is the “sense of personal space.

 “Many times I find myself walking down the street and having to dodge people because it just seems like everyone walks extremely close to one another and sometimes do not look where they are going,” said Jackson. She also finds that many of her classmates are shy and timid, unlike what she is used to in the States. 

The biggest obstacle for Jackson thus far has been budgeting her money. She received a traveling stipend, so she has to be mindful of the money she spends. “It is easy to spend a lot of money when you’re having fun and traveling,”  said Jackson.

It was initially difficult for Jackson to adjust because of the heat and different wildlife, as well as being in a new environment without the comforts of her home and car. Despite these differences, Jackson has gotten used to and grown to love Asia.

Most of Jackson’s free time is spent traveling. “Since I have been here I have been to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. It has been an amazing life changing experience to see how other people live, their culture, and how they perceive America.”

Many believe that a disadvantage of study abroad programs is that they prevent timely graduations; however, researchers have begun to study the link between study abroad and retention and graduation rates. They have “busted the myth that study abroad delays time to graduation and have raised questions about whether it can be used as a strategy to increase rates of student persistence and success,” according to an article entitled, Study Abroad, Graduate on Time, published on the Inside Higher Education website.

Jackson admits that she feels blessed to have been given the opportunity to study abroad. She gives credit to the Department of Management at HU, who have been helpful throughout the entire process.

-Jalisa Stanislaus is a print journalism major who is interning at the office of University Relations at Hampton University this summer.

HU Music Enrichment Summer Program

HU Music Enrichment Summer Program

Clarinet Lesson

Piano Lesson

Music Enrichment Summer Program 

The Music Enrichment Summer Program, organized by Professor Jerry Bracey and Dr. Sheila Maye, department of music chair, is in full swing! Students are studying the fundamentals of music and honing their personal skills. Participants are receiving private lessons on an array of instruments including: piano, strings, percussion, guitar, woodwinds, brass, recorder and voice. Introduction to Audio Recording sessions will also be available for older students in weeks to come. "I am impressed with the talent of this year's campers. The recitals at the end of week five will be an awesome debut of the student's growth as musicians," said Bracey. 

Summer Away From the Sea

Summer Away From the Sea

Kyshira Moffett is embracing new opportunities at PNC Bank

Kyshira Moffett

This summer Hamptonians are completing internships and jobs throughout the country and abroad. Whether they are in Hampton,Va. or as far as China, they are applying the valuable lessons they’ve learned at their Home by the Sea.  This series of blogs will feature undergraduate and graduate students, who are doing something noteworthy this summer.

 Kyshira Moffett has spent her summer learning the ins and outs of business at PNC Bank in Pittsburgh, Pa. Moffet is a 5^th year MBA graduate student from Chicago, IL  interning at PNC Bank, one of the  leading financial service organizations in the country.

She received the internship after applying at the Hampton University Career Counseling and Planning Center recruiting site. After two interviews she was able to secure a job with the company. Her tasks vary on a daily basis.

 “I have various projects for the summer that will add value to the bank after my internship is over,” said Moffett.

Moffett hopes to gain a deep understanding of the retail branch network, as well as how other groups within corporate support them.

“I plan to build meaningful relationships with fellow interns and colleagues to expand my network. My ultimate goal for the summer is to obtain a full time offer,” she said.

In four weeks, Moffett has learned valuable lessons at PNC. This is her fifth internship overall and she has remained open minded and excited for the challenges and experiences that PNC has to offer.

One of her most memorable moments was engaging in a one-on-one discussion with the leader of all talent acquisition. She provided great advice and told Moffett about her career path. She also enjoyed hearing the CEO speak during an intern summit.

Additionally, Moffett was elected to the student Advisory Board at Pearson Education. Pearson is one of the leading educational publishing and technology companies in the world.  She looks forward to going to NYC in August for the Pearson Summit where she will meet other members.

In the time she is not busy at work, Moffett enjoys reading and going to the movies with her roommates.

-Jalisa Stanislaus is a print journalism major who is interning at the office of University Relations at Hampton University this summer.

Miss HU 2010-2011 wins first runner up in Miss Virginia Pageant

Desiree Williams

Miss HU 2010-2011 wins first runner up in Miss Virginia Pageant

Miss Hampton University 2010-2011 and current HU Physical Therapy Graduate Student, Desiree Williams, was first runner up in June’s Miss Virginia Pageant. Williams was one of 12 young women, and eventually a final five, who vied for the pageantry title in Roanoke, Va.

Williams served as Miss Peninsula prior to running for the Miss Virginia crown. College of William and Mary Student Rosemary Willis won the Miss Virginia title. If Willis becomes unable to fulfill her duties, Williams would take the position. 

“Making it so far in the Miss Virginia pageant, and all the while representing the Peninsula and Hampton University, was a thrill and an honor,” Williams said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have competed with such wonderful ladies, including another Hamptonian.”

Miss Hampton-Newport News, Phyllicia Whittingham, who earned her MBA from HU in May, was also a Miss Virginia contestant.

Dr. Shelia Maye, executive director of the Miss HU Scholarship Pageant, said Williams is deserving of her title.

The pageant consisted of a private, 10-minute interview, talent, swimwear, eveningwear and an on stage question. Williams also won the preliminary contest in the swimsuit and academic competitions.

"Our Miss Hampton 2010-2011, Desiree Williams, was my unbiased choice to win the Miss Virginia Pageant,” Maye said. “She displayed excellence in her exceptional intellect, talent, life style and fitness, and exemplified the elegant poise, grace and beauty not only of a Miss Virginia, but of a Miss America. She is truly the epitome of the ‘Hampton Woman.’ I congratulate her and wish her success in all future endeavors.”

Leha Byrd