EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FUND

CONNECTIONSCONNECTIONS

EOF Monthly Newsletter March 2012

Inside this issue: Have you COMPLETED your FAFSA? Senior Spotlight 2 EOF Alliance News 4 t’s that time of to the HESAA website Comm. Svc. 4 I year again, when where you’ll respond to youI need to apply for t h e a d d i t i o n a l March Calendar 5 financial aid for the information requested. If EOF Annual Awards 5 academic year of Fall this is not completed, Counselor’s Clipboard 6 2012 & Spring 2013. you will receive a notice The deadline for priority from HESAA to submit mailing was March 1, the (AIR) Applicant 2012. If you haven’t yet application that will Information Request BAD WEATHER completed the FAFSA impact your NJ State through their website Communication form, please do so by Financial Aid. It is www.hesaa.org. If you Methods During March 15th to be CRITICAL once you do not complete this Inclement Weather packaged before fall have submitted your information, it will delay tuition bills are due. FAFSA application and your state aid and EOF Titan Alert System is now get to the confirmation funding. You can get in effect, notifications will Please file on-line at page you do the assistance completing come exclusively through www.FAFSA.ed.gov. If Titan communication following: your application from system. you forgot your PIN your EOF counselor—if number, there is a link CLICK the link on the confirmation page you have any questions. Titan Alert. Alerts will be that will send you the forwarded to your CCM PIN again by mail or u n d e r O p t i o n a l email account, and any Feature—start your additional contact points, email. If you haven’t Why do you Procras- applied for a pin yet, go state application. including personal email, tinate? phone calls and text to www.pin. ed.gov. Once you have clicked - Lack of Relevance. messaging. For more There has been recent there, it will - Fear of Unknown. information about Titan changes to the FAFSA immediately direct you - Inability to Handle A l e r t , g o t o the Task. http://www.ccm.edu/titan alert.aspx Workshops Check the CCM website at www.ccm.edu. WHEN WHAT WHERE If you never received Wed., March 7 Excel at Taking Tests Cohen Hall (EOF) Titan Alert, call the 11:00 AM—12 Noon Room CH 211 emergency information number 973-328-5580. Wed., March 21 Express Yourself in Cohen Hall (EOF) The college makes every 11:00 AM—12 Noon Writing & Speech Room CH 211 effort to communicate closing or delayed opening Wed., March 28 Becoming a Critical Thinker Cohen Hall (EOF) information as 11:00 AM—12 Noon & Problem Solver Room CH 211 soon as possible. Tues., April 3 Stress Reduction Sheffield Hall 12:30 PM—1:30 PM Room SH 101 P AGE 2 C ONNECTIONS Senior “Spotlight” Victoria Bronson hat are your plans after future EOF students? Put yourself W graduation? My plans out there. I know people usually are really up in the air. I still use the phrase “don’t be afraid to haven’t chosen a college to put yourself out there”, but in my continue my education yet. I may opinion the absence of fear isn’t take a semester or two off to find necessary. The presence or absence and get comfortable with a nursing of uncomfortable emotions is not a job before I continue with my direct indicator of your ability to education. succeed. You are in college to How has County College of Morris learn and grow and create a better and EOF prepared you for life after life for yourself. You’re not going college? CCM has prepared me for to get there by doing the same old life after college by giving me a things you’re used to. You’re going great education; ours is one of the to come up against things that will top 2 year institutions in the passionate about what I do and that challenge you in every aspect of country. Our campus life program makes for great outcomes in work your being. If you don’t, you’re not was also a really great experience and in life. doing it right. Don’t hide from those things. Seek them out. Use for me. Through my club What role has the EOF program involvement, I learned how to them for all they’re worth. You’ll played in your academic, personal, learn and grow in ways you may speak in public, how to run and professional development? meetings, and how to get things not even be able to imagine and EOF has been a family to me where they will all be a positive influence done within an organization. I had none. They’ve been a Because I was doing so many in your life. It’s ok to feel shoulder to cry on, a coach to help overwhelmed. It’s ok to make things, I had to learn better time me see my path, and a cheerleader management. Because I learned mistakes. You have a great support cheering me on my way. They system here at CCM through EOF time management, I’ve become gave me a place to study. They fed much more aware of my limits. and other services on campus such me when I didn’t have food. They as the Counseling Center. Use them Knowing your limits is an were the first people that made me important thing when you want to all. Learn from your mistakes, and feel welcome on campus. They are most importantly, keep going. be as productive as possible without a big reason why CCM feels like over stressing yourself. EOF has home to me. What motivated you to get involved been a backbone for me while I in student life initially? What can learned all of these things. They What things have motivated you to you say about students getting were there for me when I was continue striving for academic involved? I didn’t grow up in NJ. I overwhelmed. Just knowing that success and professional growth? I didn’t know anyone at this school someone who cares was there grew up in a very toxic and I wanted to meet people. I was helped me so much; even on days I situation. Sometimes the only thing walking by the club room one day never stopped by the office. that got me through was the hope I and saw a group of people sitting had for the future I would create a there and I sat down to join them. Now that you are approaching vision of myself when I became an graduation, what do you claim as That was my first EOF meeting. I adult. It is that hope – that belief – wasn’t even an EOF student yet. your most important asset as you that motivates me to keep striving enter the workforce and the world? for something better. Now that I I tried various clubs. Some clubs I believe my most important asset is am on my way, I look forward to were totally within my comfort that I know who I am, and what I helping others feel that hope in their zone such as strategic gaming, can bring to the table, in so many lives. others were completely outside my more ways than I could comfort zone initially, such as before. Due to that understanding, I What advice or message would you student government. have found that I am dedicated and like to leave to current and/or

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Senior Spotlight Continued What I have to say to students about excitement at trying something because of these things that I began getting involved is DO it! Try new. my education at CCM. It is because things you like, try things you know of these things that I tried things nothing about, try things you think I invite you to try this motto that weren’t comfortable for me would never be something you out. Try for a position in a play, such as student government. I would do. Try them all and learn take that class you think you can’t ended up being student government why you like or dislike the succeed at. Find out what you’re president. That’s something that experience so much. Try them and truly made of. Don’t sell yourself was never even on my radar. learn there is a whole other side to short. I know you’ll surprise you that you weren’t aware of. Try yourself. I have. What are memorable moments you them and find out you were right have had with EOF? My most when you thought that something What personal experience, if any, memorable moment was a wasn’t right for you. Try them and has had a huge impact on your conversation I had with a fellow you’ll make friends, learn new personal philosophies and/or plans EOF student whereby I was able to skills, become more comfortable in in the future? Cuddle . use my nursing education to help your own skin, and feel a part of Cuddle parties are 3.5hr. long them with a health issue they were something. Try them and you’ll workshops that deal with having. That experience highlighted have fun. communication skills, and a passion I already had regarding boundary setting from a coaching giving quality healthcare to people (Try them and get your money’s standpoint. There are rules of who don’t have money. worth. You’re paying money cuddling at a cuddle . The first towards campus life in your tuition one is “you don’t have to cuddle When you are not studying and whether you use it or not.) anyone ever.” Then there are others engaging in academic life, how do like: “You must ask permission and you spend your free time? In my What would you say is your receive a verbal yes before you free time I play with my bunnies, philosophy in life? I grew up with a touch anyone”, “If you’re a maybe, bake gluten free food, do yoga, do lot of fear. Because of that, I say no” and “Silence is not a yes”. medieval re-enactment, make learned to avoid things that caused medieval clothing, and play a lot of me to feel that way. Living that way It was in cuddle parties that I strategic board games. can make your world very small. worked through my fear of failure/ Very small, and yet still not rejection by asking everyone there Would you like to add anything comfortable. One of my mottos to say “no” to me. I learned to not else? Just that I am so grateful for now is “where there is fear, go”. take the word “no” personally in a the opportunities that were made This doesn’t mean I purposely safe and playful environment. available to me through CCM. This make unsafe decisions, but it does Being comfortable with saying and place has given me so much. Thank mean that if I’m afraid of public hearing the word “no” is a pretty you. I’m going to make you proud. speaking, I’ll volunteer to do it. If important thing. Especially because I’m afraid to speak my mind, I’ll do once you get the hang of it, you can Victoria Bronson it. If I’m afraid to let people know really mean it when you say “yes”. where I’ve come from, I do it. I do There are a lot of great things in the those things over and over again world to say yes to. and each time I do it’s a little victory. Each time it gets easier. I also got to have the experience Some things I learn to love, others I that I have a choice about what just get comfortable with. Because happens to my body – which was a of this one thing, my world has pretty huge thing for me feeling gotten much bigger and more full of safe in the world in general. I love and joy than I knew was learned to take the safe space I felt possible. There is a sense of play in cuddle party out into the world and possibility around things that and to question what I thought was are scary. I might even call it possible from a playful place. It is P AGE 4 C ONNECTIONS

EOF Alliance news he EOF Student Alliance has T already had two events, The The EOF Student Alliance is Campus Life Welcome Back Bash sponsoring this Special Campaign on Feb. 7 with 9 students helping to of the Adopt-A-Platoon Program: make and staffing our table, and the Teddy Bear Drive on OPERATION FOOT Feb. 14, with 4 students assisting at CARE PATROL our table. Thank you everyone who assisted at these events! We PLEASE HELP OUR couldn’t have done it without you! Stuffed Animal Drive TROOPS! Upcoming events: Thurs, March 8- - 12:30, SCC 125, Club Room. Students will decorate their Alliance area during the meeting. Thurs, March 22, April 5, April 19 – AESNJ Alliance Meeting - 12:30, Our deployed Service Members SCC 125, Club Room. know that taking care of their Melanie, Jean Ann, & Ashaloy Thurs, May 3– AESNJ Alliance feet is just as important as Luncheon. Our teddy bear drive was a last taking care of their weapon! minute decision; Edie found Many volunteers needed for our Please drop in any of these foot S.A.F.E. Inc., a non-profit that upcoming Tricky Tray, the big EOF care products: works with the Adopt-A-Platoon Annual Fundraiser, and our Annual program, and sends donated new Awards Dinner. Please also donate New crew, boot or thermal socks stuffed animals to our troops to give any unwanted, wrapped new items Foot powder, Anti-fungal cream to children in Iraq and Afghanistan, for a tricky tray that you may have Cooling cream, Athlete’s Foot to create friendships and harmony at home or ask your employer or a with the local communities. We had merchant to donate a gift card for Lotion or cream &Toe Nail it in conjunction with the ‘Teddy free items or free service. (Bring the clippers Bear Factory’, a staple event on Merchant Request letter from EOF Collection Boxes: Inside front Valentine’s Day, and we were with you explaining the program doors of SCC & EOF, CH 211 fortunate to have 15 cute bears and and fundraiser). tigers donated that were just freshly made! Wow! Deadline: March 30

Community service opportunities WHEN WHAT WHERE Sun., April 15 Walk for Multiple Sclerosis Roxbury Twp. 10:00 AM—12 Noon Wed., April 18 CCM’s Spring 2012 Job Student Community Center 8:30 AM—10:00 AM Davidson Rooms A—D Tues., April 24 Spring Fair for Clubs & Student Community Center 11:00 AM—2:30 PM Organizations Outside Tues., April 24 Annual Health & Wellness Fair Student Community Center 10:00 AM—2:00 PM Davidson Rooms A—D E O F M ONTHLY NEWSLETTER P AGE 5

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

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4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Diversity Bake EOF Workshop: EOF Alliance: Sale, SCC Lobby Excel at Taking Tests Pizza Party 11:00 AM— EOF-CH 211 SCC 125 2:00 PM 11:00 AM—12 Noon 12:30 PM— 1:30 PM

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Daylight Savings Time (DST) Begins! Set clocks one hour ahead Spring Recess—March 12th thru March 17th

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 EOF Workshop: EOF Alliance: Express Yourself in Meeting Writing & Speech SCC 125 EOF-CH 211 12:30 PM—1:30 PM 11:00 AM—12 Noon

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 EOF Workshop: Adopt a Platoon: Becoming a Critical Last day to Thinker & Problem Solver Donate Foot EOF-CH 211 Care Products 11:00 AM—12 Noon

Save the date! P AGE 6 C ONNECTIONS

Counselor’sCounselor’s ClipboardClipboard Note These Important Dates!

March 7 EOF Workshop: Excel at Taking Tests, 11:00 AM—12:00 Noon, EOF Office, CH 211. March 8 Spring Transfer Fair, 10:00 AM—1:00 PM. More than 25 institutions from in and out of the state of NJ will be represented at this annual event., March 12—17 Spring Recess! Classes resume March 19. March 21 EOF Workshop: Express Yourself in Writing & Speech, 11:00 AM—12 Noon, EOF Office, CH 211. March 28 EOF Workshop: Become A Critical Thinker & Problem Solver, 11:00 AM—12 Noon, EOF Office, CH 211. April 1 Deadline to apply to graduate for this August 2011 April 3 Workshop: Stress Reduction, 12:30 PM—1:30 PM, Sheffield Hall, Room SH 101. April 6 Good Friday, College is Closed! April 12 EOF Workshop: What is Engineering About?, 2:00 PM—3:00 PM, S h e f f i e l d Hall, Room 163. April 12 Last day to DROP a classes or WITHDRAW from college. (See your counselor before you DROP a course.) Reminders! Submit your EOF Request for Summer School Course funding letter by March 15, 2012. The ANNUAL HEALTH & WELLNESS FAIR is scheduled for April 24, 2012. Volunteers are needed to park cars, attend tables or greet at the door. See Diane in Health Services to sign up in CH266 or call 973.328.5160. Tutoring is required weekly if you are in any non-credit basic skills course. All tutoring needs to be documented. Be sure to bring your tutor forms for signatures.

The quality of a university is measured more by the kind of student it turns out than the kind it takes in. ~Robert J. Kibbee