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Friday, April 29, 2016

The First Year at Macalester

As we are slowly approaching the final weeks of the second semester we are marking the end of the first year at Macalester for the Class of 2019. This is often a time of reflection for the newest members of the college so read along as the first years Pietro Tardelli from Brazil and Abigail de Rancourt from France share their look back at their experiences. 


Tina Esmail ‘19

Global Ambassador Coordinator

Ophir Gillad and Pietro Tardelli

My first semester at Macalester was intense. From orientation to the last day of classes, I don't think there was a single day where I didn't lay in bed thinking “Wow, I did a lot today”. Right from the start with PO4IS (Pre-Orientation For International Students) I felt welcomed. People were willing to talk to me, ask questions and actually tried to get to know me, independent of which year they were or where they came from. Many of the friendships I formed on those few awkward days are the ones I cherish almost a year later. Mac provided me the perfect academic environment, where I was (and still am) encouraged to discuss and reflect upon everything I learned. I was particularly excited about my First-Year Course, “Creatures and Curiosities”, where I not only got the chance to meet a professor extremely passionate and knowledgeable about her subject but also to explore a topic I was very interested in, which actually led me to choose my current major. Mac gave me all the tools and guidance I needed to have a smooth new start and I’m really looking forward to all the semesters to come!

Pietro Tardelli ‘19



Ceren, Yangdon, Tina, Abigail and Vergi
As an international first year at Macalester College, my first semester was challenging and filled with growth. Pre-orientation and orientation enabled the spark of new relationships, bound from all horizons, as well as a thorough introduction to the College’s mission and values. The environment I had chosen to be a part of is certainly fit for the vast development of my identity and person. In saying this, I do not exclude the academic rigor Macalester offers.



I arrived convinced that I would double-major in Neuroscience and Studio Arts, perhaps minor in Educational Studies and eventually add in a few languages. The array of departments that exist would have enabled me to do so, but the intensity of the courses helps me to focus my interests into a field that I am most passionate about. Having said this, I have discovered the art of ceramics, challenging myself as an artist; I have explored theatre within the Twin Cities, partaking in thorough discussions of issues within the region; I have come to understand the multitude of dimensions involved in education and its role in international development; and I have come in touch with the fundamentals of psychology, a field that has sparked my interest for the brain and the mind.



Finally, my first semester here has exposed me to the myriad of spaces available. Friends have made my ease into the community much more exciting and enjoyable. The open and liberal mindset has allowed me to question and become aware of surrounding issues and learn to be inclusive in my discussion about them. The experiences I have had, and the ones that are yet to come, have gone far beyond my expectations. It is slowly, but surely, becoming a new home!



Abigail de Rancourt ‘19






 

Monday, April 4, 2016

Geographic Information System; Applying Concepts


I try to take a GIS (Geographic Information System) class every semester. I really liked the concept of this one in that we’re pairing with a community organization and doing applicable work for them.

This year we’re paired with Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ), an organization that’s trying to close the achievement gap in North Minneapolis by supporting low-income children of color.

NAZ’s motto is “cradle to career.” They are trying to get all students within their zone to be college ready by improving both the schools and the community of North Minneapolis. They use a wraparound approach. In order to improve students’ performances in schools, they have to also improve the home environment, so they’re trying to work on housing conditions, health, employment, and transportation. They are partnered with 140 or so other organizations within the Twin Cities that they can direct families to—like parenting classes and health organizations.

My group is looking at the housing environment of North Minneapolis. In particular, we are looking at variables such as foreclosures, mortgage rates, and if the houses are renter or owner occupied. We are seeing if the variables have changed over the years and how they affect the overall neighborhood dynamic.

At the end of the semester, we’ll have a final report for NAZ. We’ll share all of our maps and data, which they can use however they want. It’s really cool that we’re doing something useful and that this organization is so appreciative of the work we’re doing for them.

GIS is always tricky—finding the data, cleaning the data, and making it usable. That’s always the challenging part. For my career, I want to do something with GIS, so this is a really good starting point. I’ve enjoyed the class so far and want to continue doing this type of work. If you’re interested in GIS, I highly recommend this class.         

Hannah Bonestroo ’17
Ames, Iowa
Geography major with Urban Studies concentration

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Class trip to Higher Ground


We’ve all been there. Your flight is delayed. Your phone is about to die. You scan the gate for available outlets with no luck. People have staked their spots, even hunkered down on the floor, gripping iPhones and glaring at anyone who dares challenge them. Scarcity of resources brings out the worst in people. Add fatigue, hunger, anxiety, and frustration into the mix and it’s not surprising that verbal and physical spats ensue between complete strangers over who gets to charge their phone.

Homeless shelters often face these same issues. Limited outlets causes strife between clients. On a class trip to Higher Ground shelter in Minneapolis this past fall, we stood in a room filled with empty bunk beds and learned about adaptations the shelter has made to reduce such conflicts. Every bed has its own outlet. For people who carry their life’s belonging on their back, this sense of privacy and dignity goes a long way.

Higher Ground embraces the sentiment of “meeting people where they’re at,” which reflects in its day-to-day operations. For example, it provides lockers for alcohol. Clients are not allowed to bring alcohol into the shelter, but upon arrival, they can safely stow away alcohol to retrieve in the morning. Before the lockers were introduced, clients sometimes chugged half a bottle of vodka while waiting in line because they knew the alcohol would be confiscated. A Higher Ground employee explained that it’s not just about the alcohol. It’s about knowing your belongings are secure; they will not be taken away from you. Since introducing the lockers, Higher Ground has had fewer alcohol-related incidents.

Located near downtown Minneapolis, the shelter is open 365 days a year. The name Higher Ground speaks to its mission—to help guests attain permanent housing. The ground floor offers 171 spaces with light dinner, breakfast, and shower facilities.

On the second floor, guests pay $7 a night for beds, lockers, linens, showers, and access to employment resources. Higher Ground holds this money for guests to put toward rent for permanent housing. With 80 beds, the Pay-for-Stay facility is quieter and calmer than the first floor. Access to storage on the second floor is crucial. Before moving upstairs, clients must carry everything with them all the time. Showing up to a job interview with a suitcase is “the kiss of death,” a Higher Ground employee explained. Moving upwards means increasing privacy and independence. The higher floors contain individual rooms for clients; it feels similar to a college residence hall.

The trip to Higher Ground was an eye-opening and humbling experience. In Community Psychology and Public Health, we could read articles from psychology journals, we could sit in a classroom and discuss homelessness, but nothing could replace the feeling of standing in that room lined with empty bunk beds. Moving up the levels gave abstract words like “privacy,” “security,” and “independence” a tangible meaning.

My time at Macalester has included many field trips. I baked bread at Great Harvest; I toured the Minnesota Public Radio headquarters in St. Paul; I contemplated modern art at the Walker. The readings, our class discussions, even my final papers fade, but I remember the field trips. And since touring Higher Ground, I’ve never thought of outlets in the same way.

Alexandra McLaughlin ’16
Rosemount, MN

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

A Night at the Guthrie


Last fall, I attended the play adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. The play was great; it struck the right balance of funny and sobering; it transported me into the world of 1930s Alabama; it took me away from thoughts about homework and whether my spinach was still good. It gave me pause—something I consider one of the most important and difficult tasks of any type of entertainment. Some people struggle with adaptations. They complain about misrepresentations of characters or that a stage production reduces the themes of the novel. But I think such productions make stories tangible. They attest to a story’s lasting impact. Though Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird over 50 years ago, people care enough about her work to keep it alive.

I never would have attended this play on my own. Tickets cost between $20 and $60, the Guthrie Theater is located in downtown Minneapolis, it was a Thursday night, and as a busy college student, I could have named a thousand reasons to stay within the comforts of my daily routine. But thanks to the English Honor Society, I attended the show without paying a cent. All I had to do was indicate my interest in an email, climb into a yellow school bus that whisked me to downtown Minneapolis, and sit back and enjoy the show.  

The Twin Cities have no shortage of fun activities: plays, major league baseball games, art, history, and science museums, zoos, lakes, restaurants, the list could go on and on. Last October, I went apple picking at Afton Orchard. A bus took us there and back and we entered the orchard for free. Though I was raised in Minnesota and have visited apple orchards countless times, I never grow tired of the hayrides and hot apple cider.

A regularly-priced adult ticket to the Science Museum of Minnesota in downtown St. Paul costs $13, but at certain times during the year, you can buy $5 tickets from the Information Desk with transportation included. The Info Desk also offers discounted movie tickets to a few local movie theaters. When The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 premiered in November 2014, Program Board offered $5 tickets and free transportation. The regular price to see this movie? Sixteen dollars.
Macalester offers numerous opportunities like these. I did not realize this before coming here, and it’s definitely something I will miss after graduation.

Alexandra McLaughlin ’16
Rosemount, MN

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

#WinterOrangeCrew: Igloos

Season’s greetings from the #WinterOrangeCrew! We are a small group of Macalester students united by one mission: to bring you a snapshot of how to beat the cold and have a blast in the midst of Minnesota’s deep freeze. Keep checking the blog and our Instagram (@macalesterorange) over the next few weeks and follow our excursions to a variety of events, both on campus and throughout the Twin Cities.

This week, we decided to start our adventures right here on campus and take advantage of a classic Macalester tradition: the winter igloos!

Clockwise: Dan, Ben, Rebecca, Mo, and Max
Every year, students are greeted by these festive hangouts when they return from winter holidays. They are hand-crafted and built to last. Most of them remain on our lawns in the Spring long after the snow around them has melted.

Although the igloos themselves are a Macalester staple, the team of artists typically rotates from one year to the next. When I was a first-year, a Class of 2016 student built a monstrous four-foot tall cave all by himself, right in the middle of the residential quad. This year’s iterations are more modest, built by the budding architects at Laura Jeffrey Academy, the middle school on the corner of campus. But what they lack in size, they certainly make up for in number and atmosphere. The kids built a small village of them on Old Main Lawn, embellished with decorative twigs and pine cones, a huge snowball door, and even a driveway.
 
We had a whole bunch of fun with our first event and are very much looking forward to our next adventure in the Cities. Catch all the excitement of the #WinterOrangeCrew right here on The Orange blog, we’ll keep you posted! Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go nap in my new favorite residence hall.

Dan K. ‘17
Chicago, IL




Thursday, December 31, 2015

Finding Home on Study Abroad

The night before my flight to Italy, I stood in the kitchen as my brother stirred pasta sauce on the stove and said, “What if I just don’t go?” 

My suitcase waited by the front door; it contained clothes and toiletries to last six months. I had changed my debit card’s pin number to withdraw from European ATMs. My backpack contained an English-to-Italian dictionary and a London travel guide.

“What do you mean?” My brother said, but his tone remained flat and unsurprised. I listed off my concerns: foreign language, unfamiliar people, multiple opportunities for getting lost, robbed, and humiliated. “Well,” he said. “You could stay here. But what would you do? You’d have to find a job if it’s too late to take classes at Macalester. All the preparations have been made for your program. You might as well go. And if you get too homesick, nothing would stop you from coming home—it’d be expensive, but you could do it.”

Me and Heather Johansen (also a senior at Mac) at a vineyard in Tuscany!


I felt like I was standing on the precipice of adulthood. No one was telling me what to do, all the choices were my own, and that terrified me. It was nearly a year ago that I stood in the kitchen with my brother, nearly a year ago that I wished to renounce adulthood, nearly a year ago when I would have settled for the familiar—my brother’s pasta sauce and the icy Minnesota winter—over what waited for me across the ocean. 
Me and some friends from my program on a spring break trip to Howth, a town close to Dublin on the coast of Ireland (it was windy).


What I did not understand a year ago was that no one can prepare you for study abroad. For me, the spontaneity, adventure, and discovery were the best parts. There were many things I learned abroad: that worrying is useless, that asking strangers for directions is okay, that people can surprise you, and that I was lucky for the opportunity to travel, because too often, life becomes routine.
Me in Vienna

None of these realizations happened right away. I dreaded the awkwardness of living with a host family; I feared making a fool of myself at the dinner table and speaking in painfully slow Italian. But I soon loved my host family. I loved that my host mom pronounced my name “Alessandra,” that we lingered at the table after dessert, and that my halting Italian delighted them.

Me in Venice


I think of my time abroad as I do my time at Macalester; it changed me, and it did not happen overnight. I said earlier that no one can prepare you for study abroad, and I meant “prepare” in a literal sense. At the time, I wanted a list of things that would and would not happen; I wanted exactness. I wanted a crystal ball. But my time at Macalester did prepare me for study abroad. It made the world more immediate, more tangible. It improved my writing, made me better informed, gave me the opportunity to engage with people of different backgrounds and viewpoints of my own. It made me open to new experiences. 

Me on top of the Duomo in Florence

My Florence classes revolved around visiting cultural landmarks such as Renaissance churches and museums and learning the Italian language. In London, we took walking tours of the city by day and attended theater productions by night. For those four months, my primary responsibilities consisted of traveling to new countries to learn as much as I could about the culture. When again will this be true? Does such an opportunity exist after college?



My friends and I wandered the streets of Florence for hours. We explored the markets, tried new gelato places, and discovered rugby matches and chocolate festivals. I stopped relying on Google Maps. I stopped looking at street names and stumbling on the cobblestone. Street vendors stopped calling out to me. I stopped thinking of myself as a tourist. 

My Italian host parents, Nino and Gabriella!

When my roommates and I returned from a whirlwind program trip to Venice, our host mom Gabriella served us spaghetti with tomato sauce and basil and said, “Now, you relax. You are home.”


Alexandra McLaughlin ’16

Rosemount, MN

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Faces at Mac: Admissions Office Edition V2

 The Admission Office has just finished the Early Decision I round. Later this week, we will welcome the EDI admits to the Mac community. Go #mac2020!

There are more Admissions staff members to meet! Check out our first installation of Faces at Mac: Admissions Office Edition V2.

ABRAHAM
Manager of Enrollment Systems
I oversee the systems for admissions and financial aid -- so everything technology related.
Fun Fact: I play the trombone in a local band and enjoy snowboarding!




 


LISA
Associate Director of Admissions
I work with students from Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, Michigan, and a few Minneapolis schools. I work with our 450-500 alumni admissions volunteers who do interviews and represent Macalester at some college fairs. I work with my colleague Jane to arrange alumni interviews when students request them. Also, I work with transfer students through their application process.
Fun Fact: My favorite hobby is photography, and I do that as much as I can. My favorite subject is my three-year-old son!

ANNE
Associate Director of Admissions
As one of the Admissions staff who've been around the longest I've had a chance to do lots of different jobs within the office, but probably my favorite has been working with our Senior Admissions Interns.  Their devotion to the College and to the prospective students they work with is awesome, and their passion for their academic pursuits and the activities they are involved inspires me.  I'm originally from the Chicago area, so it's wonderful to return there every year as part of my travel territory; terrible traffic, great restaurants!  I also get to visit schools in St Paul and the surrounding suburbs that I love.

Fun Fact: I decided to embrace the Minnesota life and went dogsledding a few years ago.  It was the best time -- that is after we fell out of the sled, chased down the dogs, got everything hooked up again and got back on the trail!

MARGARET
International Admissions Assistant
I assist International Admissions Director, Steve Colee, with international applications. Fun Fact: I race sailboats and love to sail on the St. Croix River.

 




NACHIKET
Assistant Director of Admissions
In the admissions office, I work with students from the Pacific Northwest and international students. I picked up an affinity for numbers, so I’m the office geek. I don’t actually work with any student workers because I just sit in my office working on numbers all day. Also, I run our student search, so I’m the one who thought you might be interested in receiving information from Mac. Fun Fact: I’m a huge soccer fan and supporter of the local Twin Cities team. Also, I did sketch comedy in college!

JANE
Executive Assistant to the Dean of Admissions
I’m the executive assistant to the Dean of Admissions.
Fun Fact: I am the keeper of the candy bowl in admissions!

 




JEFF
Director of Admissions
I am the person who supervises and works with the entire counseling staff. I direct the recruitment and selection process and other duties as assigned.
Fun Fact: I enjoy reading and successfully finished the Dark Tower series by Stephen King.




JILL
Data Entry
When you submit a cred for your app (that's Admissions speak for credential and application), I process and make sure it gets in your record.  Or if you have visited a college fair and said you were interested in Mac, I process your information card. 
Fun Fact: When not at Mac, I'm on my bike riding on one of the billions of cool trails in the Twin Cities.
 

NANCY
Assistant Dean of Admissions
I take blank pieces of paper and make publications and other stuff.
Fun Fact: When I graduated from Macalester I taught school in Tehran, before the revolution. What will your adventure be?

 



ELYAN
Assistant Director of Admissions
I work with US students from Iowa, Nebraska, and St. Louis and international students. I create and send all of the emails to prospective students (please read them!). I work with Nancy Mackenzie on communications projects and oversee all admissions social media.
Fun Fact: My favorite place in Minnesota is the North Shore.

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