From Susan Wentzy (2006):
"I retired Ellery [Susan's guide dog while at ECU] in March, due to a cancerous mass found in his jaw. Praise God it was surgically removed and he is now happily living with a family in New York. Just wanted to let you know I'm coming home with a new black male guide named "Sherlock". He's super, all-around great guy and a super match for me. When I am not giving him a command, and other's are talking about him, I'll call him, and ask you to please do the same, by his nickname "Holmes". Pictures of him are attached below. The past two weeks have gone by really quickly, and I am thankful that next week I will be able to train with a trainer at home." April 19, 2007 PHOTOS
Concerning Brandi Dudley and Dea Papajorgji (2006):
Brandi Dudley, Dea Papajorgji and Lindsey Roofe were the organizers of the 2007 Earth Day Celebration at the Town Commons in Greenville on April 22, 2007. The event also commemorated the 50th anniversary of Albert Schweitzer's "Declaration of Conscience." The event received partial funding from the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. FLYER ARTICLE
From Carlos Ochoa (2001):
I wanted to give you an update of my career and I also wanted to make myself available for any students or faculty that I could help in any way.
As I told you when I graduated from the program, my first job was with Applied Industrial Technologies. I worked with them as their Applied Services Sales Manager from the end of 2001 to February of 2002. I was Responsible for selling and implementing Applied’s Services in the Midwest area (OH, MI, KY, IN).
In February of 2003 I had the opportunity to join the health care industry so I accepted a position with Eli Lilly and Company Pharmaceuticals. I started as a Neuroscience Sales Representative in Cleveland, OH.
After two and a half years I was promoted to a specialty position in Houston, TX. I accepted this position in October of 2005 and I was responsible for the sale of a biotech injectable device to Endocrinologists and Rheumatologists.
Because of a very successful year, I was given the opportunity to work as a South Area Trainer for the Osteoporosis Division of Eli Lilly at the beginning of this year. My responsibility was to train Sales Representatives throughout the south area (TX, LA, AL, Fl, GA, and AK). Even though this was a great opportunity, I was on the road most of the time and since I am now married and have a child on the way, it was very difficult for my family. As a result, I have recently accepted a Cardiovascular Specialty Sales Position with a company called AstraZeneca. I am now calling on Cardiologists mainly in the Houston Medical Center.
So these are my past 6 years post graduation in a nut shell. (May 3, 2007)
From Jimmy Landry (2005):
"I am a full time traveling musician with the Lefty Williams Band based in Atlanta. We play all over the southeast and hope to expand more nation-wide in the next six months. We recently signed with an international booking agency that should provide a boost to our endeavors. You can hear some songs and see pictures and other stuff at www.lefty-music.com (July 1, 2007)
About Angelica Orta Haymore (2005):
"Roman Anthony Haymore has arrived!!!! He was born this morning at 7:27 AM....weighing in at 7 lbs 2 oz....and born on 7/27/07 ...
Angelica and Roman are both doing well...and resting comfortably. Angelica had to have an emergency C-section this AM, because the little man decided to try to deliver breach...so, she will be in the hospital a couple of extra days, but all are healthy and well!" (July 27, 2007)
From Marie Chiche (2006):
"I work for Handicap International in France, an INGO specialised in disability issues in developing countries. I'll be leaving for Sudan at the end of September to open a new programme for them." chichemarie@hotmail.com (August 9, 2007)
From Paula Lobsenz (2006):
"I moved to South Florida, near Miami ... I work for a company now called American Adventure Tours, formerly Florida Network Tours. It is located in Hollywood, FL (15 mi from Miami). We are a Tour Operator/wholesale tour company. We work with many European partners, especially in Holland and Switzerland. We offer tours worldwide, e.g. in US, Canada, Latin America (mostly in Argentina, Mexico, & Brazil). We recently formed a partnership with a Malaysian tour company.
My position involved a variety of administrative tasks. I am also assistant to the company president. I design itineraries for tours, as well as, booking hotels and transfers for our European partners' clients on US Tours, especially cruise passengers out of FL and NYC. Our website iswww.fnt.cc (September 16, 2007)
Has been great week in Holland! :-)
We have been very successful getting new business, the owner of my company is personal friends w/all CEO's of big companies here for many years.
I have eaten very well this week and have met many lovely people!
Today we went to Alkmaar, 20 minutes or so from Amsterdam, fabulous Medieval city, great shopping!
Tomorrow, we go to one of our biggest client's 60th B-day party.
I return Monday to Miami.
I attached some photos of today's visit in Alkmaar :-) (November 11, 2007) PHOTOS
"I flew out of Miami Monday night and arrived in Madrid, Spain today at 9:00 am Spain time (3:00am MIA time)
I took a taxi to hotel, showered, and went to visit my old school I went to here, saw a couple of my profs I had and lady in office (they were very excited and all remembered me, 9 yrs ago). Then I took Metro to my old neighborhood, Sainz de Baranda, I was so excited! I remembered the bakery I used to buy my "Spanish mother" cookies at, went to Retiro Park nearby where my friends and I used to hang out. Then I went to Sol and Sevilla areas, other places we used to go...It's so good being here, I remember everything now! I will be at FITUR tomorrow and Thursday, big trade show to promote the destination Argentina, for our Argentina office we opened recently. I had a new business card made for it, International Sales, and will try to get a lot of new clients here! The owner of my company is focusing me on sales now as well as operations. I will go to ITB in Berlin 3 March also. Argentina is going to boom, it's very inexpensive and not a lot of tours running there now. Anyway, great for me, love traveling of course!!!
Check out our website: www.argentina100x100.com.ar
On Friday, I fly up to Barcelona for the day and meet with a prospective new client also! I am looking fwd to this as well, also amazing city I am looking fwd to return to!" (January 29, 2008)
"Hola tambien de Madrid,
Today was the first day of FITUR. I attached photos form our booth, we had a large one and also in a great spot!
We met a lot of people and went very well! I met 2 people from our Argentina office today who met me here. Was perfect b/c we had a lot of Spanish
people visit of course and my Spanish is ok, much better after today :-) but great having Carlos y Sergio here since from Argentina, they are most qualified to
speak about their country BUT we did have some English speaking people and also I spoke Spanish more than I knew I could, even tho I live in Miami :-)
I return tomorrow again to meet more people, was a great day." )January 30, 2008) PHOTOS
"I am in Berlin, Germany now! I have a big trade show, ITB here beginning tomorrow.
http://www1.messeberlin.de/vip8_1/website/Internet/Internet/www.itb-berlin/englisch/index.html
I arrived a couple nights ago.Today, I had a few hours to wander around the city before I met my colleague from Argentina who arrived at hotel at 4:00.
I went to the East Side Gallery, it is 1200 yds left of the wall that still remains. 118 different artists painted on it. I attached some photos. Across from it in East Berlin, they are building a huge indoor hockey arena, interesting I thought, how times have changed. It was surreal to be there, to think oly 20 years ago, was a wall there separating freedom and captivity (so to speak). The river separates the two sides, behind me in one of the photos. I also was on a mission to find some Argentina wine for our booth, Suely (my boss who arrives tomorrow)asked me to find + I did, an adventure alone. I figured out the public transport system, w/the plan and asking help a lot, also interesting :-) Actually, I was surprised how many people do not speak English here! It was a really great day being here, exploring the city. Then, Tomas and his girlfriend arrived f/Buenos Aries just when I returned to hotel, so a lil while later, we went across town again to set up our booth, hang posters, etc. more photos. Tomorrow morning the show at ITB begins, 10 am. (March 4, 2008)
"ITB show is over & today I was in Berlin w/Suely, mi jefe (my boss) and I had such an amazing day.
We were having cafe and all these poliezi (police) vans pull up, we're like what's going on?
Then, a mass of people arrive, protesters and I realize is Palestinians, protesting f course the situation in Gaza.
I have been following this conflict since I became good friends with Vivien in my MA studies at University as she was my roommate for a couple of months. I have also sent these photos to FOX News. Of course, I am sympathetic to the the Palestinian plight for many years. The people were delighted I was taking photos and I cannot believe I was there at that moment. The feeling was that I was for sure to see this, to remind myself, maybe my friends, of this conflict since 50 years and the turmoil that people still endure.
This has been an interesting week to be in Berlin since there has also been a city wide strike by the transportation system. The taxi driver last night told us they want a 12% increase in wages, which of course is unreasonable from the point of view of government. From 5 March until today, there has been a strike by Busses, U-bahn (subway), and Trams. On Monday, the S-bahn also will go on strike (the above ground rail system). So, the city is totally paralyzed and it came at a time where a lot of people, ITB Show was in town. Most bsuinesses were hurt by the strike, only the taxis weren't (only ones not on strike).
On a different note, Suely who used to live here took me to some fabulous places today and we visited the city well :-)
I visited the Cafe Kranzler, a famous cafe shop overlooking the center of Kurfurstendamm, main strasse (street) in Berlin! There I had apple strudel with vanilla sauce, very sort of traditional German dessert, I loved it :-)
We went to KaDeWe, very visited & amazing shopping center that also has many bars and restaurants, but most wonderful designer clothes. I fell in love with the entire store! The people here are great and I had a most fabulous time :-)
Tomorrow, back to sunny Miami and le vida normal until the next trip :-) (March 8, 2008) PHOTOS
"I am in Netherlands now and came to see our clients to discuss next year's programs which they already begin publishing in October. Today, I went with one of my clients and his family on their boat thru the river and canals near Alkmaar, about 1 hour from Amsterdam.
It was really great to see this city from the perspective of the boat this time :-) I didn't realize so many houses in Holland are on the water, like boat houses!" (September 29, 2008) PHOTOS
From Marina Viscun (2006):
Sorry, if I have not talked to some of you in a long time, but being in school does not help with clearing up some free time in my schedule.
I wanted to introduce you to the film work done by my husband Jonathon Michals. You can find it on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ujNlhMexcoM. This is his first video. It's for a school project. You can find more information about it in his post.
It would be great if you could leave some comments and feedback for him, as he would appreciate any suggestions. (You could also add his video to your favorites ;)) Also, it would be great if you could forward this link to your friends.
Again, I hope that you will take a moment and enjoy his music video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujNlhMexcoM.
Thanks, Marina. (October 24, 2007)
From Mianmian Yu (2006):
Hope everything is going well. I have been thinking of ECU and proud of our graduate program. It is awesome that you always make us alumni updated with helpful information. Thank you a lot!
I am doing very well at Emory. Life here is so enjoyable that I keep myself busy (or sometimes even overloaded) everyday. In addition to schoolwork, I have been working for a global micronutrient elimination program funded by CDC. In the past summer, I as a principal investigator was granted with the Emory’s Global Field Experience Award to conduct a study on breast cancer in China. Also, I worked as an independent consultant for the American Cancer Society to investigate China’s cancer control efforts. As you see, I delightedly devote myself to public health work.
As planned, I will graduate in the coming May. So, I am looking for jobs now. Very recently I have been aware of a good opportunity in California Department of Human Health, which is a one-year training program involving government agency-based epidemiology in public health. As California has the highest percentage of Asian population in the States, I am quite interested in utilizing my cultural and linguistic skills while working on a community and/or state level there. (October 24, 2007)
My awesome fall semester is going to an end, and I have been looking for placement opportunities after graduation in May. Since I have a BS in Computer Science, my friends at CDC highly recommend me to apply for the CDC’s Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program. I know there is a great demand of a better information system for the public health field in the US and in most part of the rest of the world. Thus, I decide to apply for the fellowship. (December 7, 2007)
Christi Russell (2007)
Christi has been teaching English in an elementary school in South Korea while working on her MBA from ECU. You can read about her experiences on her blog:
http://christi-russell.blogspot.com/
"Hello! Everything is great in South Korea. I worked teaching children for 6 months and was actually just offered a job teaching at a university, which is hard to come by and a great experience. Before I left, Dr. Deena actually put me in contact with a former student that is from South Korea and works at the university which was a huge help in getting the job. I start this position in March and am pretty excited!...I will be taching conversation classes at Duksung Women's College in Seoul. The hours and benefits are wonderful and I am so excited to experience teaching at the university level." January 18-19, 2008
Harmon Driscoll (2007)
[Harmon is in southeast Asia where he will be setting up a new crafts business. SDH]
"After 30 hours of flights I arrived safely in Ho Chi Minh City great food super cheap. visited the great places in the city. people are wonderful, pace is quite slow including the traffic. If they run you over I dont think it wouldhurt. Theyhave forgiven us for the war and they still look up to Americans. I tell them America no wow. TomorrowI have the final leg of 6 hours by bus to PhnomPhen.I'm excited. Its hot and humid no rain." (December 8, 2007)
"I arrived in Phnom Penh, This place is heaven in disguise, it is really wonderful in this old colonial vestige, its super easy to do anything I suspect and so your warning is very appropriate. Great food and cheap price. Today is Human Rights Day and the NGO's are not at the office. I can only wonder around the city and get to know the place."(December 10, 2007)
"I have already today found two NGO organizations that are very interested in my training workers project in handicrafts of paper mache. World Vision Cambodia,I met today with two groups of people and they will get back with me in several as they review my idea but they said it would fit several village associations they work with to provide extra income for farming families. These programs also organize children in the village to do work when they are not going to school for example half day working." (December 10, 2007)
“I met with a french gentleman at UNESCO today to answer my questions concerning children working. He was the first white man I have talked too that is developing country expert on what I will be doing here. He gave me the scoop I what I need to look out for. Its a question of whether the children are taken away from something that is better for them like providing farm work for family, spending enough hours at school and the such with my project and whether it is child labor vs. child work. If children are working in honest extra job for hours that does not take them away from essential advancement like selling or delivering newspapers, cutting grass then it doesn't matter what the work is it can be considered child work and creates no problem in Cambodia or USA. When the child starts to be taken away from meaningful things like school and providing essential family services or is taken away from other community enrichment activities already available then its child labor and this is protected by International laws in all countries including Cambodia.
He also gave me 80 page document written by World Bank and ILO last year that clearly defines the parameters of this very problem which I will read.
#3 ILO and World Vision would not do any projects that would compromise the child and their work here is respected at a very high level.
UNESCO is working in the Southeast provinces with many project protecting the children because its a very problem sensitive area with extra poverty and children's issues risk. So I think that I am doing just fine right now.
I am not worried too much with working with two projects at once from these great organizations because each will give me excellent support and they have people on the ground to help and I will be kept busy and I love working with diverse groups and lots of people.” (December 14, 2007)
“Greeting from the land of hot and humid, harvesting rice fields, beggars who search every garbage bag and sort it from now till kingdom come. Xmas is a semi holiday and not well understood. Camdodia just like everyone told me before I arrived is lacking an underlying structure for development and it will take perhaps a generation to establish it so it will not become a tiger for one generation. NGO are here untill the money runs out and even the people who could possibly benefit from my project are highly suspect about my project and even wasting their time simply to be a conduit for me to spend my money with and then leave them like everyone who came before with nothing. They have no hope for the future, they can not even have a dream for the future, they live from day to day and then you die.
It is very much like India when I first visited in 1971 consumed by an already predetermined existence, on the surface they are extremely welcoming and friendly whith enormous smile and below life moves slowly forward with little or no options for personal escape or betterment.
Money can not help which people like World Vision are oblivious to but I am determined, as we say, to create a new model for globalism and bring a new model for making a small difference.” (December 25, 2007)
“Yesterday another mile stone was achieved. I visited a potential village two team leaders and talked about my project. Its a small Dutch NGO project with a very nice young Dutch women and Dutch young man who are here to generate suystainability for a preschool which I was very impressed with and they, the Dutch Pair, are enthusiatsic about my project assisting them with that. I think it is a nice opportunity for stability and accountability from the start with this village group. I must wait a few days to see if village elders want to proceed or thig that this project is not a mathch for their village. I am optomistic. I have gotten several bad raps on World Vision. They are large wasteful self centered megalith that is about spending too much money on the western side to do little benefit on the eastern side.
And the ILO project local people are desidedly apprehensive with my project so if you notice any pessimism its simply intial optomism washed away by reality. On the ground great resignation below the surface for white skin blue eyes and their projects which have very rarely followed thru with thousands of promises. Money runs out people in village left hanging. So I really need to piggy back on westerners who have gained confidence to get a leg in and then proceed with enthusiasm and confidence work on my side. They dont need money in my opinion, they need projects that permit them to create valuabl products they can sell here in Cambodia and I will give them large orders to augment their work when they produc valuable products.
I am not close to giving up on Cambodia and I think its going well.” (December 26, 2007)
“ I just bought a lovely sony 35wd mini camera with huge bits so I'm sending a group of photos from the start-up of handicraft production. I hope that the photos conview the agonizing slowness with which a giant enterprise gets of the ground. Working with these people is exhilerating to say the least and they want to learn.” (January 11, 2008) PHOTOS
"NEW NAME IDEA:
Wild Paper Art, " bright ideas for a green planet". made in Cambodia of paper mache using recycled materials whenever possible. Wild Paper Art
Given we make wild animals in exciting paper shapes and mobilities I think the name "Wild Paper Art" will work.
Ive taken a needed break last 5 days. I went to Sien Reap and walked around Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, the famous temples that are very large and very beautiful from 10 to 14 centures. I was very very impressed. Unfortunately no pictures camera died and I didnt have the recharging cable.
Sien Reap and Ankgor Wat and Thom are definately material for a student tour of religious sites in Asia. I would combine with India and Nepal or anything for that matter. There is a fine museum that just opened in Sean Reap which is World class similar to a NY Museum which nicely explains all the relivant topics and contains lushes buddha statues that I have never seen the likes of.
Ankgor Temples provide an amazing eclectic stylezation of Buddhism, Hindu and even a touch of Islam can be found which was flowing into this area from 9th to 14 Centuries. It has elements of Mexican temples also but the Khmer empire was high style in architecture, sculpture and the confluences of all religion in this period. I am sure that Derek will be left breathless by the temples and the sculpture. There are distunct elements of Tibetan Buddhism in Ankgor Wat to be found, wall freezes that have to be the finest in Hindu Story and Architure masterpieces beyoond belief. The Context of modern Cambodia is very relivant and adds tons to the whole experience. As to the appriateness for student tours the answer is resounding YES!!! Sien Reap is great for hunting handicrafts and good cheap food and hotels.
OK new topic, this week I begin the training of 35 new workers who will produce the 10,000 toys that we are ordering. I am ready to do this training and get the production rolling. I am working on the quality control every day, I repeat everyday and I can not drop the ball on this one.
Resignation always wants to set in. In fact I injured my leg 10 days ago by brushing against the hot muffler of a motorcycle which I ride several times everyday. The wound has festered and three days ago I went to doctor who scrubed and dressed it which I have had redone everyday now. Back in Phonm Pehn I found new source for redressing. They scrub it with the most god awful stuff that really hurts. Dont worry I will live, it just seems that Ive been ill a mjority of the time and I,m taking antibiotics for the third time since I landed. The eagle has landed and were staying in spite of the conditions.
So next week is pivitol to success of mission as I raise the bar several notches while employing the necessary additional people we need to get the job done.
Ask me how I feel about work. Very Great. We have a great work space and necessarry materials to make the product. We have a core group of Six workers and their family members to get the task done and we are now as of this week training the mass production workers who will get the pieces done.
A few words about the items. I've been working hard these last two months to get the final product selection done, that means what is it and how will it look together and how good will it look in the booth. Is it a good selection of items that the customers can chose from and want to be a part of. I am now confident that I have designed it as a complete package that is fully tweeked.
The basic products consist of Scurry toys in 12 different animal objects, Mobiles in 4 basic formats, 3, 6 and 8 pieces, Frames, 2 sizes LG and Small and Finisished frames with a sculpted animal and painted landscape background in four different motifs like Fish, crocodile, Gecko and Birds. There will be a selection of three objects for example one lag fish with 2 small fish hanging below that will be on nylon string as small mobile. There will be perhaps 5 animal objects called "sculpture" that are sitting on a stiff wire and a base if you can imagine like a trophy on a cofffee table. The same five animal objects found in other objects.
The bases that sit on coffee table could also contain a small seacape like several fish seaweed and coral if you can picture it. This would come in four different motifs.
After the Toys, Mobilies, Scapes, Frames, come Journals perhaps in two different sizes. This item is working nicely, I found the right paper.
Lastly there will be unpainted items starting with a medium sized Bowl that will be large enough to display in the home after child paints it.
Other unpainted objects can be Xmas orniments, mobiles, and aminmal sculpture and scurry toys.
So you have it. Toys Mobiles Scapes Frames Journals and Unpainted Objects." (February 11, 2008) PHOTOS
About Jeff Palis
This press release was issued by Georgia Southern University in June, 2008:
Georgia Southern University is proud to announce that Jeffrey Palis has been awarded a U.S. Student Fulbright Grant to Latvia. Palis is a doctoral student in the Department of Curriculum, Foundation and Reading in the College of Education and the Study Abroad and Exchange Coordinator in the Center for International Studies.
Palis’s research project, Cultivating Global Citizenship, will explore how global citizenship can be fostered on university campuses and in local communities. During his time overseas, Palis will work in collaboration with the Department of International Relations at the University of Latvia, Riga.
“Simply put, this is a dream come true for me. My time in Latvia will certainly have a profound impact on my dissertation and on my professional practice, however, I am most excited to truly become what I am studying – a global citizen.”
- Jeffrey Palis
Palis holds a Master of Arts degree in International Studies from East Carolina University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He has served as the Chair of the Ad-hoc Strategic Planning Committee of the European Council of the University System of Georgia as well as Program Coordinator for the University System of Georgia’s summer studies programs in London and Paris, Czech Republic and Poland.
Palis’s accomplishment represents the fourth U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs award presented to a Georgia Southern University student in the past two years. Previous recipients include Nicole Harper who received a U.S. Student Fulbright Grant to Slovenia for 2007-2008, Jacob Taylor who was awarded a Gilman International Scholarship to Finland for spring 2008 and Zechariah Anderson who received a Critical Language Scholarship to study Arabic in Egypt this summer.
During the months leading up to the Fulbright deadline, Palis worked with the staff of the University Honors Program. The University Honors Program serves as the campus clearinghouse for nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships and is committed to helping prepare all Georgia Southern University students for these awards.
“Jeff’s wealth of experience and the quality of his research proposal certainly played a significant role in making his application successful. I am confident Jeff will serve as an excellent ambassador for Georgia Southern University and the United States during his time in Latvia.”
- Dr. Steven Engel, Director, University Honors Program and Fulbright Program Adviser
“Jeff’s accomplishment is symbolic of Georgia Southern University’s mission to prepare our students to serve as world citizens. His project will have a broad impact in helping foster greater international understanding between the United States and Eastern Europe.”
- Bob Frigo, Assistant Director, University Honors Program and Chair, Fulbright Campus Committee
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