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(04/04/12 12:21pm)
In one year, more children will be diagnosed with autism than with childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined, according to a statistic from autismspeaks.org.
Events on Monday, March 19 kicked off Autism Awareness Week at the College, a tradition started by senior special education and psychology double major, Alyssa Soohoo, just last year.
In addition to fundraising for Autism N.J., an agency comitted to ensuring safe and fulfilling lives for individuals with autism, “The main purpose of Autism Awareness Week is to spread awareness across TCNJ’s campus,” Soohoo said.
On Monday, a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of psychiatric disorders panel discussed “What is Autism?,” including signs and symptoms of the neurological disorder.
“A person can qualify for an (Autism Spectrum Disorder) diagnosis by exhibiting at least six of 12 behaviors that include deficits in social interaction, communication, or repetitive behaviors,” stated Jennifer Nolte, a school counselor and adjunct faculty instructor in the Graduate Counseling Program at the College. She also discussed proposed changes to the definition of a person with autism, ultimately changing the criteria for diagnosing ASD.
“The impact (of the new proposal) can result in discrimination against people who are more cognitively capable but still have autism,” Nolte said.
Because of these changes, children who need intervention would not qualify to receive it, which would, in turn, create a multitude of new problems resulting from the lack of care and treatment given to those in need.
In addition, Nolte is also the parent of a child with autism, and her daily struggles are innumerable.
“Daily life with a child who has autism is often challenging and exhausting,” Nolte said. “We have to be with him at all times. He is unaware of many common dangers and needs constant supervision.”
Difficulties also included securing the right and appropriate education for her son. She and her family have spent significant resources in order to convince others of her son’s rights.
Nolte stated that, as a parent, the main goal of Autism Awareness Week is to increase awareness, educate the community and foster advocacy.
“On a positive note,” Nolte said, “We have grown so much as a family thanks to our son. He has taught us more about what is meaningful in life and we are in awe of his hard work and progress every day.”
On Thursday evening NY Times best-selling author David Finch discussed his memoir “Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man’s Quest to Be a Better Husband.”
In the early years of their marriage, Finch and his wife struggled with Finch’s growing list of quirks and compulsions, without an explanation of why. However, five years into their marriage, Finch was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, explaining many of these quirks.
At the discussion, Finch told the story of how he had seemed different all his life and how his diagnosis changed him for the better.
“When you’re not wired for social interactions and you’re living in a social world, you may have your concerns. But it is possible,” Finch said.
In addition, the audience was inspired by his story and found the lecture intriguing.
“As a future teacher, it was really insightful to hear Asperger Syndrome explained by someone who actually has it,” said Diane Iannacone, freshman history and special education double major. “It’s easier to understand what a person is feeling and how to help them from a first-hand account rather than the definition from a textbook.”
In all, Finch left his audience with a sense of hope, saying a person can live a normal life with Asperger’s — “It just takes love, understanding, guidance and adaptability.”
(03/20/12 7:07pm)
By Amy Reynolds
Features Assistant
Joining a fraternity or a sorority can be a goal of numerous students at some point during their college careers. Yet for some, finding a fraternity that feels like the perfect fit can be somewhat of a challenge.
At the beginning of the Spring 2012 semester, two new fraternities formed on the College’s campus — Delta Epsilon Psi, a fraternity for South Asian men, and Delta Lambda Phi, a fraternity for gay and bisexual men.
“We are a South Asian interest fraternity, so we bring in a whole new culture to the Greek life on campus. We are a group of academically driven students that put our education above everything else,” said Viraj Patel, a junior biology major and president of the chapter.
Patel was inspired to start the chapter at the College by his older brother, a founder of Delta Epsilon Psi at New Jersey Institute of Technology. After proposing the idea to friends at the College, Patel received multiple positive responses. On Dec. 7, 2011, they were recognized as an interest group and recognized as brothers by the National Council on Feb. 20.
Beyond social activities, Delta Epsilon Psi focuses their attention on fundraising and service. The 14 members have begun volunteering at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and the Kensington Soup Kitchen in Philadelphia, as well as volunteering with the Bonner Center for Martin Luther King Day of Service and Dr. Seuss Day at Hedgepeth Williams School in Trenton.
In addition, all fundraising and events are geared toward raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which works toward a cure for Type 1 Diabetes.
“I feel as if Greek organizations do a lot for the community as a whole while maintaining strong bonds within themselves which really attracted me,” Patel said.
Delta Lambda Phi was also formally inducted as a colony this semester on Feb. 25, and is now actively participating in their first pledge season.
“During our pledge process, we are creating our history and continuing to build bonds of brotherhood through the events that we are participating,” said Adam Fisher, sophomore graphic design major and chapter president.
The founder of Delta Lambda Phi initially created the fraternity in order to create a place within the fraternal system for gay and bisexual men to have the same experience as other fraternity men, and not be singled out because of their sexual orientation.
As Fisher said, “By having Delta Lambda Phi accepted onto the TCNJ campus, it provides testimony of how perspectives of the LGBT community are changing for the better.”
However, the fraternity’s main goal at the moment is to be able to make its presence known.
“Like all fraternities, we exist for social reasons, but we also seek to help those around us,” Fisher said.
Most importantly, these new fraternities offer an experience to men who are different, who didn’t see that they fit well with other fraternities.
“Since before I started college, I knew that I wanted to be in a fraternity,” Fisher said. “When the opportunity arrived to begin on the journey of starting a fraternity that shared my similar values and ideologies, I took the step not only for myself, but for the men that Delta Lambda Phi represents.”
As for other fraternities on campus, they have accepted and welcome Delta Lambda Phi and Delta Epsilon Psi.
Fisher said, “We have received resounding acceptance and enthusiasm from most of the fraternities and sororities and they are excited to collaborate with us in the future.”
(02/28/12 5:53am)
Covers, medleys and popular originals sounded off on Friday, Feb. 24 as the Rathskeller welcomed Leigh Nash from Sixpence None the Richer, a rock band with pop undertones, and opener Joanna Burns.
For Nash, the solo experience was a breakaway from her usual acts.
“Singing solo you’re very exposed acoustically, which is intimidating,” she said. “It’s a very different experience.”
Although the audience enjoyed her entire set, “Kiss Me” received the strongest reaction from the crowd.
“People from outside came in just to hear that song,” said Tom Leonhardt, freshman history and secondary education double major. “The place was packed.”
Nash revealed how long she has been performing. “I’ve been doing this since I was 15 — and I’m 35 now — but some part of me still feels like I’m 15,” Nash said.
Although Nash thoroughly enjoyed working solo, she admitted that she prefers to perform with the band.
Sixpence None the Richer formed in the early ’90s in New Braunfels, Texas and eventually settled in Nashville, Tenn. The band is best known for their songs “Kiss Me” and “Breathe Your Name,” as well as their covers “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and “There She Goes.”
In 2004 the band broke up, and Nash released her single record “Blue on Blue.”
However, in 2007 the band got back together, and is currently planning to release their first album since the break-up this coming May.
Like Nash, who loves the reaction of her audience, Burns is addicted to,“the connection with the crowd.”
Burns sang an assortment of songs that she wrote about herself and her friends.
“Being that we’re a little more personal, I’m going to sing songs that are more personal, that are close to my heart,” she said after singing her first couple of songs.
Burns, who has a degree in musical theater from Montclair State University, has been singing in coffee houses since she was 17.
However, this is only her second year of touring.
Burns described her performance at the Rat as different than what she is normally used to.
“When you’re on stage sometimes you can’t see anything except light and sometimes you’re right there really close and everybody’s friends,” she said. “This is kind of in between — it’s nice.”
Shortly into her set, she even had the audience interact with her performance.
“I liked when she has us sing along with her,” said Justin Shaffer, freshman biology major. “That made the night more interesting.”
Burns said that her favorite part of every performance is “the response of the crowd when I’ve completely let go and I know that they’ve completely connected with that.”
But when it comes down to it, a passion for performing is where it started for both musicians.
As Nash said, “I love music — I guess that’s my only excuse.” Burns would certainly agree.
(02/21/12 8:09pm)
The Brown Bag Series took a turn toward the scientific on Friday, Feb. 17, as Jaimie Cloud, president of the Cloud Institute, came to the College to discuss sustainability in education for the Brown Bag event.
According to its website, the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education was founded in 1995 as a program of the American Forum for Global Education known as the Sustainability Education Center.
The website also noted that Education for Sustainability was formed out of the recognition that there is a distinct difference between education about sustainable development and education for sustainable development.
The Cloud Institute works with educators and their communities to prepare young people for the shift toward a sustainable future.
Cloud began the presentation with the question, “What kind of future do we want and what does education have to do with it?”
She described Education for Sustainability (EfS) as an innovative learning process that gives teachers, students and school systems new ways of thinking and news ways in which they can achieve specific goals, all while restoring the health of the people in which they depend on.
EfS improves student learning and standards achievements, enhances attitudes towards learning, produces better behavior and attendance and encourages students to make connections between themselves and the system of which they are a part of.
“That is not what schools are producing at the moment,” Cloud said. “But they could, and some schools are.”
Cloud mentioned that there are many ways in which a person can view the world.
These mindsets, according to Cloud, “explain what happens in the brain when we’re trying to figure out the world around us.”
But in order for the future of education to change, mindsets need to change first.
“It all begins with a change in thinking,” Cloud said. “Everything we do, and everything we don’t do, makes a difference.”
Cloud then stated that the most important thing in changing our way of thinking is to see and understand the feedback from our current ways of thinking.
“If we cannot hear or see feedback we cannot perceive relevant data for our brains to filter,” said Peter Senge, the director of the Center for Organizational Learning at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
According to the website, Education for Sustainability has multiple, positive effects on student achievement, school culture, community vitality and ecological integrity.
As Cloud said, EfS “inspires young people to think about the world, their relationship to it, and their ability to influence it in an entirely new way.”
For more information about The Cloud Institute and Sustainability in Education, visit cloudinstitue.org.
(02/01/12 1:16am)
Chinese food, music and culture filled the Brower Student Center on Thursday, Jan. 26 in celebration of the Chinese New Year.
The festivities included a demonstration of the traditional dragon dance, festive decorations, fortune cookies and Chinese astrological calendars.
“It was an interesting change of pace. It’s nice to celebrate a different culture,” said Tom Leonhardt, freshman history and secondary education double major. “Most days, the Stud is boring and slow-paced.”
In addition to the drumming and decorations, the Lion’
s Den also had special Chinese selections.
“It was nice to have a change in the dining,” freshman finance major Nick Rubino said. “The same food gets boring after a while.”
In addition to the new cuisine, astrological calendars also gave insight to the traditional Chinese culture.
The Chinese Zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by a different animal. The traditional Chinese belief is that the year in which a person was born holds the key to his personality and well-being.
For example, those who are born in 2012, the year of the dragon, are said to be full of vitality and enthusiasm. These people are typically intelligent, gifted and perfectionists. They would do well as an artist, priest or politician.
“I liked reading about my own personality,”
said Nina Ventresco, freshman psychology major.
Although the food was delicious and the music enjoyable, the most interesting part for many was reading their fortunes.
Freshman history and special education double major Diane Iannacone’s fortune read, “You will be attracted to an older and more experienced person.”
Other fortunes included “New and rewarding opportunities will soon arise” and “You will get more secure and confident in your relationships with coworkers.”
Overall, the celebration was a success. Freshman economics major, Matt Scapardine stated, “I appreciate the presence and the awareness of the Chinese new year. It was festive and fun.”