In college basketball there are few women that are proficient in every aspect of the game; whether it is running the floor, playing defense, or making highlight-reel plays on offense. The Hurricanes are very lucky to have had the services of Meghan Saake, who is a rare breed basketball player, for four years.
Saake, a senior captain of this year’s squad, has the ability to take someone off the dribble, hit outside shots, penetrate, rebound, or dish out great passes all while playing stellar defense. Last year she was voted the Big East Defensive Player of the Year.
“That [Defensive Player of the Year] was the highlight of my career so far,” Saake said. “I pride myself on defense and hope to keep improving and maintain the same level of intensity all season long.”
Growing up in Wellington, FL, Saake led her Wellington high school team to a 23-9 record during her senior year and broke the school’s scoring record with 2,021 career points. She was voted the Sun-Sentinel Player of the Year for her senior year accomplishments.
Saake’s success has carried over to UM, where she has started all four years of her career. As a freshman Saake started all 29 games and led the team in steals.
Saake’s sophomore season could be considered a breakout year for her as she was voted to the Big-East All-Star team and lead the league in steals (74). It was during this season where Saake’s defensive skills started to gain recognition.
Last year, as a junior, Saake led the ‘Canes to a 19-12 record and a WNIT bid. She averaged 11.2 points and 4.9 rebounds to go along with the Defensive Player of the Year honors.
As a senior, Saake has big plans for this season in what has become more of a wide-open Big East than last season, where UConn went undefeated and dominated everybody.
“As usual, UCONN and Notre Dame will be tough, but the rest of the league is much more evenly matched,” Saake said. “I feel we have a good shot to be competitive in the Big East and go deep in the NCAAs.”
Being one of the few upperclassmen on this year’s squad, Saake feels she will have to set the tone for the younger players.
“This year I have to lead by example and be more vocal,” Saake said. “I will have to be a positive influence for the younger players.”
As for her future, Saake is not sure where basketball fits into the equation, but she hopes that she gets the chance to prolong her career.
“I hope for a future in basketball, but right now I am taking it one day at a time,” Saake said. “I think a lot of it has to do with what happens this year, and that it what I am focused on right now.”
Well, if the WNBA is looking for a player that can do just about anything on the court, then they can’t look past number 25 on the Hurricanes. But as for this season, Meghan Saake isn’t going anywhere.
Meghan Saake ready to lead UM to success
Men’s basketball tips off with exhibition victory
The University of Miami men’s basketball team dominated the Southeast Atlanta
All-Stars Monday night, in their first exhibition game of the 2002-2003 season.
The Hurricanes came out firing and never looked back on their way to a 102-71 victory over a team of players who played for colleges including Georgia, Cornell, and Georgia State.
The game didn’t start well for the ‘Canes as senior point guard Michael Simmons took the ball the wrong way after the tip-off and got called for a backcourt violation. However, everything seemed to flow their way following the tip-off mistake.
James Jones hit two three-point shots early in the game on his way to 19 points in 26 minutes of action. Darius Rice, a preseason candidate for the Naismith and Wooden Awards for the best college player in the nation, also collected 19 points while leading the team with eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
Every Hurricane player that dressed for the game got a chance to play at least ten minutes, while the five new freshmen got their first taste of college basketball. Robert Hite, the AP High School Player of the Year in Ohio last year and Armondo Surratt, an All-State selection from Oakland, CA looked like the most promising additions to the team. Hite scored eleven points in nineteen minutes, while the lightning quick Surratt put up solid numbers with seven points, three steals, and three assists in 18 minutes.
Fans at the Knight Sports Complex got to see a little glimpse of the future in the first half as Surratt fed Hite a sweet pass and Hite finished the job by draining his only three pointer of the night.
“I was really pleased with how unselfish we played and the way we were able to pace the game,” head coach Perry Clark said. “For the first time out it wasn’t bad.”
That unselfishness showed as the Hurricanes dished out 25 assists compared to only eight assists for the All-Stars. The “Canes also dominated on the boards, out rebounding the competition 49-38.
Although the center position remains a concern for the ‘Canes after losing Elton Tyler to graduation, the Hurricanes owned the All-Stars down low, out scoring them 44-14 in the paint. Rafael Berumen and Rodrigue Djahue performed well at center and should get some help in six weeks when 6-8 junior William Frisby comes back from a foot injury.
“I thought [Berumen] played well, and I thought Djahue stepped in and played well,” Clarke said. “When you can flank them with Jones and Rice, we don’t need them to necessarily score big numbers for us, but they need to rebound and finish when they get the opportunities, and the guys we have are capable of doing that.”
The win gives ‘Canes fans hope that this season might provide the same magic as last season when the team won a school record 24 games and earned its fourth NCAA Tournament bid in five years.
Darius Rice thinks that this year’s team can better what last year’s team accomplished. “We have a lot of doubters, but I’m always positive about our team,” Rice said. “I think we are going to win a National Title.”
You can reach Nate Johnson at NPJ44@aol.com.
UM volleyball plays host to Notre Dame
UM Volleyball to face off against the mighty Irish
The luck of the Irish has held Notre Dame afloat on top of the Big East for the past five out of six years. But UM has every intention of bringing them down when they arrive tonight for their first ever bout with the fired up Hurricanes. The battle begins at 7 p.m. in the Knight Sports Complex.
With eight players over six feet tall, the Fighting Irish (21-5 overall, 11-0 in the Big East) come into the game with a natural advantage. This height helped them tower over opponents to grab the top spot in the conference, posting 43 straight Big East wins.
Miami (22-4 overall, 8-3 in Big East), currently tied with Virginia Tech for second place in the conference, doesn’t seem to be fazed.
“We’re ready to get out there and show Notre Dame that we’re just as good as them and that we can get into the Big East tournament,” said sophomore setter Mallorey James.
James is first in the Big East in assists, averaging 13.55 per game.
The Irish lead the conference in hitting percentage, with .293. The Hurricanes are second, with .280. Miami claims first place in the Big East for assists, averaging 14.89 per game, while Notre Dame takes third with 13.84. UM also leads the conference in kills (16.58 per game). The ‘Canes lead the Irish in service aces (1.58 per game) and digs (16.10 per game). Notre Dame is on top in blocks (3.74) and opponent hitting percentage (.161), while the Hurricanes are second in blocks (2.65) and fourth in opponent hitting percentage (.174).
“We’re going need to attack against a big block,” said head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch. “It’s a great challenge for us.”
Notre Dame, which entered the Big East in volleyball in 1995, has been the conference champion for five of the last six years. UM joined in 2001, and is now hoping the break the streak, as the two teams have never met before.
The game is crucial in sending the ‘Canes to the Big East tournament. With a victory Friday night, they will advance to the championship.
“[We need] to keep up the high hitting percentage,” said senior outside hitter Marcela Gamarra. “It’s very important to win this game. We can work with them.”
Gamarra is currently third in the conference for kills, averaging 4.26 per game.
“If we go out and play our game, we’ll be fine,” said sophomore outside hitter Biz Tyson. “We know they’re ready for us, so we want to get ready for them.”
Miami’s resurrected program, having less experience in the conference than their opponents, presents a challenge.
“We are the new kids on the block,” said coach Welch. “[But] it’s great to finally play the cream of the crop and see where we stand.”
The game plan? The ‘Canes want to keep doing what they’ve been doing.
“If anything I think they’re thinking that we’re young and we’re new and it’s not going be that tough of a match for them,” said Tyson. “They’ll come in probably a little overconfident and we’ve got that advantage.”
Confidence is not something missing from the Miami agenda. Tyson, along with the rest of the Hurricanes, invite the challenge of the conference champion Irish with open arms.
“Welcome to Miami.”
You can reach Melissa Teich at melissateich@hotmail.com.
Hurricanes still trail in new BCS standings
Despite winning a nation best 31 games in a row and being the unanimous No. 1 team in the country in both the AP and Coaches’ polls, Miami is looking up at Ohio State, the new No. 1 team in the latest Bowl Championship Series standings. Both the Buckeyes and Hurricanes moved up a spot from last week’s BCS standings, due to Oklahoma’s (last week’s BCS leader) 30-26 loss at Texas A&M.
Miami (9-0), coming off a dominating victory over Tennessee last Saturday, is the No. 2 team in the BCS, with 4.10 points. The Buckeyes (11-0) are now in first place with 3.41 points. Ohio State barely edged out Miami due to its 25-7 victory over Washington State on Sept. 14. Points are subtracted for “quality wins” over a top 10 BCS team. Ohio State got a 0.8-point deduction for the win. The ‘Canes don’t have a bonus point deduction.
However, Miami finishes the season with a more difficult schedule than Ohio State. The ‘Canes play No. 18 Pittsburgh (8-2) on Nov. 21, and finish at Syracuse (4-6) and at home vs. No. 13 Virginia Tech (8-2). On the other hand, Ohio State plays at Illinois (4-6) tomorrow, and ends the season at home against No. 12 Michigan on Nov. 23.
Now, with the surplus of quality one-loss teams, if either Miami or Ohio State loses, then there will be a major controversy over who plays in the Fiesta Bowl. Washington State, Oklahoma, and Texas are still very much alive.
Dorsey and McGahee
named finalists
Both Ken Dorsey and Willis McGahee were named finalists for the Walter Camp Foundation 2002 Player of the Year Award. The award is the fourth-oldest individual college football award in the nation. The winner will be announced live on ESPN SportsCenter on Dec.12.
So far this season, Dorsey has thrown for 2,265 yards and 21 touchdowns while completing 54.5 percent of his passes. Dorsey already holds Big East and Miami records with 8,461 yards and 79 touchdowns.
McGahee has rushed for 1,188 yards and 17 touchdowns. McGahee needs 229 yards to surpass Edgerrin James’ 1998 record for rushing yards in a season and only needs one more rushing touchdown to break James’ single season rushing touchdowns record.
The other finalists include: Iowa’s Brad Banks, Colorado’s Chris Brown, Ohio State’s Maurice Clarett, Washington State’s Jason Gesser, Oklahoma’s Quentin Griffin, Marshall’s Byron Leftwich, USC’s Carson Palmer, and Oregon’s Onterrio Smith.
McDougle Honored
UM defensive end Jerome McDougle was named a finalist for the inaugural Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Ward. The award will be presented at the conclusion of the season and is chosen by a committee of 45 coaches, national media, and sports information directors. The three other finalists are Penn State’s Michael Haynes, Texas’ Cory Redding and Arizona State’s Terrell Suggs.
You can reach Brian Poliakoff at b.poliakoff@umiami.edu.
Women’s basketball set to start 2002-2003 season
Last season, current seniors Meghan Saake and Alicia Hartlaub watched the 2002 graduating class of the ‘Lady Canes basketball team finish their careers without an NCAA appearance. This season, Saake and Hartlaub want to make sure they do not suffer the same fate.
The Miami Hurricanes enter the 2002-2003 season with nine returning players and a trio of talented freshman who are ready to improve upon last year’s 19-12 record, which resulted in an NIT berth. The ‘Canes won their exhibition opener against the Tournament of Champions last Thursday, and continue to participate in intense practices leading up to next Friday’s season opener against South Florida.
The players could not be happier with the way things have unfolded so far.
“We’ve accomplished some of our smaller goals already,” Saake said. “Practice is going real well and everyone is really determined so it’s looking good.”
The 5-10 Saake, who became the school’s first ever recipient of the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award last season, has steadily improved her offense over the past three years and will probably be the Hurricanes go-to player in the backcourt. Saake averaged 11 points per game last season, and as the ‘Lady Canes starter at shooting guard, the senior from Wellington will look to boost that total, as well as improve on her shooting percentage.
Head Coach Ferne Labati may have penciled in Saake as one of her guards, but the other backcourt position is up for grabs. Junior Hutashi Wilson and sophomore Yalonda McCormick find themselves battling for the starting job for the second year in a row. Wilson was the surprise winner of the job last year and produced an efficient 5.6 points and 2.2 assists per game, while McCormick struggled through freshman woes and some off court troubles. Labati is pleased with the talent of both her point guards, but would like to see more production.
“They are playing very hard and really working hard to be succesful,” Labati said. “At the top of the Big East, you need great point guards and both of them are working hard to reach that level and we are working with them to improve their game.”
In the frontcourt, leading scorer and second-team All Big East member Chanivia Broussard returns to the power forward position for Miami. Broussard averaged 14.2 points per game, and although her play was inconsistent at times, the 6-0 junior is clearly the Hurricanes most talented player on the court. Fellow senior Alicia Hartlaub will get significant time here as well, and expect the 6-2 forward to find her name in the starting lineup against bigger opponents.
Out of the three freshman, one is already making a significant impact. South Florida native Tamara James was one of the state’s best prospects entering this year and her skill has been rewarded with the small forward spot for the time being. James made a big impact in the 84-79 exhibition victory, scoring 14 points, and has shown a good attitude both on and off the court
“Anything the coaches needs me to do, I’m going to do it,” James said. “Everyone wants to start but if I don’t start then I’m not going to get upset about it.”
The Hurricanes biggest weakness will be their lack of size. Junior Shaquana Wilkins, who stands 6-2, serves as Miami’s starting center and their biggest player. Wilkins, who posted 8.7 points and six rebounds per contest last year, is certainly a capable presence inside. However, the Hurricanes have already worked on increasing the tempo of their play to compensate for the lack of size, as well as to have an opportunity to increase their point total.
“We want to score more points and you aren’t going to do that without pushing the ball up court. We would like to be able to run but we need a lot of players and the team is going to determine how many players we will use off the bench.”
In addition to James, fellow freshmen Tatjana Marincic and Katie Hayek add depth to the squad. Marincic, as 6-2, adds a big small forward off the bench, while the 5-9 Hayek serves as a long-range specialist and an excellent free throw shooter. Although the duo certainly exhibits offensive skills, Labati says their services will be needed in other aspects this season.
“Tatiana and Katie are two kids that come from programs that are very offensive-minded,” Labati said. “They are going to have to come down and play a lot of defense and work on that for us to get better.”
The Hurricanes have the talent to become an NCAA contender, but once again a grueling schedule awaits the team. Miami faces non-conference challenges against Florida, FIU, and Texas A&M before reaching the heart of the Big East schedule, which includes a date with NCAA Champion Connecticut.
“Everyone is back in the Big East,” Labati said. “Connecticut is the one team that lost a lot of players but they went back and reloaded. There is going to be a lot of parody in the Big East and a lot of six to eight point games.”
The team makes no effort to hide the longing for an invitation to the NCAA Tournament, something that has not happened since 1998. Although there are a lot of separate goals, the Hurricanes were disappointed with last year’s finish and will likely be even more disappointed if the same happens again this time around. Labati says the production of the upperclassmen will be a key factor.
“We have a lot of upperclassmen on the team. Our juniors and seniors are going to have to step up in order for us to be succesful in conference and non-conference play.”
At least one of those upperclassmen certainly does not need any extra motivation from the coaching staff, as she has gone through disappointment for the past three years.
“It’s something I’ve thought about every year [not going to the NCAA Tournament] but this year it would be real special,” Saake said. “It’s one of our main goals but we’re going to take it one at a time.”
You can reach Jeremy Marks-Peltz at jmp310@hotmail.com.
Honesty is a dying virtue for college students
Let’s face it. Honesty doesn’t exist, especially within the academic community. There is always some degree of cheating, whether it is writing answers on your arm or buying last year’s test from your friend. Signing the honesty policy for each exam seems to have little effect on the intellectual integrity of students.
I have been at this school for only a year and three times someone’s eyes have wandered toward my exam paper. Strangely enough, each of them mentioned to their friends before the test that they hadn’t studied. I was so fortunate to have them sitting right next to me. I let them look at my exam, out of pity, yet I wonder how they really did, considering my scantron was always covered and I always selected the wrong answers on my test booklet. Clearly justice can be served where integrity is limited!
I am not Miss perfect, but I do not resort to cheating. I am content with failing all by myself. After all it’s my fault isn’t it? I had three weeks to study. So I wonder why students are afraid to fail if they are at fault-is it worth it? Clearly it is worth it if the honesty policy has no effect on their conscious or status at UM. If anything we are continuously rewarded for our efforts to cover up our shortcomings. Take one of our own football players last year who was exempt from honesty so that he could help win the national championship this year.
Even the hardcore brainiacs can be deceptive. I really don’t understand who would pay thirty grand per year to cheat and lose brain cells because of their perception of academic integrity. Is it the fear of failure? Social pressures? Self-standards? Who knows and who cares. Maybe when we stop endorsing ways to boast our “intelligence,” we will find comfort in our own ideas and failure.
Marquita K. Bell is a sophomore majoring in print journalism and political science.
Singing the UN blues: Here we go again Sadaam
In light of the UN Security Council’s unanimous ‘yea’ vote on Resolution 1441, I assume that all of the people who have been criticizing the Bush administration for defying the will of the “rest of the world,” will now cease that course of action and proclaim support for George W. Bush. After all isn’t giving Iraq yet another UN resolution to defy better then holding them accountable for the sixteen they already broke? Must be since working through the UN is the war opponent’s preferred course of action. So now what do we have, sixteen broken agreements with Saddam Hussein and a seventeenth that says, ‘Iraq, if you don’t comply unconditionally with the weapons inspection regime, why…. Dammit! …we’re going to call another meeting!’ Then they’ll really be in trouble!
Certainly, diplomacy has its place. Talking is definitely better than going to war, provided that such conversation is between two reasonable states with a genuine desire to avoid conflict. That has not been the case insofar as the Ba-athist regime of Saddam Hussein is concerned. Like Hitler before him, Hussein is interested in negotiating only so long as it serves to throw his adversaries off balance, thereby allowing him to prolong his power. By giving him a new resolution, the Security Council is effectively saying that any previous resolutions passed concerning Iraq are meaningless. This should not be the message sent by a body proclaiming that it has the world’s security interests at heart.
While it is unfortunate, but politically understandable, that the Bush administration spent so much time on resolution drafts just to change the word ‘and’ to ‘or’ and the word ‘ensure’ to ‘secure,’ so as to appease the French and guarantee their support on the Security Council, the Bush administration correctly asserted that this resolution does not prevent any nation from acting in the interest of its own self defense. This sends the correct message to Hussein, ‘Screw around at your own peril.’ In any event the US military build-up in the region should continue. It was a belief by Iraq that Bush was serious about invading that forced Hussein’s acquiescence to UN demands. Now is the time to increase the pressure if for no other reason than because that is the only real way to avoid war. Another meeting will only produce more hot air and leave the world less secure.
Scott Wacholtz is a junior majoring in political science and computer science.
Sipping on Crystal in my Bentley with my new Rolex
Is hip-hop today materialistic or what? Is that a reflection of the American culture? And what is up with all of the name-dropping and label checking that goes on in hip-hop songs? Hmmm, this calls for some examination.
With the exceptions of Eminem, and maybe a handful of others, I can’t think of any current rapper that doesn’t chock-fill their songs and albums with numerous references to $100,000 or more cars, $1000 bottles of champagne, designer clothing labels, and luxury homes on the ocean. And in their videos, they are often seen rapping and dancing in front of these pricey playthings or decked out wearing them.
For instance, Trina, bless her heart, Miami’s own spitfire rap queen, whose latest album I swear drops at least a half-dozen references to designer clothes per song, goes off about every luxury car in the book. “Traded in the Lex for the G5 Benz,” she boasts. “F**k a Beamer, got me a Benz and some rims,” she happily fires off. Hey, more power to you, sister. But look at her partner in rhymes, Trick Daddy’s latest song “Thug Holiday.” It’s a sad, important, and dare I say it, emotional slice of life from a guy who’s survived his past and hopes others will do the same, without dropping a single brand name. So from that, we know it’s possible to make meaningful music sans the vanity and attitude.
Now I don’t mean to pick on Trina. I am a fan of hers, but she was a hip-hop artist, just one of many, who immediately came to the top of my mind. The way I see it, if somebody wants to brag about all of the nicer things in life that they have over the masses of us who don’t, that’s fine with me. But when the theme gets played out to death, like it has been for a while now, it starts to sound just plain annoying and juvenile. I realize this is what money and fame can buy and that a lot of rappers are fortunate enough to come into success from difficult backgrounds. Maybe rapping about the better things in life now is easier than talking about tough times in the past for some. Either that, or they tell us what we want to hear, and we seem to want to hear about beautiful and expensive things. Anyway, I don’t really have the room to assume, since I’m not them and I don’t know them or their lives.
It does seem, however, like one can almost follow a simple formula nowadays and become an instant rap success. Take these following references: Sipping Cristal in club VIP’s + anything by Gucci + 22-inch chrome rims + a certain slang term for females = big hit on your hands! Now from that, I have this following rhyme, all my idea, made up on the spot: I eat sushi, rock frames by Gucci, hit the coochie, not that ho Susan Lucci.
But please, don’t get me wrong. I happen to be a huge fan of hip-hop. I know I also happen to be a terrible freestyler as just witnessed, but that’s beside the point. I would just like to hold on to a glimmer of hope that there’s something else maybe a little more urgent or important going on in our world to rhyme about. Is that too much to ask?
Derek Bramble is a senior majoring in Broadcast Journalism and Theater.
Letter to the Editor
As I crossed US 1 after school last week, my blood boiled with rage. Not because I was annoyed with the endless amounts of toxins I was breathing in standing by the exhaust of 50,000 cars, but because I had just witnessed one of the worst acts of stupidity that I’ve seen in my time here at UM.
I climbed aboard the Hurry ‘Cane shuttle for a quick ride to the garage from the fountain aboard the EXPRESS shuttle. Good for me, right? Not so much.
The shuttle driver, just doing his job, just earning some bucks and trying not to hit anything or anyone, told a certain unnamed student athlete and fraternity member that he would not be able to get off the shuttle at the Hecht Athletic Center being that he was aboard the “EXPRESS” shuttle……and what ensued was a loud, inappropriate battle between this poor man and a self-righteous “frat boy”.
“WHY THE F*** WON’T YOU STOP HERE???? F***ING A**HOLE!!! EVERY OTHER F***ING SHUTTLE STOPS HERE!!!!” Excuse me, buddy, but lay off the epinephrine. The argument continued, and all I wanted to say was, “hey, being an athlete, shouldn’t you be OK with the fact that you’ll just have to walk 5 minutes out of your way? Better luck next time!”
But being the subdued individual that I am, I restrained myself. Finally this highly intelligent individual pressed the emergency exit button and exited in a huff at a traffic light. But not before his final “F***ING A**HOLE!!!” was given to the shuttle driver. He even had the audacity to ask, “DON’T YOU HAVE A CONSCIENCE? I’M GOING TO BE LATE FOR PRACTICE YOU A**HOLE!!!”
Evidently, this guy hasn’t gotten a day past high school. And to think, this is whom I share an education with. Is a beefcake on a power trip worth $25,000? I think not.
Laraine Elizabeth Martin
EDITORIAL
As we approach the proverbial season of giving, many people are probably thinking, “Didn’t I already do that last year?” Every year, our Euro centric culture focuses nearly all of its altruistic energies on the Christmas season, resulting in a philanthropic cornucopia of Salvation Army Santas ringing their bells for money outside of the local Target, “Adopt-a-family” drives, and donations of presents for underprivileged children.
Amidst all of this holiday cheer, it is easy to either dismiss charity altogether as corny and unrealistic or to turn a cynical shoulder while complaining that people today want everything without working for it. It is even easier to put such activities on the backburner during this hectic time of year or to simply let laziness get the better of any charitable impulses that somehow snuck into your head after watching “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” After all, you could donate a present, but who wants to go to the mall during the holidays?
For those who find themselves year in and year out formulating a detailed plan of how to escape Target without crossing paths with the Salvation Army, there is still hope. The student group STEP (Students Together Ending Poverty) is making it very easy this year to donate money or food or both to a good cause. All they ask is that the next time you are rummaging through your cupboard you set one of those packages of Ramin or cans of Ravioli-O’s aside and drop it off in UC 240. You won’t exactly starve because of the loss and you will have a chance to feed someone who may be close to starving.
Still not convinced? Well, living in Miami, it shouldn’t be hard to convince anyone that homelessness is a problem. Millions of Americans sleep on the streets and are never sure of when their next meal will be, and many of those Americans can be seen right here in our own city. Anyone who has been to South Beach should be familiar with the irony of a homeless woman or man sleeping outside of a store that sells G-strings for $300. And anyone who knows anything about homelessness should be familiar with the fact that it is not exclusively a lazy, drug and alcohol addicted community, as some people do indeed believe.
On Tuesday, STEP organized a luncheon called “Faces of the Homeless” where people who have to deal with these issues in their own lives were able to speak. It was clear that these people were no lazier than anyone else. They had no aversion to work or holding a steady job. They were not happy with having little or no financial control over their lives. Rather, they were caught in a trap of bad credit, little opportunity, and sometimes an inability to find work because of the lack of a mailing address. These were not people who were content to be the receptacles of charity, but people who were desperately trying to make a life for themselves and their families in spite of their decreasing opportunities to do so.
Of course, donating food and money will not solve all of their problems, but it at least recognizes that they exist and that they are not struggling alone. We think students should take an active role in addressing this problem instead of simply brushing it under the rug as our government tends to do. A good place to start is by taking part in the “Skip-a-Meal” project in the campus cafeterias where students can sign up to skip a meal with the proceeds going to homeless shelters.
Toppel helps you “find the section & the seat”
Toppel Career Center offers a plethora of services catering to the different qualifications and aspirations of students and alumni at the University of Miami.
“They know the stadium they want to play in but they don’t know the section or the seat. We help them find the section and the seat,” explained James Smart, the director of Toppel Career Center, regarding the services offered.
According to Smart, the vision of the Toppel Career Center is to serve as a “bridge between academics and the real world.”
Services Toppel offers include resume critiquing, career advising and counseling, career development programs and internship programs.
The Toppel Career center also organizes and hosts numerous career building events including Career Expos in the fall and spring semesters and Toppel 101, a one hour workshop designed to help students reach their goals, whether career-oriented or focusing on graduate study.
“It’s steps for graduation and how to stay on the right track, career development skills and how to network,” said Alexis Franklin, a member of the Toppel Student Advisory Board, of Toppel 101.
Originally offered to seniors only, due to popular demand Toppel 101 will be open to all students enrolled at the University and will be held through Nov. 25.
“The Toppel Career Resource Library is full of books, magazines, newspapers and job listings that can help students to find the right career path or help them discover where they’d like to be after graduation,” said Jill Borges of the Toppel Student Advisory board of the career resource and research facility located inside Toppel.
Many students are unaware of the vast wealth of career information located within walking distance from their classes, and while some students know of the Toppel Career Center, they possess a minimal understanding of the features and services available.
Junior Bianca Biagioni remarked, “I have no idea even where the building is.”
“I know that they do resume critiques and career planning, but I’ve never actually taken advantage of their services,” said junior Melissa Perez.
Sophomore Sammy Nader shared the same unclear perception of Toppel.
“In orientation, we were told to post our resume on the internet or to take it over there so that they can critique it, but that’s all I know,” explained Nader. “I don’t even know where it is.”
Many students have difficulty accessing the services provided because of restrictions of time and transportation.
“I don’t live on campus, so I only come here for class, and I’d never think to come here just for that,” commented junior Stephanie Altuve.
Senior Marci Hora, also a commuter, shared the same concerns. “I went once to look at pamphlets and see if they had jobs posted, but I’m never on that side of campus.”
“Toppel should reach out to students more instead of students having to reach out to them,” commented junior Tiffany Rainey. “I still don’t know exactly what they can do for me.”
“I definitely don’t think students use Toppel enough. I think this is due, in part, to the fact that they are not fully aware of all that Toppel can offer. Most people don’t know that they can go to Toppel to get their resume critiqued, or for a mock interview,” explained Toppel Student Advisory Board member Valerie Figueredo.
For students who have difficulty taking advantage of the on-site Toppel services, Toppel also offers an interactive website which can be accessed through the University of Miami website and links to Cane Trak, a service through which students can search for internships, find out what companies are recruiting on campus and submit their resumes online. “It’s a great tool you can use from anywhere at any time,” said Figueredo.
Students who have taken advantage of some of the services offered at Toppel are quite satisfied with the guidance and information they have received.
“I would say that the great thing about Toppel is they have an unlimited amount of resources to help students find internships and get jobs,” said junior Tom Berryman. “Unfortunately, a good majority of students don’t capitalize on their opportunity until they graduate.”
Senior Rod Ruiz also found his Toppel experience fulfilling. Ruiz attended Toppel 101 and decided to sign up with a career counselor for more career assistance.
“That helped me out a lot because it was one-on-one time and she was better able to cater to my needs. I told her my ideas regarding where I wanted to live and what I wanted to do and she told me about options I didn’t know I had,” Ruiz said. “I found it so helpful, in fact, that I’ve scheduled another appointment to take advantage of other Toppel services.”
Toppel not only handles undergraduate student affairs, but also caters services specifically to alumni, whether looking for further career direction or for a complete change.
“Sometimes people find out the world of work isn’t what they expected it to be and they come back,” Smart said.
Toppel caters to international students as well, helping them to find success in America.
Student Advisory Board member Shakira Henderson said, “They serve for the entire student body, and that’s something that’s unique to them. Most different places at UM don’t really cater to international students as much as Toppel does.”
Overall, director James Smart advises students to begin their career search as early as possible. Toppel staff attempt to guide them in a direction which will best serve their individual agendas and take advantage of their unique skills.
“Sooner or later, you’ll have to go to work and you’ll have to know these things,” Smart said. “There is no substitute for time.”
Toppel Career Center is adjacent to the Whitten University Center and can be accessed at www.miami.edu/toppel.
Students can also call 305-284-5451 for more information or to schedule appointments with career advisors.
UM officials seek to inform students of the dangerous effects of Adderall
Adderall, an increasingly popular study drug, has recently become a growing and dangerous concern within the UM community, according to administration.
“We’re concerned about all the drugs that may be present on campus,” said Dr. Pat Whitely, vice-president for student affairs. “Every time a drug appears on our radar screen we try to educate our students about the side effects.”
“Adderall is speed,” said Malcolm Kahn, Ph.D, ABPP, director and associate professor at the Counseling Center. “This is a very highly regulated class of drugs with very real and serious medical consequences.”
In a recent Life and Art article printed in the Nov. 8 edition of The Miami Hurricane, two students gave their testimonials regarding why they use Adderall to study. Both accounts emphasized how the drug has helped them improve academically but made no mention of the negative medical consequences of using the drug without a prescription.
“Adderall is a drug used to treat neurological disorders and has different effects on the brain function of individuals who have been diagnosed to benefit from the drug,” Dr. Kahn said. “In recent years, these types of drugs have become a sort of fad because of the media and many times people think they may be displaying symptoms of a disorder that they probably do not have.”
Sexual impotence, nervous tremors, unwanted twitching, mental disturbances, high blood pressure, irritability and depression are all common side effects of the drug.
“Many young men experience strong negative psychological effects from not being able to perform sexually,” Dr. Kahn said. “The psychological and emotional effects of the drug will continue long after the drug wears off.”
Last year, UM conducted a campus-wide, anonymous survey of 3000 randomly selected students. Of the 962 who responded, only 17 reported taking a psychiatric drug without a prescription.
“This study indicates that most students are responsibly dealing with their work in a healthy, substance-free way,” Jennifer Brack, assistant dean of students and advisor to PIER 21, said. “The high number of students who utilize the Counseling Center also demonstrates that students are interested in learning how to effectively and naturally cope with their lives.”
PIER 21 is a comprehensive, innovative, multidimensional education, prevention, and intervention program that focuses on alcohol and other drug use, misuse, and abuse.
According to administration, PIER 21, the Academic Center and the Counseling Center can help students find ways to enhance their academic performance by way of advising, programs and workshops that focus on time management and prioritizing techniques, developing strong study habits and utilizing effective time management strategies.
“It is unfortunate that our society is placing such emphasis on the ‘quick fix’,” Brack said. “It’s scary to think about a community of people who need to rely on pills to get through daily responsibilities. We hope that instead of asking around for extra Adderall that students will first make a strong attempt to develop coping skills for themselves.”
Carmen Lex, in her testimonial printed in the Nov. 8 issue, emphasized the fact that she was aware of the potential long-term effects of the drug:
“I may be blemishing my body like with any other drug and I’m thinking, whilst marveling at about a hundred other ideas, will I become addicted to this pill?”
“Students need to be aware that this drug is dangerous and should not be used by individuals to which it is not prescribed,” Dr. Kahn said. “Even though they may feel that it is helping them momentarily, the long term effects can be extremely detrimental.”
Dr. Kahn says that the Counseling Center will not be prescribing Adderall to students after this semester.
Students who are experiencing negative effects of amphetamines like Adderall or other drugs should visit the Student Health Center. To get diagnosed for a specific disorder, contact the Counseling Center at X8-5511.
PIER 21 can be reached at 305-284-6120.
Jorge Arauz can be contacted at xxarauzxx@yahoo.com