McGahee now clear focus of UM offense
The ‘Canes won convincingly again behind a relentless rushing attack and a stellar defensive effort.
Wait, is this the same Miami team that would just throw all over its opponents last season en route to a National Championship. Isn’t Ken Dorsey supposed to be this year’s favorite to become just the third player in UM history to win the prestigious Heisman Trophy Award. Both these questions can be answered easily with one person – UM sophomore tailback Willis McGahee.
The Boston College Eagles were the latest victim of the seemingly unstoppable Miami running game in which McGahee ran wild for 135 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns to lead the ‘Canes to a dominating 38-6 victory. Although it is early in the season, McGahee has garnered serious Heisman consideration.
“If it takes us to continuously pound the ball up the throats of our opponents to win, then I am eager to lead the way,” said McGahee. “I just go out there and have fun wearing down the opposing team, but I simply just want to win. I can’t afford to think about any individual awards.”
McGahee, who is fifth in the nation in rushing yards with 552 and tied for third in the nation with seven rushing touchdowns, also caught three Ken Dorsey passes, including a dump off pass in the third quarter that he turned into a 77-yard scamper. The outstanding reception led to a Kellen Winslow touchdown.
“Willis just simply wore down the Boston College defense,” said offensive lineman Sherko Haji-Rasouli. “We (the offensive line) love to run block and enjoy doing so for such a fine back.”
McGahee compiled his third consecutive 100-yard performance following a 134-yard effort vs. Temple last week, and his career high 204-yard game vs. Florida.
“They (Boston College) were bound to break if we kept running right at them,” said McGahee.
McGahee accounted for 221 of the Hurricanes’ 393 yards of total offense, making up for a rather lackluster performance by the rest of the Miami offense.
Even though Dorsey’s numbers look good on the stat sheet, his timing seemed off, as he missed several open receivers downfield. Dorsey was 13-of-26 and threw two touchdowns, but McGahee’s 77-yard reception surely padded these numbers.
Dominating “D”
The Miami defense put forth another stellar performance, forcing three turnovers and scoring a touchdown on their way to holding Boston College to only six points.
Junior middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma led the way with a team-high 12 tackles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
“We just took over the tempo of the game,” said Vilma, who’s touchdown was the second of his career, the first coming against FSU last year. “They couldn’t move the ball consistently.”
Cornerback Antrel Rolle had a career night. His interception to close out the first half was the first of his career. The sophomore also recovered a fumble (the first of his career) in the fourth quarter leading to a score.
The Boston College passing game was non-existent, as Eagles’ quarterback Brian St. Pierre was held to 138 yards passing and no touchdowns.
“Our system works extremely well against the pass,” said redshirt freshman cornerback Kelly Jennings. “Although we are a young secondary, we have worked together for a long time. We can stop whatever comes our way.”
The only concern with the UM defensive effort was their ability to stop the run. Boston College rushed for 147 yards on 48 carries. Yet, this seemed to fit into the Miami game plan, as they forced many third and longs.
“You have to realize that Boston College is a powerhouse running team with a very big offensive line,” said sophomore defensive tackle Vince Wilfork. “They did rush for a big total, but that total did not amount to many points. Opponents must be able to mix in a passing game with the running attack if they want any chance against us.”
Rookie Rocky
After seeing very little playing time in Miami’s first three games, linebacker Roger “Rocky” McIntosh made the most of his first career start Saturday. The 6-3, 220-pound redshirt freshman started at strong side linebacker in place of Howard Clark, who, according to a UM spokesman, missed practice this week due to the death of his stepfather.
McIntosh finished the game with a career-high eight tackles.
“It felt really good to be out there, but I was nervous at first,” said McIntosh. “I got over my nerves quickly, and was excited the rest of the way.”
Miscellaneous
Miami extended its nation leading win streak to 26 games, its Orange Bowl win streak to 18 games and its Big East win streak to 19…Ken Dorsey improved to 30-1 as a starter, while Larry Coker upped his perfect record to 16-0…2001 National Championship members Ed Reed, Phillip Buchanon, Markese Fitzgerald, James Lewis and Bryant McKinnie offered sideline support for Miami at the game…The attendance at the Orange Bowl was 73,622, the largest home crowd in the Boston College series… Andre Johnson’s fourth quarter TD reception was the 14th of his career, moving him into a tie for 6th place on the Miami all-time touchdown passes caught list with Eddie Brown (1983-84)…Kellen Winslow’s fourth quarter touchdown was his third career score, all coming this season.
Brian Poliakoff can be reached at b.poliakoff@umiami.edu
Hurricanes’ storm sends Eagles back north
For one half of football, it looked like history would repeat itself: Boston College was giving the top-ranked Miami Hurricanes a major scare.
However, the ‘Canes cleaned up their act in the second half, scoring 28 points without an Eagles reply en route to a 38-6 victory Saturday night at the Orange Bowl. The victory was Miami’s 26th in a row, and marked the second straight offensive burst over the final thirty minutes against a weaker opponent.
After the game, head coach Larry Coker seemed relieved it was all over.
“Just another day at the office, right,” said Coker, who improved to 16-0 as Miami’s head coach. “Give credit to Boston College. They’re a very tough football team. They really took us to the limit. They really made it tough.”
Once again, sophomore running back Willis McGahee anchored the Hurricane offense, picking up 135 yards on 17 carries, while reaching the end zone twice. Several of McGahee’s carried featured shifty rushes and individual efforts to break through the Eagles big defensive front. McGahee says those rushes are a product of last-minute improvisation.
“Everything just comes to me,” McGahee said. “I just go out there running and I don’t really think about anything else in advance.”
Quarterback Ken Dorsey, coming off his first 300-yard effort of the season, did not have as much success against the undersized, but pesky Boston College secondary. Dorsey finished the game with 202 yards on 13-26 passing, while throwing a pair of touchdown strikes in the process.
“Boston College does a very good job of taking away big plays,” Dorsey said. “This year was much better than last year. At the same time, we had some mental mistakes.”
Although the 32-point victory would seem to indicate 60 minutes of Hurricane dominance, this game was anything but. Miami put together one sustained drive in the first quarter, but it ended with a missed 52-yard field goal off the foot of Todd Sievers.
The Eagles answered with a scoring drive of their own to start the second quarter, as a 35-yard field goal by Sandro Sciortino gave Boston College a 3-0 lead. The two teams switched field goals, before the Hurricanes went on a four play, 80-yard drive late in the first half. A 47-yard run from McGahee put the Hurricanes inside the Eagles one-yard line, and the sophomore back took it into the end zone on the ensuing drive.
The touchdown gave Miami a 10-6 lead at halftime, but that was far from enough to please Coker.
“We’re not executing on offense as well as we need to and they are having too many sustained drives,” Coker said at halftime.
After McGahee’s second touchdown of the evening, a five-yard run that gave Miami a 17-6 lead, the Hurricanes scored 21 quick points in the fourth quarter. Ken Dorsey hooked up with McGahee on a spectacular 77-yard catch and run, and later in the drive, threw his first touchdown pass of the game, a one-yard lob to Kellen Winslow.
Less than two minutes later, a fumble recovery by Antrel Rolle led to Dorsey’s second touchdown, a 33-yard strike to Andre Johnson, who returned to the lineup after missing the Temple game with a shoulder injury. That score put Miami up 31-6 and put the nail in the coffin for B.C.
“We played extremely hard and smart the second half,” Coker said. “We learned one thing as coaches and players: You don’t panic.”
Defensively, the Hurricanes held a balanced Boston College offense under 300 yards. Although the Eagles gained 147 yards on the ground, Miami was able to contain the run in the second half.
“We knew they were going to come in and pound the ball,” said defensive end Andrew Williams. “We had to shut down the run, and once we did that, we knew everything would be OK.”
The Boston College game marked yet another contest also dominated by the Hurricane secondary. Brian St. Pierre, arguably the second best quarterback in the Big East, completed just 14-of-24 passes for 138 yards and one interception. According to freshman cornerback Glenn Sharpe, the unit doesn’t pay attention to the experience factor.
“We don’t focus on being young,” Sharpe said. “We’re capable of learning any given time. Coach just gives us a game plan and we go out there and try and learn.”
The victory boosted Miami’s record to 4-0, and keeps the Hurricanes as the consensus No. 1 ranked team. The ‘Canes now embark on a well-deserved off-week, before Connecticut comes to the Orange Bowl Oct. 5. Sharpe makes sure to emphasize the off-week will not be so easy for Miami, however.
“Our off-week is always going to be the week where you work hardest,” Sharpe said. “We will be ready and focused for UCONN.”
You can reach Jeremy Marks-Peltz at jmp310@hotmail.com.
UM soccer remains unbeaten in Big East
The Hurricanes women’s soccer team (6-3) blew past Big East rival Providence College 2-1 on Sunday, improving their conference play record to 3-0.
It seemed the game’s momentum was all on Providence’s side at the beginning, when sophomore Veronica Bakke wasted no time scoring in the second minute. The ‘Canes looked as though they were struggling on defense, but were able to break through in the middle of the first half, when junior Allison McWhinney scored from an impressive pass by freshman Lindsey Yach.
“Right after they scored I think we woke up and said ‘we can’t do this, we have to pull together,'” said Yach, who ended up scoring the game-winning goal for the ‘Canes.
Indeed they did wake up, playing much more offensively for the remainder of the game. Beginning late in the first half, the Hurricanes were able to keep the ball in Providence territory, totaling over four times as many shots as the Friars. Providence goalie Caitlin Pickul had 18 saves on the day.
In the second half it was evident that the 85 plus degree-heat was getting to Providence as they got winded easily and struggled to keep up. Miami’s game-winning goal came with 17 minutes left when junior Michelle Provenzano connected with Yach, who scored.
UM goalie Rachel Elsby had a save in the first period, but the Hurricanes’ strong defense kept her from seeing any more direct action for the remainder of the game.
“I think the overall effort and organization are what [made us win],” said head coach Tricia Taliaferro. “It wasn’t our prettiest win, but we were able to get organized and execute a lot of the stuff we worked on in practice.”
When Yach scored, she felt “there was a lot of pressure off. We needed to score and win because this was a big game for us-this whole weekend was.”
Indeed it was, as the ‘Canes also took care of the Boston College Eagles 3-1 at home on Friday night during their second Big East game of the season. Britney Butcher, Gitana Gotay and Laura West were responsible for the goals on Friday.
The Hurricane defense made solid stops during the second half, contributing to the fact that the ball remained in Friar territory. The team seemed to gel together to complete their mission.
“I thought we did well, we definitely pulled together at the end to go ahead and to keep the lead and not let them get back in the game,” said McWhinney. “I definitely think that we took them out of the game.”
The recipe for success? Teamwork. Coach Taliaferro believes what sealed the victory was: “The ability to have people coming in- the whole team played, it wasn’t just the [starting] eleven.”
The Miami women’s soccer team seems to be all about getting the job done, and not necessarily worrying about cosmetics along the way. Their focus on the end result has paid off so far in conference play.
“For the most part, we did what we had to in order to win,” said Yach.
The ‘Canes continue non-conference play at Florida International University on Wednesday night in Miami.
You can reach Mellisa Teich at melissateich@hotmail.com
Volleyball still undefeated
A free T-shirt and free pizza weren’t the only attraction at the University of Miami women’s volleyball game Friday night.
The unbeatable Hurricane volleyball team (11-0) blew by the competition as they put together a three-game victory over the Owls of Florida Atlantic University (5-10).
Not only did the win better their record to 11 straight victories for this season, but it also increased their win streak dating back to last season as it now stands at a national best 22 matches.
The ‘Canes had no trouble in the first game of the match as they rolled to a 30-21 victory. The next two games, however, didn’t go as planned.
Game 2 saw the Hurricanes edge passed the Owls only by four points. They won by a score of 30-26, but this game brought out a few highlights from freshman middle blocker Karla Johnson, as she showed her skills off with a series of outstanding kills and blocks early in the game.
In the third game of the match, the Owls kept it close the whole time. The ‘Canes were down by one with the score at 26-27, but they roared back with four unanswered points that were capitalized by Elizabeth Tyson’s (Sophomore, outside hitter) game-winning kill. The ‘Canes won 30-27 in a nail-biter, and they improved on their already flawless record.
Senior team leader Marcella Gamarra played exceptional as she registered a team-high 12 kills. She also had a match-high 13 digs on the defensive end.
Valeria Tipiana continued her solid play with a 10-kill effort and .409 attack percentage. Sophomore outside hitter Elizabeth Tyson had a match high .562 kill percentage and 11 kills for the night.
The match also brought out the impressive skills of two freshmen. Middle blocker Karla Johnson had 11 kills with a .450 attack percentage on the night as well as a match high 6 blocks (two solo, four block assists). Setter Margie Young, the team’s leader in assists, added to her season total of 250 with a match high 44 assists for the evening.
The volleyball team is one of only 11 undefeated Division 1 teams in the United States, and they are also one of just three teams in the United States to have over 10 wins with no losses for the season.
The ‘Canes volleyball team continues play on Wednesday, September 25 as they play host to the Hatters of Stetson University at 7:00 P.M. at the Knight Sports Complex.
You can reach Kevan Melchiorre at Kmm102683@aol.com.
Campus seems short on resources this semester
Drive around the parking lot, try to work at a computer in the library, or just try to sit in a classroom, and you’ll quickly notice a reoccurring problem. In every instance, two words will slip out of your mouth: not enough.
At first, I was convinced that there were more students on campus. I admit, the parking situation has always been a problem, and with limited space, the Parking and Transportation Department is doing all it can to increase the number of parking spaces. However, as a senior, I can’t recall any other year when there has been such a lack of resources on campus in term of computers and classroom seats available to students.
Office of Planning and Institutional Research, which keeps data for the University, says that student enrollment has increased by about 100 students, although they won’t have definite numbers until October. That’s not a big enough increase to warrant such an epiphany on my part. Nevertheless, the problem still exists.
Unless it’s 7:30 a.m. or 6:00 p.m., it’s almost guaranteed that students will have to wait for a computer in the library. Once a student has obtained one, he or she has to pray that the Internet works correctly, that the floppy disk drive is functioning or that there isn’t a long line at the printers, another phenomenon I personally don’t remember witnessing in the past.
The problem that is probably the most severe is one commonly seen in K-12 public schools: class size. The university boasts that over 75% of classrooms have 26 or fewer students. If that statistic is accurate, I must have very bad luck, especially as a senior. I have classes where there aren’t enough chairs for students and they have to either sit on the floor or lean against a wall. I’ve past by the LC, peaked through the glass doors, and observed the same problem in other classrooms. Perhaps the statistic is correct, and only 25% of classes have this problem, but, that’s 25% too many.
With the price tag this university has, there is no excuse for even one student to have to be sitting on the floor or standing in line for computers. We pay too much money for the right to have a comfortable learning environment. If this were a public school, I would understand the need to be accommodating. Students there pay less, and have a much larger population to contend with. At the University of Miami, however, many students chose to come here because of the “small” student population that it boasts to have. Yet, everywhere I look, there is not enough. But since student body size remains average, I’m sure administrators are aware of the problem and will be quick to fix it.
Until then, I urge students to be mindful and accommodating of the university’s lack of resources. Allocate an extra hour to look for a parking space, use the library computers for work, not games, and bring comfortable pillows to sit on in class, perhaps even your own folding chair.
Jean-Paul Renaud is a senior majoring in journalism and political science.
Orange Bowl security personnel needs an overhaul
Am I the only one who was very disappointed at Saturday’s football game? And I am not talking about the lifeless performance by the number one team in the nation. What I found most disappointing was the so-called Orange Bowl Security team, who were even more pathetic than the Hurricanes offense.
It is the same story every game. The aisles are always so full of people, you can never be quite sure if they exist at all. Inevitably, some drunk frat guy (perhaps in an inebriated attempt to impress the girl next to him) successfully redefines the term “moron” by throwing a half-full beer bottle into the unsuspecting crowd. Or, utilizing the most recent weapon of choice, an entire section of fans throw those little Miami Hurricane CD’s, causing everyone to dive for cover as they fly around like malignant Frisbees threatening to put out an eye or slash a gaping wound into someone’s neck.
On top of that, there is more weed going around than at a Dave Matthews Band concert, and there are so many fights, I’m not sure whether to watch them or the game. And to put the icing on the cake, at Saturday’s game there was a guy in the student section with a cow bell. Maybe I’m the one who is crazy, but how can you bring a large, heavy metal object into the game, but you can’t get in with an umbrella? Oh wait, that’s right. Umbrellas can be used as weapons. What was I thinking?
So, where is the security during all of this? I’ll tell you where they are. They are busy being more ineffectual than our offensive line. Saturday marked the third time in my years here at the University of Miami that I have asked a security guard to clear out the aisles, and for the third time they didn’t even so much as answer me. They merely looked at me with an expression that seemed to say, “So what. Is that my job?”
Why are these people not being fired? At the very least they should have to dress up like clowns so that they could entertain us while they do nothing. The fact is that if there is ever a serious emergency (and at a stadium that sells beer, it is only a matter of time), someone is going to end up dead. I don’t care how good the EMS may be at the Orange Bowl, there are so many students in the aisles that not even Willis McGahee could find an opening. And if they’re not going to clear the aisles, they could at least arrest that drunk frat guy.
Travis Atria is a junior majoring in English literature.
CIA, FBI admit mistakes too late
Recently, a CIA officer and an FBI agent testified before Congress on how their respective agencies failed repeatedly to pursue two terrorist suspects who would later play major roles in the September 11th attack. However, this was no ordinary testimony. Fearing that their lives would be threatened because of the information they divulged, the two agents spoke about the failures while seated behind a five-foot screen that concealed their identities.
The information revealed was chilling. It showed that two of the most important agencies we rely on to ensure national security are just as tied up in meaningless red tape as the rest of our government. Moreover, it paints a picture of the extent of complacency that allowed the attacks to take place right under the noses of what are supposed to be the best defense and security agencies in the world.
In January of 2000, Khalid Almihdhar and Nawaf Alhazmi attended an al Qaeda meeting in Malaysia. They were identified as security threats but were never put on a watch list. Then, in October of the same year, al Qaeda terrorists attacked the USS Cole, and the CIA learned that the organizer of the assault had attended the same meeting as Almihdhar and Alhazmi in January. Even then, none of the men were placed on a watch list.
According to the agents’ testimonies, the CIA told the FBI about the men, but did not disclose any information about the meeting in Malaysia or why the men were considered dangerous. It was not until late August that the CIA formally “watchlisted” the suspected terrorists, but the FBI would not conduct a search for Alminhdhar because, according to supervisors, they could not “breach the wall separating intelligence matters from criminal investigations.”
It was after this rebuff that the testifying FBI agent reportedly sent an e-mail reading in part: “Someday, someone will die – and wall or not – the public will not understand why we were not more effective and throwing every resource we had at certain problems. Let’s hope the National Security Law Unit will stand behind their decisions then, especially because the biggest threat to us now, bin Laden, is getting the most protection.”
On September 11th, people did indeed die, as Alhazmi and Almihdhar passed through airport security unnoticed (the watch list was not used for domestic flights), and together with three other hijackers took over the plane and crashed into the Pentagon.
In light of the information against the FBI and CIA, President George W. Bush has agreed to the establishment of an independent commission to investigate the September 11th attacks, reversing his previous opinion. However, not everyone is pleased with the president’s decision as it excludes an investigation into intelligence lapses. Stephen Push, a leader of a group of relatives of the victims of the attacks accused Bush of trying to cover up the failures of the FBI and CIA. In light of the recent testimonies, a cover-up may be harder than it seems.
The fact that these two agents have only recently divulged this information begs the question, what were they waiting for? Why has it taken them more than a year to come forward? Could it be that their respective agencies traditionally deal very harshly with insiders who speak out against them? Or were they simply unsure of when the right time would be? Either way, one can only hope that it will not take this long to disclose vital information about national security in the future.
Wellness Center offers variety of fitness options
The Wellness Center [WC] has recently spent $150,000 replacing all of their resistance training equipment, said Chris Locke, WC director.
“The students are paying the Wellness Center fee and should get their money’s worth. That includes making sure students have the best possible equipment,” Ali Paredes said. “The equipment is up-to-date and there are a wide variety of machines for every muscle, unlike other places I’ve been such as the YMCA.”
The new Magnum equipment is located in the fitness room on the ground floor of the Wellness Center.
A longtime perk of the Wellness Center is the free aerobics classes offered to all patrons.
Classes are offered in everything from step classes to cardio kickboxing to funk aerobics.
David Porter, Assistant Director of the Wellness Center, is in charge of running the aerobics, studio cycling, yoga and a myriad of instructional programs.
It doesn’t matter how stressful the day is,” said Rita Deutsch, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “By the time I get done I’m totally stress-free. The teachers are all professionally wonderful and they have the most broad-ranging, wonderful programs. I’ve seen a change in myself health-wise since I’ve been going and would encourage all students to take part.”
Students could entertain themselves for hours and never have to go to an aerobics class” Porter said.
Deutsch said she goes to classes three nights a week after work.
“It gets stress out and makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something in your day,” Paredes agreed.
Instructional programs such as studio cycling, various forms of yoga, swimming lessons, meditation, karate, fencing, soccer, weight training and tennis are all examples of what can be taken at the Wellness Center.
Dance classes such as hip-hop, swing, ballet, belly dance and salsa have been popular with students.
“I have already learned a lot after only two classes,” freshman Lauren Brown said. “It’s a lot of fun and the teachers are all really good.”
Intramural and club sports also run out of the Wellness Center. Intramural sports include flag football, floor hockey, inner tube water polo, ultimate frisbee, soccer and more. Participation has increased over the past year, with flag football growing from 61 teams last year to over 80 teams this year. Club sports offer a variety of different opportunities for students to compete against other universities at lower than the varsity level as well as to socialize and learn more about their given sport.
“Soccer is fun and relaxing even though the flag football teams take over the field,” said Angie Pendergrass.
UM student Ben Everard once found himself competing against a 60-year-old man in racquetball.
“He killed me. I was completely smoked,” Everard said.
The Wellness Expo will be held Oct. 16 from 5-7 p.m. It will be a large health fair with a Halloween Haunted House theme. According to Janet Tiberian, WC assistant director, the main purpose of this expo will be to improve the campus’ overall wellness.
“This event will expose students and the UM community to campus and community resources to help wellness. The more people get involved with different activities, the more their wellness will improve,” Tiberian said.
Dance demonstrations, massages and trial classes will be offered.
The Wellness Education Series held on Wednesday nights features the classes “Time Management for Perfectionists” and “How to Avoid the Freshman Fifteen,” along with cooking demonstrations of paella and Thai food.
For more information on Wellness Center programs, call 305-284-3253 or visit the website at www.miami.edu/wellness.
Awards make study abroad possible
The deadline for spring 2003 study abroad programs is Oct. 1.
Increased availability of scholarships for Study Abroad and accommodating UM tuition policies elicit little cost and great benefit to international study; a student could practically study in any country in the world at a cost similar to the same term in Miami.
“Any student who does participate in semester programs [abroad] maintains enrollment status, and academic scholarships are still applicable,” noted Chris Tingue, Assistant Director of Study Abroad and International Education and Exchange Programs (IEEP).
In short, this means if you pay your tuition here, and another student pays his tuition there, the two of you simply exchange locations. A semester at UM, then, is as valuable as a semester at the Universidad de Alicante in Spain, Sophia University in Tokyo or the American University of Paris, excepting related travel and living expenses that vary by program.
Several non-UM funded scholarship opportunities are detailed on the IEEP website. Generally, a student must be nominated by the IEEP office to be considered nationally for such awards.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program offers US citizen students who are currently receiving federal Pell Grants competitive awards for study abroad. The award’s purpose, to “expand opportunities for study abroad for students whose demonstrated financial need might otherwise preclude them from such an experience,” promotes diverse participation and encourages travel to non-traditional locations.
As with most awards, early application is recommended because advisors from IEEP and Financial Aid must complete sections of the application. The Gilman award is especially competitive; for fall 2002 study, over 10 UM students applied, and only two were awarded scholarships.
David L. Boren scholarships, funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), are available primarily for non-traditional areas of study abroad, such as Asia, Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe.
This award is also very competitive, contains a foreign language component and service requirement and encourages recipient students “to become integrally involved in global issues.”
The Freeman-ASIA Awards contribute to study in areas such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan. A service requirement to promote study abroad in Asia on the UM campus seems only fair in return for generous charity to a student’s education and cultural wisdom.
Last year, the Rotary Foundation’s Ambassadorial Scholarships, the world’s largest privately funded international scholarship program, awarded more than 1,100 students nationwide the chance to be educated anywhere in the world. While abroad, scholars serve as ambassadors of education and goodwill to the people of the host country and present their knowledge of their homeland to local groups. Upon returning home, scholars again share their experiences that led to greater understanding of their host countries.
Limited travel grant funding, derived from a very generous local benefaction, has always been fairly competitive and is even more limited now, as a glut of eager travelers desire to take advantage of available resources.
Most heavily considered in awarding small grants are recent academic records and financial need. GPAs must now be over 3.0, and amounts range from $250 summer stipends to $2000 for a semester.
If you’ve noticed that side-note on your transcript alleging that your last 45 credits must be taken “in residence,” worry not: UM international exchange programs are still categorized as “in residence,” as students do maintain enrollment status at their home school.
For additional information on Study Abroad Programs stop by the IEEP office in Allen Hall 212 (behind the Memorial Classroom Building), or visit www.studyabroad.miami.edu.
Grads have hard time finding jobs that pay
Got a job?
College graduates and seniors are finding other alternatives to entering the job market since employers have cut back on college recruitment. Lower salary offers, lack of benefits and fewer openings are causing students to be less than eager about entering the work force.
Christopher Jones, vice-president of content and communities at Hot Jobs, forecasts that the job market will improve.
“One of things I tell people when they become scared about the job market is that baby boomers will retire and we’ll be looking at job shortages,” Jones said. “We’ll come from an employers’ market to a job seekers’ market. While it is slow right now, it won’t last for a very long time.”
However, Marilyn Mackes, National Association of Colleges and Employers [NACE] executive director said that the class of 2003 should expect to face even stiffer competition in the workplace than last year’s graduates.
The number of self-employed 20 to 24-year-olds rose from 235,000 in 1999 to 264,000 in 2001, said Stella Cromartie, economist for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, college recruitment dropped 36 percent from last year, according to NACE.
Previous graduates agree, saying they are in it for the long haul.
Lee Williams, 23, a 2001 UM graduate in systems analysis, remembered how even during his senior year technical majors had trouble finding employment.
“One of my professors in my management classes asked all 40 of us, ‘Who has a job set up after graduation?’ and out of those 40, only 10 raised their hands,” he said.
Those escaping the downtrodden path have sought summer internships or graduate school or have even become entrepreneurs.
“A no-brainer is finding internships,” Williams said. “Just get work experience because [students] who took internships and gained work experience can get more attention than someone who graduated with a 3.8 GPA with no work experience. A company can look at them and see how they can take those skills to apply to their company.”
After graduation, Williams took the only offer made to him: a Disney internship where he became a custodian at Disney World.
But during his stay, the FAA emailed Williams for a resume after a friend referred to Williams as a potential hire. Several emails, a telephone interview, a plane visit and background check later, Williams accepted a one-year $40,000 salaried contract with the FAA and now works under the Transportation Security Administration. Though his job does not offer benefits, Williams believes that he is “helping his country.”
“I’m satisfied and I have the unlimited potential to gain skills, [but] this is the government,” he said. “It’s not known for its pay. But comparing some pay for stability, that’s more valuable than a few thousand dollars for which I’d gladly exchange it.”
MaryAnn Guerra, 22, senior, began plans to open a jewelry and home decor business with her friend Heather Korn, a previous graduate.
An advertising and graphic design major, Guerra is anxious about her future but is confident about her prospects. She and her partner have established a web site (www.ooakstore.com).
“What I’m happy the most about is that I’m doing what I love to do,” she said about her preparations. “For me, the satisfaction is having done this with my partner and being able to do it myself, calling the shots my way.”
The depressed economy has prompted companies to offer smaller starting salaries than what graduates were expecting. For the first time, computer science majors received offers below $50,000, NACE reported in its summer salary survey.
Logistics/materials management graduates had salaries decrease 9.1 percent to $39,407. Offers to business administration graduates fell 5.6 percent to $36,429 and liberal arts majors saw their salaries fall below $30,000.
The best sectors were accounting, federal government, and healthcare. Nursing graduates averaged $38,459 while accounting majors earned $39,768.
Accounting firms expect to hire 30 percent more new college graduates this year than last year.
The federal government is increasing its college hiring and raised its starting salaries 15.4 percent from $35,188 to $40,598.
For students majoring in other areas, the best alternative seems to be to stay in school.
The Graduate Management Admission Council, which administers the GMAT, the equivalent to the SAT for business schools, saw an increase of tests taken, said Susan Swayze, director of research studies.
In the first six months of 2002, 82,855 GMATs were taken, up from 70,952 during the same six month period in 2001.
Schools like FIU, University of South Florida and Florida A&M University have also seen an increase of applications to their business graduate programs.
Nadesha Ranasinghe, 22, was a dot-com casualty when his former employer, dutyfreezone.com, relocated to Panama for cheaper labor.
“They pay next to nothing over there for technical help,” he said. “There’s a guy who gets paid $1,300 full time for programming work and that’s pretty bad – that’s maybe $15,000 a year to our standards.”
Ranasinghe, a UM computer science graduate, has now enrolled at UM’s Business School in hopes that an MBA will give him the skills to eventually run his own software company before he turns 30.
Allison Chang, 22, a 2002 graduate, worked in Miami at the accounting firm KPMG as an auditing intern.
Her previous internship with them led to a job offer. She told them she wanted to earn an MBA before starting.
“I got my job offer [from KPMG] when I was a junior, so I know I have a job [there],” she said. “It takes a lot of stress off of me. I know I had this to go back on if I didn’t find anything else. But I just wanted to get my masters over with. I don’t want to end up going to school and working at the same time because it would take five years.”
She offers job interview tips to upcoming graduates:
“Personality was most important,” she said. “They are not necessarily looking for experience in accounting, because they train you. They don’t expect people to come out of school knowing what to do. At the interview, they’re looking at your personality to see if you’re outgoing. For my profession, you’ve got to be able to talk to anybody, communicate clearly and be a quick learner.”
PASS Week hopes to guide students
It’s nearly a month into the semester and the pressure is beginning to build.
The first round of exams is on its way and the next holiday is not until mid-October.
The end of the semester is nowhere in sight and the thrill of being back in school has long passed.
“During this time of the year, people are starting to get homesick,” Mike Johnston, Student Government President, said. “PASS week will help them reaffirm their collegiate careers through the many activities and workshops offered.”
Pathways to Achieving Student Success [PASS Week] is the first of its kind, a series of informative events created to help UM students in a variety of areas that are important to their collegiate success.
“We don’t want students to be stressed,” Johnston said.
Topics of PASS Week include academic workshops; mind, body and spirit and financial forums; preparing for life beyond college; and special programming – “Oh, no, they didn’t: Adjusting to Roommates,” “The Right Way to Study” and “How to Get Your Work Done and Still Have Time For a Life” are among the workshops and sessions offered.
According to organizers, by contributing to PASS Week, the faculty, staff and alumni of the University of Miami, as well as the surrounding community, hope to direct students to the resources they need at the various stages of their undergraduate careers and beyond.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for students to learn about topics ranging from time management to scholastics,” said Joseph Fernandez, PASS Week moderator through the MORTAR board. “PASS Week will be beneficial to students mainly because it will make college go by more smoothly for them.”
“I think PASS Week is a good idea because a lot of students get overwhelmed,” junior Christina Sanda said. “It is a good way to teach students how to manage time effectively.”
Senior Christie Marie Toledo said she feels she would not benefit from the sessions.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to be involved with PASS Week because I’m too busy with school and work,” she said. “I learned how to manage my time the hard way. Working has helped me manage my time more efficiently.”
At the end of the week, prizes will be raffled as an incentive for attending PASS Week activities; only students who attend at least one event from each of the five topics will be eligible.
Each type of event is coded by color: Academic Workshops, yellow; Special Programming, purple; Mind, Body & Spirit, blue; Preparing for Life Beyond College, red; and Financial Forums, green.
Among the prizes are gift certificates to Book Horizons, Bed, Bath & Beyond and other participating companies. Also, admission passes to the Miami Seaquarium, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens and Venetian Pool, among others, will be raffled.
The grand prizes for PASS Week are travel vouchers and a round-trip to London from STA Travel.
To enter the raffle, students must get their “PASS Postcard” punched at one event of each color and submit them in the collection box located in the reception area of the Academic Development Center (UC 208) before noon on Friday, Sept. 27 or at the collection box located at the PASS Barbeque (location will be announced at the end of the Week) before 6 p.m. on the same date.
Winners will be chosen randomly at the barbecue.
“I wish they would have had a program like this when I was a freshman,” Johnston said. “I would have definitely taken advantage of it.”
For information on PASS Week activities, visit their web page at www.miami.edu/passweek.