“It’s not only what you know; it’s who you know as well,” Professor Donn Tilson, advisor of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), said about the organization.

This Miami-sponsored student chapter of PRSSA provides opportunities to members who are studying public relations at UM through agency visits, professional mentors and networking events held throughout the school year.

In the past, PRSSA has visited agencies including the Latin American headquarters of Burston Marsteller and MTV Latin America, where the group was able to watch the MTV countdown live in the studio.

PRSSA also organizes an annual spring mixer in conjunction with the Miami Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

“It’s a social where everybody gets to meet a lot of professionals,” Tilson said. “It’s a great place for people to make contacts and get summer jobs and internships.”

According to those involved with the organization, membership in PRSSA enables students to attend the PRSSA National Conference and make important contacts all over the country.

“It’s a great networking and learning experience which rotates locations from coast to coast so that, wherever you are, you get to go at some point,” Tilson said.

“I think the best thing is definitely networking,” said Morgana Rolle, PRSSA national liason. “We’re hoping to attend the convention in November, visit PR firms and speak to professionals.”

“Unless you were in PRSSA, you wouldn’t be able to network at that level,” she said.

Speakers at this year’s conference will include Joshua Reynolds, vice president of client services at Applied Communications, as well as Tomeka S. Rawlings, director of public relations for the Navy League of the United States.

Another benefit of membership in the PRSSA is the chance to earn the national Gold Key award upon graduation.

In the past year, three students from UM received this prestigious public relations award.

“It serves as the ultimate recognition of your whole career in the club,” Tilson said.

For the past three years, the PRSSA has been holding a workshop on campus called PR101 which is open to all clubs and campus organizations.

During these workshops, media organizations on campus, including the television station, WVUM radio and the The Miami Hurricane, help the clubs and organizations in attendance to understand the particular qualities they look for when deciding what to publicize.

If you are interested in joining or would like to learn more about the PRSSA, please contact the PRSSA president, Abby Dwyer, at a.dwyer@umiami.edu.

The Air Force ROTC [Reserve Officer Training Corps], a program that prepares cadets for a possible career path through the U.S. Air Force, is offering new scholarships to students wishing to take part in the program.

According to Captain Jack Miller, admissions officer for the Air Force ROTC, freshmen majoring in electrical engineering and meteorology are eligible for scholarships of $15,000 a year.

Sophomores and juniors are eligible for the same amount of money, but the scholarships are offered in a wider variety of majors.

“These scholarships require commitment, but is rewarded with 80 percent tuition or about $21,000 a year if you maintain a 3.5 G.P.A. as a freshmen and a 3.0 as a sophomores,” Miller said.

For those who do not fall under the select technical degree scholarships, there are two-year scholarships available for all academic majors, which are valued in the amount of $3,000 per year.

In addition to the scholarship money, the program also provides cadets with $500 for books each year and a $300-400 monthly stipend that is non-taxable.

All applicants must meet certain criteria which include proving U.S. citizenship, having good academic standing, meeting physical fitness standards and meeting medical requirements.

Miller emphasizes that the program is diverse and is open to all who wish to join.

“Many students may be under the impression that this is a male-dominated program, but that is not the case. 40 percent of the enrolled program is female,” he said.

According to Miller, ROTC cadets also have the advantage of combining their scholarships provided through the U.S. Air Force program with the scholarships provided to them by the University.

“If these scholarships combined are equal to the total cost of tuition, they can use the excess amount given to them towards room and board,” said Capt. Miller.

Currently, the ROTC program is active in many colleges and universities in South Florida such as Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Memorial College, Embry-Riddle Miami, Lynn University and both Broward and Miami-Dade Community Colleges.

“Being an electrical engineering major, there is no emphasis on people skills, but being in the program helps me get the leadership skills I need,” said Peter Hernandez, a senior at FIU and a cadet at the ROTC program.

“Through the program I have been able to learn important time-management skills, and I have learned to use the people under me in order to get things done,” said Kathy Falino, a senior at FIU and also a cadet in the program.

Many believe that the Air Force ROTC offers more than just Air Force training.

“In addition to earning their degree, cadets are also instilled with self confidence, better values, and they leave a stronger person, both mentally and physically,” Capt. Miller said.

“At graduation, cadets become second lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force and will earn $37,500 starting salary per year. Graduates also are entitled to 30 days vacation, full medical benefits and the instillment of pride for serving their country,” he said.

Officers in the Air Force ROTC stress the fact that enrollment in the program will benefit students regardless of which career path they choose.

“Private industry loves cadets from the ROTC program because the industry that is hiring knows that they are getting people who are not only experienced but also loyal and efficient in their field,” said Lieutenant Colonel Ronald A. Kosobucki, commander and professor of aerospace studies.

“After four years of service in the United States Air Force, a person can come out of the force with so many technical skills and experience in their field that they can just about pick any job they would like,” Miller said.

The Air Force ROTC office is located in the Rhodes House, room 37W.

For more information on the program or on how to enroll in the courses, contact Capt. Miller at 305-284-2870 or visit the ROTC web site at http://www.afrotc.com

Africa, the cradle of civilization, isn’t known for her rich cultural history or her many contributions to science.

Instead she is perceived as “the dark continent,” a place void of all modernity, home only to plague, war and poverty.

“Some people don’t even think that there are houses in Africa because all they see on screen are safaris and animals,” said UM’s only African Studies professor, Dr.Abaka. “The media doesn’t show urban centers, or university students. One must go there to see that.”

Even in our centers of higher learning, Africa is often overlooked, deemed irrelevant with respect to history and world affairs. Many institutions who pride themselves in the study abroad programs they provide for students interested in experiencing the international experience hands-on fail to include Africa all together.

But here at Miami, such is about to change.

Though the UM was founded in 1928, it wasn’t until 1996 that an African Studies curriculum was created.

Abaka invites all who are interested to join him in the newly created summer abroad program that will leave for Ghana in the summer of 2003.

“This program is an opportunity for students to experience first hand the socio-cultural goals,” Abaka said. “It gives them a chance to experience the ancient and richly textured traditional and economic life of Ghana, to enhance their personal academic or professional culture of Ghana and to enjoy the warm and hospitable welcome of the people.”

We forget that Africa is home to one of the world’s first universities (Timbuktu), and that she is home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World (the Pyramids).

Abaka, a native of Cape Coast, Ghana, attended the University of Cape Coast for his Bachelor’s degree and the University of Guelph (Toronto, Canada) for his M.A. in European History, and then went on to pursue his doctorate at York University (Toronto, Canada) in African History. He currently teaches courses in African History and Diaspora.

“Images on television about Africa are usually negative. There is a fear that if you go to Africa you will not come back. There is a security factor,” Abaka said. “There’s an information gap, and this program is an attempt to bridge that gap.”

Chris Tingue, Study Abroad Advisor and International Exchange Program Coordinator, who assisted Abaka in the creation of this program, encourages students to participate and stresses the uniqueness of the opportunity.

“Typical study abroad programs have been in Western Europe,” Tingue said, “This particular program will help to dispel some of the myths and preconceived notions that people have about what it is like in Africa.”

The goal is to eventually establish a semester or perhaps even a year abroad program by which students and faculty can study/research at an African university, according to Abaka and Tingue. The summer program to Ghana is a stepping-stone in that direction.

Ghana is the birthplace of Panafricanism, sparked by such legendary leaders as Kwame Nkrumah, and was one of the first sub-Saharan countries to achieve independence.

Located on Africa’s west coast, Ghana contains some of the most important relics of the slave trade such as forts and castles, demonstrating the cultural and international connection between the Caribbean and the Americas.

It was also home to one of Africa’s most famous kingdoms, the Asanti Kingdom, has a vibrant cloth weaving industry and is the creator of the Kente Cloth, a cloth commonly worn at the graduation ceremonies of many American universities.

The 2003 summer abroad program to Ghana is a chance to experience West African culture first hand.

“We talk about globalization,” Abaka said. “And on that same note, understanding other people and different cultures is fundamental in achieving the global peace and security that we as a global village seek.”

Those interested in embarking on the cultural voyage to Ghana should contact Dr. Abaka at (305) 284-3702, or e-mail him at E.Abaka@miami.edu.

Out of 60 designs contributed by third year architecture students, only one was chosen to be used in the construction of information kiosks around campus next spring.

As part of an initiative to create more gathering places for students, campus planner Janet Gavarrete asked the School of Architecture to design kiosks that would provide a place to post flyers, banners and posters and allow students to receive official UM announcements via electronic media.

“This was such a good experience!” said first place winner Abraham Gordon, 23. “It should become a tradition to include architecture students when making improvements around campus.”

Senior Vice President David Lieberman presented Gordon with first place last Wednesday, after a committee composed of members from different areas throughout the University selected the three best designs out of the ten that had been pre-selected.

Among the committee members were professor and associate dean for the School of Architecture Denis Hector, Vicky Rivas-Vasquez from University Relations, Judith Antinarelli from Disabilities Services, and Richard Walker from Student Life.

“It’s great that the University gives this responsibility to the students and makes them get involved,” Hector said. “To students it says, ‘They really take us seriously.'”

Second place was awarded to Maria Solovieva and third to Florian Klee.

“This project was very important to me,” Solovieva said. “I know somehow I am valuable as a designer.”

Under the direction of Professor Luis Trelles, students dedicated two and a half weeks to the designs and were given a grade on their work. Some issues taken into consideration with regards to the evaluation of the designs included ease of maintenance, durability, low cost of construction, lightning, adaptability to future sites, pavement and drainage.

“It was my intent to create an object that serves a utilitarian function and is an eye-pleasing landmark around campus as well,” Gordon said.

According to Gordon, his design is a slender, four-sided structure with an orange hat that is intended to attract attention to the piece. He says that the boards that are located on all sides can hold any type of information and can be removed easily, leaving ample room inside for equipment.

“The main structure is a basic lightweight metal framing wrapped in a wire mesh coated on the outside with plaster,” Gordon said.

Lieberman approved $15,000 as the construction budget for one kiosk. In all, three will be constructed around campus: one at the McArthur Building bus stop in front of the McArthur and Memorial buildings, one at a site near the UC and another in front of the Wellness Center.

I can’t wait to see them,” Gordon said. “My sister is going to school here for two years so she can tell her friends that her brother did that.”

Gil Arias from Public Affairs said that, after the kiosks are constructed, there will be a committee that will decide the information posted on the boards.

“The committee has not been set up yet but we will definitely be a part of it,” Arias said. “This project will definitely become a reality.”