Hello again everybody. I haven’t written here in a long while. I’m well, thanks for asking.

(I wrote this last week but didn’t get it posted. They were still going on at that time.)

The Olympics are winding down now. I have always been a huge sports fan, but that has changed for me lately. I have trouble following anything anymore, but that’s a topic for a later blog.

I’ve been watching the Olympics with renewed interest this year. I remember as a child and young man way back in the _0s when watching the Olympics was a heck of an experience. We couldn’t seem to wait until they came by and it seemed that each event was memorable. I remember watching the Black Power salute live. For me it was as powerful as anything I had seen. I remember the Munich tragedy when so many Israeli athletes were murdered. Watching that live was just sickening. I remember athletes like Bob Beamon, Jim Ryun, George Foreman, Mark Spitz, Mary Decker, Mary Lou Retton, Dick Fosbury, and a host of others. We cheered like crazy, knowing that these were truly amateur athletes who really had to live on nothing and to train in obscurity for maybe one chance to shine.

All that changed when we Americans decided we should start sending professionals to the Olympics and lobbied hard for a change in the rules. The first basketball “Dream Team” changed everything for me. I couldn’t watch them even a little bit. I was disgusted by every 100-30 victory over Egypt and every other country who dared try. Disgusted when Nike refused to let them accept their gold medals with the Reebok logo on their sweats.  Reebok was the sponsoring company, but Nike owned half of the players for endorsements. Anyone else remember the compromise? Yeah. Nike relented when the players draped the American flag over the Reebok logo. Great use of the colors, right? Who wouldn’t be proud of that? Yeah, neither am I. Some folks get so worked up about flag burning that happened 40 years ago. I think this was MUCH worse.

That was in 1992, and I honestly haven’t watched much since then until this year. For some reason, it has been exciting once more. I really loved watching the different sports again. Badminton? Sure. Triathlon? You bet. Equestrian jumping? Mais oui. Naturally, the star is Michael Phelps. He is a compelling character despite his Wolverine status. Nice guy, hard worker, and often at a loss for words in nearly every interview. You have to love that. It was fun watching every night as he racked up the gold. Did he really win that last race? Wonderful stuff. The most gold medals in one Olympics.

Then it got goofy again.

“Michael Phelps: Greatest Olympian Ever!” Michael Phelps: Greatest Athlete Ever!”

Are you kidding me? Just because of the number of gold medals? This is from the news people and journalists covering the games and many back in the states. I’m so sick of hyperbole!

Look, I know this isn’t Phelps’ fault. The media is ruining a beautiful story. Now I think about the fact that he even had 8 CHANCES for gold medals. Why? He can swim better than anybody else in the butterfly (?!?) and is pretty good in freestyle. Put them together with the relays and you have medal opportunities galore. Where did the butterfly come from? Help me out here. Do people swim the butterfly stroke for fun? If they’re stranded somewhere and have to swim for it, do they think “I’ll never make it if I don’t butterfly my way to shore.”  

How could anyone else have a chance at 8 medals besides a swimmer? There are breaststroke and backstroke events too. How about runners? There are 4 ways to swim here, how many ways are there to run? As far as I can tell, all the track events have people running with the same motion. If they give gold medals to backstrokers, how about a gold for the person who goes fastest running backwards? I didn’t see that event. Tell me that doesn’t make sense. I’d watch that one.

Greatest Olympian ever? Please. You watch American beach volleyball and you can see the dominance. The Chinese divers, American basketball, even table tennis and boxers. The greats compete for 2 weeks, work very hard and suffer as much or more than swimmers. All of this is to earn one medal. He earns 8 in about 6 days and so we discuss whether any athlete has ever been as good? Sorry Jim Thorpe, Jesse Owens and Muhammad Ali. Michael Phelps must be greater than all of you put together. Your total in gold medals is only 7.

Monday, August 25, 2008 12:26:21 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [2] | 

Attention Students:

Company Description:  St. Joan of Arc

Job Title:  Youth Minister

Job Description: Responsibilities to include designing, implementing, and coordinating comprehensive youth ministry

Qualifications: .Applicant must be adult, practicing Catholic with leadership and administrative skills and able to work collaborative with pastoral staff.  

Application Method:

Application Deadline:

Contact Person Information:

Resumes may be sent to: 

Very Rev. Gregory R. Hite, VF, Pastor,

 5856 Heatherdowns Blvd.,

Toledo, Ohio, 43614.  

Closing date for applications:  September 30, 2008.

Monday, August 25, 2008 9:50:19 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

Attention Students:

Company Description:  First St. John Lutheran Church

Job Title:  Youth Director

Job Description:

Qualifications: Excellent communication skills, Strong Interpersonal Skills, Ability to relate to Jr. High and  High school students

Application Method:

Application Deadline:

Contact Person Information:

Pastor Robert Blohm

419-691-7222

Pastorblohm@sbcglobal.net

First St. John Lutheran Church

Attn: Pastor Robert Blohm

2471 Seaman St.

Toledo, OH 43605

Monday, August 25, 2008 9:45:55 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

Attention Students:

Company Description:  

Job Title:  Curriculum Coordinator

Job Description: Coordination of infant, toddler and preschool curriculum among four centers of early childhood programming. Monitor lesson planning both comprehensive and individualized.  Coordinate implementation and use of developmental screening tools including the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, the Developmental Continuum, Get It! Got It! Go! and the Ages and Stages Social/Emotional Questionnaire.  Review parent conferences, portfolios, anecdotal notes, etc. to ensure that implementation of all required documentation is complete meeting the auspices of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (Step Up To Quality and licensing), The Ohio Department of Education (Early Learning Initiative), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (accreditation).

Qualifications: Must have a Bachelor degree in Early Childhood Education or                     Special Education of Preschool Children. At least five years experience in the early childhood classroom and/or the ECE arena including interaction with community resources and funding resources.

Application Method:

Application Deadline:

Contact Person Information:

Pat Scheuer

pscheuer@toledodaynursery.org

Monday, August 25, 2008 9:42:09 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

Lourdes College is offering a new Engineering Transfer Program through a partnership with the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM). The program allows students to take math, science and humanities classes at Lourdes then complete their designated Bachelor of Engineering degree (Civil, Electrical, Manufacturing or Mechanical) at UDM.

Students enrolled in this program will attend Lourdes College for one to two years of full-time study and will then transfer to UDM to complete their degree. The Engineering Transfer Program is open to both full and part-time students.

One of the unique components of the program is the option for full-time Lourdes pre-engineering students to take Engineering Graphics and Design (E105) and Introduction to Solid Modeling (E107) at UDM before transferring at no cost. A second benefit of the program is the completion of three cooperative work assignments, equivalent to one full year of work experience. During the cooperative assignments, students will earn money, obtain real-world experience and gain a full resume before graduating.

Monday, August 25, 2008 9:12:13 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

The Department of Music at Lourdes College is partnering with two local music groups in order to offer opportunities for students who play wind or string instruments. By enrolling in the following new courses offered in collaboration with the Sylvania Community Orchestra and the Maumee Community Band, students will be able to continue participating in band or orchestra while also earning college credit:

MUS 410-A:   Instrumental Ensembles with Sylvania Community Orchestra. 2 credit  hours. Rehearsals are Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. in McCord Jr. High School’s band room.  Director is Kathleen Lawson.

MUS 410-B:   Instrumental Ensembles with the Maumee Community Band. 2 credit  hours. Rehearsals are Tuesdays from 7p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Gateway Middle School band room. Director is Kevin Heidbreder.

For more information or to enroll, please contact Karen T. Biscay, Chairperson of the Department of Music, at 419-824-3772 or email kbiscay@lourdes.edu.

Learn more about the Sylvania Community Orchestra

Learn more about the Maumee Community Band

Thursday, August 21, 2008 4:15:34 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

This summer, Lourdes' education outreach programs Theater Vision and the Life Lab were awarded financial support through charitable organizations Christ Child Society and the Baumker Foundation.

Christ Child Society awarded the College a $10,000 contribution, which will go directly toward the continuation of programs provided by the Life Lab and Theater Vision. Christ Child Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to reaching out to teach, motivate, clothe and care for children in their communities. Today, Christ Child Society has chapters in 17 states and has over 7,000 members.

Lourdes College was also awarded a $4,000 grant from the Elsie and Harry Baumker Charitable Foundation in support of Theater Vision. The Elsie and Harry Baumker Charitable Foundation provides funding and scholarships to programs providing educational and health services. The support and generosity of the Baumker Foundation makes it possible for Theater Vision to continue to present a wide range of affordable theater education programming for students throughout northwest Ohio.

 

Learn more about the Life Lab

 

Learn more about Theater Vision

 

Faculty and Staff | Media Relations

Wednesday, August 20, 2008 3:27:15 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

A new group of student bloggers will be writing for Lourdes College this fall.  Stay tuned!

Friday, August 15, 2008 11:57:27 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

I found out last week that I will be going on resource next month.  Basically that means that I am on my own, but I have a specific person to whom I can use as a "resource".  I'm kind of nervous, but at the same time completely excited because this is what I've been working for these past 7 months. Woo hoo! I know I'm ready, I feel ready, but at the same time, I'm still scared to be free of the leash I've had on for all this time.

On another note, I was just thinking today that at this time last year I was getting ready for my final semester at Lourdes.  Hard to believe I've been out of school this long already.  I still feel like I'm supposed to be writing down my clinical experiences to be handed in to my instructors (which I miss you all, by the way!) or that there's going to be a test or something like that.  But I digress...

As usual, I'd like to offer a little advice to those of you who are going to be finished with your nursing degree this December. 

First things first--it's never too early to start looking for a job.  I applied to the Toledo Hospital in April, a full six months before I was finished with school.  I handed in my resume at St. V's in September.  I had a job lined up by November.  You all know where I chose to work.  Give yourself time to really think about the area you want to go into and what kind of hospital you want to work for.  Do you want to work in a big, level I trauma hospital or does the appeal of a small, county hospital seem like a good setting?  If you're into ICU, naturally I am going to suggest TTH for the simple fact that it is such a well-rounded program and I am not afraid to float because I've been to each area, including cardiac and neuro. 

Ok, so now you've got the whole job thing situated, or not, depending on what type of person you are.  Second thing, don't fall prey to senioritis.  It's a nasty little bug that creeps up on you about mid-semester.  You know you've got it when you don't even care what grades you get anymore, you just want to get your assignments done.  Wrong attitude.  This is the last hurrah.  Push yourself because just scraping by is going to lower that GPA of yours and possibly hinder any chance of getting into graduate school (should your little heart desire that).  Keep up on your work, don't procrastinate. 

Your final semester will kick you hard in the keester.  You will be exhausted, you will be emotional, you will be everyone's worst nightmare.  Say adios to your social life.  Nothing I say can even compare to what you will actually experience.  It's a roller coaster.  But once you're finished, it's all good. 

Next, prepare to be spending mucho time in the WIN Center or library.  If you don't know anyone there, you will by December.  And you'll know their life stories. And they'll be your surrogate family.  Kelly will be your mother and Kevin will be your brother/best friend.  Seriously.  And don't be afraid to use Kelly as your go to person for APA formatting.  She's a great resource.  Book group rooms early because they tend to go fast.  You will be using these rooms for your Management project.  Trust me.  I practically slept there.

Keep your heads up.  This semester has the potential to be the best and worst or both.  Don't let the bad times get you down.  More than ever you will rely on your classmates for support--including emotional support.  There will be laughter, there will be tears.  You can't get through this on your own. 

For a better idea of what my final semester at Lourdes was like, go to the "Students" category and click on "Kimberly".  Feel free to leave comments! 

Best of luck and I hope to see some of you here at the hospital!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 5:38:23 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] | 

This August, Chairman of the Board John Szuch presented a $50,000 check on behalf of the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trusts to Lourdes College during a press conference. The check is part of a $100,000 pledge by Fifth Third Bank. Monies from the pledge were used to offset costs of the new academic building, comprised of Delp and McAlear Halls.

Born in Piqua, Ohio, in 1849 to German immigrants, Jacob G. Schmidlapp overcame poverty and great personal tragedy to become one of the most respected and successful men of his time. He founded the Union Savings Bank in 1876, which merged with Fifth Third Bank in 1919. In 1903, Mr. Schmidlapp established a trust to help improve lives by funding arts, health and human services, education and community development initiatives. A second Schmidlapp Trust was established in 1919.

Monday, August 11, 2008 3:58:57 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] |