William Penn Life, 2014 (49. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2014-08-01 / 8. szám
Tibor s Take one textbook's older edition was exactly the same as the new edition, except the publisher changed the sequential order of the chapters. Once you receive a textbook list, ask your professor if an older edition will suffice for that class. Most professors will admire your frugality and may offer you a few other suggestions in regards to the class. Once again, your sincerity is paramount in any discussion with faculty or staff at college. If possible, have face-to-face conversations with your professors, in lieu of phone calls, texts or emails. At one time, those professors were students just like you and me. They remember the hard times related to campus life. Be cognizant of textbooks that include online access codes, connect packages or grade books. When purchasing these type of texts, a one time/one student identification number may be utilized for the class. Once the semester is over, that code is eliminated. Therefore, you may buy a textbook in used condition for a fraction of the price of a new one, only to find out the code was used previously and the registration is worthless. I see this scheme as the wave of the future for colleges. The used book market will be eliminated by the same technology that was supposed to make all books obsolete. Currently, online code systems are most common with math and science courses. #il *• If you need some sort of government loan or financial aid, be well versed in what is available. Federal Work Study monies are abundant, but you must research and pursue the availability of such funds. With age comes responsibility! #R Ü If you commute to school, be aware that bus transportation may be available free of charge. At Cleveland State, every student pays a bus pass fee. This allows students to ride a regional transit bus at anytime to anywhere in Cuyahoga County. Most urban universities have similar programs. Unfortunately, most schools make commuter students pay for parking passes if they drive their own car and park on campus. It is unfair that a commuter student who drives to school must also pay for a bus pass that will never be used. Another new feature to some parking passes is a "tiered access system." Simply put, the more you pay, the more lots are available for you to park at. #fi U Many colleges are desperate for students to get involved in campus government and organizations. I am not talking about fraternities and sororities, but college funded and authorized student-run entities. Because of a lack of student body interest, many organizations have few members. In such small groups, each member also serves as an officer for the organization. Yes, being an officer means added responsibilities, but with many such positions there is an earned stipend. Get involved?!? I Like it or not, your teachers at college are much older than you. They have more in common with your parents than with the students they instruct. Even though most professors are well-versed in the most sophisticated of technologies, you should remember they grew up in a world with protocol and manners much different than ours. They wrote on paper, they read printed books and were taught old-fashioned courtesies. My advice: Invest in a box of thank you, sympathy, get well, happy birthday and congratulations cards. The older generation likes the personal touch that a handwritten card bestows. As I have matured, the merit in sending greeting cards for the occasions mentioned has become more evident. My sister Lizzy taught me the importance of such personal communications. She would send each professor a thank you for the class she just finished. In many cases, that little bit of time and effort on her part reaped benefits later on down the line. #Q O Many WPA members, like me, have benefited from the generosity and dedication of the William Penn Fraternal Association Scholarship Foundation and its supporters. Many WPA branches hold raffles, fund raisers and drawings for the sole purpose of raising monies to fund the annual scholarship initiative. There are also the prize baskets that are brought to the WPA Picnic-A Great Fraternal Fest each September, which are painstakingly crafted with love, artwork and sentimentality. Those baskets are donated. The generosity of the participants at the picnic raises thousands of dollars so that we, the WPA student members, may benefit. At each picnic, I observe how Barbara ITouse, Kathy Novak and other volunteers work the crowd, imploring the attendees to dig a little deeper and buy a few more chances on the raffle. This dedication is multiplied many times throughout the entire branch system of William Penn Association. We, the WPA's scholarship recipients, are so fortunate that there exist such wonderful and caring individuals who spend countless hours obtaining the funds necessary for the scholarship program to continue. My final tip to you: Send your branch leadership and the WPFA Scholarship Foundation a heartfelt thank you card or letter for your scholarship grant. As always, Éljen a Magyar! Tibor II Tibor Check Jr. is a member of Branch 28 Youngstown, Ohio, and a graduate of the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He serves as a host of the "Souvenirs of Hungary” weekly radio show broadcast on WKTL-90.7 FM in Struthers, Ohio. Let's hear your take If you have any questions or comments about me or my column, please email me at: silverkingl937@ yahoo.com, or drop me a letter in care of the William Penn Association, 709 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15233. William Penn Life 0 August 2014 0 7
