P is for Presentation; Sharing what you know

Today was a big day for me as an intern! I was able to give a presentation to anyone in IES that was interested in learning more about Microsoft Publisher.  While the program is incredibly easy to me, it was great to put on my "teacher" hat and to help others to learn something that I find fun and efficient.  Working on this presentation throughout my time here, I was able to express the information in a way that was easy for others to understand, while helping the office to find ways to maximize efficiency.

It was really nice to be taken seriously, which, for many people is the main reason for presenting yourself in a positive manner in the workplace.  As an intern, it can be even more important to present yourself in the right ways in order to both make a good impression and to make the most of your experience.  Presentation goes both ways; you can present informative material and you can present yourself to others.

Nailed it! 

Part of presenting yourself well, is professionalism (another "P" word, I know).  Professionalism, a fairly positive word, can also be extremely challenging whenever frustrations arise.  Believe it or not, not every "professional" acts professionally all of the time.  It can be easy to forget about personal presentation, especially when you get bored with your work, or upset with the conditions of your job.  What is important to remember is how your personal presentation effects not only your own job, but the company you work for, people around you, etc.  Professionalism is a team effort, and each member is held responsible for presenting themselves in the right ways on a daily basis, even interns.

While giving my presentation, I realized why the saying exists, "there's no such thing as a stupid question."  Some of the things people asked were very simple to explain, and confusing simply because they weren't familiar with Publisher.  Other questions threw me off a little bit, and I even ended up learning something myself! This just goes to show that something you might think is a "stupid question," might end up teaching the teacher a thing or two!

My favorite part of today was being able to share something I knew how to do with those who didn't.  Working at the Department of Education, I've realized how much of this actually goes on on a daily basis.  At some companies, it would be easy to imagine that workers go to work, do their job, and go home.  But my experience here has truly exposed me to a type of workplace that allows everyone to be both educators and learners every day.

Maybe I'll end up being a teacher after all - or maybe I'll just find new and innovative ways to "present" myself to those around me.  That's kind of like teaching, right?

O is for Order; In the Highest U.S. Court

The Supreme Court!!!

I bet you were able to guess that today's excursion included a tour of the highest court in the United State: The Supreme Court.  Built in 1935 after the tenth Chief Justice (and former President),William Howard Taft convinced Congress that the third branch of U.S. government deserved it's own space.  In my post about Capitol Hill (H is for Hill), I spoke about the Old Supreme Court Chamber, but was glad to finally get to see the inside of the beautiful courtroom where Brown v. Board, Roe v. Wade, and the most recent case involving Hobby Lobby were decided.

Sandra Day O'Connor's chair!

"Justice, the Guardian of Liberty"

Photography was not allowed inside of the actual courtroom, but I highly recommend that anyone who is interested in law, government, or simply what it means to be a citizen in the U.S. should check out the symbolism present in the Supreme Court courtroom.  I learned about the placement of every chair in the room, as well as who gets to sit in them.  We learned about the trial process, and that it's really not the traditional trial that we are used to.  Both opposing sides get 30 minutes to speak, but that includes any questions that the Justices might ask.  We also learned about the recording device used to document everything that goes on in the courtroom.  Additionally, we learned about the courtroom artists (who sit at the left side of everything) who because of their position in the room, always paint the right profiles of the justices (hopefully that's their "good side").

The second half of the tour explained the process that the Justices go through, the duties they have, as well as how long everything takes.  The first Monday in October is always the first day of the term.  They stop listening to cases in April, and finish up with everything in June (fitting, seeing as Hobby Lobby was just announced a few weeks ago).  There's no method to say how long or short it will take for a decision to be made, the opinions/dissents to be written, and the public to find out what the new ruling is.  Out of 8,000 cases brought to the Supreme Court, less than 1% of them are actually heard (that's 80 cases, still a lot!).  All of these facts were fascinating and I got chills listening to them in the same room where everything happens.

Chief Justice John Marshall (he's the one
who had the Marbury v. Madison case that
decided the Supreme Court could check/overrule
Congress).

Finally, we learned about the conference room that only Justices are allowed to enter (literally only the 9 justices can go in).  Talk about privacy! They have a rule that every justice gets to speak once (starting from the chief justice to the member with the least amount of seniority), before a single justice speaks twice.  Think about if we applied that rule to the classroom!

Our wonderful tour guide left us with a puzzling fact: "The Supreme Court is not actually the "highest court" in the land, because there is a basketball court immediately above the courtroom." Who would have thought! One brave soul asked her whether the Supreme Court Justices ever "shoot some hoops," and was met with her witty answer: "Of course not, because they are always on the bench!"  After some good laughs and a museum-like tour of the rest of the building, I headed back to work to prepare for the BIG presentation I would be giving later in the week (you'd better believe there will be a post about that!).


If you have time, be sure to check out the documentary on C-Span that interviews some of the Justices in regards to the history, construction, and symbolism of the Supreme Court!

N is for New; My trip to the Bonner High Impact Conference

Cornfields in the middle of campus!
Just like in Indiana?

This week was packed full of "new" experiences.  It just so happens that I was also in the state of "New" York at the Bonner Foundation's High Impact Initiative.  Hosted at Siena College, the Bonner High Impact Conference brought together three cohorts of schools working towards civic engagement and with plans for community change.  I went to a new place.  I met new people.  And I got to experience a new aspect of DePauw life that I have not been exposed to before: Civic Engagement and Community Program Planning.

Our planning board!

Walking the campus at Siena, we were inspired to think bigger about community and civic engagement at DePauw.  Working with civic engagement staff for the past two years, I thought I had seen, heard, and brainstormed it all.  My passion for DePauw Community Service has been one of the most amazing parts about my college experience, but meeting with people who have dedicated their lives to the Bonner program and civic engagement programs around the country shed a new light on everything I had ever learned about service.

DePauw's presentation board!

Grateful that my supervisors at the Department of Education allowed me to work remotely and attend the conference for a week, I was more than ready to construct a plan for DePauw's civic engagement staff for 2014-15.  Our team consisted of a faculty member, a staff member, a community member and a student (that's me!).  We were presented with a week full of meetings, workshops, and presentations in the hopes that we would be able to construct the second-year plan for DePauw's Bonner High Impact commitment.

After a week at the conference (and a ton of fun), I had been able to network with some of the most amazing and inspirational individuals I have ever met.  It was so rewarding to be able to hear what was going on in other college communities.  We realized that many of the problems, issues and setbacks that we face on a daily basis at DePauw were very similar to those at other universities.  We were also able to get valuable critiques and feedback about our plan, which we presented "poster-session" style (just like we do at DePauw!).  My experience with presenting and networking with others really came in handy this week!

DePauw Professor, Doug Harms presents our High Impact
Plan to other interested members of the conference.

Impressed with our work, as well as the connections we had made, the DePauw Bonner High Impact team headed back to Indiana...except for me that is! I am on my way back to D.C. for my final two weeks at the Department of Education.  It was so nice to get away for a while, but I am definitely ready to get back to work!

Listening to other groups present was so inspiring!

M is for Metro; The "How To" Guide

Ask anyone who talked to me before the beginning of this summer about D.C. and they will all tell you the one thing I was most worried about: the Metro.  Born and raised in a small, rural city in Southern Indiana, I was not familiar with public transportation, especially not a train with a color as a name that races from place to place underground. You should have seen my anxiety the first time I went to the metro station to do a test run for my internship.  Now, most of you don't have the same metro knowledge deficiencies that I did, but for those of you who have never been, here's your official
"how-to" metro guide!

Welcome to the Platform!

The first thing to know about the metro is that when you buy your ticket, you should be prepared (as in, you should have small bills as well as a debit/credit card on hand).  I found it easiest to buy a Smartrip card, which works well for daily riders as well as long term users of the metro.  For a one-time trip, however, it might be best to look up your fare costs and get a fare card.

Once you've gotten through the turnstile, especially in rush hour, it is incredibly important that you know which direction you are going.  This can be particularly challenging for someone (like me) who is directionally challenge.  Each color metro line is set up and named by the two stations at either of its end.  This helps riders navigate the direction of each track, as well as which side to wait on.  In other words, you don't actually have to know the cardinal direction that you want to go, you just have to know which line to get on. How neat! After riding the metro for a week, I already had most of these end stations memorized, so I can get on at almost any stop and still get to where I need to go.

What a view!

When navigating the station to get to your correct track, it is important to be aware of others, many of which are hurrying around just as much as you are.  If you have a piece of rolling luggage, or simply want to ride the escalator from one level to another, it is important that you stay to the RIGHT.  Riders wishing to walk (or sometimes run) up or down the escalator will go to the left.  This is sort of like the common courtesy of walking to the right of someone you pass on the street.  I've noticed that people from different countries tend to go to the left (which makes sense because of their driving rules), so always be watching where you're going.

Switching line is something I thought would be quite terrifying, but surprisingly, it is on of the coolest parts about the metro.  Riders can switch lines at various locations, and it is fun to figure out the quickest way to get from one place or another (there could be multiple).  In the mornings, I have to switch from the green/yellow line to the red line.  I can do this at two different stations.  It's fun to switch up my morning commute, see different stations and scenery, and even to try and beat the crowd (which sometimes is impossible).

Other than the obvious reminders of being safe, keeping track of your belongings, and arriving on time, this "how to" guide has covered most of the interesting tips and tricks that I've learned.  It might not seem like much to someone who is familiar at the metro (a metro pro, for short), but for a newcomer to public transportation, I hope this guide makes your internship a little less stressful and prepares you a little more. I sure wish I would have had a guide like this to ease my worry post-internship!

Inside the station! 

L is for Love; The top 25 things I love about D.C.

In celebration of the Fourth of July holiday, I thought it would be nice to stray from the normal blog format and to write a list of the top 25 things I love most about D.C. (so far).

The best fireworks!

1. There is a Starbucks on every corner.

2. I can walk to most places in the city.

3. I meet someone new everyday.

4.  Being able to see the monuments at the National Mall on a daily basis.

5. Fireworks in D.C. are somehow more patriotic than anywhere else in the country. Plus there are more American flags here than I've seen in my entire life.

6.  I can go to museums for free whenever I want.

7.  People on the street speak so many different languages.

Flags everywhere!

8.  I get to witness some of the things I read about in the newspaper.

9.  Food trucks are always around, even when I'm not hungry and shouldn't eat their unhealthy food.

10.  D.C. people are well-dressed.

11.  There is Thai food here! 

12.  The Walmart requires one to both park in a parking garage and ride an elevator.

13.  You can watch the House and Senate in galleries, just like C-span!

14. There are fresh food markets within walking distance of my office.

15.  I get to meet the people whose names are in Education Research reports.

The Shake Shack is also
a new fave!

16.  The Pita Pit (if you haven't eaten there, you don't understand).

17.  The custard/shaved-ice chain Rita's is seriously the best.

18.  Walk signs are more of suggestions than rules.

19.  There's a sense of urgency and a busy-ness about the city.

20. The metro is clean, and not scary (spoiler alert for my next post).

21.  It's our nation's freaking capitol!

22.  The National Library of Education is my new favorite library.

23.  There's something liberating about being in a new place on your own.

24.  Washington Nationals baseball games!

25.  This city has made me one happy girl for the entire summer!

Hopefully by the end of this summer, I'll have 25 more to add on to this list! 

K is for Kerry!; The incredible DePauw Alumni bond

You haven't met them all, you feel like you already kind of know them, but one day you'll be just like them: Alumni.

DePauw has done an excellent job opening the networks of communication between its current and past students, but the scene is even better when you get to meet and connect with fellow Tigers in person.  With DePauw Alumni LinkedIn groups, DePauw's new online Alumni Directory, and the Evertrue Alumni App (my personal favorite) that connects all past DePauw students, by location, major, year, Greek house, etc.,

Our wonderful seats!

Throughout my time so far in D.C., I have been fortunate enough to meet a few DePauw alums who are just as excited to hang out with me, as I am awed to get to hang out with them.  Fellow Alpha Chi sisters as well, Kerry (this post is her namesake), Lynn, and Caitie have invited me to hang out with them on various occasions and it has been one of the best parts about living in this city. But for reasons hard to express to those unfamiliar with DePauw, or the bond between DePauw Alumni.

Fireworks after the game!

If you go to DePauw (or any school for that matter) you are probably familiar with the feeling you get when you meet someone that knows of, or has attended your school.  It's their Alma mater, but it's your current home, so an immediate bond is formed simply by shaking hands and exchanging smiles. But that's not the only exciting part.  There's something to be said about the DePauw bond, but it's extremely hard to explain.  They are like you. They are comfortable to be around.  They are familiar with everything you're going to because they have been through it already.  And your "shared" experiences of Monon Bell Game, Little 5, Marvin's, late nights at the Duck, and DePauw Greek life in general become not only individual memories, but things you can talk with alumni about for hours.

While the world might still think we go to school in Chicago (DePaul), instead of the beautiful hilly cornfields of Greencastle, Indiana, DePauw students, past and present, are not mistaken on both the academic and social benefits of attending DePauw.  It's amazing how DePauw students and their predecessors just "click" and get along.  The university is always advising students to get in touch with alums, ask for help, and network network network! But here, I have found that the true value of getting to meet and know alums a little bit better, is to find a trustworthy friend (and mentor) in someone you've just met, simply because you both went to DePauw.

Other schools might have these same experiences, but I'm sticking to my story that DePauw connections rival even the top Ivy League schools.  Going to a Washington Nationals game with these wonderful alums was also exciting, because they are all still friends.  They all still hang out.  They all still have fun. And they all still talk about Depauw.  I think all current DePauw students secretly hope that they will be able to stay in touch, communicate, and hang out with their friends from DePauw.  The only negative part about attending DePauw for college is that one day, they make you leave.

But with every alum I meet, I learn that the DePauw experience doesn't have to end with walking across the stage at graduation. The DePauw bond is one that keeps on giving, long after you stop doing boulder runs, and even after you stop wearing your Greek week t-shirts.

Meeting up with DePauw (and Alpha Chi) alums at the ballpark!
From Left to Right: Lynn, Kerry, Caitie, and #TeamRachel

J is for "Justice;" Learning to embrace a liberal arts education

I haven't been to the United States Holocaust Museum since I was in 8th grade, but I remember every second of it.  Today was a type of deja vu in that I was seeing the same tragic photos and emotional videos as I saw whenever I was 14.  The only difference was that today I was actually able to take a deeper look at the explanations and artifact.  Today, I was able to use my college education to think more critically about what happened in Germany.

The exterior of the Holocaust Museum.  This will be my
only picture of visiting the museum out of respect for the
victims and survivors of the Holocaust.

This past Spring at DePauw, I was fortunate enough to get into "Equality and Justice," a very popular political science course taught by the one and only, Professor Smita Rahman.  Taking a look at the philosophy, sociology, and politics behind various instances of "equality" and "justice" in the past opened my understanding of what exactly equality and justice were and are.  We read Mill, Rousseau, Marx and even Goldman in order to unpack what these terms mean.  As you might have noticed, I've used quotes to initially introduce these topics.  This is because (as my POLS 235 class knows very well) it is very difficult to nail down what exactly "equality" means, and exactly what constitutes "justice."

There is nothing good to be said for the Holocaust.  Don't even try to come up with something (I swear I'll cyber slap you).  And after a day of touring the Holocaust Museum and Memorial for the second time, I can't help but wonder: Where was equality? And was justice ever served?

My ticket.

My good friend, Anna Gawlik, a sophomore at DePauw, actually wrote her final paper for the course about the Nuremberg trials, discussing what ended up being the "justice served."  Today at the museum, I thought about her paper.  I also thought about a sociology course that I took at DePauw my sophomore year called, "The sociology of deviance."  It was one of the best courses I've taken at DePauw.  Professor David Newman spent an entire semester basically explaining that every rule, norm, disease, and crime is the product of social construction of what "society" doesn't like, or doesn't think should be.  I'm sure we can all attest to the fact that "society," as well as its definitions has been a giant work in progress.  We didn't just wake up one day and think that driving too fast was a bad thing.  Someone had to crash in order for repercussions to be made, and in order for a "justice" to be served.

My Identification Card. Luckily, Nesse
survived this tragic event. 

Walking thought the exhibits (I did not take pictures out of respect for the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, as the museum doubles as a memorial), I read the explanations, I saw the videos, and I read along with my "Identification Card," a passport for the museum that works to personalize the experience. While my story card was of a survivor, that is not always the case.  2 out of every 3 European Jews were killed under Hitler's rule.  Books were burned, businesses were destroyed, people were discriminated against and turned into slaves, and families were ripped apart.  Pre-Holocaust, it would have been hard to imagine such an atrocity.  Post-Holocaust, it's impossible to forget.

The Holocaust was the "crash" that shook history.  Looking back and learning about the Holocaust invites the screaming questions: "What were you doing? What were you allowing? Why was this allowed to happen?" Seeing the minimal intervention by the United States, and the "misunderstanding" of what was really happening, was one of the worst aspects of the tour.  Since Civil Rights, Women's Rights, and now LGBTQ Rights, the definition of equality and justice has certainly changed in the United States.  It's hard to look back now and to see how long concentration camps, ghettos, and persecution of Jews was allowed to go on.  What's even more troubling is the political/electoral processes and systems that allowed Hitler to stay in power for so long...(definitely learned about Germany's Reichstag elections in Professor Brett O'Bannon's Comparative Politics course this past semester).

Today forced me to reflect.  It also allowed me the opportunity to use some of what I've learned in unique courses at DePauw (let's be real, none of these courses would have been possible if it weren't for DePauw's Liberal Arts structure) to analyze, think, and gain a deeper understanding of not just a horrible event, but a period in time where the concepts of equality and justice existed, but were quite skewed from what we see as equal and just now.  This experience has not only opened my eyes and understanding, but has motivated me to apply more of my Liberal Arts education into everything I do.  We definitely take for granted how great we have it at DePauw (and in the U.S. for that matter), just as we take it for granted that our definitions of "equality" and "justice" have grown to prohibit an atrocity like the Holocaust.