Freshman Blogging Project: Blood Drive

On the week of September 13, 2015, the American Red Cross held a blood drive at Stockton University.  The event was in Big Blue, the main athletic gymnasium on campus, and was from 10am until 3pm.  Running the event for five hours allowed more people to donate because they could find multiple time slots that fit into their schedule.

I volunteered at the blood drive on the morning of September 17, 2015.  My job consisted of checking people in and providing them with information about the risks of donating and the safety precautions.  For example, people who are anemic, or iron deficient, may not be able to donate or that the loss of blood may cause people to faint.

In order to prevent donors from passing out, other students were working the food and drink station.  Snacks, like cookies and pretzels, and drinks, like water and apple juice, were handed out to donors to ensure that they stayed hydrated and regained their strength after losing so much blood.

The blood donated will be used for blood transfusions around the nation.  Every two seconds, someone needs a blood transfusion because of a medical illness or car accident.  One pint of blood can save three lives, so every donation counts.

My friend in high school has a brother who needed blood transfusions since he was born.  She felt useless and wanted to do something to help her sibling, but was unsure how.  Then, she heard about student-organized blood drives and was instantly filled with hope and excitement.  Starting in the summer of her junior year, she ran a blood drive every spring and summer because she knew that the donations saved her brother’s life.  I donated every time because I felt like it was a selfless act that, although anonymous, went a long way with the receptors and their families.

Thus, the Red Cross blood drive held at Stockton University was instrumental in giving back to the community and providing support for people who are ill and need blood transfusions.

Casey Schieda

Freshman Blogging Project: Title IX

To begin Freshman year at Stockton University, every freshman, residential and commuter, had to attend mandatory events during Welcome Week.  One event that stuck with me was called “Let’s Talk about Sex! (Consent and Title IX).”  The program was held on Tuesday, September 1^st, 2015 on campus in the I-Wing Gym.

In order to effectively relay the information, the freshman class was divided by gender, a female session and a male session.  The program was run by the Women’s Gender and Sexuality Center and had help from other departments within the University as well.  The main speaker, Laurie Dutton, began the program by explaining what it means to fully consent to sexual activity.  She discusses the Red Zone, the first six weeks of college when most sexual assaults occur, and how to steer clear of these perilous situations.  For example, campus police are always available to escort someone home if they feel unsafe walking on campus from either the campus center to their dorm or their friend’s dorm to their dorm.

Additionally, the speakers shared a story about a college student named Jeanne Clery who was raped and murder in her dorm room in 1986 at Lehigh University.  This horrifying event led to stricter security on college campuses.  The Clery Act states that universities and colleges must provide statistics of crimes and sexual assault cases on campus and in the surrounding areas to students.  The act works cohesively with Title IX because Title IX states that universities and colleges must provide a safe environment for students, free of sexual discrimination and other sexual crimes.

Along with these legal aspects of sexual harassment and assault, the concept of consent was portrayed through a video about tea.  The video was gripping and intrigued the audience, as suggested by the chuckles in the room.  An example from the video was that the narrator mentioned, “If someone says they want tea, but then they pass out once the tea is made, do not continue to force them to have tea.”  This was referring to a situation where someone consents to sex, then loses consciousness for whatever reason and can no longer consent to sex.  The point was that if one could understand the concept of not forcing someone to drink tea, they should not force them to have sex.  Thus, the event was informative for females and males because it discussed topics relating to sexual violence, assault, harassment, and consent.

I was really engaged in this program because I hear the horror stories on college campuses but never really think it will happen at my school.  The event was an eye opening experience because anything can happen to anyone who is not careful and I want to be prepared and hopefully avoid a sketchy situation at all costs.  Additionally, my mother was a student at Lehigh when the student, Jeanne, was attacked so I had heard her mention the story before and was glad to hear that her family made a positive out of a terrible situation.  The Clery Act has probably saved so many lives just by publicizing the crime rates and sexual assault statics.  As a whole, I thought this program was very helpful and relevant to incoming female freshmen and will have a lasting impact on the students.

Casey Schieda

Freshman Blogging Project: S.O.A.R.

S.O.A.R. stands for “Stockton’s Overnight Adventure Retreat” and is a camping trip designed to facilitate friendships among the incoming freshmen and transfer students at Stockton University.  The trip was at the YMCA Ockanickon campground from August 25-27, 2015.

Each new student was assigned to a tribe- orange, red, navy, sky, purple, pink, green, or yellow.  The tribes would share cabins together, cruise meals together, and participate in several activities throughout the program.  A group of Stockton students called T.A.L.O.N.S, The Activity Leaders of New Students, were the leaders of each tribe and helped the program run smoothly.  The S.O.A.R. experience is organized by the Office of Event Services and Campus Center Operations.

Throughout the camping trip, students took part in icebreakers, such as “Ride that Pony” or “All of my Friends and Neighbors,” to familiarize themselves with each other and help eliminate the awkwardness among the groups.  Also, activities such as low elements and high elements forced students to step out of their comfort zone and to trust new people.  For example, in the high ropes, students had the opportunity to climb the rock wall.  Although this may not be something that they normally do, students were encouraged to be daring and to have faith that their friends belaying and spotting were reliable.

The Tribathlon was another event that united the tribes and added some fun competition.  Tug of war and dodge ball were two events that were part of the Tribathlon and allowed students to show their pride and commitment to their designated tribe.  The staff at the YMCA campground was very instrumental in making S.O.A.R. an amazing and enjoyable experience.  Sam, Stephanie, and Rick were a few employees who really showed an interest in the students and taught them how to create friendships that would last throughout college and after.  In summary, S.O.A.R. was a great experience for students who wanted to expand their comfort zone and meet new people who they will be acquainted with for the next four years.

I was a member of the orange tribe on S.O.A.R. this year and I am thrilled that I went on the trip.  Climbing up the telephone pole and jumping off with my only support system being a harness was the most exhilarating experience for me.  Additionally, I met two of my best friends on the trip and felt so comfortable going into freshman year with a support system.  The T.A.L.O.N.S. acted as great role models and were able to shed light on some concerns I had about starting college.  Thus, S.O.A.R. was a once in a lifetime experience that I would recommend to every incoming freshmen attending Stockton University because it helps to create friendships and open new doors for students who are anxious about starting a new chapter in their lives.