My Trip to Washington D.C

Hey Everyone! I hope you're all having a great summer and enjoying your time off! Congratulations Senior Class 2010, I know a lot of high schools have just had their graduations. I recently just got back from my trip to Washington D.C this weekend and I absolutely fell in love with our Nation's Capitol. I was visiting a recent Siena grad since he is now living in D.C and attending law school in the fall! After getting a tour of the area I was really surprised. I didn't realize how much I would enjoy the neighborhoods in D.C, like Foggy Bottom, where he was staying, or Georgetown. I am a true New Yorker and I didn't think any city could top NYC, but maybe I was wrong. D.C is almost a cleaner NYC with lower buildings.

I was especially excited about going to the National Zoo! I am a huge animal lover and ever since I was small enjoyed going to the Bronx Zoo, but it was the only one I had ever seen. It was nice to venture out and go some where new. I was so impressed with how easy it was to get there, just a few stops on the metro and a little walking and you're right there!
I am now definitely jealous of all the students who get to do a semester in Washington D.C through Siena! I hope you all get the chance to visit sometime.

- Liv<3

Officially a Graduate

May 16th, 2010. Commencement Ceremony.

It's official, I've graduated from Siena with a Bachelor of Arts degree!

I can't believe the past four years have gone by so fast! Siena was a great experience, and if I could turn back time, I'd definitely go to Siena again. Looking back, it was the right choice for me. I could talk forever about Siena, but it really won't mean anything to you until you visit Siena yourself and get a personalized tour from one of our many tour guides.

So good luck to all you out there looking at potential colleges. Hopefully if you decide to come to Siena, your experience will be as rich as mine.

Adios! y Buenos Suerte!

Indira

READ this Summer!

No shoes, no shirts, no problems.

Hey Everyone!

It's finally summer time. I was at Siena until the 17th to close the Townhouses, but now I am back on the good old Island (Long Island) for the summer.

My summer consists of two jobs, 3 vacations, and hopefully some down time in between. I'm working at Macs again as an "Everything" girl. I do everything from sorting the plates in the kitchen, to designing marketing campaigns, to up-keeping the website. There's no real "job title" for what I do, but it keeps me busy. I'll also be working at a dental office doing insurance claims, and hopefully helping them launch their new website.

What I am enjoying about my summer jobs is seeing my education at Siena come into play. My main focus at Macs this summer is creating Marketing campaigns. I designed 3 separate designs and proposals within the past 36 hours and they've each been a huge success. Who says you don't learn anything in college?

But, I'm off to pack for my first vacation: CANCUN!!!

I'll give you an update when I come home :)

1 Month 27 Days 18 Hours & 4min till a Semester in AFRICA!

Hey everyone! Sorry I have been super busy the last few weeks and haven't gotten to blog! Right now I am back home on Long Island just getting together the rest of my paper work for my visa to SOUTH AFRICA! I am so excited I leave July 11th and come back Novemeber 17th! This is the University I will be going to!



Certainly not your five minute walk to classes at Siena, but with those mountains I can def. handle it. Siena's Study Abroad Department really gives you the opportunity to go just about anywhere. A friend of mine is going to India and another Vietnam!



<3 Liv

3 Classes, 1 Exam, and a Thesis Defense :-)

Sorry Mike... I had to copy you! Although, it looks like I might have a lighter load than you as we face the end of our time here at Siena.

This is it. I just had my last Tuesday-Thursday class at Siena (for those of you who do not know what this is, classes either fall on Monday-Wednesday-Fri or Tuesday-Thursday). I also had my last thesis meeting ever... By the way, my thesis defense is on Monday, May 3rd at 7pm in the Library (L26) for those of you who might be interested in coming!
This is just a bunch of "lasts," and I don't like it!

Soon I will be a Siena alum, moving on to earn my Ph.D. in Biology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
But before that, I want to enjoy my last two weeks here. As weird as it sounds, I'm going to try to enjoy the stress of finals, my defense, poster presentations, inductions, and studying. And I'm going to enjoy Senior Week with all of the friends that I have grown up with over these past four years.

*sigh*

~Bianca

4 Classes, Two Exams, and a Thesis Defense

That just about sums up my remaining academic obligations as a Siena College student. I've really been soaking up my remaining weeks - or, perhaps better - days at Siena. It really has flown on by, and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here.

Importantly, though, Siena has provided me with a quality education. I'm not finished yet and I'll be headed to law school, particularly, Washington and Lee University School of Law. Now, as I've mentioned, I am from Mechanicville, a grand total of twenty-five minutes from Siena. Washington and Lee is in Lexington, Virginia, about nine hours from home. That's what I call broadening one's horizons! There are some similarities to Siena from what I can tell, such as emphasis on fostering a tight-knit community. So, law school will be a new experience both academically and culturally, and I am very much looking forward to it.

Not just yet, though. Until graduation I'll be taking in every bit of Siena I have left!

Take Care,
Mike DiSiena

"Lawyers, I suppose, were children once."
~Charles Lamb

Last Week!

Hey Everyone!

This is the last week of classes for all of us and its very hectic. Its truly amazing how quickly time goes by. I was recently talking with one of my friends about this year and I realized how great this year was. My first accomplishment was finally declaring a major (applause!). Its a relief to be on a track, even though I still have a whole list of things I want to do in life. My second accomplishment this year was finally officially becoming an RA. Being a resident assistant truly changed my life.I've met some great people (including my boyfriend, Dylan =]) and I know that many of the boys and I will still be friends even after they've left "mommys nest". My third major accomplishment this year was being able to juggle everything. Its so easy to become self absorbed when you see everything on your plate, overflowing onto the table but I didn't let that happen. My juggling had many mishaps, but I'm fortunate in that I always have family and friends supporting me.

Overall, this was a great year for me, and I can't wait for my junior year... Even though I'm still flabbergasted at the fact that two years have flown by SO quickly.


Until the summer,
Leanne

Graduation

Wow, four years of Siena really does go by fast! It has really started to hit me lately that I'm almost done with Siena! We are currently in our last week of classes, and then next week is Finals! The actual graduation day is set for Sunday, May 16th.

I've been talking to my parents about plans for graduation and moving out. My mom was actually mentioning how proud she was of me, and how she wouldn't miss my graduation or any of the other celebrations for anything!

Many of the clubs are now coming to an end as well, so the leadership is being passed on to the next year's e-board. It is nice to pass on the responsibility of a club or organization to someone else, but it also makes you realize that you are moving on. Being the Captain of the Bhangra team certainly kept me busy, so passing on the responsibility isn't so bad, but at the same time, I'm really going to miss the team!

Moreover, I realized that academics are going to be very different for me! Next year I'll be going to Medical School. That means for the first two years, I basically attend lectures, study, and take exams. I'm pretty much done writing papers and my science classes won't have lab. Well, except for our anatomy lab in which we dissect cadavers, but that's not exactly the same thing as biochem lab.

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that life passes by fast! If I've learned anything from it all, it is certainly to enjoy every minute of it! So be spontaneous, have some fun, achieve great things, and make some great memories of it all!

:o) To Siena's class of 2010, and to all the high school seniors about to graduate as well, Congratulations!

"Your Names Are Inscribed On Fames Immortal Scroll"

One of the privileges of my time here at Siena has been attending, twice now, a trip to Gettysburg with my fellow students. The trip is organized and led by John Vallely, one of our librarians and a lecturer on U.S Military History. Each year Mr. Vallely takes students to the Battlefield and explains in detail the history of the battle and the significance underlying the many monuments found throughout the grounds. The stories of the sacrifices of those that fought those fateful days in 1863 were truly moving, and Mr. Vallely did an expert job in making the monuments come alive through his account of the battle.

While I'm a political science and philosophy major, I've always loved History, particularly U.S. History. Last year, when the opportunity presented itself to go to Gettysburg, a place I had never gone to before, I jumped at it. I am so glad I did then, and that I was able to do so again. One cannot go to those grounds, made sacred by the blood shed by tens of thousands of American soldiers, and leave unaffected. There are 1,400 monuments preserving the memory of the battle, but the one that strikes me most is the monument, pictured above, to the North Carolinians that fought for the Confederacy (for another angle, see here. The North Carolina monument, designed by the same fellow that designed Mount Rushmore, depicts the faces of actual men that fought in the battle, forever facing the field where Pickett's Charge occured. Behind the monument reads these moving words "To the eternal glory of the North Carolina soldiers. Who on this battlefield displayed heroism unsurpassed sacrificing all in support of their cause. Their valorous deeds will be enshrined in the hearts of men long after these transient memorials have crumbled into dust."

Defending a Year and a Half of Work

So, I just got the go ahead today to schedule my Honors Thesis Defense, which is where my very hard work will be presented to the Siena College community, as well as to others who might choose to attend. I wrote my thesis on something called Just War Theory and how the changing character of war calls for modifications to this theory (it sounds like it could be dry, but I promise it is actually quite exciting!).
You may be wondering why I chose this topic since I am a Biology major. Well, the great thing about Honors Theses is that you can write pretty much about anything you want, even if it is outside your area of study. I happen to be a fan of philosophy, and I wanted to really do something substantial with this interest in my last year here. So here I am... with an almost finished work! I've written it all, and now I'm just revising here and there.
But anyway, my defense is probably going to be in the first week of May. I will be sure to post the date and time on here so anyone who is interested can attend. Pretty please???

Off to revise!

~Bianca

P.S. Here's a fun fact about the Honors Thesis... we get several copies of our work bound in the form of an actual book, and one copy stays in our library here!

Random thought of the day.

Hello Everyone!

I know it's been a while, but rest assured I will give you a more thorough update of my life in a later post. Currently, I'm about to run to my 3:40 class but I had this thought that I just had to share.

Why is it that when I go to Starbucks, or Coldstone and ask for a "small", I get questioned because I did not use the "correct" terminology. Listen, I can't keep up with all this jargon, and it is not fair of the barista to give me the cold shoulder when I do not say "venti". If these companies are so keen on using their terminology, they should print flyers and send them to all local residencies near their particular store so that when poor innocent souls like myself order their Birthday Cake Remix they say "Like it" rather than "small.

Ironically, I am off to "Business Communications" class. Perhaps today we'll learn why companies believe confusing patrons is beneficial in the long run.

Until Next week!

Leanne

The Fun Kind Of Homework!

Hey everyone! Right now im in Standish Library trying to get a ton of work done tonight! Just me, my orange, and some fruit loops! Luckily some of my work is alot of fun, for example my photography class! Here are some of my photos from over the last few weeks!








<3Liv

Cherry Blossom Weekend in DC

Hey everyone!

So for the Easter break, my family and I went to Washington, D.C. to visit my aunt, uncle, and their two little girls. And it just happened to be Cherry Blossom weekend (which we usually miss every year)! All of the cherry blossoms in D.C. were in full bloom. It was a really wonderful scene to behold... not only because of the gorgeous flowering trees, but also because of the hordes of happy people enjoying the first real spring weekend with family and friends. There were hundreds of kites and frisbees. People were snapping pictures and laughing and eating ice cream and just having an all around wonderful time. It really was a great way to spend a long weekend.

This brings me to my advice for the day (in my old, almost graduating age)... make sure when you get a break, you really do take a break. Try to set aside all of those end-of-the-semester worries and really take a breather. I've found this to be really important especially for Easter break, because after that it is full speed ahead to the end of the semester! Then you'll actually be refreshed and won't burn out when it matters.

Stop and smell the cherry blossoms!
And then it's back to the grind.

~Bianca

Here are some pictures from last weekend.
1) A picture my dad snapped of the Capitol while riding a Segway!
2) A close-up I took of the cherry blossoms down by the tidal basin.

The Annual King Lecture

If you do so happen to come to Siena, I can guarantee that you will, at least once, find your way to the Martin Luther King Lecture Series. I raise this only because tonight I attended the Series for the second time during my stay here at Siena. The lecture is, as they say, kind of a big deal. It is organized and supported by a number of respected community leaders, and the speaker always has a distinguished record of accomplishment. This year's lecture was given by Dr. Charles Ogletree, a Harvard Law Professor and Director of that same institution's Center for Race and Justice.

Professor Ogletree delved into the hope of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and how that hope can continue to be put into practice today. His lecture was filled with a number of anecdotes about his interactions with the nation's leaders, including the President himself. It was a real privilege to hear from such an important leader in the field of law, and its relationship to race. I am always glad for the opportunity to listen to the scholars that Siena brings to campus. It is definitely one of the added benefits of going to College!

Take Care,
Mike DiSiena

Blocks,Bubbles, & Lady GaGa..

I'm so glad to be back home with my family! I hope you enjoy my adorable baby cousin Matthew. He is the best part of home. The weather is beautiful so I hope you are all enjoying it too! At the same time its funny I do miss Siena!! And can't wait to get back, and can't wait to see a certain someone ;] ( Yep that's you Michael Ellement)


-Liv<3

Random Musings on the Passing Scene

Hello all. The last time you heard from me, the Mock Trial Team and the Siena Basketball Team were on their way to their respective tournaments (for some reason or another, the Basketball team seems to have gotten more press). In any case, I can say, while we didn't advance, we represented Siena well and gave a good showing. As a four-year member of the Mock Trial Team, I can say that our team performed the best that I have ever seen at the National Tournament in White Plains, if not for a few points here or there, we would have advanced even further. The same holds true for the Men's basketball team, which fought to the very end against Purdue, a team that at one point was ranked third in the entire country. In any case, I think we Saints can all be proud of both performances.

Now that Mock Trial is completed, I can participate again in our school orchestra. I think I may have mentioned this before, but I am the resident percussionist. Tonight was the first practice I was able to attend this semester. We're playing a very nice piece of music that I was totally unfamiliar with before: Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto in G . We're not exactly the Boston Pops, but I've always appreciated the opportunity to play in the orchestra.

On a completely different note, I would mention that, as Jefferson once said, the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time. In that spirit,the Siena Student Senate has asked a few students on campus, myself included, to review and alter the Senate Constitution in order to better meet the needs of the Siena student body. I've very much enjoyed being a part of the process, and hope the changes will be beneficial to the student body. That means you if you come next Fall!

Take Care,
Mike DiSiena

A Trip Down Memory Lane

So, I was recently reminiscing about my time here at Siena, and I came across a thoroughly embarassing video that I wanted to share...
This is a video from my sophomore year, where a few of my friends and I decided to "perform" at Fall Fusion. Now if you're not familiar with Fall Fusion, it's a really fun show that the Asian Students' Association (ASA) puts on in the fall semester. It's full of performances by the Step Team, the Bhangra Team, individual dancers, musicians, and there is even a fashion show!
So this is a couple of us science major nerds doing a science major nerd themed dance. I'm the one that comes on with a blue backpack at the beginning. (And Indira didn't want me to tell you this, but she's in this too... she's the one that sits up at the front of the stage in the beginning) Shhh :-P

I'm really technologically challenged when it comes to this stuff, so I hope this works...

I'm off to study for my Biochem exam tomorrow! Ah! Talk to you all soon!

~Bianca

Sunshine!

Hey Everyone,

I had every intention of leaving you a video post today but, being me, I forgot my webcam at home. Maybe next week I can snatch my boyfriends computer for a few minutes to leave one for you.

It's a beautiful spring day here in Loudonville and I plan on breaking out the flip flops today :). My CSIS class ended last week, so now on Tuesdays and Thursday I don't have class until 4! Now, most people would sleep all day I'm sure (especially if you're like me and were up studying until 2am) but I find that incredibly non productive. This week is midterm week for me so it's a little hectic, but I must say... the sunshine is making me feel a lot better.

This past weekend I went home for Huntingtons St. Patricks Day Parade. The Parade ends at our restaurant, so for the occasion Verizon sponsors tents to be set up in our parking lot. It's pretty cool. Z100 was there, as well as ESPN and we were sponsored by Guinness. One of my favorite parts of working in the restaurant industry is all the free paraphernalia you receive from sponsors. Over the summer, Bacardi did a lot of events at Macs so I have about 4 Bacardi shirts, a muddler, cups, mints etc. Now, I have some Guinness supplies to add to the pile. I also might have an internship as well. Verizon was very impressed by all the marketing I did for the event (Yes, even from school I still work there. I'm responsible for the website, e-mail blasts, coming up with different promotions, writing letters to potential clients, proof-reading EVERYTHING, and "other) so they talked to my Dad about offering me an internship. This would all be contingent if they have spots open, but I'm crossing my fingers.

Alright everyone, I'm going to finish studying for my Econ Midterm this afternoon.

Until next week!

Leanne