18 May, 2008
End of the 2007-2008 Collegiate School Year
Although the end of the 2007-2008 collegiate school year does mean the end of issues of The Oak Leaves until September, it does not mean that the posts on Collocations will be left to stagnate. I will continue to post updates on my adventures and publications that occur over the summer; readers can expect a new post approximately every one to two weeks.
11 May, 2008
Senior Spotlight: Aaron Hostetler Looks back on His Time at MC
This May marks the close of a chapter of senior Aaron Hostetler’s connection to MC.
Like many students here, Hostetler had experience with Manchester’s college and community before he enrolled; his grandfather, great uncle, great aunt, uncle, parents and older brother all attended MC. “I didn’t have to go here, of course,” he said, “but it was a school of higher learning that was always there in my thoughts as a possibility.”
Hostetler’s involvement in the social life of MC began during his junior year of high school, while his brother was a student here; it was largely his impressions of the community here that led to his enrollment. “Had it not been for his [Aaron’s brother’s] close group of friends who saw my need for an enclave of acceptant people and who wanted to see me grow, I might not have chosen to come here,” Hostetler said. “But with their influence, I was sold on the idea of attending MC.”
Aaron is majoring in sociology, with a minor in Spanish. Nevertheless, his time here as a student has involved much more than his academic goals.
He has either acted in or directed the dramatic productions of Alpha Psi Omega during all four years, was active in Amnesty International during his freshman and sophomore years, served as the group facilitator for United Sexualities during the 2005-06 school year and during the fall semester of 2006, and was involved with the college’s theatre productions every year except for his junior year, when he spent the spring semester studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain.
He also spent a summer in Tacoma, WA, working in inner-city organic gardens and green spaces that were created to provide community shared agriculture and sustainable revenue for a Catholic Workers’ House.
Although he is glad that he attended MC, he has noticed a shift in the campus community that he finds troubling. “My perception of Manchester has changed a lot through my continuing involvement in MC’s social culture,” he said.
As an example, he recounted how during his brother’s time as a student here (c. 2003-2004), there was a campus-wide gathering on the mall of students and faculty who were making a stand against hatred of any kind. The stance was initiated by the United Sexualities group, in response to threats made against the safety of a few of MC’s students.
Not only did this represent a coming together of the MC students for a common cause; even the administration offered support. “Parker Marden [former MC president] was really effective at providing a sense of safety for students who felt threatened,” Hostetler said. “He even visited a student’s room when they felt threatened, in order to provide support and reassurance.
“What’s been troubling me recently is that I haven’t recently seen that sense of coming together as a community, even in light of recent date rapes, peeping toms’ intrusions and sexual assaults on female MC students,” he said. “Why aren’t we seeing a campus-wide response from the MC community, working to educate people regarding what’s going on and eliminating the problem?”
This lack of coming together, regardless of individual and group identities, could pose a threat to the friendly environment offered by MC. “A community is defined as a group of people working together for a common goal—anything else is just groups of people who feel they fit together because of their similar backgrounds,” Hostetler said. “Although MC is in many ways still a community, I have begun to question the efficacy of MC’s work towards attaining a common goal.”
Hostetler hopes that the split between MC students of different backgrounds will heal. “This is such a small school,” he said. “There is such a potential for a strengthening of the feeling of togetherness here.”
Although his plans following graduation are not yet solidified, he hopes that more travel abroad is in his future. “I’ve been bitten by the international bug,” he said. “I don’t think that one semester abroad was enough for me.”
Like many students here, Hostetler had experience with Manchester’s college and community before he enrolled; his grandfather, great uncle, great aunt, uncle, parents and older brother all attended MC. “I didn’t have to go here, of course,” he said, “but it was a school of higher learning that was always there in my thoughts as a possibility.”
Hostetler’s involvement in the social life of MC began during his junior year of high school, while his brother was a student here; it was largely his impressions of the community here that led to his enrollment. “Had it not been for his [Aaron’s brother’s] close group of friends who saw my need for an enclave of acceptant people and who wanted to see me grow, I might not have chosen to come here,” Hostetler said. “But with their influence, I was sold on the idea of attending MC.”
Aaron is majoring in sociology, with a minor in Spanish. Nevertheless, his time here as a student has involved much more than his academic goals.
He has either acted in or directed the dramatic productions of Alpha Psi Omega during all four years, was active in Amnesty International during his freshman and sophomore years, served as the group facilitator for United Sexualities during the 2005-06 school year and during the fall semester of 2006, and was involved with the college’s theatre productions every year except for his junior year, when he spent the spring semester studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain.
He also spent a summer in Tacoma, WA, working in inner-city organic gardens and green spaces that were created to provide community shared agriculture and sustainable revenue for a Catholic Workers’ House.
Although he is glad that he attended MC, he has noticed a shift in the campus community that he finds troubling. “My perception of Manchester has changed a lot through my continuing involvement in MC’s social culture,” he said.
As an example, he recounted how during his brother’s time as a student here (c. 2003-2004), there was a campus-wide gathering on the mall of students and faculty who were making a stand against hatred of any kind. The stance was initiated by the United Sexualities group, in response to threats made against the safety of a few of MC’s students.
Not only did this represent a coming together of the MC students for a common cause; even the administration offered support. “Parker Marden [former MC president] was really effective at providing a sense of safety for students who felt threatened,” Hostetler said. “He even visited a student’s room when they felt threatened, in order to provide support and reassurance.
“What’s been troubling me recently is that I haven’t recently seen that sense of coming together as a community, even in light of recent date rapes, peeping toms’ intrusions and sexual assaults on female MC students,” he said. “Why aren’t we seeing a campus-wide response from the MC community, working to educate people regarding what’s going on and eliminating the problem?”
This lack of coming together, regardless of individual and group identities, could pose a threat to the friendly environment offered by MC. “A community is defined as a group of people working together for a common goal—anything else is just groups of people who feel they fit together because of their similar backgrounds,” Hostetler said. “Although MC is in many ways still a community, I have begun to question the efficacy of MC’s work towards attaining a common goal.”
Hostetler hopes that the split between MC students of different backgrounds will heal. “This is such a small school,” he said. “There is such a potential for a strengthening of the feeling of togetherness here.”
Although his plans following graduation are not yet solidified, he hopes that more travel abroad is in his future. “I’ve been bitten by the international bug,” he said. “I don’t think that one semester abroad was enough for me.”
MC students receive Fulbright grant to study in Asia
Following their graduation this May, MC seniors Tim Polakowski and Andrew Haff will be getting ready for a year abroad. They have each been awarded a Fulbright grant for 2008-2009.
Polakowski will be heading to South Korea, while Haff will be going to Vietnam.
The esteemed Fulbright scholarships are awarded to seniors who are graduating from a U.S. college for a year abroad. Applicants either propose a research topic to concentrate on during their time overseas, or else focus on teaching ESL classes while engaging in independent study on a suggested topic.
Including Polakowski and Haff, 25 MC students have received Fulbright scholarships since 1996, and three were named alternates. Several more won related grants. This is higher per capita than any other college or university in the state of Indiana.
Polakowski majored in social work and Spanish, with a minor in gerontology. He will be teaching ESL and studying the universal health care system of South Korea, in order to gain a more international perspective regarding medical care.
Haff is a history major. He will be part of the Fulbright’s first year sponsoring a program in Vietnam. He will be teaching English at the college level, rather than at area public schools (as would be typical in most other Fulbright programs).
This is not either of their first experience with travelling and living overseas. Polakowski spent both semesters of his sophomore year in Barcelona, Spain as part of the BCA program. During his junior year, he spent Jan-term in Mexico, whereas he travelled to Nicaragua during the most recent Jan-term.
Haff, meanwhile, accompanied Dr. Angelos on his Jan-term Comparative Civilizations trips for each of the last three years; in 2006, he toured around a variety of countries in Europe; in 2007, he travelled to Spain; and in 2008, he went to the British Isles. “I think I’ve been to almost every country in western Europe,” he said.
However, it will be their first time in Asia. “It still doesn’t seem quite right that I’m actually going to South Korea,” Polakowski said. “I’m really nervous about learning the language; all of my experiences abroad have been in Spanish-speaking countries. This will be my first time going to another country without at least some understanding of the native language.”
Nevertheless, he is looking forward to the process of learning, especially since he will be living with a host family. “I stayed with host families in Spain and in Mexico,” Polakowski said. “It really allows you to learn about the culture so much more thoroughly and deeply.”
Although this will not be Haff’s first time in a country with a language that is unfamiliar with him, this will be his first time abroad alone, without a group of his fellow students. Furthermore, he does not yet know what his living situation will be. “It’s up to the local institution regarding whether I’ll be living with a host family or in a college residence hall or apartment.”
Tim made the decision to apply as a Fulbright scholar to Korea partly because it is in the most need of teachers, and thereby provides the best chance of being awarded a grant. He encourages students who may be considering applying for a Fulbright to consider the acceptance rates of different countries, and to plan accordingly.
Polakowski’s back-up plan, in case he didn’t get the grant, was to join the Peace Corps.
Haff’s was to either take a job working with computers with a company that was seeking college graduates or to work as a substitute teacher.
Although Haff had gotten excited over the prospects offered by his back-up plans, he received encouragement from several people to accept the Fulbright grant. “Dr. Song [an MC history professor] talked with me about the importance of taking chances at this stage of my life,” he said, “and Clayton Pendergast [the acting spiritual leader of the Miami Indians in Indiana] stressed to me the importance of sharing one’s gifts with the world.”
Polakowski also emphasized the importance of the application essay. “Preparing the essay is the most grueling part of the application process,” he said. “However, through the writing, rewriting and editing of your essay, you will learn a lot about yourself and discover more about what you want to do with your time and energy.”
Although he misses people back in the states when he is travelling, Polakowski finds the rewards of living in different countries to be far greater than the difficulties. “Christmas is hard, but other than that it doesn’t really bother me,” he said. “After all, it’s temporary, and the experience is so worth it.”
Polakowski will be heading to South Korea, while Haff will be going to Vietnam.
The esteemed Fulbright scholarships are awarded to seniors who are graduating from a U.S. college for a year abroad. Applicants either propose a research topic to concentrate on during their time overseas, or else focus on teaching ESL classes while engaging in independent study on a suggested topic.
Including Polakowski and Haff, 25 MC students have received Fulbright scholarships since 1996, and three were named alternates. Several more won related grants. This is higher per capita than any other college or university in the state of Indiana.
Polakowski majored in social work and Spanish, with a minor in gerontology. He will be teaching ESL and studying the universal health care system of South Korea, in order to gain a more international perspective regarding medical care.
Haff is a history major. He will be part of the Fulbright’s first year sponsoring a program in Vietnam. He will be teaching English at the college level, rather than at area public schools (as would be typical in most other Fulbright programs).
This is not either of their first experience with travelling and living overseas. Polakowski spent both semesters of his sophomore year in Barcelona, Spain as part of the BCA program. During his junior year, he spent Jan-term in Mexico, whereas he travelled to Nicaragua during the most recent Jan-term.
Haff, meanwhile, accompanied Dr. Angelos on his Jan-term Comparative Civilizations trips for each of the last three years; in 2006, he toured around a variety of countries in Europe; in 2007, he travelled to Spain; and in 2008, he went to the British Isles. “I think I’ve been to almost every country in western Europe,” he said.
However, it will be their first time in Asia. “It still doesn’t seem quite right that I’m actually going to South Korea,” Polakowski said. “I’m really nervous about learning the language; all of my experiences abroad have been in Spanish-speaking countries. This will be my first time going to another country without at least some understanding of the native language.”
Nevertheless, he is looking forward to the process of learning, especially since he will be living with a host family. “I stayed with host families in Spain and in Mexico,” Polakowski said. “It really allows you to learn about the culture so much more thoroughly and deeply.”
Although this will not be Haff’s first time in a country with a language that is unfamiliar with him, this will be his first time abroad alone, without a group of his fellow students. Furthermore, he does not yet know what his living situation will be. “It’s up to the local institution regarding whether I’ll be living with a host family or in a college residence hall or apartment.”
Tim made the decision to apply as a Fulbright scholar to Korea partly because it is in the most need of teachers, and thereby provides the best chance of being awarded a grant. He encourages students who may be considering applying for a Fulbright to consider the acceptance rates of different countries, and to plan accordingly.
Polakowski’s back-up plan, in case he didn’t get the grant, was to join the Peace Corps.
Haff’s was to either take a job working with computers with a company that was seeking college graduates or to work as a substitute teacher.
Although Haff had gotten excited over the prospects offered by his back-up plans, he received encouragement from several people to accept the Fulbright grant. “Dr. Song [an MC history professor] talked with me about the importance of taking chances at this stage of my life,” he said, “and Clayton Pendergast [the acting spiritual leader of the Miami Indians in Indiana] stressed to me the importance of sharing one’s gifts with the world.”
Polakowski also emphasized the importance of the application essay. “Preparing the essay is the most grueling part of the application process,” he said. “However, through the writing, rewriting and editing of your essay, you will learn a lot about yourself and discover more about what you want to do with your time and energy.”
Although he misses people back in the states when he is travelling, Polakowski finds the rewards of living in different countries to be far greater than the difficulties. “Christmas is hard, but other than that it doesn’t really bother me,” he said. “After all, it’s temporary, and the experience is so worth it.”
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