Mummy....

AUC students making history!

After thoughts, trials, negotiations and patience with the administration we decided to involve those whom we are trying to defend: AUC Students! We, the Student Union, have been trying endless trials with the Administration to get back students rights either through food services, transportation, registration, declaration and finally access to campus which was resembled in the HUSS gate issue. The student union started its term believing that the administration will be its way to serve, represent, entertain and serve the students however they were the biggest obstacle in the SU's way in achieving these four missions. The HUSS gate was a minor issue that escalated because we felt that this is a matter of PRINCIPLE. Students' voice is being ignored and disregarded. The administration refuses to open the gate after a petition signed by 2500 students other than faculty and staff members who have signed and there were emails sent to us by faculty members wondering about the reasons for the gate being closed. So, AUC students started frantically asking us the SU what are we doing towards solving a problem that obviously is bothering them. Here came the idea of Unity, we united with AUC students having more than 500 students gathering on Thursday the 18th of march at 1 pm at Quick in AUC new campus where we all moved along in one step, one goal, one motive pushing them towards the HUSS gate and they opened it. With force, belief, anger and passion, the gate was finally opened!!! All 500 students were asked for their AUC IDs and miraculously the AUC security officials gathered them all and realized the fact that there is no exact person to punish so they gave our IDs back. Only here I realized that this is not an SU issue, it is an AUC STUDENT BODY issue. AUC students united on one cause and for one reason which is to be heard and get their right back.
We, AUC students, could be easily distracted and scattered, we could be blackberry addicts, we could be care free and shallow we could be any of these stereotypic examples of AUCians yet if we unite on one goal, if we decide to be one for once and for all then a difference will happen, a gate will open and we will be finally heard!!!

AUC students have made history again!!

Interview Profile : Dr. Heba W. Kotb, Psychology professor

A successful Psychologist and mother of three opens her heart to our station giving us tips that lead to success.
Dr. Heba Kotb is an AUC graduate and she took her PhD in Education from Leeds University in the year 2000.

Questions:

1. Dr. Heba, Upon graduation in the 80s were you planning to pursue further education?
2. How do you manage having three children and working in several places at the same time?
3. After all these experiences what tips of success would you recommend for any AUC fresh graduate to start their career

Thank You

Listening Journal #3: PRX: Remembering Lilly

I listened to a piece called “remembering Lilly” on PRX. The piece was 12 minutes long and it was very interesting and engaging. It was produced by Will Pearson.

It is mainly about a girl called Lilly who died suddenly in a car accident and this piece was made to emphasize the good she has left in people’s life and focus on the bright side of her life not the dark side of her death. The anchor started by introducing the whole story and stressing on the most important aspects and then he conducted interviews with 6 of her best friends. The piece is touching and emotional.

Those the anchor chose to talk to were not at ease at the beginning of the piece there were some “…emmss and ummmss” but then they became more comfortable or I guess more editing was done to the piece.

The anchor did a great job in choosing those to interview as he succeeded in choosing good story tellers; they were passionate about what they were talking about and they were so engaged in the issue which made it attractive and interesting for me as a listener. Also the script itself he succeeded in writing good questions, open ended, that would encourage interviewees to talk more.

The piece was neither too long nor too short it was just right. No natural sound was included the music that was used is amazingly beautiful; I am not quite sure whether it was especially made for Lilly as its name is “Lilly’s song” by Bailey McBroom. The song fits perfectly and the place where it was put was just right.

http://www.prx.org/pieces/41906-remembering-lilly#description

I have a dream....

Earlier in the first week of the semester I was criticized by one of my classmates that I used a part of a famous speech in my blog post. I actually did not realize that I had used a great man's quote in my post I simply said that "I have a dream" with no recognition that it is Martin Luther King's quote.I did not then connect both dreams and that what I said was taken from him. I hadn't saw the speech or ever listend to it. Shame on me!

A couple of days ago a very good friend of mine asked me if I had listened ever to Martin Luther King's speech and I answered ignorantly "No". She urged me to listen to it and told me it is worth it!

I started listening carelessly not interested, not knowing that this speech is not some words formulated in a speech. It is a belief, a passion. This is what makes nations move. It makes people abide by a purpose and determined to reach it. Martin Luther King inspired me to pursue my dreams and inspired me to keep my belief as it is or even make it stronger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZLvSnr6s50&feature=related

Student Union 2009-2010

Scuba Diving, family and The student Union are currently the 3 most important things in my life.
I am the Student Union Vice President for the year 2009-2010. This position makes me preoccupied nearly 24-7 with its issues, problems, opportunities, appointments and meetings.
The Student Union is present to serve, represent, develop and entertain the AUC student body. This is the SU's mission statement ever since it was there. However, this year we had a vision that is quite different than any previous ones.
In our vision we promised for a student union that embraces DIVERSITY, ensures EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATION, provides OPTIMUM SERVICES and builds a FOUNDATION OF FUTURE LEADERS.

This vision was what kept me going through the roughest of times in the past 10 months. These 10 months were full of ups and many many downs. We fulfilled our vision to a certin extent in each of the fields mentioned however we as ateam have a feeling that we can always do better. There have been very rough times when we had crisis in certain projects and there was nothing to be done but that helped us become stronger and learn from our experience.

Being part of the student government was something I had thought about ever since I was a freshman and I was determined back then that one day I will be the Student Union President. But this dream was altered after I tried campaigning in the SU Presidential elections for a candidate I had really believed in yet I discovered that elections is a dirty game that is not worth it.

To cut a long story short, I am haunted these days by a feeling of sadness and worry. I do not want my term as the SU Vice President to end; not because I am enjoying the position but because I feel that if I do not promote change and start it now when I am in this position then I will never be able to change anything in this world.

Project#3: PSA:Drive Safely

Local Officer: Yomna Safwat
Organization: The Right Road
Contact Info: therightroad@aucegypt.edu or 0123454100

Heading: The Right Road's Drive Safely Campaign
Airdates(s): March 10 2010

Duration: 30 seconds


Voice#1: (with her husband on the phone)
Hello, good morning honey, I just left from my mum's house and going to pick Joey from kindergarten and then I will buy a dress for Linda's Wedding…….No I don't have the car am walking…remember!! We are going to lose 10 pounds together this month….(fade out)

SFX: BANG!!!
SFX: (Clock ticking along with the first voice then ends by the end of voice 1)

Music: Classical Gas (Techno) by Vanessa Mae and under



Announcer:
Every 14 seconds, someone is severely injured or killed in a car accident, leaving behind family, friends and unfinished plans. Would you want to be responsible for this?!
For more information visit our website: www.therightroad.com and don't forget
DRIVE SAFELY!


MUSIC: (fade out)

Listening Journal #2

BBC-
This newscast consisted of 8 different stories focusing first on the news hit for the whole week regarding the earthquake in Chile that caused chaos in the region and they need aid there. This was the first story in the cast. Then the stories were as follows a US story then a story concerning BBC and the way they will operate according the director general concerning the new strategies. Then the stories moved to Europe concerning a Pakistan based scholar who travelled to London calling for a Fatwa to stop suicide bombing and he condemned it writing a 300 page document stating that.
Then the stories resorted to Africa; Egypt and South Africa. Also it included sports news which made it interesting. The news cast was 5 minutes and 53 seconds long. It mostly consisted of an anchor and only around a couple included an anchor and reporter or anchor and sound bite.
There were not any sound bites yet the anchor and the reporters were very expressive and the sound was clear and the quality was very good. The news cast was relatively short regarding all the information and stories included. I believe that if the name of the cast was written or a title or at least the duration it would have made a difference and made it easier.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/worldservice/meta/tx/summary5min?size=au&bgc=003399&lang=en-ws&nbram=1&nbwm=1

NPR-
This newscast consisted of 7 stories most of which about the US and issues happening in different states in the US. The cast was 4 minutes and 46 seconds long. It did not cover the African region at all.
There was natural sound included in the news however the anchors were not as powerful as those in BBC. They were not as firm or assertive. NPR reporters seemed very young which maybe for me made them sound not as formal as those in BBC. The quality of sound still was good but that of the BBC was way clearer.
http://www.npr.org/