About Rodney

Email: rjohnso1@oswego.edu

Posts by Rodney

If We Could Shrink The World

Posted on
by

Here is an Interesting Poem I came across;

“If we could shrink the earth’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following. There would be:

57 Asians
21 Europeans; 14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non-white
30 would be white
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world’s wealth and all 6 would be from the United States
80 would live in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth
1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education
1 would own a computer

When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for both acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent.”

2011 Miss Black and Gold Scholarship Pageant

Posted on
by

The Miss Black and Gold Scholarship Pageant is a program of Alpha Phi Alpha which is done all over the country. The first national Miss Black and Gold Pageant was held in 1976 in New York City. Miss Black and Gold recognizes and awards women who exemplify superiority in academics, leadership, community service, and talent. But places a strong emphasis in scholarship and scholastic achievement.

The winner of the Ms. Black and Gold Scholarship Pageant has the opportunity to got to the Regional Pageant and then move on to the National Pageant! Winning the pageant brings a young lady scholarship funds, and high recognition, amongst peers and faculty as well as presenting a great opportunity for networking as well.

The brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated recently held one here on the SUNY Oswego Campus. We had 5 beautiful, intelligent, hardworking young women who competed in the pageant. They’re names are Tiraya Conyers, Maame Hayfron, Taquisha Dingle, Brandi Wilson, and Ashley Freeze.

All of these ladies did an amazing job and I am very proud to have been a part of this pageant. Congratulations to our runner up Brandi Wilson, and to Our Miss Black and Gold winner Maame Hayfron who will compete again on a larger stage with the opportunity to win even more scholarship money. For those of you who were not able to attend there will be more to come! Look out for the Next Miss Black and Gold Scholarship Pageant.

Leadership

Posted on
by

Leadership is an invisible strand
As mysterious as it is powerful. It pulls and it bonds.
It is a catalyst that creates unity out of disorder.
Yet it defies definition. No combination
of talents can guarantee it. No process or training
can create it where the spark does not exist.

The qualities of leadership are universal:
They are found in the poor and the rich, the humble
and the proud, the common man, and the brilliant
thinker; they are qualities that suggest paradox
rather than pattern. But wherever they are found
leadership makes things happen.

The most precious and intangible quality
of leadership is trust — the confidence that the one
who leads will act in the best interest of those
who follow — the assurance that s/he will serve the group
without sacrificing the rights of the individual.

Leadership’s imperative is a “sense of rightness” —
knowing when to advance and when to pause, when
to criticize and when to praise, how to encourage others
to excel. From the leader’s reserves of energy
and optimism, his followers draw strength. In her
determination and self-confidence, they find inspiration.

In its highest sense, leadership is integrity.
This command by conscience asserts itself more
by commitment and example that by directive. Integrity
recognizes external obligations, but heeds
the quiet voice within, rather than the clamor without.

Anonymous-

Student Association Presidential Election

Posted on
by

Ladies and Gentleman it is time to vote for a new Student Association President. Unfortunately current S.A. President Steven Dimarzo’s reign has come to an end. We must mover forward with the student government here at SUNY Oswego and elect one of the new candidates. The two candidates are John Hughes and Michael Colucci. Both of these young men would be great for the position and can provide positive leadership to the campus. I did receive an email from one of these young men and the message and platforms he has is quite innovative. The email is listed below.

Hey Everybody!

“It appears now more than ever, we need to bring a change to SUNY Oswego. Residential and commuter parking is a nightmare, our book prices keep soaring and it appears that every administrative office on campus has created a load of bureaucracy for our students. If you’re involved with a student organization, it may seem even worse, as Student Association has been constantly changing its policies without informing organizations, and then penalizing them when they unknowingly don’t follow them. Most organizations, and are forced to deal with the monopoly of the pricey Auxiliary Services.

My name is John Hughes, and I am running for SA president to change this! As someone who has been involved with Student Association for three years, I feel SA has lost its focus. Instead of being a forum where students can voice their concerns to their student government, it has become too focused on creating policy, distributing funds and penalizing organizations. This is simply not the role that a student government should play on a college campus. During my time in SA, I helped allocate over $26,000 to various organizations, advocated the General Education Committee to add over 50 classes to their approved gen ed list, and last spring I chaired the Senate’s Reform Committee which talked to over 1,000 students to hear their concerns and passed resolution demanding the campus administration to address those concerns. During this past year, my committee’s resolution was able to extend Late Night, add Won Ton House to Plus Plan, create a fairer room and table reservation policy and bring Fall Break Day back to the 2011-2012 calendar.

If elected president, I would like SA to be dedicated to be fighting for student’s rights. I plan on taking SA outside it’s office in the Point, by having office hours in the Campus Center Spine and having my e-board and myself attend as many hall council, RHAB and organizational meetings as possible, which would allow us talk to as many students as possible. I hope that in this effort, we can hear students’ problems and actively address their concerns with the administration. However, in order to bring change, I need your help, your vote, so I can be elected Student Association President. Voting is this Thursday and Friday, via e-mail. If you would like to learn more about my platform, feel free to visit http://www.johnhughes.tumblr.com, for more information”.

Respectfully,
John Hughes

I am not endorsing either candidate but I did want to share the information I had with the campus. Elections will be held March 3rd and Fourth electronically. It is imperative that each student participate and provide some input on who will be controlling the Student Association and how our Student Activity Fee will be spent. I will be casting my vote early thursday morning and I hope you will do the same!

Leadership Mentor Program

Posted on
by

Last week I was accepted into the first ever Leadership Mentor Program here at Oswego. I got an email about the program and applied immediately. I never turn down an opportunity to build myself as a person and a leader so I jumped on this Opportunity immediately. Our first step was to take the Clifton Strengths Finder at www.strengthsquest.com. My top 5 signature themes were 1.Competition 2.Relator 3.Strategic 4.Achiever 5.Focus.

These are the definitions for my signature theme that the Clifton Strengths Finder provided.

Competition: Talents are valuable because through them you will influence and even push people in your group to achieve more than other groups. You bring energy to a group and can energize others to move to higher levels of excellence.

Relator: Talents are valuable to organizations, groups, and individuals because they foster interpersonal relationships that lead to productivity.

Strategic: Talents are available because they enable you to quickly reach goals be seeing the pros and cons of various alternatives. You carefully consider the whole picture and then generate the most effect set of actions or routes to take.

Achiever: Talents are valuable because they help you to remain motivated to reach your goals. You will not rest until you reach your most highly desired goals, but they must be your goals.

Focus: Is valuable because it enables you to form very close, supportive relationships in which you help and encourage others.

We had to complete the assessment before the program on Friday. I walked in on Friday and it was a very interesting couple of hours in the Auditorium. We listened to some inspirational stories and speeches before we did some ice breaker activities. The first thing we did was walk around the room and speak to 5 different people who had the same qualities as you and then 5 people who had different qualities from you. It was very interesting to see how and why people with the same signature theme (competition, focus, etc) can have a completely different idea and viewpoint on how their theme relates to them. It’s amazing how two people can see the same word and have completely different stories to tell. These different viewpoints are a perfect example of how diversity is becoming more and more important in business and everyday activities.

We did some more activities before we met our mentors and got to know our mentee groups. I am in a group full of accounting majors and I believe I am the only human resource management major in the program. How unique!

It’s the start to a beautiful beginning and I cannot wait until we meet again. I believe it was about 39 students who were there. I expected more people to be there but I guess the program will grow with time. I encourage you all to join.

‎2nd Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical Contest

Posted on
by

The Sigma Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. would like to welcome the entire SUNY Oswego campus, faculty and students to the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration which is done in conjunction with the Provost Office. Every year we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr through several days of workshops, lectures, films early in the spring semester. We have recently added the Oratorical contest to the celebration. The contest is a battle of diction and verbalization, amongst competitors of the SUNY Oswego student body. The contest is taking place Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 6 PM, in the Campus Center Food Court.

This year’s Question we are posing to all participants is: Martin Luther King Jr. once said that “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” In an age where our communities seemed to have an individualistic attitude, what do you believe to be the factors causing such and what solution you offer to combat such issues?

Test of A Man and Inspirational Video

Posted on
by

This blog is not my usual type of blog but I just wanted to share with everyone a truly inspirational poem and something that I reflect on from time to time when things get rough.

The test of a man is the fight that he makes;

The grit that he daily shows,

The way that he stands upon his feet,

and takes life’s numerous bumps and blows.

A coward can smile when there’s naught to fear,

And noting his progress bars.

But it takes a man to stand and cheer

while the other fellow stars.

It isn’t the victory after all,

But the fight that a Brother makes.

A man, when driven against the wall still stands erect

and takes the blows of fate with his

head held high, bleeding, bruised and pale,

Is the man who will win and fate defied,

For he isn’t afraid to fail.

My Last Semester

Posted on
by

As I am about to begin my last semester in Oswego I am sitting down and reflecting on the long journey that I have embarked on. It has definitely been an interesting one, I have made countless friends, seen beautiful and wonderful things, exposed myself to new cultures, learned about myself, learned how to multi-task, stepped out of my comfort zone, explored new boundaries and became a responsible adult.

I can remember my very first time stepping foot onto the SUNY Oswego Campus. I came all the way from the Bronx with my bags heading to Oswego to move in. I never had the opportunity to visit the campus before I got here but somehow I knew deep down Oswego was the place for me. So I got on the greyhound and arrived in Syracuse New York. I walked inside the regional transportation center and asked when the next Centro bus would be going to the SUNY Oswego Campus. I soon found out that the last bus left close to six o’clock. I looked down at my watch and realized the time was past 7.

I was in complete shock and could not believe that the bus system shut down so early. I grew up in the Bronx, NY and was completely oblivious to the fact that things did not work the same way upstate. Stores, Buses, and pretty much everything that I was accustomed to being open all night closed down earlier than what I was prepared for. As I stared at my watch in amazement a million thoughts raced through my mind such as What Will I Do? Where Will I sleep? What Will I Eat? Will This Station Shut Down and Force Me to Sleep Outside? Will I Be Safe In this Area?

I then thought to myself I have one thing working to my advantage, At least it’s not raining outside. I went to take a seat before I heard a loud crack of thunder and the rain begin to pour. The only thing I could do was look at the sky and ask “Are you kidding me”? I could not believe the situation I was in. Luckily there was another student from SUNY Oswego in the bus station whom I overheard saying that the last bus to Oswego had already left. I approached him and asked if he attended the school, he was indeed a student and had friends coming to pick him up. He told me I can catch a ride with them and then the first thing that came to mind was that God Works In Mysterious Ways. Once his friends arrived we were off on the road to Oswego which seemed like an eternity to me just for the fact that I had never been to the campus and I didn’t know how far away it was.

After finally arriving on Campus I was in love with the environment. I lived In Cayuga Hall and absolutely loved the dorm life there. There were ping pong tables, pool tables, board games, movies, a Big screen Television, and various other things in the lounge. I could not believe my eyes. I said wow! People actually have fun while in College? I went to the dining Hall and could not believe all the food and drinks that were available. It just was a beautiful site.

During my college years I had Tons of Fun, learned so much information in and outside of the classroom, learned how to prepare myself for the real world, and just grew dramatically as a person.

I am now ready to take my last couple of classes and step foot into what people call the “Real World”. That is another journey that I can’t wait to begin.

A Night At The Ellington

Posted on
by

Hello Everyone,

The Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated Sigma Omicron Chapter and the Student Association Programming Board present “A Night at the Ellington”. This year is the first ever Masquerade Edition! For those of you who do not know what the Ellington it is a sophisticated dinner infused, with neo-soul poetry, elegant dance performances, and rhythm and blues engulfing your ears.

Every year colors are chosen that attendees are recommended to wear to create a calm and sophisticated atmosphere. This year Maroon, Cream, and Black are the colors to set the mood.

This year we will honor human rights activist, revolutionist and pioneer of Afro-beat Fela Kuti.

The Ellington will be held on Friday, December 3rd 2010 in the Hewitt Union Ballroom. Doors will open at 6:30 pm and performances will start promptly at 7:00 pm. Dinner and drinks will be served at this event.

If You Do Not Have a Ticket There Will be Special Entry at 8:30. You can enter for free at that time. Although you will not receive a masquerade mask without a ticket.

The required attire for the night is elegant casual/casual chic. To set the tone for the evening, we ask, that you dress accordingly with the theme.

Come enjoy the performances we have lined up for you all!

http://www.youtube.com/user/SigmaOmicron1906?feature=mhum

Life and Sports

Posted on
by

Hey Everyone,

Long time No Blog! I have been pretty busy as of late with school work and other extra-curricular activities, mock interviews, job interviews, searching for grad schools, studying for tests, group projects, practicing a routine for a couple of different shows, meetings, conventions, community service, work, and countless other things.

The Life of a student can be difficult at times. Time management skills are essential at this point in the semester when midterms are taking place, and papers are due.

On another note there are some crazy things going on in sports. First of all everyone’s biggest fear came true. The Yankees Lost and Derek Jeter is now a free agent. Contract Negotiations could get ugly, Derek is 36 years old and has diminishing talent. We’ll see how this turns out. Cliff Lee could possible join the Yankees. I hope so we could use a guy like him.

In Golf Tiger Woods is no longer ranked number 1 in the world. That just seems ridiculous. I never thought I would see the day. I wonder when and if he will return to his old self. The new number 1 ranked golfer is Lee Westwood.

In Basketball Lebron James and Dwayne Wade have some pretty cool commercials. I like Dwayne Wade’s Commercials better though. Did you guys see Anthony Tolliver Making fun of Lebron James on Sports center? That was comedy. Lakers versus Heat? I am not sure how this will work out at the end but for now the Lakers are still the team to beat. Hopefully within the next year or so The Knicks could have Carmello Anthony, Chris Paul, and Amare Stoudemire on the same team. That would be a dream come true and revitalize NY basketball even though the current team is not bad.

In Football The Cowboys and Vikings are pretty unsettled right now. The cowboys start out their season 1 and 6 which is ridiculous for a team which sports analysts believed would have won a championship sometime between now and the last 3 years. Vikings have released Randy Moss after only having him for a couple of games. That’s the second time this season a team has decided to remove him from their roster. Moss is now with the titans and could make things interesting for defensive schemes who focus on Chris Johnson.

As you can see In the little time that I do watch television, I watch Sports Center. Till next time everyone!