Wanderlust

By Christina Lanier

This semester, I went to the Rockies. Or, more correctly, I passed over them at 30,000 feet. I was on a flight back from San Francisco and was graced with a clear sky all the way back to Dallas. Even though the flight took off well before my alarm normally goes off, I found myself glued to the window for nearly the entire four hours. I witnessed the beauty of the San Francisco Bay, the foothills to the Rockies, the Rockies themselves, and some very interesting canyon-like formations. All the time, I was in awe.

The world is a big place. I didn’t realize that fully until I went to college. My trip to freshman orientation was the first time I had ever stepped foot on a plane- when we went on family trips, it was in a car with a map and a view of the open interstate. Since that first ascent (a year and a half ago), I have been on more than twenty five flights touching down in more than ten states. Almost all of those flights were on university-sponsored trips.

Travelling that much has instilled in me a sense of wanderlust- every time I go somewhere, I fall more in love with the world. And I want to see more of it. I recently applied for a passport, a document I haven’t ever needed to use. I’m hoping to change that. My goal is to see as much of the world as I can while I still can.

While I still can. Life catches up with you pretty quickly. If it hasn’t already for some of you, it will when you hang your diploma on the wall of your real office (or desk) at your real job. I know that after I graduate from law school, I won’t have but two weeks a year to see the world and that’s only if I have the desire to get out of bed on my ten days of vacation time. I want to travel the world before life catches up- before the job, the house, the kids (not too sure on that last one).

We should all have some sense of wanderlust in college. Whether it’s to just get out of the house and explore the town, or to fly all the way across the world to study. Or maybe you’re like me and you’ll join a competitive team that takes you to the corners of the country all because the university thinks you deserve to learn. Whatever your reason is, take the opportunity to satisfy that wanderlust- go on a long weekend, over a break, with a school trip. Take the time to see the world before life catches up. Maybe you’ll see me staring out the window on the plane ride.

Try It. You Just Might Like It.

By William J. Furney 

Last semester I had the opportunity to attend a lecture by Dr. Douglas Dow on the free exercise clause of the Constitution. I should rephrase. Last semester - due to a requirement for my EPPS freshman course  - I decided to attend a lecture by Dr. Douglas Dow on the free exercise clause of the Constitution.

I have to admit, at first I considered attending this event more of a chore than an exciting opportunity. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Constitution and would be happy to attend a lecture on some of the sexier clauses of the Constitution. I went into the “Constitution Day” presentation prepared to be bored for about an hour so I could take some pictures to “prove” I attended an EPPS event, but hey at least I’d get free pizza.

To my surprise, Dr. Dow’s presentation was incredible. Among Dr. Dow’s topics was not only the free exercise clause but popular culture, televangelists, and the most interesting of all - the constitutionality of Constitution Day.

 If you don’t know, back in 2004 Senator Robert Byrd passed a bill that had a clause mandating all publicly funded educational institutions (pretty much every university in the nation) hold a Constitution Day celebration. So, in other words, every university is required to have an educational event about the Constitution on September 17, the day the document was signed.

Dr. Dow posed a question that intrigued me. Is this type of mandated celebration even constitutional? I started to think about this during the rest of the presentation and am still considering it.

While I enjoyed Dr. Dow’s lecture I came to realize something a little bit later after he was done speaking and I had my free pizza --- something that I hadn’t expected to discover. Preconceived notions about something may be completely off base, we know this to be true intuitively, of course, but I would have never expected to be so wrong.

I had preconceived notions on what to expect from the lecture and I am happy to report that they were false. So next time you attend a university event you think you will hate, keep an open mind, you might be surprised.

An EPPS Freshman Reflects on Adjusting to College Life

By Maddie Keith

Everyone knows that there are two types of college kids. First, there are the long distance runners. These are the ones whose feet cross the threshold of home only when a turkey is roasting in the oven, a lit-up tree can be seen through the window, or the blooming of Texas Bluebonnets indicates to one and all that a week-long spring reprieve is just around the corner. Then there are the Natives. Those whose parents barely register that they’re in college because every weekend is spent at home trying to steal one or two home-made meals before they return to the glories of Ramen Noodle Soup. I, and many others however, do not belong in either of these categories but rather lie somewhere in between.

In many ways, most of us consider ourselves to be natives- no doubt about it. Though we may not be able to name every restaurant, coffee house, and hang-out in Richardson (yet), we’re still Dallas-ites. We can get you around the metroplex with minimal use of Google Maps. We’ve gone on more field trips to the Dallas Museum of Natural History than we’d care to remember. We’ve spent our childhood covered with remnants of fried food from the Texas State Fair. And most of us have a pretty good handle on the new hotspots like The Perot Museum and Klyde Warren Park. But, unlike some of the previously mentioned Dallas Natives, home isn’t quite so accessible. Dallas is a big city and our infamous highways are just crazy enough that, for some of us, going home means an hour drive or longer and seeing our family becomes less of a ‘every weekend’ situation and closer to ‘whenever we’re free enough to make the drive’. This is even harder for people (like yours truly) who lack cars. Now, keep in mind, this dilemma isn’t one of such gravity that it’s necessarily worth complaining about. But I think I speak for many of us when I say it feels a bit unusual to be living in the city that you grew up in, one that seems so familiar, but at the same time be contained in a place with which you have very little experience. In a way, we too our long distance runners who are finding a new home: In Richardson, in our dorms, and at UT Dallas.

In addition to this somewhat unique change, I myself am going through a rather interesting adjustment. I am a triplet and for the first time I’m not attending the same school as my siblings. Heck, I’m not even in the same city as them. My sister, Melody, chose to become a proud attendant of The University of Texas’s main campus in Austin, and (because we always have to have a little competition amongst the three of us) my brother, Matt, is now a student at A&M in College Station. Now, in my life-time, I’ve probably got the “Wow! You’re a Triplet?! What’s that like??” question more times than I’d like to think about. But recently the question that is rapidly shooting up the ranks is “What’s it like to not to be with your siblings?” In truth, I’m still working on an answer. My siblings and I have (obviously) always lived in the same house. We’ve always gone to the same school, shared the same teachers, and even had the sat in the same class together on occasion. But we are not the same people. We’re fraternal, we don’t like the same type of music, we all have different interests academically-speaking, and we all three have different personalities. And it’s not like we spend every waking moment with each other. In short, we are not the kind of triplets who conform to cliché. We aren’t clones who complete each other’s sentences and can’t stand to be apart. But that doesn’t mean that being separated from my brother and sister hasn’t brought changes into my life. In terms of school, I no longer have two people who I can automatically go to if I need help with homework or if I want a study-buddy. We can no longer rant about the more annoying qualities of a teacher we share or catch up on recent gossip. But things have changed on a more personal level as well. Throughout my life I have always been 1 of 3. That there were 2 other people who shared my birthday was common knowledge to everyone who knew us and, because we shared many of the same teachers, my actions, my grades, my personality, everything was almost constantly considered alongside those of my siblings, for better or for worse. Now, for the first time in my life, I’m not 1 of 3. There’s no Maddie, Melody, and Matt. There’s only Maddie. I’m simply me.

There are so many things in college that require adaptation. Whether you’re moving here from another country, another state, a house five minutes down the road, or somewhere in-between, you’re still entering a whole new world. The campus is unfamiliar territory, our teachers haven’t known us since we were obnoxious pre-teens, and our social lives are getting a definite reboot. But college is a place for adventures. Here, you make friends who you’ll have for the rest of your life, take classes that’ll determine your career. College is a clean slate, a new beginning. I think that being separate from my siblings, being my own self without them by my side will provide exactly that. A new home. A fresh start. An adventure.

A College Student's Guide for First-Time Voters

By Christina Lanier

College. For many of us, it’s the first time we’ll get to vote on a national (or even state) level. When you turn 18, you are given the opportunity to vote in all of the elections that apply to you- that means city, county, state, and national candidates want your attention. What does this mean for you?

It means you have a lot of information to process. Voting is easy- you stand in line and cast your ballot; or you fill out the ballot and put it in your mailbox to be sent off for counting. Voting is easy- knowing who to vote for is hard.

The first thing to consider is what is important to you. To start, avoid picking a party. We’re often implicitly told that the best way to go is to pick a side- Democratic, Republican, Independent, Tea Party, etc. Sometimes, though, you may find that what you have heard about a party or their members is not the full picture (it could be worse, or better!). Look at each party’s (and official’s) track record. Taking a deeper look at their ideals, history, donors, and future goals can help you decide which way to lean.

Keep in mind what issues matter most to you. Think about your family and your life and how political dogmas or laws have changed your life- for better or for worse. While you are looking through parties and members, keep an eye out for your big-ticket issues. It is okay if you can’t find anyone whose ideals align perfectly with yours- since we all have different life experiences, we are all going to have different political views.

Have you found a politician or party with whom you align? Look at who they support. Are they up for reelection? Or is there a candidate they endorse?  How do you align with the candidate they endorse?

Once you find sitting politicians whose ideals you support, it is a good idea to begin looking at big races- the national race for the presidency, for instance. In the United States, candidates will spend years on the campaign trail before the ballot box even opens. This long campaign period affords you, the voter, the opportunity to not only think long and hard about which candidate deserves your vote, but also how candidates evolve along their journey. Keep in mind how their rhetoric changes- divisive issues can make or break politician, and so can changing opinions on those issues.

One easy mistake is to let the race slip on by. Don’t let that happen! Stay informed- watch your candidates. Keep up with them on social media, television, newspapers. And keep up with your voting days, too. The last thing you want to happen is to miss the voting day after doing such extensive research! Many cities and states will post the calendar dates for each race on their website. When you find the dates, make calendar reminders.

Voting is easy.  Knowing who to vote for is hard.

My Archer Experience

By Blake Eaton

Back in 2012, when I still hadn’t decided which college I would call my own, I visited UT Dallas and learned about something called the Bill Archer Fellowship. When I heard that the UT system sent its best and brightest students all the way to Washington, DC, to learn about our government through first-hand experience, I knew that UT Dallas was the place for me, and I knew I wanted to be an Archer Fellow.

This past spring, I fulfilled that dream. As a Archer Fellow for the Spring 2015 semester, I met amazing students and future leaders from throughout the UT system. I learned from professors and guest speakers like UT Austin’s Dr. John Daly and US Senator John Cornyn. (I also met some amazing people not named John.) Through it all, I worked as an intern in the federal court system. I have enjoyed every minute of my time at UT Dallas, but I think I can say pretty definitively that my semester as an Archer Fellow was the best four months of my college career.

As an aspiring lawyer, the Archer Fellowship naturally appealed to me. Studying and working in DC opens doors that don’t even exist in Texas. Along with 39 other students, I lived just two blocks away from the Capitol Building, right in the center of the US government. In DC, politics was more than just an interest or field of study; it was a way of life. I suddenly found myself immersed in a world where everyone knew who the Speaker of the House was, what cases the Supreme Court was hearing, and more. Needless to say, DC residents take a bit more of an interest in politics than the average Comet.

I did not just spend my days wandering the city, though. The Archer Fellowship is not just a chance to leave Texas for a few months. Every student accepted as an Archer Fellow has to find a full-time internship in the DC area. That’s forty hours per week even ignoring the three classes each week! It might sound like a lot for the average college student—and believe me, it is!—but all that hard work is more than worth it. Interning full-time as an Archer Fellow gave me the chance to experience the working world. I learned new skills, built a professional network that will help me kick start my career, and added a pretty darn impressive new bullet point to my resume.

My Archer experience taught me lessons that will stick with me for a lifetime, but more than the details of judicial confirmation politics or the history of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, I think I will remember the friendships I made in DC. Living with 39 students from across the UT system (including more than a few fellow Comets!) turned us into more than just fellow students. Over just a few short months, we became a family. I’m sure we will all move on to amazing careers, but that common bond of the Archer Fellowship will remain.

If you’re interested in the Archer Fellowship, check out http://www.archercenter.org/ and keep an eye out for the next information session on campus. You don’t even have to be a political science major like me to become an Archer Fellow. We had everything from journalism majors to biology students looking forward to medical school. There’s something for everyone in DC. There’s plenty to love.

Discovering the Value of a Political Science Major

By Najib H. Gazi

Engineering. Computer Science. Pre-Med. Physics. Biochemistry. When coming to UT Dallas, that’s all I thought UT Dallas really had to offer. I may have chosen political science, but I did so with little to no hope that UT Dallas would truly offer me the resources I needed to make a splash big enough to get noticed in a job field filled with sharks. My belief was that only the skills I had could give me an advantage. However, my first couple of months have really shown me how misguided my perceptions were.

Orientation was the first time I had ever been on the UT Dallas campus, despite living in Richardson and Murphy for nearly all my life. I must say, (although I had never set foot on even one college campus to this point), the vast size of the campus, buildings, and classrooms were awe-inspiring. Already, UT Dallas had this aura to it. Yet, I still believed that engineers and techies were the only one who could truly take away the best it had to offer. The buildings associated with the social sciences didn’t have the same allure or grandeur as the other career fields. Even when the groups were split up to proceed to the more specified parts of orientation, EPPS had barely any kids. The more conventional sciences had already snatched the majority, and I already felt a sinking feeling about my choice of political science.

The first time that my perception about UT Dallas and social sciences in particular were challenged occurred as I scheduled my classes for the fall semester. All my friends in the conventional sciences ranted about how their advisors gave them little to no individual time, as they were simply overwhelmed by the vast amount of students they had. They had to put in their schedules on paper. Meanwhile, my scheduling session took place in a computer lab in Green Hall. There were 5 students during my time to schedule classes, and 3 advisors to help us. Rather than having to fend for myself, my advisor guided me through the entire process. She helped me pick the best classes, the best teachers, and the best timings. I easily had a great advantage over students based in other schools. At this point, I started to realize that my greatest asset would lie in the staff and faculty of EPPS.

Through the first couple of weeks of school, I started to learn more about my professors. My first class was with Dr. Euel Elliot, an Associate Dean with a large network of connections. The other professors I really found great value in knowing were Dr. Connell, and Dr. Sabharwal. Dr. Connell has done various studies in high level crime areas and has a wide network with law enforcement officials and criminologists. Dr. Sabharwal is an expert in Management, and has a multitude of connections in both the public and private sectors. Just in 3 classes my first semester in college, I already knew possible connections in so many different fields. From these experiences, I reiterate, the people of EPPS are the true asset that outmatch any other.

To conclude, while it may be that the conventional sciences tend to have the high enrollments, the school of EPPS gives its students an added value that cannot be measured. I would advise any student or potential student to get to know your professors, and be more than just a kid with a good GPA, but a student that builds a network to back that GPA. The faculty, staff, and student organizations have such a vast network that if one tries, there will always be an opportunity to achieve one’s goals.

EPPS Grads Headed to Yale and Harvard law schools

Each year, EPPS graduates go on to prestigious law schools at universities across the nation. The 2015 graduating class includes two students who are going to Yale University and Harvard University law schools, ranked number one and two respectively by U.S. News and World Report:  We recently sat down with Theo Torres and Kyle Reynolds, both political science majors who graduated in May 2015, to find out the keys to their success. Read more

Theo Torres, UT Dallas Political Science Major
Yale University Law School

Theo Torres

What do you think was the key to your admission to such a prestigious law school?

 Beyond GPA and LSAT score, I think my musical background helped me in law school admissions. Throughout my time at UT Dallas, I've played in the school-affiliated orchestra, jazz band, and the classical guitar ensemble, in addition to a couple of independent groups. I like to think that those kinds of activities did something to convince admissions committees that I'm more than just a study machine. Additionally, I tried to balance this by crafting a compelling and credible narrative about my motivations to become a lawyer.

How did your pre-law experience here at UT Dallas help you?

I took part in lots of law-related extracurricular activities as an undergrad, each of which was helpful in its own right. The Innocence Project of Texas  class exposed me to real-world legal work, Moot Court sharpened my oral argument skills, and being secretary for the John Marshall Pre-Law Society acquainted me with some administrative and organizational know-how. The Pre-Law Advising and Resource Center was instrumental in helping me out with the actual application stage, both in terms of broad strategy and detail-oriented review, like proofreading drafts of my personal statement. I don't think I would have been remotely as successful without the help of Dr. Anthony Champagne and Anne Dutia. And, although he isn't formally part of the pre-law program, Dr. Douglas Dow helped out a ton as well. 

What do you plan to do after you graduate from Yale?

After law school, I would like to end up practicing criminal law in a public defender's office. My time with the Innocence Project of Texas here at UT Dallas really made it clear that it's what I want to do. That being said, I look forward to experimenting with other subfields in the clinical program at Yale.

Kyle Reynolds, UT Dallas Political Science Major

Harvard University Law School 

Kyle Reynolds

What do you think was the key to your admission to such a prestigious law school?

Every law school values different qualities. For Harvard, the most important admissions factors are exactly what you would expect: having a strong GPA and a very high Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score. That alone isn't enough, however. Harvard also places a lot of value on work experience - 75% of its entering class last year had been out of college for a year or more before starting law school. I believe it was a combination of these three factors that made me a successful candidate. My numbers were good, and the Archer Fellowship Program provided me with excellent full-time work experience in Washington, D.C.

How did your pre-law experience here at UT Dallas help you?

UT Dallas pre-law helped me in two key ways. The first and most important one was mentorship. Dr. Anthony Champagne and Anne Dutia have both been guides for me since freshman year. I can't overstate the value of their advice, in terms of both law school admissions and being a successful student at UT Dallas. The second way pre-law helped me was by providing opportunities. They host law school visits, sit-downs with successful alumni, and competitive advocacy programs like Mock Trial and Moot Court, all of which give students a picture of what being a law student or a lawyer is like. I recommend students take advantage of these opportunities before making the decision to apply to law school.

And of course, it goes without saying that UT Dallas' challenging coursework will be good preparation for the rigors of a law school class. The skills I learned here will help me hit the ground running at Harvard.

What do you plan to do after you leave Harvard?

For me, it is still a little early to decide on that. I can tell you that I plan to come back and work in the Dallas area if possible - I have come to love the city over the past four years. Right now the two main options I'm exploring are working for a large law firm as a litigator, or working for a U.S. Attorney's office as a federal prosecutor. I hope that my time at Harvard will shed light on which of those choices (if either) is the better fit for me.

All I Had to Do Was Say Yes

By Christina Lanier

I’m sitting in an office in Uptown. The view out the window isn’t terrible, but it’s not the one you see in all of the movies- I can’t see I-station or Chase, I can’t see Reunion Tower or the beautiful bridges. Nonetheless, I’m sitting here on this cloudy day, and I find myself staring at this view. I’m 25 minutes from the dorms where I’ve called home, or at least Google Maps says it’s 25 minutes (the actual trip is closer to 40 minutes with Dallas traffic). I’m 40 minutes from school, but I’m 12 hours from home.

A little over a year ago, I would have never seen myself here. I saw myself going to another school in another city, in another state. I saw myself spending every day in a classroom, praying that one day I’d have a view like this. I had put a deposit down at a school in my hometown of Atlanta and I was pretty happy with that choice. I didn’t apply to any Ivy Leagues because I couldn’t afford to go there. I didn’t even apply to any out-of-state schools for the same reason. I knew if I went to this school, I’d probably spend the rest of my life floating around the streets of Atlanta and to that I was ambivalent.

Up until a year ago, I had lived in one house my whole life. I had the same neighbors, the same friends, the same mailman, and the same boring suburban town that felt too cookie cutter to be real. I lived in a town that prided itself on small town values and ridiculous home prices- called itself the county’s “best kept secret” and even had kitsch

y signs everywhere to remind all the residents. When my father moved to Atlanta proper, I jumped on the chance to pack my life and take the thirty-minute journey with him.

I was happy, but I longed to get away. I longed to be more than just an Atlantan- just someone who lived in the same 20-mile radius until the day she died. So when I got a card in the mail from a university far away telling me to check out their scholarships, that’s what I did.

Like many high school students, I received plenty of mailings from colleges and universities around the country. I had given my address to the College Board for the PSAT and gave them permission to give that information to schools on my behalf. So, over the years, the piles of college cardstocks grew. I usually threw them away or recycled them when I could- after all, why keep a flyer for a school you can’t afford?

I knew I had settled. That was just a fact of life. I put a deposit down on a school that didn’t even think I was good enough for their competitive scholarship. When I found out I wasn’t going to be chosen, I felt trapped. I felt like I had chosen a school that did not even choose me. I started reading the college cardstocks, dreaming that one would have a line or two about fantastic scholarships for random students from states far away. I dreamed of late acceptances, but didn’t expect much.

UT Dallas was one of the schools that sent me cards. I didn’t think much of it the first couple times because I was still under the impression that I was a shoo-in for the scholarship at my first choice school. But when that reality quickly disappeared, UT Dallas appeared on the radar. I called the number on the card on the insistence from a Tex-pat teacher, who thought getting out of Georgia would be the best decision I would make.  Long story short, I applied that night and received my notification of a full scholarship within a couple days. All I had to do was say yes.

It was all such short notice for me. Here I was, about to graduate high school, and still making plans for my higher education. Everyone was already packing their things, heading to school. I had never been to Texas, and had no idea what to pack or how it would get there. I was a chronic planner lost in a sea of little certainty other than the fact I had a spot at a school 800 miles away.

Fast forward one year and here I am in this office in Uptown Dallas. I work for a national law firm at a local branch, where I file real paperwork for real cases. I’m not sitting in a classroom bored out of my mind. I spent 10 months taking classes I loved (for the most part) and doing extracurriculars I poured my heart into. I just finished an internship with a United States representative, and started another internship (with pay!) at this law firm with a decent view. I just received two scholarships from the Pre-Law Department, and wrote two reviews for The Innocence Project of Texas. I just finished my first year of college with a decent GPA and with fantastic connections.

A year ago, none of this would have been possible. Had I been more stubborn, had I not read my mail, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t have met all of the fantastic professors and students I now call my mentors and peers. I wouldn’t have been in Mock Trial or Mediation. I wouldn’t have realized that I want to go to law school. But all of those things are my reality. All of those things happened because I read my mail, made a phone call, and because a school half way across the country had enough faith in me to have me here. And for that, I am forever grateful.

Here’s to the next three years.

Class Leads to "Aha Moments" Regarding Major, Career

By Vernicia Griffie

When I first made the decision to become a political science major, I did so because I wanted to see a change in the way the political happenings of the country were being relayed to the public. This has led to an increased sense of curiosity regarding the world around me and the workings of the American political system. This is why Dr. Champagne’s Civil Liberties Class was the perfect choice for me.

From the start of the semester, I’ve had an affinity for the Civil Liberties course. Reading through numerous Supreme Court cases and discovering the rationale behind the laws that I’m expected to abide by on a daily basis proved to be more of a fun thing to do than a daunting task. Although I found this enjoyable, I in no way expected it to be anything more than a class that I didn’t mind attending every other day. Instead, it became a medium that opened my mind up to understanding present day events and further reinforced my belief that political science is the right major for me.

The first “aha moment” the class presented me came with a discussion over what is considered constitutionally protected free speech. In order to help spur critical thinking, Dr. Champagne utilized an event from last year’s demonstrations in Ferguson, Missouri. This perfectly put the lesson into context. It amazed me that there was finally a conversation about that significant social event that dealt solely in fact – not emotion – as previous ones that I’d been exposed to had not. 

Fast forward to a month or so later, when news outlets were swarming over the story of an Oklahoma university’s expulsion of a student for his utilization of a derogatory slur while with his fellow fraternity members. I arrived to class without having much of an opinion on the matter, until we begin to discuss whether or not punishing the student for utilizing this type of speech was constitutionally sanctioned. It was then that my mind started to race, and I again began to notice how excited I become in the midst of factual, intellectual, and socially significant conversation.

I left class that day feeling a sense of increased passion for the major and career path I have chosen. 

These so-called “aha moments” have not only helped to reinforce my choice, but they also have shown me that I need to take advantage of the wonderful opportunity I have to be attending a university. With the knowledge I acquire while taking courses like this one on civil liberties, I will be able to one day become the type of journalist that is so desperately needed with these changing times – one that sticks to the facts and feeds the public the information that they need to know, as opposed to that fueled by emotion or personal feelings on the matter. I’m so anxious to take everything I can from the class this semester and use the aforementioned aha moments as a means to propel me to continue on this journey toward my future career.

An EPPS Senior Reflects on her UT Dallas Journey

By Vinni Anandham, EPPS Blogger

I can’t believe it! It’s been three years and it’s my last semester at UT Dallas as an undergrad. I knew I wanted to major in Political Science since I was a freshmen in high school, and in less than three months my dream of graduating with a degree in Political Science will be coming true! But now that I’m so close to walking across the stage to receive my diploma, I can say that while my degree had always been the goal and I will be proud of it, I know that it will not be the highlight of my years at UT Dallas.

I have gotten SO much more from UT Dallas than just a degree. I have gotten to work with Dr. Daniel’s staff that set the perfect example of an ideal workplace in my eyes. I have gotten to serve the student organizations of UT Dallas and watch student leaders emerge, creating 180 student orgs to 275 in just two years! I have been able to assist in planning some university events with the amazing people that dedicate every day to UT Dallas students. I have been encouraged by my peers to thrive in volunteer work that lead to being accepted into the Clinton Global Initiative University Conferences and actually shaking hands with former President Clinton! I have met professors and staff members who believed in my abilities more than I did to one day discover that they were right, when achieving success in Moot Court Tournaments. 

I have been given more than words could express in just one blog but meeting all of the people that made these three years so worthwhile, serve as the true “highlight” of my undergraduate experience.

If someone were to ask me to change something then most likely I’d say no because I believe that even the mistakes I made were crucial in order to gain all that I did. That being said, if a freshman were to ask me about something I did that they sh

ould make sure not to do then my BIGGEST advice to them would be “DON’T REFRAIN FROM GETTING INVOLVED!”

This is my advice to anyone who’s a student in an institution, but especially if you are a freshmen in college, don’t hide yourself in your dorm. Go get involved in clubs and/or greek life, find out what all your university offers, figure out the various resources offered there but just don’t go to class and straight back to your dorm. 

Since I played an active student leader role in high school, I thought that getting sucked into it again would decrease my GPA, but I was wrong. Freshmen year was my worst year in college, academically and socially because while I was lucky to have met a professor that encouraged me to become an EPPS blogger, and a few friends that got me involved in a club to volunteer, I did nothing but go to class and work. The only thing I showed real initiative towards was finding an on campus job and was privileged to work in one of the best offices on campus, learning from some of the most amazing women I have ever met. 

BUT, if I showed the same initiative towards other activities on campus, then I would have been able to do some other things I can no longer do because once you get into junior/senior year, you will find yourself with having free time. So show some initiative to explore your campus and find what suits you best! J       

EPPS Frosh Reflects on First Semester

By Christina Lanier, Class of 2018

Semester One: Check. 

When I started here at UT Dallas almost five months ago, I wasn't sure what to expect. I had never been to Texas let alone gone to a Texas school. I didn't know what to expect from the school, from the professors, from my peers. Looking back, I think I can say everything couldn't have turned out better. 

Over these last few months, I have met so many students and professors who have fundamentally changed the way I live my life- everyone here has something to offer. Everyday I am reminded that I'm surrounded by some of the brightest students in the nation and that they chose this place for some of the same reasons I did- to learn, to succeed in college and beyond. 

Even if the classes are way more challenging than I expected and the food is sometimes sub-par, I can say with absolute certainty that this school was the right fit for me. 

And that is what college is all about- finding the place and the professors that instill in you the desire to learn beyond what the tests may cover, to learn for the sake of knowing more and to have fun doing that. 

Now that the this first semester has come to a close, and as the class of 2018 begins to reflect upon that semester, I hope we all can say that we have found the right s

chool for us.

Semester One: check. Here's to seven more. 

Twas the Night Before Finals

By Hope Steffensen, 

Peer Advisor, EPPS Blogger and Poet

Twas the night before finals, when all through the hall

Not a student was slacking, no shirking at all

The books were spread on the desks with great care

In hopes that Winter Break soon would be there

The students then nestled all snug in their beds

While visions of good grades danced in their heads

The on-call phone was silent, the PA did clap

And then settled down for a long winter’s nap

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter

The PA sprung up to see what was the matter

Away to the window she flew like a saint

Prepared to document a noise complaint

The moon on the breast of dry barren grass

Gave the luster of whiteboard from a government class

When, what to her wondering eyes should appear

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer

With a little old driver, so lively and quick

The PA soon knew, it must be St. Nick

More rapid than electrons his coursers they came

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen!

On COMET (My favorite!!!), The rest of you and Blitzen!”

“To the top of the door! To the top of the hall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!

As college students to free food quickly swarm,

Even if they don’t know what Org. the food’s from!”

Quickly to the dorm-top the coursers they flew

With a sleigh full of gadgets, and St. Nicholas too

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And the PA laughed when she saw him, in spite of herself!

A wink of his eye and feint of his hand
Soon let her know, no noise complaints were at hand
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
Put gifts in the suite rooms, then turned with a jerk.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a motion
And away they all flew like test inspiration
But the PA heard him say, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Finals to all, and to all a good night!"

Cardboard Boat Regatta Captures Comet Spirit

By Hope Steffensen

The atmosphere was electric. The music was blasting. The bass was bumping. People were cheering their hearts out. No, this was not the homecoming basketball game, although the event was in the Activity Center on campus. This crazy event, filled with technique and perseverance, was the annual Homecoming Cardboard Boat Regatta.

For this event, various student organizations build boats out of nothing but cardboard and duct tape, and then race them across the Activity Center Pool. Some designs are elaborate, obviously contending for creativity and spirit awards, complete with colored duct tape hulls and paddles. Others were obviously built for speed—minimalist in nature, resembling a raft more than a boat.

The warmth of the pool deck, along with the excitement of the student organizations, really contributed to the heat of the moment at the Regatta. Shouts and cheers echoed across the water. Finally the winners emerged from the pool, drenched, but with huge smiles of victory decorating their faces. However, the epic moment of the night was not necessarily the winning boat; it was a team who made the crowd laugh.

The CV Honors Program decided to create a twist to the race—while paddling their boat across the pool, the team paused, and made a small hole in the bottom of their boat halfway across the pool. The two competitors then stood at salute in their cardboard boat and went “down with the ship” as a friend in the audience whipped out a trumpet and played Taps. The CV Team may not have won the race, but they won the favor of the crowd.

All in all, the spirit of the Cardboard Boat Regatta was a great representation of what it means to be a Comet. Comets are smart, technical and determined. However, we still find ways to enjoy ourselves in the midst of studying and pursuing success at this fantastic university. It’s great to be a Comet! Whoosh!

The Transition from High School to UT Dallas

By Vernicia Griffie

Throughout high school, my classmates and I were told horror stories about the stark contrast between high school and college. We were told that our professors would be hateful and unapproachable, our classes would be so large and rigid that we wouldn’t be able to ask questions, and there would be so many other people on campus that we would simply blend into the crowd. While this may be the case for other college campuses, I have been fortunate enough to have a much different experience here at UT Dallas.

            

Of course there are some obvious differences between my high school career and my experience here at UT Dallas. Arguably, the biggest difference is that I pay to go here. For most of us, the high tuition rate makes us more accountable for our studies. This means that the “class clowns” and other distractions that were common throughout high school are pretty much nonexistent here. 

Another big difference is the lack of homework assignments. In high school we were given loads of homework along with multiple quizzes and tests so that we would have multiple opportunities to raise our grades. College is the complete opposite of that. In most of my classes, I’m only given two tests that combined are worth nearly half of my grade. This means that as college students, we are expected to study independently and be thoroughly prepared for each of our assignments.

Although there are many differences between the high school and college experiences, in many ways, the two are similar. From the experiences I’ve had so far, I’ve been able to conclude that most of the professors here at UT Dallas are extremely kind and approachable. Those that I’ve had over this first semester have reminded me of my high school teachers in that they are really eager to help their students. 

Also, with the small class sizes, we have the opportunity to be active participants in lectures. We are also able to communicate with both our classmates and our professors on a level in which we probably wouldn’t be able to if we were in a huge class of hundreds of students. This being the case, we aren’t forced to just blend into the crowd.

The experiences I’ve had over these first few months as a college student have proven that the horror stories about college aren’t all so true. At UT Dallas, I have the unique experience of both being regarded as an adult and expected to be responsible, all while being instructed by nurturing faculty that help us easily make the transition from high school to college.

From Newbie Freshman to "Wise" Sophomore

By Hope Steffensen

My friend once said that a sophomore means “wise fool.” Whether he is correct or not doesn’t really concern me right now, but I find it floating in my brain as I begin my sophomore year as a Political Science student here at UT Dallas.

I suppose I am wiser now. I no longer need to ask where to go for free blue books (Student Government Room in the Student Union Building). However, I still have much to learn, like learning how to use Chicago-Style Citations for my Public Policy paper this semester.

The greatest change to my life from freshman year to this year though has been becoming a Peer Advisor in the Social Science Living Learning Community (LLC). I’m in a brand new building, with a brand new LLC. And now, instead of being the student looking for answers, I am the student giving them.

One thing I love about this position is helping people as they try to get plugged in as Comets. I am in a position to help students get involved with the Pre-Law Society, Model United Nations and various other programs that suit their interests. But the best part of my position isn’t being an information source; it’s organizing a community.

I organized a program a few weeks ago where a bunch of residents and I hung out in one of the Residence Hall West Classrooms, played games, had root beer floats and got to ask questions of the UT Dallas Student Body President, Brooke Knudtson. The blending of academic interest, fun and community interaction was a fantastic experience. I am really looking forward to putting together another program for my residents in October.

Being a Peer Advisor is definitely a new experience. It’s interesting being the one giving more answers than I ask, but there is one thing that has stayed true from my freshman year to my sophomore year: it’s great to be a UTD Comet! Whoosh!

How to Survive Your Freshman Year

By Colton Hattersley

I can’t believe that it has been a year.

This time, last year, I was walking around campus freaking out. I came to UT Dallas from a small town in South Texas, so the “college experience” was major culture shock. 

I remember thinking that UT Dallas was not for me. I looked at the feasibility of transferring back to a college closer to home. Now that I’m sitting here, writing this, I’m glad I stuck it out and gave UT Dallas a chance. It might seem scary at first, but this University works hard to make its students feel included, involved, and important.

Here are some tips on how to let UT Dallas help YOU, so that you can survive your Freshman Year:

• GET INVOLVED. You have probably heard this many times, and will probably continue to hear this many times throughout the next four years. One of the coolest things about UT Dallas is the opportunity presented through extracurricular activities and student organizations. No matter what your interests are, there is probably a club out there for you. If not, you can always create one! The more involved you are during the next four years, the better your college experience will be overall.
• ACCEPT THAT CHANGE WILL HAPPEN. One of the biggest worries that I had last year involved my thoughts about changing majors. I came to UT Dallas as a Political Science major, Pre-Law, and thought that I couldn’t change. I knew it was possible to change, but I wasn’t going to allow myself to fluctuate from, what I thought was the perfect plan. The moment that I did change my major, to Sociology, the world became a little brighter. Everything WILL be okay if you decide to change your major, change your friends, change your hair, or change what you eat for breakfast
• DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP. The great thing about UT Dallas is that, in being a smaller University, there are many people willing to help you out. Want to learn more about a subject? Most professors, in my experiences, have been more than willing to meet with me to discuss various topics. Feeling alone in your dorm? Knock on your neighbors’ doors – many times they’ll end up becoming some of your closest friends. There are multiple avenues for help, from faculty and students, covering a variety of topics and needs. Ask, and you shall receive.

Summer in Oman Leads to Knowledge and Adventure

Addison Larson, a junior International Political Economy major, was awarded a Critical Language Scholarship by the U.S. State Department for the summer of 2014. In this blog post, she recounts her experience in  Ibri, Oman, where she was immersed in Arabic language studies

This April, on my daily DART commute from downtown, I received a huge surprise in my email. I was one of twenty students to receive the Critical Language Scholarship to study Arabic in Ibri, Oman. I'm sure I got a lot of confused stares as I laughed uncontrollably in the packed stairwell of the train.

Less than two months later, I was on an airplane to Oman. My exposure to Arabic was minimal, and I had never been anywhere outside of North America or Europe. I had no idea what to expect, and I was afraid! But I shouldn't have been, because my summer in Oman was an amazing experience.

Everything about Oman seemed new and different. Goats wandered the city streets like stray dogs, and I saw a number of families transporting baby camels in their truck beds. At sunset, the sound of the call to prayer rose up from the mosques and echoed off the mountains. Cups of tea at local cafés cost only 13 cents, and dates and coffee were a daily ritual. Most rooms were cloudy with the perfumed smoke of burning frankincense. Every day afforded new traditions and surprises.

Our group of American students planned a number of adventures throughout the country. We camped under the stars in the Wahiba Sands, watching the sun set in the distance over mountains of rich red-orange sand. We hiked to the beach at Ras Al Jinz in pitch darkness to see giant turtles laying their eggs. Later, we tumbled around in the pristine turquoise waves of the Indian Ocean and played soccer on the beach with the local youth. At Wadi Shab, we waded through a series of mountain lakes, climbing higher and higher until we reached a waterfall at the top. I spent my afternoon cliff diving. To top off my Omani experience, a goat proceeded to take my lunch from me while I was drinking my mango juice.

This is not to say that my experience in Oman was all gain and no pain. Our town of Ibri was near the Rub al Khali desert, which separates Oman from Saudi Arabia. The temperature reached 120 degrees each day, and I fainted in the oppressive heat the first day I was in Ibri. Compounding the problem, the local area’s conservative culture required that women wear the hijab and abaya (a full-length, full-sleeve black gown) over their clothing. Over time, I became accustomed to the sensation of being entirely soaked in sweat.

The temporary discomfort was a small sacrifice compared to the gains I made in linguistic knowledge and cultural understanding. Before the program, I had a phone interview in which I forgot how to say “I don’t know.” At the end of the program, I conversed in Arabic with my tester about ISIS and the impact of technology on children’s education. In sum, I am so grateful that my time in Oman put my language learning on the fast track. Oman often felt like a different world, but it’s a world that I would gladly return to.

Freshman DJ Takes Radio UTD for a Spin

By Yusof Nazari

When entering college, we all look for freedom from the cliques and niche groups that we clung on to in high school. Funny enough, we usually fall back into this same pattern, joining a frat, sorority, or a club that we spend all our time on. 

For a music lover like me, I found Radio UTD,"the student-run radio station streaming live from the Student Union at the University of Texas at Dallas". Or at least that's how the disclaimer goes. 

When I was finally picked to be a DJ this semester for Track Genius, I had already dabbled with the people of Radio UTD ---music aficionados, aspiring writers, and concert rats that knew the live sets of all of my favorite artists. It was a whirlwind of fun, and not to mention I got to get creative and make themes and pick all the songs I would play on my show. 

That isn't to say it's all fun and games. The pure focus and creative input that goes into each and every show is equally exciting as it is exhausting. But for EPPS students, who love to speak publicly and broaden their experiences while learning about the world, there's not many better places on campus to do it than Radio UTD. 

Whether you participate or just listen, you'll always take something away from it. It's one of the most close-knit and knowledgeable communities on campus, and I wouldn't trade my experience here for anything else.

To Whoosh, or Not to Whoosh? That is the Question

By Colton Hattersley, EPPS Blogger

If you spent even part of your high school career in Texas, you know that our schools take great pride in one thing – the football team. From August to December, nothing else seems to matter as the entire school comes together in support of the team. School spirit becomes a requirement of sorts, allowing for fun during a school week.

If you haven’t noticed yet, UT Dallas does not have a football team. Our big sports are soccer and basketball, and our pride and joy is the UT Dallas Chess Team. If you look around campus though, there is a general lack of school spirit that is tragic when you look to other universities. 

“Hook ‘Em Horns” and “Gig ‘Em” are battle cries and mottos of two of the most well known Texas universities in the nation, but they serve a much larger purpose. These phrases, as well as other forms of school spirit, unify both current students and alumni into a family of sorts. People say that an Aggie will go out of their way to help any person who wears their Aggie class ring. This important bonding begs the question of why UT Dallas doesn’t exhibit a similar level of spirit.

Our trademark celebratory gesture isn’t a thumbs-up or a Longhorn hand sign, it is so much better. The WHOOSH is by far superior to any sort of gesture that other universities have, so why don’t we use it more? 

In my first semester here at UT Dallas, I found myself WHOOSH-ing to everything – getting an A+ on my Rhetoric Essay, Chicken Fried Steak day at the Dining Hall, and, most importantly, celebrating the successes of my friends and classmates. 

I quickly found that, at least among my friends, WHOOSH-ing was almost taboo. Nobody could understand or fathom why I enjoyed it, and would groan in protest any time I WHOOSH-ed outside of the confines of our dorm.

As the Class of 2017, I think it should be our mission to WHOOSH more. It doesn’t take much effort, is a great way to congratulate others, and is generally fun to do. 

Since we don’t have pep rallies celebrating our non-existent football team, we must ensure that we don’t lose out on the fantastic opportunities to show school spirit and bond as a community. We are no longer individuals, or classes, or schools of study. We are UT Dallas, and we are one. 

Next time you are unsure, and ask yourself “To WHOOSH or not to WHOOSH?” There is a very clear answer. Always whoosh, because you never know who might appreciate you and who might recognize you ten years from now. Allow the school pride to take over every once in awhile and let our bond as a UT Dallas family grow.