uofrhajimschool-blog

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“What made you choose Rochester?”

by Natalie Ziegler, Class of 2018

The tree of life in Genesee Valley Park

“Why are you going there?”

In my hometown of Akron, Ohio, many high school graduates attend college locally at one of the nearby state schools. Others migrate to the outskirts of the state but remain comfortably and securely within Ohio, and a small few disperse across the country.

In that culture, I was kind of an anomaly in my family’s, friends’, and neighbors’ eyes for choosing to attend Rochester. Since April of my senior year when I made my decision, I’ve faced the question, “Why did you choose Rochester?” from a new, politely bewildered acquaintance every time I’m home.

The question always bothers me a bit; I feel fulfilled and satisfied at Rochester, justified in my decision, and thus, on some level, insulted when others don’t as readily see the purpose of studying here. I usually just say, “I was attracted to the open curriculum and overall strength of the academics,” assuming that the full story isn’t desired or warranted. But there certainly were more factors at play in my decision than a blanket statement about academics.

A decision four years in the making

The full story of why I chose Rochester begins in October 2010. My high school cross country team traveled to Rochester to compete in the McQuaid Jesuit Invitational at the beautiful Genesee Valley Park. The park, near campus and situated along the Genesee River, enthralled me with its watery borders, sprawling meadows, fall foliage, and open skies.

Each fall, we returned to the park to compete in the invitational, and by October 2012, as a high school junior starting to consider collegs, I suddenly took real notice of the renowned, private university right next door to the park. I resolved to schedule a campus visit.

In late July 2013, I officially visited campus for a tour and admissions interview. I fell in love with the traditional, collegiate architecture and atmosphere, and gained invaluable insight through a conversation with one of the assistant directors in Admissions. As a result, I labored thoughtfully over my application and submitted it.

Between my admissions interview and application, I was invited in February 2014 to attend a scholarship event. In March 2014, I attended a three-day event culminating in an interview for the Renaissance & Global Scholarship. I stayed overnight with a current student and got a comprehensive Rochester experience through the combination of program events and witnessing authentic, firsthand accounts of student life. Inspired and invigorated by the ambition and wide range of interests in both the current and prospective students I met, my college decision solidified: I knew I belonged at Rochester.

In April 2014, I enrolled as a member of the Class of 2018. Equally relieved to be done with the application process and eager to embark on my college career, I realized that the process of my decision had entirely been guided by my personal engagement with Rochester. Between visiting and interviewing twice, I was able to understand Rochester as a living, thriving center of diverse interests, learning, endeavors, and friendships.

Really get to know your school

Without these experiences, I still would have appreciated Rochester as a top-ranked research institution that was compatible academically with my constantly evolving interests. However, just reading these facts on a website would not have provided the confidence and fulfillment that personal engagement did.

Despite the confusion I sometimes face at home, my three semesters at Rochester so far have proven that there’s a place for curious, liberal arts students from the Midwest here. In fact, there truly is a place for all backgrounds and interests at a school as unique and energetic as Rochester. I encourage personal engagement with any potential college, but especially at Rochester. The wide range of possibilities for prospective students’  engagement, such as interviews and special events, provide many opportunities to come to know the school.

Enjoy and savor the unfolding of your own journey to a college decision! No matter where you enroll, you will create your own story of choice.

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Frederick Douglass Was the Most Photographed American of the 19th Century

Do you know who the most photographed American of the 19th century was? It’s not George Custer (155 photos) or Walt Whitman or Abraham Lincoln (130 each). The person with the most portraits made of them in the 1800s was Frederick Douglass, the African-American abolitionist, speaker, writer, and statesman. That’s the finding that has just been published in a new book titled “Picturing Frederick Douglass: An Illustrated Biography of the Nineteenth Century’s Most Photographed American.”

Extensive research revealed that Douglass was a leading pioneer in photography who sat for as many portraits as he could in order to combat blackface caricatures and to assert the humanity of African Americans in place of slavery.

Douglass believed that photographs were a powerful means of “moral and social” influence, allowing the poor and oppressed to find self-confidence.

“The humblest servant girl may now possess a picture of herself such as the wealth of kings could not purchase 50 years ago,” he wrote.

There are 160 surviving portraits of Douglass, created between 1841 to 1895, and the collection represents a powerful timeline of his legacy as a man, artist, and leader. Many of the photos were found by scouring hundreds of libraries, museums, schools, societies, archives, and auction houses in the US and in Europe. Some of the original photos were previously sold for over $10,000 each.

Read More

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0871404680/

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“For parents, infant cries are strong stimuli and can often elicit multiple types of emotional responses, including empathy, annoyance, or aggravation.”

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We just have prizes waiting to be won.

Don’t sleep on these prizes. Some will warm UR heart (or your head) :)

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Did I a mention there’s a prize that can be won if we like your answer.

Of course you have to be a UR student, staff,faculty, etc to be able to get the prize.

Question of the week?

Why are engineers needed?

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The Smithsonian is participating in #WeDigBio, Worldwide Engagement for Digitizing Biocollections. It is a four-day global event, from October 22–25, 2015, that engages participants in transcribing biodiversity research collections. On our Transcription Center @smithsoniantranscriptioncenter, #volunpeers are working with National Museum of Natural History’s Department of Entomology’s collection of bumblebees.

At the Archives, we are always happy to buzz about our colleagues’ efforts, cross-pollinating when possible. These sketch studies of the mighty pollinator, the wasp, are from the Archives’ papers of fiber artist Trude Guermonprez. 

Sketches of yellow jacket wasps, between 1929 and 1986. Trude Guermonprez papers, 1929-1986. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

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I read save money and that always sounds good.

We’re so excited...

to be getting started here on Tumblr! Follow us for all things financial literacy.

Not 100% clear on what financial literacy is? Our website can give you the rundown: http://enrollment.rochester.edu/financial-literacy/.

Basically, we want to help you a) save money while in college and b) learn good habits for managing your money now so that you’ve got it down to a science once you hit postgrad life. 

Feel free to submit any questions you may have about finances & we’ll be happy to answer them!

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You can't spell tumblr without U or R

Awkward fake laugh.

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Photo credit: Ben Young ’18

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Question of the week?

Why are engineers needed?

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Please share, help me find this artist

I found this on the university of rochester campus in some heavily graffiti’d tunnels.

We need to talk about eels

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There’s more! As you can tell our tumblr is awfully...... dull. So we need your help. Send us what your best pic or art of what U of R engineering is and you you can win a prize to. DOUBLE THE FUN!!!!!

It’s our first post ever !!!!

How exciting!! For our first post we’re doing a giveaway. If this post makes it to 100 notes (yes we’re that audacious) we’ll be choosing one of those lucky students to get a mystery gift.

[uofrhajimschool-blog]

It’s our first post ever !!!!

How exciting!! For our first post we’re doing a giveaway. If this post makes it to 100 notes (yes we’re that audacious) we’ll be choosing one of those lucky students to get a mystery gift.