I’ve known that graduation was coming for years, but it finally hit me on Sunday during the Senior Banquet that I will be saying my final goodbyes to Stephens as an undergrad student. As my friend was giving a wonderful speech and faculty members were toasting us, I realized that I wasn’t as excited to leave as I thought I was. I’m going to miss class with my friends, participating in the student organizations and, yes, maybe I will even miss group projects a little bit. So my advice is to cherish every horrible paper you have to finish and every class that you don’t want to attend because it’s going to go by faster than you want.

But on a happier note, I picked up my cap and gown yesterday and it’s strategically placed in my closet to avoid wrinkles. I’m not looking forward to wearing the cap; it ruins hair…and on such a special day! I guess life continues, right? I’m still trying to figure out what to wear. The shoes are a big decision.

Job search/networking update:
-I called an alum in Denver the other day and we’re going to grab lunch when I get to Colorado.
-I’ve been invited to attend a Rotary Club meeting.
-I’m hoping to get involved with the Chamber of Commerce where I’m moving. The Columbia Chamber of Commerce has an awesome program for emerging professionals, and I’m hoping I can get involved with something similar in Colorado. I should hear back from them this week.

Life update:
I’m headed to California at the end of this month for an offroad ladies only motorcycle training program. I’m super excited for that! It’s a few days of training and then a camping trip to test out our new skills. Too fun!

Off to grab some dinner. Until next time…

Wow! I can’t believe this semester is already coming to an end. I only have 1 ½ weeks left of school. All of my classes have been great and I’m really going to miss the kids I work with in the Stephens College Children’s School. Last week I arrived to help with lunch time and a father of one of the students who owns a local restaurant brought in pizza and cookies for the children. The children were so excited! After getting their bellies full of pizza and cookies, and some fun on the playground, nap time was extra quiet. : )

During my practicum for Foundations of Teaching Principles I got the opportunity to observe student’s presentations over a self exploration unit that each student performed individually. I saw presentations over basketball, electricity, and horses. The students got to pick the topic they wanted to research and then presented their findings to the class. I was more than impressed with the presentations. I really liked observing the outcome of each student’s hard work. I would really like to implement this unit in the future. The students had to accept responsibility for their own work, meet deadlines, and report information that they researched. I also noticed the sense of pride each student had when they were presenting their presentations to the class.

Another fun and exciting happening for me here at Stephens was being the Stephens College Multiage Classroom “Mystery Reader.” Each week someone from the community is a mystery reader for the students. I chose a mulit-cultural book about a Jazz Saxophonist and read to the students. I really enjoyed this activity because it felt like I had my own class in my own classroom.

I’m not sure where this semester has gone. I can’t believe I have have one more week left of classes and then my undergrad career is over! Honestly, I’m just ready for this week to be over. Ha! It’s rainy and cloudy outside, and I’m just dying for some coffee and a good book.

Although school is almost over, I think I’ll be in Columbia until the end of May or early June to finish the hours I have to work for the fellowship scholarship for grad school. I’ve been working in the marketing department, and it’s been a lot of fun. I recently helped with photo shoots for the updated marketing materials for Stephens. The girls did great, and they have exciting summers ahead. One is interning with Michael Kors, another with the CIA and the third at a resort in Canada. Too much fun!

I’m excited for summer, too. After I finish my  hours, I’ll be packing up my things and moving to Colorado. I’ll be living near Ft. Collins which I absolutely love. In July, I’m going to Germany with my dad. I’ve never been to Europe, and this is super exciting because we’re taking a motorcycle tour. We’ll be staying in Munich for a few days before the tour starts, and I’m still trying to figure out where I want to stay. Any suggestions if you’ve been there?

And as for the job/internship situation…I’m still working on it. I’m speaking to a woman in Denver tomorrow so I’m sure she’ll be able to give helpful advice. Wish me luck. I recently applied for an internship that I’ve been wanting for the last six months, but they don’t have any openings right now. They were very nice and told me to check back mid-summer. Keep your fingers crossed for that one.

It ends here. Coffee is needed. Right now.

You know those weeks when you’re working on stuff 14 or 15 hours a day, but you’re still having a great time? That’s been my week; I’m tired but I’m still going strong!

American Humanics Student Association (Stephens organization), Not For Sale Missouri and a couple other Columbia organizations are hosting Call + Response, a rockumentary about human trafficking. Our goal is to pull community members who are not aware of the issue or how they can help. It’s been crazy trying to make sure we have everything, we’re prepared for any problems that arise and we effectively get the word out. I’m excited to see how it turns out. If you want more info about the rockumentary, visit callandresponse.com

It’s also Alumnae Reunion weekend. I’ve been working in the marketing department this semester, and I ran into Neel Stallings, class of  ‘67, on Tuesday when I came into work. I was telling her that I’m moving back to Colorado, and she helped me out tremendously! She e-mailed Patty Burnett, an alum from Colorado, and I met her yesterday at the mock interview workshop. She has a couple ideas in mind for internships; hopefully it’ll work out. Cross your fingers!

It’s been great meeting alums the past couple days; they’re so helpful and they’ve all done amazing things throughout their careers. I wasn’t sure how involved I was going to be with Stephens once I graduate from the undergrad program, but, after meeting all these women yesterday, I’ve decided that it would be fun and beneficial to stay in touch through the alumnae network. So for all you incoming freshmen…track me down during the alumnae reunion weekends!

On a personal note, the most exciting thing happened earlier this week! Some background info: I rode from Colorado to Alaska on a motorcycle over the summer, and I received a call from a magazine in Mexico City, Mexico asking to do a story on my trip. They sent me the layout earlier this week, and it looks awesome! They’re sending me a copy of the magazine, and I’m super excited to see it.

Since this is my first post, you now have a little look into what my life is like: random!

If you’re on Twitter, find me at mirandarenee!

Until next time…

Hey everyone! I hope you all enjoyed spring break! I know I did! I can’t believe we only have a few more weeks of school left. I already feel the crunch that is on its way. Teachers are starting to talk about final projects and having focus. This school year has just gone so fast! Before you know it summer will be here and be in full swing! I know I’m ready for some warm weather and not so much rain. This crazy weather has just given me whiplash! It’s nice and warm one day and freezing the next! I’m ready for green grass, green trees, and sunshine 24/7. Good luck on final projects and finals!

With another semester halfway over already, I find myself looking more forward to summer. As I flip through my day timer I notice that each week is filling up more and more with project deadlines, paper due dates, and different events that I must attend to keep my leadership scholarship. As I flip the pages, I can’t help but notice an entire week blocked off for spring break. Over spring break I will be taking a trip to Florida with some of my friends from high school. We all chose to attend different colleges so I am looking forward to a week of catching up, relaxing from all the stress that school can bring, and laying out in the hot Florida sun. Since spring break is still three weeks away, I’m trying to keep my focus on my school work. My favorite class this semester is Foundations of the Teaching-Learning Process. I attend this class three days a week, but one day out of the three, we meet at Lee Elementary to observe the teaching and learning process of local elementary students and teachers in their classroom setting. I really enjoy having the opportunity to sit in on the class and learn more about students and get a better perspective of what teachers go through during their daily schedules. The teachers have given me so much great feedback and ideas for lessons that I have started a notebook of ideas that I can use when I become a children’s counselor.

Hey Everyone! I hope this semester is going well for everyone! Everyone has spring fever and we all just feel it coming! I can’t wait for the warm weather to hit just to help relax everyone! I love this semester! All of my classes are going great, and I’m learning so much!  Last week in my Science of Beauty class I actually learned how to make my own lipstick. My Women’s Studies class is also going really well.  I just finished working on a gender essay and am in the process of learning more about the second wave of feminism. I never knew the hippies were so influential to the Women’s Liberation Movement! That class is so interesting and it is really becoming one of my passions. My midterm tests are all coming up, but I’m not really nervous about them. I feel very confident in my teachers and think the tests will go well. Other than classes, I have been busy working in the Marketing department and working on spring assignments for them.  Everyday has been pretty fast paced for me and is only getting better. All the students can feel spring break approaching and can’t wait. I for one can’t wait to have an entire week to relax and not do any homework!  Hopefully, the warm weather will stay and just keep getting hotter! Summer, here I come!

This semester seems to be flying by! I can’t believe it’s almost Valentine’s Day! All of my classes are going great and the weather has been fairly nice but sporadic. The marketing department received the photos from the photo shoot I was involved in and they look great! It’s so exciting! The new pictures will be used as early as this spring! I’m also extremely excited about my women’s studies class! I only have it Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for an hour! However, every hour I get so riled up that I just can’t stand to leave the classroom.Women face so many issues today and most women don’t even know it. Women’s history is just so important and I think that all women should be knowledgeable about their past. Not only does my women’s studies class focus on women, but every class taken here at Stephens focuses on women and their success. Even the male professors encourage us to be the best and reach the top! School is just very exciting at the moment and I can’t get enough. Even though I normally have lots of homework it’s completely worth it for me. I look forward to three more wo

It’s been three weeks since I got back from Winter Break and it has gone by in a blur.  I came back not knowing if I really wanted to start school again (ha-ha) I definitely enjoyed relaxing over my break very much.  But when classes started I found myself curious and eager to start. This semester I am taking Intro to Women’s Studies, Personal & Family Finance, Science of Beauty, Psychology of Identity, and Media and Culture. All of these classes are absolutely amazing and I love every single one. After my first two days of classes I couldn’t wait to get back into my routine of going to classes and starting a new semester.  I am also really excited because just yesterday I was in a photo shoot for the new marketing materials for Stephens College! I was so honored just to be asked and the photo shoot couldn’t have gone better. The photographer was great and got some great shots.  Even more exciting news rolled around today when I went on my daily run to check my box at the post office. There was not only my normal newspaper but something else as well.  I hurriedly opened the beautiful stationary envelope and discovered that I had made the Dean’s List with Honors! I was so ecstatic that as soon as I got back to my room I called my parents at their respective jobs and just gushed. I was so honored and humbled at the same time. Personally I don’t think this week could be any better because my 19th birthday is Sunday! Wooo hooo! The one thing I’m wishing for quick is the arrival of spring.  I am so tired of the cold and the snow. We had an abnormal day last week when the sun was out and it was 60 degrees!  Girls grabbed their blankets and rushed outdoors just to lie in the sun. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. The next day however proved how fickle Missouri weather can be. The high for that day was around 23 degrees. Everyone was so disappointed. However eventually spring will come and everyone will be excited; we just have to keep our fingers crossed that the groundhog doesn’t see his shadow next week!

Hi! My name is Allison Fuemmeler and I will be a new blogger for Stephens. I am a freshman Marketing: Public Relations and Advertising major and am doing my work study in the marketing department. First of all I hope everyone is having an awesome time at Stephens, I know I am! I can’t believe I have already been here for eight weeks! Anyway, I just wanted to share a little about what I’ve been doing! So far I love all my classes! My classes include Graphic Design with Kate Gray, Introduction to Entrepreneurship with Wayne Keene, 20th Century Contemporary Literature with Tina Parke-Sutherland, and Nuts & Bolts of Event Planning with Cindy Hazelrigg. All of my professors are just so nice and willing to help me understand their subjects to the best of my ability! I also have an awesome roommate who I wouldn’t trade for anything. When I came to Stephens I was afraid that I wouldn’t make any friends, but I was wrong! I have ended up making some of the best friends I have ever had! I truly believe that they will last a lifetime. At the moment I’m preparing myself for finals and my final presentations for my classes. I’m pretty confident about it, but I have a lot of studying left to do. I am really excited about the holiday season here at Stephens as well! We will be having some awesome wintertime events including: The musical Little Women, A Dickens Victorian Christmas, the student film showcase, midnight breakfast during finals week, the senior dance concert, various sporting events, and especially “…And Many More” A 175th Anniversary Celebration. This time of year is just amazing here and I can’t wait to experience it all!

Allison Fuemmeler