MDC The Writing Center

Hidden Gem

Hands down the Writing Center is the most valuable resource that the Miami-Dade College Kendall Campus has to offer. No resource gives back as much as the Writing Center and its employees. Provided are all the necessary tools to complete just about any assignment you can think of and more. If you have not stumbled upon this hidden gem, you are definitely missing out and should take advantage of what it has to offer.
First off, the center is not just a collection of resources, but a welcoming learning environment that promotes productivity. This is unlike the Computer Courtyard, which is loud, and printing comes with a cost. At the Writing Center, silence is golden, and you can print up to seven pages a day for FREE! Printing on demand is a huge plus just in case you have some unfinished homework to complete before class. If you want a second set of eyes to go over your paper, you are in luck; all week tutors are available for appointments in thirty-minute sessions. This is the most valuable asset that the center has. The center provides students with a teacher’s knowledge and feedback that can be sought outside of class. Even though it is catered ideally to individual work, study rooms are available with dry-erase markers for students doing group work. Group work might not the most desirable task, but the center eases the struggle by offering a neutral and controlled environment in order to get work done.
When these features are used wisely, the Writing Center can be what allows you to not only get a good grade, but also pass the class with a perfect score. The possibilities are endless when you are provided with all the essential tools to achieve academic excellence. Most importantly always remember when your classroom door closes the Writing Center’s doors open. What can you do with what the Writing Center has to offer?

Article by David Fumero
Front Desk Clerk — at MDC The Writing Center

A Courageous Act from One Man

Last summer, Professor Gonzalez realized that there were children in need. Kids were going days without eating and were starving when they came to class on Monday mornings. He took it upon himself this semester to start a canned food drive, as part of an act of service for the community. He was not sure on where this project would lead him, but he knew it was an important task he must do. It was then that he found an organization called “Feeding South Florida.” This non-profit organization distributes cans to smaller food banks ensuring that everyone receives the resources they need to feed themselves and their families. He petitioned his class to bring in a can of food everyday as part of their daily attendance. The moral to this good deed is to show his students that we should never come empty handed. Professor Gonzalez was inspired to do all this by a well-known spiritual leader named Neem Karoli Baba, who is a big advocate for loving, feeding, and serving everyone.
Although Prof. Gonzalez does not have a set goal, he would love to have this project expand throughout the whole school. He believes that by promoting this organization, people will become more aware and educated on the situation at hand. Some ways we can help are by having each person throughout the whole Kendall Campus donate at least one can of food, which can help provide one meal for 40,000 people. When asked if he considered himself a hero, he was reluctant to take the title stating, “I believe we should all help out; it is our job.” With this said, we as human beings should all try to follow the example this one courageous man has shown us.
Everything thing we do is connected in some way, shape, or form. Whether we choose to see that connection or not, it is up to us. Through much research, statistics have shown us that in South Florida alone one in four kids are starving on the weekends. It is in times like these we should acknowledge that it is our responsibility to help them in any way possible.

By: Karina Bolivar and Jessica Garcia

Just Get Me There!

Transportation plays a big role in people’s everyday life from driving a vehicle to go to work to just riding your bike to a friend’s house. Everyone needs some form of transportation to get around and complete his or her everyday tasks, including college students.
When I was a freshman in college, I remember the long days when my mother would drop me off at seven in the morning and not pick me up until almost six in the afternoon. At that time, I was taking four classes, which were distributed between five days, Monday to Friday. At times, my last class would end early, and I would have to wait for hours before someone was able to pick me up. I tried to carpool with friends as much as possible, but I couldn’t everyday. I considered taking public transportation, but I had no idea how to use it.
It was very inconvenient for me to have to depend on someone to take me places. I had to plan my schedule around other people. If someone was running late, tht meant what I had planned to do was either going to be pushed back a couple of hours, or I would just have to save my errand for another day. I tried doing homework at times, but sitting on a bench, having my textbook and notebook open, reading and writing, now that was a challenge.
I am currently a college sophomore; I have a job and am able to afford a car. My first year came with many trials, which I learned and grew from. Now, I am able to reflect and be grateful for the gift of transportation. I am able to leave campus when I like and follow my schedule without any hindrance or worries of depending on someone to help me get where I need to go.
I know that everyone’s situation in regards to transportation is different. For some, public transportation works, for others, like myself, they depend on family and friends. Whatever your position, just try to make the best of it; when you look back on your transportation experience in a year or two, you’ll be able to share your story of how you survived and how much you grew from your first college year too.

Article by Linette Rodriguez
Front Desk Clerk

App This!

At the end of every summer, you construct certain expectations for the incoming school year. You want a fresh start, and with this ambitious beginning includes the purchasing of new school supplies, like a planner. Hoping that is enough to attain your goals, you start the semester by jotting down homework and everything needed in order to pass classes. Unfortunately, as the school year goes on by, you start to slack and push back on assignments, eventually being so behind on task, there is no telling where to begin.
Let’s start over, shall we? Instead of buying an agenda, how about downloading one for free, more specifically, the myHomework app. Then register, list your classes, and every time there is a new assignment, add it. This process takes less than three minutes. Unlike a regular plain paper-book agenda, the myHomework app automatically color coordinates and lists assignments according to priority, consequently reducing stress on figuring out what tasks are of most importance and need immediate attention. No more flipping through pages and pages of scribble to figure out past assignments. This application is simple and easy to navigate in order to find the task wanted by organizing what work is soon to be due, already late, and also completed. This program is available on Androids, Apple products, Windows 8, Kindles, and even on the web. When using a smart phone and would like to see your planner on a Kindle, login to your account and watch as your information is synced. This app, which has been rated four and a half stars, is sure to be the thing you need to keep this school year on task and organized.

Article by Linette Rodriguez
Front Desk Clerk

Arthur Irving Wohlgemuth, 80, of North Miami Beach, died Tuesday, June 25, 2013. A class of 1951 graduate of Miami Beach High School, he maintained lifelong friendships with many of his classmates(MU SIG!) He earned a Bachelor of Education degree and a Master of Education degree, and his E.E.D. as an Education Specialist and in the interim met and married his wife, Naomi of 56 yrs. Teaching was his passion and he continued to teach even after his retirement as an adjunct professor. He taught till his admission to a hospital in April of this year. Arthur’s additional passion was visiting his Israeli and French families and traveling with and to them. Art loved playing chess, and being an active athlete, he excelled in swimming, and tennis and pretending to ski. He often spoke of having played a match against Bobby Riggs, one of the top players in his day (Art lost). Art is survived by Naomi, son Michael , daughter Gayle, and six grandchildren, Megal, Noga, Rivka, Herve, Aviv and Neila. Arts body has been donated to the U. of Miami Medical Research Institute. He was a magnificent survivor of cancer (32yrs),diabetes and heart disease. Services will be held Sunday, June 30, at 11 a.m. at LEVITT-WEINSTEIN 18840 West Dixie Hwy N.Miami B*h FL 33180.

For the second year in a row the Miami Heat are NBA Champions! Back-to-back NBA titles! Congratulations to the Miami Heat!