Faculty and Staff Blog

Hey Everyone,

First and foremost I would like to thank all of the past Charger Bloggers that have helped share their story about life on campus here at UNH!  They have done a tremendous job.

Please be sure to bookmark this page because in the coming months it will undergo a complete overhaul.  We will be introducing new bloggers with great features such as videos, podcasts, and easier posting functionality for you to be able to respond.

Thanks again for reading; and we'll see you in a few weeks!!!

Driving onto campus today I had a sense of pride with what has been going on around here.  I'm going to try my best to not make this a sappy "UNH is great" blog post ... but I need to take a break from the "day to day" tasks to get these thoughts out.

For those who do not know me; I did NOT attend the University of New Haven as a student.  In fact, I attended another small private school in Connecticut.  The dirty secret of college admissions is that many (if not the majority) of admissions and administrative folks on the campus did not attend the school they work at.

This is not a bad thing ... not remotely.  In fact, I believe having outside people working at the school allows the college to grow from the collective experiences of its staff.  With that said, having a mix of university Alumni (particularly those pursuing a master's degree) is helpful because those members of the staff have a passion for the university that is unmatched by most.

As I turned right to enter the campus I passed Soundview Hall ... the residence hall that will be completed this summer.  I turned the corner around Bartels Hall (the campus Center) envisioning what it will look like when they begin the expansion over the summer ... and then chuckled because just around the corner the campus will have another addition; the Henry Lee Institute of Forensic Science building rounding out the Maxcy/Library/Buckman/Bartels quad.

I guess all of these realizations are a result of finally completing a virtual campus tour for families to view on our website.  Although the tour is amazing ... and not matched by most schools virtual tours ... It is no match for an actual campus visit.  When you actually visit UNH, you also get to meet the cast of characters that is our admissions staff ... a collection of proud UNH Alumni, experienced staff from other schools, and of course current student tour guides ... All of whom have a tremendous amount of pride in our campus.

See you soon!

Today I am proud to once again be a part of the Carnival of College Admission , a collaboration of various blog posts from around the web about various topics related to higher education.

This specific post includes information about choosing the right college, getting admitted, Financial Aid, life on campus, scholarships, and tons of other cool stuff.

Click here and read my post and those from a bunch of my friends!

So a debate has started in my office ... Are all of the communication channels that students are allowed to communicate with us helpful?  A few short years ago, students could only really communicate with admissions officers through e-mail and phone ... and before that it was JUST the phone (how crazy would that be?!?!) ... But now we have e-mail, phone, Facebook, Blogs, Twitter , private social networks (ours is MyUNHSpace) ... Who knows what the next "big thing" will be?

As the Coordinator of Electronic Recruitment for UNH, I have built our presence on the popular social networking sites, as well as partnered with various firms such as Zinch.com and CollegeWeekLive ... Through these partnerships and initiatives, I have watched as the amount of messages I receive on a daily basis balloon beyond anything I could have possibly imagined.

Is this too much to manage?  I don’t think so.  In fact, I think it is the responsibility of the admissions office (as well as Financial Aid, Student Affairs, Residential Life, etc …) to open up as many channels of communication as they can manage to be sure that any student that needs guidance or support, is able to find it.

That’s my take … I welcome yours.

So I admit, I gave in. After repeatedly hearing about Twitter from pretty much everywhere I have given in and conformed. To be honest, it is not bad. It is quite fascinating actually. Being on Twitter for just two days now I have learned a lot.

Currently I am following CNN Reporter, Anderson Cooper’s Twitter. He posts a lot of different news articles and blogs throughout the day. For instance, did you know Nadya Suleman otherwise known as “Octomom” is currently trying to trademark the nickname? Yes, she wants to come out with a line of baby diapers using the name “Octomom.” If I had kids, I’d still purchase Huggies instead. Ha-ha. On Twitter, you get up-to-date news notices as soon as they come in! 

Another person that I follow is Shepard Fairey. For those who do not know Shepard Fairey is a contemporary artist and graphic designer who best known for his work during the 2008 United States Presidential Election. Fairey designed the “HOPE” poster for President Barack Obama. He has launched sticker campaigns with his first design featured professional wrestler, Andre the Giant (R.I.P.) entitled“Andre the Giant has a posse”. This later evolved into the OBEY Giant. The “Obey” campaign was based off of John Carpenter’s movie “They Live”, which starred another professional wrestler, Roddy Piper, taking a few of its slogans including the “Obey” slogan. Recently Fairey has been in the news due to some of his Obey Giants were “tagged” around Boston.  Needless to say Boston officials weren’t too happy.

The reason I wrote this is because sticker graffiti and graffiti in general fascinates me from an artistic and political standpoint. I was able to witness Fairey’s work when I was working the Boston NACAC National College Fair. Each time I left the convention center, I was able to see an oversized OBEY Giant posted atop of the high-rise building in Boston which was very cool in my opinion.  Twitter is an outlet for free speech in a way, which is very cool.

So after reading this blog, I’ll ask you once again. Do you tweet?

On two separate blog posts this week, we have received a lot of traffic and comments from prospective students about two of our student bloggers.  One student felt that a blogger was "complaining" about all of the things she had to do and the involvement that she had ... while the other thought that a student's alleged poor grammar and spelling (which really wasn’t that bad to be honest) were a poor representation of our students.

Both respondents asked a similar question … “Is this how UNH students are?” 

One interaction with a person does not represent their entire community … Just like we don’t like stereotypes around race, gender, social class, etc … You should not classify your entire view of a college campus on how you interact with one or two individuals.  Our students are individuals just like you and me.  Not everyone is going to agree on everything … and not everyone is going to read everything the same way.  You can’t paint a community with such a broad brush.

Last week we had a parent of a prospective student e-mail the President of the university because she read on some college search website somewhere that no one at our school likes it here, and the admissions office gives them the completely wrong impression.  The best part about it was … This was the parent of a student who has already decided to enroll for the fall semester!

Well, as the folks who represent the university to the general public (and because we care about the students and the impression we are giving them of course), we investigated it.  After a couple hours of searching every college search site we could find (which there are A LOT of!), we could not find anything negative about the university.  In fact, even on some of the smaller college search sites … all we found was positive feedback from visitors to campus, family members, and alumni!  Just goes to show you … if you dig deep enough and look hard enough; you will find what you are looking for.

Every college has its peaks and its valleys … Every college has students that don’t like the food, or don’t like all of their professors, or don’t get involved and don’t like the social scene … The important thing is to find what YOU are looking for, and not classify one person’s negative experience as ALL student’s experiences.

This week my friends over at Straxis Technologies (the company that produced our very popular "MyUNHSpace" program) asked me to write about how the use of social media (Facebook/Twitter/etc.) has benefited UNH.

Here is a link to that post.

That is all for this week. Thanks for reading!

Thirteen days ago, our blog readers had the opportunity to hear about Director Phillips’ “relaxing” weekend dog-sitting. The week, I’ll explain how my weekend was from the road. It all began on Wednesday evening in Maplewood, New Jersey. I was covering a college fair at Columbia High School which went well. After the college fair, I had dinner with fellow UNH Admissions Counselors Kat and Gil. Both of them were covering a college fair in Northern New Jersey as well. We reviewed a few files and watched Lost. A show that I normally do not watch and when it was over, I was the one feeling lost.

Shortly after, I embarked on my trip to Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania which was about a two hour drive. At this point of the blog, I will go over the dos and don’ts of traveling.

• DO: Make reservations in advance.
• DON’T: Reserve a room for the wrong dates.
• DO: Pack accordingly.
• DON’T: Forget to pack a jacket when the temperature is in the low 50s.
• DO: Get back up directions.
• DON’T: Rely on GPS systems because satellites can be wrong or lose signal.

Now I think you can guess what I did this weekend. The reservations I had been for the incorrect date. I forgot to pack a jacket because I figured it would be warmer in Maryland and Virginia. I was wrong. A GPS system doesn’t get signal while you’re driving through a tunnel and takes a while to reconnect with the satellite so you don’t know what direction to go.

There is a good side to this blog though. Before my college fair in Virginia, there was a card collectible show held at the same convention center where several Pittsburgh Steelers team members where in attendance. I got to meet Darnell Stapleton and “Mean” Joe Green. So really you have to take the good with the bad, even when the bad comes first.

It has been quite a while since I posted on this blog and I am truly sorry about that. Since fall travel ended and spring travel began; things have been traveling at Mach 1 speeds for this admissions counselor. Over the winter break, I undertook the task of being the travel coordinator for the Undergraduate Admissions office. Now you must wonder what exactly a travel coordinator does. I’ll let you know.

I coordinate travel.

Sorry I thought would be funny to write but really I am the person in charge of organizing all the college fairs that our amazing staff attends. It’s like being a dispatcher. This has been my first travel season as coordinator and I think it has gone smoothly so far. The only downside that I have found is that I know everyone else’s travel schedule but can’t remember my schedule for the life of me. Thanks to the person that created the Day Planner, otherwise, I’d be lost.

Another task I have taken on is serving as Athletic Liaison for Athletics with fellow admissions counselor, Jason Riendeau.  I am in charge of reviewing files for the following athletic programs:

• Football
• Cross Country (Men’s/Women’s)
• Women’s Soccer
• Women’s Basketball
• Track & Field (Men’s/Women’s)
• Women’s Volleyball
• Men’s Volleyball

So far I have been enjoying working with all the Athletic coaches and look forward to a successful class of recruits coming in. Well I’m off for now, look forward to my future blogs, I have some great stories from the road to tell all the readers.

I am super excited today.  Tonight I am driving to NYC so I can be a part of an "expert panel" at CollegeWeekLive, the online college fair!  I will be answering questions by participants of the fair with a colleague about admissions from the perspective of a small, private university.

On March 25-26 we will have student ambassadors and admissions representatives available in our virtual booth at CollegeWeekLive to answer questions about life at UNH, the admissions process,  and anything and everyting you want to know about applying to college.

This is our third time with CollegeWeekLive.  It has been great  to be a part of the fantastic growth of this event.  As a prospective student, parent, or counselor it is a great way to get information from hundreds of colleges without leaving the comfort of your own home!

SEE YOU THERE!!!

I always hear people asking each other that all-important question: “How was your weekend?” Sometimes, I cannot answer that question if someone asks me because we are always running some type of program at the University. This is a good thing for all prospective students out there because we really do put our students first. When is it easier or more convenient for you to visit colleges? Weekends of course!

Remember that UNH is open 7 days a week with a few exceptions. I am not sure that too many other (if any) universities are. In fact, a colleague of mine from another university was simply amazed when I told him how many things we do. He even told me that his particular university was only open Monday – Thursday for the entire summer (and summer in college calendars starts in May). I wondered how that is even possible. We’re open nearly every day in the summer – including weekends when we host 15 of our very popular Summer Preview Days. These are designed to give students interested in admission for the fall of 2010 their first look at UNH. This quite simply is one of the reasons that our inquiries and applications for admission continue to rise dramatically. We put students first – and this includes prospective students. It’s not about us – it’s about them or you depending on how you view it! 

Along these lines, we hosted an Explore UNH Day for students interested in our education programs on Saturday. While most of the campus cleared out as early as Thursday (and mostly on Friday) for Spring Break – yes, rough life these college students have – some stayed behind to help us with the event. Read some of our student blogs to find out where they are going for Spring Break to relieve their stress. 

At UNH, we offer our Bachelor’s Plus program for students interested in becoming teachers. The gist of it is that students earn a bachelor’s degree in a subject area, a master’s degree in education, and Connecticut teacher certification – all in just five years and for the price of only four! A tremendous opportunity and a tremendous deal!! Check back later this week for more info about the Bachelor’s Plus program.

The rest of my weekend you ask? Well, my wife volunteered to dog sit for one of her friends who had to go out of town. Since we already have a dog, I was slightly apprehensive about this – and I turned out to be right! I thought that I would finally have a day off in which to rest and do absolutely nothing. How wrong I was!! The dogs have been attacking each other all day long, knocking things over, running around the house and the yard, and eating each other’s food. The visiting dog has even been marking his territory in various rooms in my house. All of this is to the delight and enjoyment of my children, who think this is the best day of the year. My wife has also grown increasingly angrier throughout the day, particularly with me because I am not assisting with the dog situation. Even right at this very moment, I am hearing some form of yelling because I am working and the dogs are participating in their own unique form of the Olympics. This is one reason why I list work and traveling as hobbies of mine in my profile for this blog. How was your weekend?

Over the last couple days we have welcomed a few new members to the Charger Blogger team.  We have a VERY active campus community, and are never short students to help share their UNH story.  The Charger Bloggers Stable is another great example of that.

Last week we sent an e-mail to our list of Charger Ambassadors, a group of students that volunteer to call accepted students to share their UNH experience, help set up for campus events and programs, among other things.  We invited people to share their interest in being bloggers.  We received over 30 responses from students with an interest in sharing their story on the internet for the world to read!

Be sure to check out the student blogs, and post your replies ... They are happy to respond and answer questions via their blog.

THANK YOU CHARGER BLOGGERS!!!

On Thursday, one of my former college basketball teammates stopped by to say hello to me. I had not seen him in 15 years. In addition to catching up on old times, we actually talked about things that we wished we had done. Now that leads me to giving all prospective and current students some advice: you may not have another chance so take advantage of what you have before you!

Along these lines, UNH offers a very unique opportunity for our incoming freshmen. The title of this blog is FSA time. FSA stands for Freshman Semester Abroad. Okay, I am sure some of you are thinking "Why would a freshman want to study abroad?" True, for some, it is hard enough to start their college experience here in the United States, but for others, this is an opporunity of a lifetime!

In a recent survey of high school seniors, nearly 75% of them indicated they would like to study abroad in college. In reality, only about 10-12% of college students actually do it. The reasons for not going are many: boyfriends, girlfriends, jobs, athletics, internships, research, academics, etc. Our FSA program guarantees that a student will get Study Abroad on his or her resume. In fact, UNH is only one of about 8 U.S. colleges to offer such a unique opportunity.

You spend your first semester of college at Roehampton University in London, England. We only send 20 students each fall and the program is quite competitive. Last year, 90 students were selected for interviews out of 210 that expressed an interest. This year, we just sent out our brochures to top students who have been accepted to UNH and already nearly 100 responded. They obviously know that the more you have on your resume, the better it is for them after graduation.

The best part of this program is that a student's scholarships and financial aid follow them to Roehampton (unlike traditional study abroad programs). Airfare from JFK airport is also included - as are a few perks like a tube pass (London's version of the U.S. subway system) a cell phone, and excursions to places like Stonhenge and Windsor Castle. Many students who participated this past semester also were able to go to Disneyland in Paris, Amsterdam, and Rome. 

And of course, don't forget why they are really there - to study and begin their college education. The students return to UNH for the spring semester with guaranteed housing and a lifetime of memories. Students must be 18 years of age by mid-September in order to go .... they also must be selected. If you are a senior that has already been accepted and you have an interest, fill out our FSA interest form at www.newhaven.edu/FSA. Students in forensic science, dental hygiene, marine biology, and engineering cannot go becasue of course requirments. Students in all other majors are eligible.

If this doesn't work out, UNH is also one of the nation's top providers of study abroad education. We offer two-week intensive options in January and the summer as well as traditional semester long programs after a student's freshman year. We are also the university of record for Cultural Experiences Abroad (CEA) which provides our students with even more opportunities. Click here for more information on our study abroad programs and to hear from some of our students who have studied abroad. 

So GET OUT - global education is critical for tomorrow's job market! Start getting ready today - it's time for FSA at UNH!!  

What a whrilwind week I just had!

First, on Sunday last weekend we had one of our monthly (or more) online chats on our website.  This is a great opportunity for us to chat LIVE with prospective students and their parents, and to answer any questions they have about UNH.  We work hard to ensure we have as much of our staff logged on as possible to answer your questions, and we also ensure that a bunch of our Charger Ambassadors are logged on to answer questions for a student perspective.

Our online chats are only two hours ... EducationXpo on Thursday however was 12 hours!  That's right ... a 12 hour online college fair.  We were one of only a few colleges that had a staffer in our booth the entire time, and I am proud to say that that is normal for us.  Over 300 prospective students visited our booth, which was one of the most visited booths on the fair!

In addition, we have also developed a way for students to chat with an admission counselor at their convenience at www.newhaven.edu/IM.  Now you can chat with us on AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo, MSN, and more!

After EducationXpo I sent an e-mail to YOUniversityTV.com to see about the possibility of being filmed and listed on their site, which is a pretty exclusive group (only about 400 schools so far).  The response I got was great:

"After researching your school's information, we have determined that your school meets our desired criteria for inclusion among our growing list of over 400 featured schools for the first ever online College Video Resource Community."

I am very excited to be a part of YOUniversityTV.  As soon as we are up, I will be sure to post a link to the video.

Last but certainly not least, we have also signed on with YourCampus360 to develop an interactive, virtual walking tour of our campus.  Not only will you be able to check out the different paths to walk around campus, but you will also get to check out 360 degree panoramic photos of our facilities, read biographies of our clubs and organizations, and also check out information about intramural sports, Division II sports, and learn more about our different residence halls!

Hi again! If you happened to read my previous blog, you may have noticed that I indicated to "check back tomorrow" for the conclusion of What A Week. Well, tomorrow is today - just a day later than promised. Yesterday, I worked nearly 18 hours at UNH ... and in the process, I think my meals for the day consisted of the following: 2 double chocolate donuts and a hot chocolate in the morning, a meatball sub and several chocolate chip cookies in the early afternoon, probably about 5 or 6 hershey bars in the early evening, and then a pepsi and 2 more double chocolate donuts in the late evening. This is just not a good diet!

I guess all of the chocolate and/or caffeine kept me awake. Most of my staff actually uses the David A. Beckerman Recreation Center at least once a day, but I have not done so recently. Not so good for a former college basketball player. Oh well ... it's on to What A Week - PART II. Back to our "Enhanced Visit" program - specifically for Forensic Science and Engineering.

The Forensic Science program at UNH is arguably the nation's top program. If you're not sure, try this one on for size: it's one of the nation's original 6 programs, started in 1975 by world renowned forensic scientist Dr. Henry C. Lee. It is also one of small handful of programs to have earned FEPAC accreditation through the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and has long history of producing successful graduates.

We have a National Crime Scene Training and Technology Center, a National Cold Case Center, and the Henry C. Lee Insitute of Forensic Science right here on our campus. On Friday, the propsective families in attendance actually were able to meet Dr. Lee and program coordinator Tim Palmbach. Our distiguished faculty includes professionals with experience in toxicology, trace and transfer evidence, DNA analysis, crime scene investigation, and more. Students are able to learn and study fingerprint analysis, footcasting, ballistics, and drug testing.

There's no need to say more. Our Tagliatela College of Engineering is no different, offering six nationally accredited (ABET) undergraduate degrees. Prospective families were also able to meet our faculty members in this area as well. As engineers, our faculty members have real-world experience. They fix things. They improve things. They improve systems and invent new methods. They make things go smoother and faster and make them better. So when the National Academy of Engineers revealed that only 35 percent of students who entered engineering programs nationwide actually finished, we built a new system. A better system.

Together with industry leaders, we created a new, smarter, better way to educate an engineer. Instead of waiting two frustrating years to dive into engineering while you toil away in science and math courses (yes, you will have to take these courses too!), this new method introduces you to engineering concepts from day one - freshman level courses include Intro to Engineering and Project Planning and Development. It's called our Spiral Curriculum, designed to educate the 21st century engineer by providing a complete understanding of how all engineering disciplines work and helping students to learn crucial practical skills such as time management, teamwork, communication, and presentation skills. Yes, it's not just a drafting board and calculator anymore!

Well, it's late and you probably get the idea. I worked at two other universities before joining the University of New Haven and it still amazes me just how much there is to do here ..... how much there is to talk about .... and how real everything is. I mean this because many colleges just aren't up to speed when it comes to educating for the 21st century.  I guess I really do need the caffeine .... just to help me keep pace with all of the exciting things happening at UNH, though I could probably do without the donuts! 

Things have been pretty busy. Record numbers of applications have kept us going. Another thing that keeps us going is the countless number of phone calls regarding money.  The old adage “think before you speak” fits really well here.

This past week alone, I am saddened to say that I received phone calls involving comments like, “I am sorry you are stuck in your job” from a mother of a prospective student, and “How bad do you want me to come to your school?” by a prospective student.  To be honest, we are happy to help families through the admission process, but are happier to know that a student finds the best opportunity for them.  Everyone has felt the effects of this economy, and what will help get us through it is caring for one another and treating each other with respect.  That is why I like the team that I work with, like my job, and like helping families though this process.

We understand that things look bad right now and trust me, we are doing our best to help everyone as best we can. However … if we funded 100% of your education, there wouldn’t be a UNH for students to attend! By all means, please contact us so we can help you.

Ok … phew … I am off my soap box. Now on to something I really enjoy: spring travel.

Where in the U.S. is Big Steve? Well friends, this spring I will be in the normal areas of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts.  However, you can also look for me in Maryland (where I am right now!!), Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Texas, and California. Please, please, please stop by and say hi. California is new for me as I have never been there before. I will be ok as long as the ground doesn’t move below me. No worries though.

Spring is almost here and I am ready to get out in the yard. Since my wife and I have had the outside of the house remodeled last year, it is now time to work on landscaping. My tree I bought in Maine last spring has died … RIP my $8.00 tree. I am thinking flowers and rocks and maybe more grass seed. Simple yet beautiful, you know? Oh, then there is the garden. Tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans and maybe green peppers will be filling my kitchen this summer … I hope.

Well kids, it is time for me to close! I am almost ready to head north up to PA. Keep up the good work in school, keep your eyes out for outside scholarships, and remember the May 1^st deadline for your deposit.

Until next time …

A lot of high school students had this past week off for their February or winter vacations, and I think just about every one of them took the time to visit UNH between Monday and Friday. In keeping with our policy of "Students First", the Office of Undergraduate Admissions hosted not only our regular information sessions and campus tours but several specialized events as well. These events included our "Enhanced Visits", Charger Days, and Explore UNH Days. Each of these programs is designed to make a student's visit a little (or a lot) more personal than an Open House and also more informative than a regular info session (though ours are really pretty good).

For today's blog, let's start with the "Enhanced Visits." These programs were not just held because of the vacations - in fact, we offer them for several academic programs throughout the year. On Friday, we held these "Enhanced Visits" for Marine Biology, Engineering, Forensic Science, and Music. Where do I start here? Perhaps the main advantage of an "Enhanced Visit" is that you get presentations and interaction from our faculty members - and there is certainly no lack of star faculty here!

For Marine Biology, visitors get to meet Dr. Carmela Cuomo, one of the nation's top researchers and lecturers in this exciting field. Dr. Cuomo has served as the Science Director with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and has done extensive research on the lobster die-off in Long Island Sound in the later 1990's. She has also continued to broaden the UNH Marine Biology Program, making it the place to be by adding focused concentrations in Aquaculture, Marine Conservation, Marine Journalism, Marine Technology, Marine Law Enforcement, Marine Technology, Marine Biotechnology, Marine Forensics, Marine Education, and Marine Photography.

Most of these specializations combine marine studies with another of our outstanding departments. For example, students in a Marine Journalism focus also work with our Communication Department to help aid them in obtaining internships and jobs that include the making of documentaries, films, and publications about marine life at places like the Discovery Channel and National Geographic. Finally, students who attended the "Enhanced Visit" had the opportunity to attend one of our freshman level courses, "Seminar in Marine Biology." This courses adds tremendous value to our students' education in that each week speakers from the industry come to the class to let the students know how they obtained their jobs, what they do, and what they need to do to get there. 

How about the UNH Music programs? Well, in addition to a traditional Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music, UNH also offers extremely popular and unique degree programs in both Music Industry and Music & Sound Recording. In fact, there are less than 15 colleges nationwide that really offer all of these outstanding programs under one roof - and keep in mind that the Music Industry degree in not a Music Business degree. Music Business is where a college takes a music degree and then adds about four courses in business and renames it Music Business. Music Industry encompasses just what it says it does: the entire music industry from theory to business to performance to multitrack recording. We have multiple recording studios right here on campus - including a new digital recording studio. In addition, there are several performance/practice rooms.

Usually, these unique facilities are reason enough to attract students to UNH. Throw in an amazing internship program which sends students out to work at such companies and organizations as MTV, Universal Records, Columbia Records, Def Jam, Sony, Time Warner, Arista Records, Clear Channel Entertainment and you realize how great this program is. Then, to top it off, you have more outstanding faculty.

While there are too many to name here, I'll just mention one. Music Industry professor Murray Krugman is a former Columbia Records producer and President of Silverwolf Records (120 titles) who has produced 17 major label releases, garnering 10 gold and platinum albums including Blue Oyster Cult and Johnny Winter. He is also listed on Billboard's list of the top 500 producers in rock history. Now he is teaching at UNH!!

As you can probably tell, UNH has so much going on right now that it is literally impossible for me to include it all in one entry .... so check back tomorrow for further details on our Forensic Science and Engineering Enhanced Visits as well as our Charger Days and Explore UNH Days!                             

Today marks President's Day ... Happy birthday President Washington!

Today is also the first day of many school's February vacations.  So as you can expect, there are a lot of students visiting colleges today with their family.  What better opportunity to visit schools?  A day when the student has no school, and the parent doesn't have to work?

Here are a few tips to students who are just starting out their college search this February vacation ... To you Juniors starting out, and you late blooming Seniors, here you go!

1. Make appointments!  Don't just show up at a school and expect open tours all of the time.  At many universities tour guides are either volunteers or paid student workers (in our case, our tour guides  are strictly volunteers).  Tours are scheduled around THEIR schedules to make sure they are not taking time away from their studies.
   
2. Ask questions.  You just spent all of this time driving to the school, parking (hopefully not running in to anything on campus), and getting to the Admissions Office.  Don't be afraid to ask questions about your major, resources made available to you, etc.  Oh ... and don't be afraid to ask STUDENTS.  Admissions Counselors have to say nice things.  The students actually sit in class and eat the food every day.
   
3. Keep an open mind.  Many schools may have older buildings that are not the most beautiful on the outside.  We have a couple of those here at UNH ... But remember, you don't judge a book by its cover.  It's what is inside that counts.  Wait until after you take your tour to decide if a school is for you.
   
4. Partially ignore #3.  You have to be able to envision yourself at a school too.  So while you are touring, try to picture yourself in the campus center taking a coffee break or in the recreation center going for a run.  If you can't picture yourself there, look elsewhere.
5. Last but not least ... Don't let the price tag scare you (yet)!  Oftentimes schools with higher price tags are able to offer more as far as financial aid goes.  So whatever the Admissions or Financial Aid Counselor tells you the cost of the school is, remember that they are telling you the cost before scholarships, merit-awards, grants, and other forms of aid are offered to you.  You don't want to rule out your dream school just because you think it will cost too much.  Apply, file your FAFSA , and see what you qualify for first.  As a resource, check out my post about finding financial aid in tough economic times.
   

Did you ever get so busy that you're not really paying attention? Well, this definitely happened to me a lot in th past couple of days. If you are not from Connecticut, the weather hasn't been the best this winter ... it's cold and has snowed a few times, most recently on Tuesday afternoon. It wasn't a lot of snow .. probably 2-3 inches so when I got up the next morning, I just went about the normal routine.

The sun was out and I just prepared to take my kids to school and then go on to work. We leave just after 8 a.m. every day ... nothing different on Wednesday or so I thought. I did not watch the TV that morning so when I arrived at their school and didn't see any other cars, I became suspicious that there was a delayed opening. I went in to the main office and there was an employee there who confirmed with me that indeed there was a 2-hour delay.

I said, "Why? I got here with no problem." The employee did not think that was very funny. Anyhow, I turned around and drove home, waited almost 2 hours and repated the process. How exciting!!! I guess you always need to pay attention to what is going on around you.

Later that day, I continued working. You see, this is the time of the year that it really starts to get busy in admissions. The applications continue to pile in .... a record-setting year already. The programs that are offered here are in high demand and we want to make sure that we continue to provide the proper level of service to all of our prospective students. I guess that is why one of our maintenance employees came in to my office and asked, "What are you doing here?", I relpied, "I work here." Another attempt at lame humor I guess. (I used to be much funnier when I was younger) 

This employee was asking me what I was doing there becasue it was 12:30 a.m. - as in 12:30 in the morning. And I live nearly an hour from campus. Sounds like fun, right? Again, maybe I should pay more attention. I hadn't realized that it was that late. Time flies when you are having fun.

I was also talking with one of my co-workers just a few minutes ago and discussed how college is a fun time. Soemtimes, our students are stressed out, but they really shouldn't be. They are in a great time of their life and should take advantage of all the opportunities that come their way. For example, our Forensic Science program is one of the nation's original six (started in 1975 by world renowned forensic scientist Dr. Henry Lee. It's also one of a select few that is FEPAC (Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission) accredited through the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS). 

Students in this premier program take advantage of it. They learn every day from a world class faculty in state-of-the-art facilities like our National Crime Scene Training & Technology Center, our National Cold Case Center, and the Cyber Crime lab. They wouldn't have gone anywhere else. So pay attention! What is really important to you? You might miss something if you don't pay attention. Research your college options and then compare. You'll be extremely satisfied with what we do here at UNH - if you don't know that already! And you won't have to turn around and go home becasue you weren't paying attention!                

Like a lot of people throughout the world, I listened to Barack Obama's Inauguration speech yesterday. A theme that echoed throughout the recent political campaign did come through - change. For most people, this probably hits home from an economic perspective. There is a recession in the United States and many people think that it will last for quite a while. Some people seem to be in a state of panic, while others are in a state of fear. Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

How then does this apply to the college selection process? Recently, I have spoken to a few parents and prospective students who have expressed a concern about their ability to afford college. Here is some advice: DO NOT go to a college just because it is cheaper than others. Too many people make the huge mistake of doing this and years later, they do not have a job anywhere near what they envisioned or they don't have one at all. 

Don't forget that college is an investment - in both time and money for your future. And much like any investment, there are risks involved. Yes, YOU CAN select the wrong college. This happens far too often. In a recession, it is even more important to not make this mistake. You have to select the right college and the right degree program. At the University of New Haven, we offer many recession proof majors. In fact, CNN recently ran a list of recession-proof majors and we offer 9 of the top 10 - and that doesn't even count our unique programs that other schools simply do not offer.

We have forensic science, nutrition & dietetics, hotel & restaurant management, and fire science to go along with our unique approaches to fairly common degrees in areas like criminal justice, communication, and computer science. People are really discovering the value of a UNH education during times like these. If you were buying a stock and UNH is a stock, now is the time to buy. 

We will receive more than 10,000 applications for admission this year. Just three years ago, this number was under 4,000. More and more of our graduates continue to gain employment in their fields of study. This is what you invest for. Honestly, how many people really want to work in a field they hate? Not many set out to do this. Well, there are colleges where this may be you only option for you - if at all. Don't make the wrong choice! Your future depends on it.

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In addition to receiving financial assistance in the form of grants, there are loan options - and some good ones as well. Here are some helpful links that you should investigate before making your decision (if finances are a primary concern):

1. Find a Federal Student Loan -- Always try these loans first!
2. Find a Federal Parent Loan (PLUS) -- Loans for Parents or Graduate Students
3. Compare Private Student Loans -- search and find the best student loan for you!

• Private Loans From Discover at University of New Haven

I hope everyone is doing well ... getting in to the swing of things with the new year, and finalizing your college searches!!!

As we enter the final push of students applying to college for the fall 2009 semester, I would like to pass on a few friendly reminders.  I hope that you find this helpful and useful as you are making your decisions.

1. It is important to READ.  I know that lots of colleges send you lots of information about everything from meal plans, to housing assignments, financial aid, etc ... But it is VERY important that you read it all.  Most importantly it is important to read the mail from colleges you have APPLIED to (it may be your acceptance packet!), and more importantly the school you have committed to attending.
2. Don't change your e-mail address!!!  All too often we get e-mails sent back to us from your e-mail provider because an e-mail address has been changed from the time the student applied to the time they have been accepted, or the time they have enrolled.  Changing your e-mail address and not telling anyone is the same exact thing as moving without asking the post office to forward your mail.
3. FILE YOUR FAFSA!!!  This one is so important that it should have been #1 ... In these hard economic times, it is a huge mistake to disqualify yourself from receiving financial aid by not filing one form.  The first "F" in FAFSA stands for FREE!  Our priority deadline is March 1 ... so get cracking at http://fafsa.ed.gov .  The UNH code is 001397.
4. Don't forget to visit campus.  If you have been accepted to a school, even if it was not your first choice school but you are considering it ... visit the campus!  That is the only way you are going to get a feel for if that school is the right place for you.  Click here for a list of opportunities to visit UNH .
   

This weekend I am doing training on Final Cut Pro, a software product by Apple Computer that does very sophisticated photo and audio editing.  This is going to be a fantastic tool in my aresnal of skills.  At the Laurel Vlock Center for Convergent Media , I am getting to use what the students get to use ... and its fantastic!

I'm using a Mac G5 computer while looking at a huge projection screen and watching these tools be used to modify and change rich video content recorded in High Definition.

I will be using my training to make revamped photos for our campus residence halls so prospective and current students will get a good look at the different options they have for living on campus.  So far, I have used remedial skills to make this movie about Bethel Hall for Freshmen accepted for Fall 2009.  My videos will only get better.

THIS IS GOING TO BE GREAT!

I had a great time recording the Kevin Phillips Show on iTunes U last week.  Kevin and I sat down and chatted about the transfer admission process.

Click here to download the podcast and listen to all of the great information, and don't forget to register for a Transfer Discover Day if you are a student seeking to transfer to UNH this spring or fall.

Well Friday was a great day for us here in the Admissions Office.  We had our annual office Christmas Party with Secret Santa celebration.  It was great to take a break from reviewing files and checking e-mails to relax and socialize with people in the office we don't get to see that often because we're always upstairs.

We had to cut the day short because of a huge snow storm that came in to the New England area ... and we may be out on Monday due to weather as well.  Soon we will be out and operating with a small staff between Christmas and New Years Day ... A welcome break after a fall that was full of thousands of miles of travel, and what has been a pace of applications ahead of last year's record shattering enrollment.

Good luck to all of you that are finishing up your applications.  Rest assured you will get a decision as quickly as possible as soon as your application is received.  Don't forget that we have one more Open House on February 1, as well as Accepted Student Days for students accepted for the Fall 2009 semester!

It's hard to believe, but the fall semester is actually over! While many people think this is the most wonderful time of the year because of the holidays and the onset of winter, many college students think this is true because they have five weeks off now until the spring semester begins at the end of January.

Many of them don't realize it now, but they will probably wish they were back in college sometime in the future. Five weeks off for winter break, another week or more for spring break, and then over three months off for summer break! Sounds like a pretty nice schedule!

Anyhow, so much has happened at UNH during the fall semester that it would be impossible to tell you about all of it here, but check out these two updates from the University of New Haven:

1. The Laurel Vlock Center for Convergent Media opened and what an impressive facility it is. Our Communication students can now be Apple certified on Final Cut Pro, the top of the line video editing software available, in the only commerical traning facility of it s kind in Connecticut. The Vlock Center includes 32 brand new Mac G5 pros that will allow students to converge "old" media (Tv, radio, film, and print) with "new" media (blogs, web videos, podcasts, etc.) This facility along with our TV and Film Production Studios, Film and Editing Suites, and FM Radio Station, give UNH the most modern and high profile facilties around!!

2. Students at UNH are continually exposed to new technology. In addition to our Tegrity Learning System, which allows faculty members to record their course lectures and then post them on-line for students top downlaod the actual audio and video later, UNH students are beginning to use Twitter more and more frequently. Faculty members are also starting to use Twitter as an extremely valuable academic tool. Twitter is a new social networking site that allows users to continually post (or "tweet") very short text messages to the web from computers or cell phones. These quick public messages simply describe what a user is currently doing or thinking. Twitter's popularity continues to grow, especially with 18- to 25-year old users. By using Twitter to feel connected to people and news items, faculty members can change classroom dynamics in a positive manner. It can serve as a means of analysis and an object of analysis, particularly in courses pertaining to communication and media studies. Faculty always attempt to teach students that context determines meaning. Since Twitter has very defined rules (posts of only 140 characters for example), it "forces" users to get to their points, productive for all types of communication. It gives people much more insight as to what is going on with a person or a specific incident, and it helps faculty relate better to their students!

Well, that's probably enough for today. UNH continues to emerge as a national leader in experiential education which is why so many of our graduates are out there working in fields related to their degree. Something to think about! Happy Holidays from UNH!                 

Many families have been expressing concerns with the state of today's economy, and the availability of financial aid.  I think we all are feeling the "pinch" this holiday season ... but also need to remember that the one thing you cannot over invest on is education.

Education at a small, private university like the University of New Haven can still be affordable.  Of course we all know education is not free ... but we have some great resources to help families make the cost of education affordable!!!

In addition to the scholarships and awards that are presented to students if they qualify at the time of acceptance, there are resources in various state offices, community organizations (Kiwanis Club, Rotary, Etc.), and businesses (Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Coca-Cola).

Now is the perfect time to begin collecting information on scholarships that you may be eligible for. Check out some of the websites below and do your own free scholarship search!

Check out further information about student aid and loans at www.nslds.ed.gov , the U.S. Department of Education’s central database for financial aid! You may also wish to visit www.simpletuition.com or www.elmresources.com for more student loan options!

* Please note that these websites are not directly associated with the University of New Haven, but offer you the opportunity of additional scholarships that can be used at any college you choose to attend.

It has been awhile since my last post, as Gil has so politely told me. I have a lot to write about since I have been across many time zones and back again. Fall travel is coming to a close with a huge PHEW from me. The rental car odometer tells me I have driven almost 14,000 miles this fall. Too bad enterprise doesn’t have a mile for mile program. Think of the vacation I could take!!

I have to say that this fall I have met some great students and their families on the road. I know I posted before that the favorite part of my job is meeting YOU!! Over the past 10 years I have become friends with so many students and their families. This year is no exception. I even have a mom who has invited my wife and me to an Italian dinner at her home!! Don’t you worry; I am taking her up on her offer. Oh and a side note, her son was accepted before the offer. Bribes don’t work with me unless they are cash, ha-ha.

One of my last final hurrahs for the fall travel is my bi-annual trip to Hawai’i. It was great to see my fellow colleges and all the school counselors I met last year. I also had the pleasure of interviewing two great kids. It was a great trip that I hope will yield some great kids. I sure did see enough of you!! My Hawai’i always falls on my birthday. When my wife asked me what I wanted this year I told her a luau while I am in Oahu. Well I found myself at Paradise Cove on November 13th (now you all know my birthday, cards and gifts accepted, ha-ha). What an experience!! The people, show and food were all excellent. The luau was something I have always wanted to do and I am very happy I experienced it. I always find some time for sight seeing and side trips. One of my favorite spots is Volcano National Park on the Big Island. This time though, I took a ride up at night to see the glow from the lava flowing through Kailua. Dark is an understatement when I tell you it was a dark drive up to the volcano. One would think I would bring a flashlight. Nah, what fun would that be!!! I brought a friend with me and we carefully walked close to the wall following it to the front of the Jager Museum where you can get a good look at the crater. The view and the glow were awesome. Again, something I have always wanted to see. I have been to the park before but never at night. While we are standing there my friend tells me there is somebody in the window looking at us. Remember this place is pitch black. There is very little light in the museum. Chicken as I am, I told her, “ok, let’s get out of here.” We weren’t doing anything illegal but it just gave me the creeps that somebody was looking at us and didn’t say anything. Well the next day we went back. As we turned the corner we looked in the window where Donna saw this person. There stood a silhouette of a park ranger. We busted out laughing!! People thought we were nuts. If they only knew………..

I spent Thanksgiving with my in-laws in Mississippi. I have been very lucky and that I have a great mother in-law. My father in-law passed away two years ago but was just as great as mom is. I am a huge UConn basketball fan, so when Diana Tarizzi shot the 3 pointer from half court, you bet your life I called Dad and asked if he saw that.  All he would say is "luck luck luck". HA-HA I replied, more like skill. Anyway, my brother and sister in-law have twin boys, 10 months old. They are the cutesiest kids and definitely know who Uncle Steve is.

Now I am back to the grind at the office. I cannot believe how many applications there are!! Keep up the good work and enjoy your senior year. Just in case I do not get another post out Happy Holiday’s to all my fans!!!!

Until next time…………………………

Today I finished my second straight weekend coverage day here at UNH.  What is weekend coverage?  Well, weekend coverage is a duty that is rotated amongst our Admissions Staff to ensure we stay open 7 days a week for our campus visit opportunities.  I chose to do Saturday and Sunday both on the same weekend so I could have full weekends later on.

I must say that I enjoy weekend coverage, simply for the fact that I get to work closely with the students who volunteer to come in and give tours, as well as more up-close with the families that visit, as the volume of people is often smaller than standard visit days.  This weekend we had about 15 families visit between three separate information sessions and campus tours.

Smaller visits give our prospective students a chance to get a more realistic view of campus life, as a small group reflects our small class sizes and small population overall.  Plus you get a free cup of coffee or hot cocoa (which was really nice because it snowed today) and a muffin.

Tomorrow, the Communication Department here at UNH will celebrate the grand opening of the Laurel Vlock Center for Convergent Media.  This state-of-the-art facility is home to 32 Mac G5 Computers, all connected to a dedicated 1 terabyte server. 

The facility is intended to bring all of the forms of media (print, video, audio) together (i.e. converge) for use on the web with web videos, podcasts, blogs, etc.  In addition to giving UNH students the technological edge, the Vlock Center will also be used for professional training, as it is an Apple Authorized Training Center.  On January 9-11, the Vlock Center will host a Final Cut Pro course 101 Certification Course.

The Laurel Vlock Center for Convergent Media is just another example of how the University of New Haven continues to transform, and why we are recognized as a leader in experiential education!

The year seems to be flying by! It's almost Thanksgiving and the first semester of the academic year is beginning to wind down. If you are a prospective student, it won't belong before you are heading home for Thanksgiving next year. For many of you, the first step has already been taken - applying for admission to UNH!!

With so many outstanding academic opportunities and exciting things happening at UNH, our application pool has simply exploded. More and more students are discovering the UNH advantage, and we certainly hope this includes you as well.

Here's a few things you need to know:

After you submit an application, make sure you follow up with your high school guidance office to let them know you've applied. They will need to send in your transcripts and letter(s) of recommendation. You have to make sure your SAT or ACT scores are forwarded to us as well as your 250-500 word personal essay. Remember, all of these items must be in before a decision can be made on your file. We've discovered that some students may be unaware that their high school has not sent in their transcripts or that they have not requested their scores to be sent to UNH.

Once the file arrives, we are doing the very best we can to review your application. In fact, we are very quick at getting a response out to you. However, with the large number of applications we are receiving this year, it is taking slightly longer for us to get to every one of them immediately. You can be rest assured that we are getting to them. We've already accepted 700 students for the Fall of 2009 which represents an increase of nearly 60% over last year at this time!

We are also becoming increasingly more selective so make sure that you apply as early as you can. Even though we work on rolling admissions, we are recommending that students apply by January 15th to ensure full consideration. With nearly 100 degree programs and limited space in each, including our Undeclared option, don't be left out. APPLY TODAY!!

Once you've been accepted, you have until May 1st to make your decision. We require a $400 non-refundable deposit if you are choosing to enroll at UNH. You should pay this as soon as you know you are coming here. If you have any questions, please call us at 1-800-342-5864, extension 7319. Hope to see all of you at UNH next year!