Chatham Undergrad Student Blog

by Amy Chau ‘15

It’s that time again.

I’m talking about the time where prospective students take their final SAT, ACT, or TOFEL, fill out college applications and submit their materials to college Admission offices across the country. I know how stressful it can be for students who want to make the Early Decision deadline for their dream schools.

Here are some tips for you:

Mark the deadlines – this is the most important thing EVER! If you don’t make the deadline, you may not qualify for extra scholarships, waived application fees, or many other perks. Try to prioritize your workload so you know when to send in your application. Use a calendar to write down everything from early decision/admission deadlines to deposit fee deadlines. The earlier you send in your application, the earlier the admission office sends out their decision. This will give you ample time to make your final decision. Chatham is SAT/ACT optional, which means you don’t have to send in your SAT/ACT scores if they are not up to your standards!

Check out all the perks – As I mentioned earlier, some schools will waive your application fees if you send in your application early. It doesn’t mean you have to have everything together. You can just send in the completed application first, and then send in the rest of the required materials later. I remember sending my applications in as soon as they were completed and getting all of my fees waived! You can save a great amount of money since application fees can be quite expensive (They can be $30-$70 depending on the college!). For any student having financial problems, you can contact your school’s counselor and ask for a fee waiver. Also, some colleges can automatically qualify you for their scholarships just because you send in your application early. So don’t wait until you have everything – send in what you have!

Send in more rather than less – some schools recommend you send in letters of recommendation, however they are not required. I would still encourage you to send them in because they help admission officers to make a decision on enrollment. Also, letters of recommendation show how great of a student you are and why you would be a great addition to our community. You can ask your academic teachers, coaches, or even your employer! Make sure you choose someone you know well so they can make a personalized recommendation. If you have any portfolio or resume, feel free to send them with your application as well! All the materials you send in are the deciding factors for admission. The more you send in, the more we know about you.

Don’t hesitate – ask any questions you may have. Call or email admission officers, as they are here to guide you through the process. If you have questions about financial aid and scholarships, call the financial aid office. They will try to lift your financial burden off your shoulder by telling you about great scholarship opportunities.

In the end, all I can say is don’t panic! Everyone has gone through this at least once in their lifetime, so don’t worry too much. I always believe that if it’s meant to be, it will happen. Good luck in the college process – I hope you enroll in the school of your choosing and especially hope it’s Chatham!

Chatham Ambassadors are here to help you!!

by Ashlee Pavetti ’13

Many students entering their college years may be nervous as to how to make it through college. I know this from my own experience and from talking to prospective students on the phone. My high school teachers always informed me that college was going to be really hard and the professors were not going to care about our problems or if you did not do your homework. With hearing comments such as those for four years I was scared to move onto the next step and try the whole college experience. Since this is my third year, I have learned a lot about how the college system flows. I don’t know how other colleges are, maybe they are how my high school teachers described them, but I know that is not how my experience has been at Chatham. My professors do care about what is going on in my life and they do try to help out as much as they can. Here are a few pointers to help ease the anxiety of going to college.

First and foremost stay organized. I suggest a planner or two and a calendar to hang up at your desk or above your bed, maybe even both if you’re like me. I am the type of person that likes to know well in advance what is going on. It always helps to print out your syllabus at the beginning of the semester and write down all the important dates like when exams are and when assignments are due. This will help give you a timeline so that you know how to budget your school work and social time. Notecards are a great study technique; not only because they help you with memorization, but also they are small enough you can take them everywhere. I recommend reading the lesson in your textbook before going to class. That way if the information did not make sense when you read it, you can go to the lecture and ask your professor. And just a final quick tip – check your email frequently. You never know when a professor is unable to make it to class, or maybe there is an important assignment that was only sent over the email. It’s nice to get assignments done earlier than later and have time to relax rather than cramming it at last minute. So don’t stress college isn’t that bad, and you will come up with your own system but this is what helps me.

An Average College Planner...

by Vanessa Thompson ’12

The Pittsburgh Promise is a scholarship that a student from a Pittsburgh Public School can receive if they have a 2.5 overall GPA while in High School, and 90 percent attendance. As the first recipient of the scholarship, I receive 5,000 dollars a year. (Now students can receive up to 10,000 a year depending on how long they were in the public school system).

On November 14, 2011, Chatham University and the Pittsburgh Promise took students out on a wonderful event. We first took some time in the Waterfront to do what we love to do. For most, that’s shopping. Unfortunately, I was not able to go to Dave and Busters and play a few games such as “Crazy Taxi” or “Guitar Hero.” However, I was able to go and do a little shopping.

After shopping, the Pittsburgh Promise scholars were treated to a dinner at the Yokoso Japanese Steak House. There we watched our waiter toss food up into the air and light huge fires to get the food nicely cooked to our desire. We then sat and talked about our desired places to travel, mine being Italy, and how classes were going so far. After the dinner, we went to see one of the funniest movies of 2011,Tower Heist. We laughed and laughed at the movie lines in the van ride home. It was really nice to meet Pittsburgh Promise scholars for the first time, and have fun while doing it. Hopefully if you choose Chatham University, you will be able to have a fun night out with your friends, both new and old, like I did.

Vanessa in front of her billboard!

by Anne Reiber ’15

One of Chatham’s many traditions is a candlelight service. This service is held on the first Friday of December and put on by the Chatham Choir. As a part of the Chatham Choir I got the opportunity to get a “backstage pass” and see how Candlelight comes together.

From day one of choir we started to learn our music for Candlelight. It was a very long journey to say the least. Learning the music was not the last of our Candlelight adventure. The week of Candlelight everyone in the choir had the opportunity to decorate the Chapel, which was amazing. We transformed the Chapel into a winter wonderland. The big day had finally arrived and we were all nervous and excited. Everyone had their dresses on and we were ready to get up on that stage and show everyone what we had been doing for the past four months. Candlelight started, we sang our songs, instruments were played, and readings were read. At the end, I knew all of our hard work had paid off when I looked out into the Chapel and saw everyone holding their lit candles in the air singing Silent Night. It was an amazing scene and I will never forget it.

Candlelight at Chatham

by Jamie Hargrove ’13

Hi, my name is Jamie and this is my first year as an ambassador. Working on campus has given me a chance to get to see the inner workings of my school and meet students in different majors. I love to meet new people it’s the spice of life and this is one of my major requirements for on campus jobs. My first on campus job was working for the film department in the broadcast studio. I enjoyed getting to watch the film students as they created amazing videos. From start to finish it was an exercise in creativity and I was honored to be a part of it.

My most memorable memory of working in the broadcast studio was being part of the movie “The Light In the Shadows” by Joseph Hollabaugh. The film was one of the last he worked on while completing his masters in film here. In the film I played the part of the goddess Aphrodite. It was the most nerve racking and exciting experience. It was strange having to control my every move while trying to still come off as comfortable. The portion of the film that I was a part of was filmed in the Cathedral of Learning. The cultural rooms provided a beautiful backdrop for the tragic tail. I had fun putting on the makeup, dressing in the costume, and playing pretend for a good cause.

The film has gone on to win Joe recognition and some awards. You can find the film on youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfFAiBVrWyU&feature=channel_video_title.

Hockey Family

by Morgan Becer ’14

As a sophomore I have already experienced what it is like to juggle being both an athlete and student. I am a proud member of the Chatham ice hockey team. At this point I cannot even say that we are just a team, we have developed into a small little family and are always there for one another. Being a part of the hockey team has made me feel like I am on top of the world. Not only do all of my peers wish me luck every game weekend but I also get that same exact support from my professors as well.

Our team has come together to not only perform better on the ice but to also improve the main goal here- our academics. We meet every week for a study hall session. I find that being a part of an athletic team would be a great opportunity for anyone that decides to come to Chatham. You will not only meet the best friends that you will ever have but you will also perform better academically because of the support that you have from your teammates!

Ice Skating in the Park!

by Cory Doman ’14

Out of the many fun and exciting things to do in Pittsburgh, one of the timeless and thrilling things to do is right around the corner from Chatham. Ice-skating at Schenley Park is a must for the winter season.

The rink is just up from Carnegie Mellon University and Squirrel Hill. The cost is low, even for rentals, which is perfect because when you are in college, you never have money! I always have to rent hockey skates because I have weak ankles but once I get on the ice, I am invincible! It takes some time getting used to but after a few times around the rink, you get used to it. As you are skating along, there are usually 4 or 5 skaters under the age of 8 zipping past you and doing something fancy so it gives you some inspiration as you focus on not falling.

Skating into the evening is the best because Schenley Park’s ice-skating rink is on top of a hill and you can see the city of Pittsburgh all lit up before you! It is truly a sight to behold close by in Oakland!

by Emily Kocian ’15
A few weeks ago I experienced an event that shook me out of my comfortable corner and into the wild. I participated in a traditional Native American drum circle.

 Upon entering the room for the event I was struck by a strange sense of openness. I could feel energy all around the room. The women who guided us through the drumming explained how a drum circle was a spiritual messenger to the great being in the sky. I am not very religious and felt somewhat out of place, but the leader of the drum circle was very open and welcomed my friends and I with open arms into her drum circle.

To enter the circle we had to be “smudged” meaning to be cleansed by three different incenses. It seemed a little strange to me to be standing there being fanned with incense by an eagle’s wing. I then walked clockwise around the drum to my seat and waited as my friends were smudged. We then added tobacco to the top of the drum as an offering to the great creator. The drum leader explained to us that tobacco was considered sacred to Native Americans because of its rarity.

After adding the tobacco we began to drum; once in rhythm we sang a chant and sent our thoughts to the great creator. We chanted several songs and concluded the drumming. Being apart of the drum circle made me feel part of something greater than myself. I very much enjoyed the drum circle and am glad that I took the jump into Native American culture.

The Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh

by Tessa Eline ’14

Pittsburgh Art Scene: A Love Story

It’s around that time of year again when high school students begin to receive their letters from admissions offices across the country, and have to start thinking about what school is the best fit for them. It’s hard to believe that just two years ago, I was in the same position!

 As a student in a major that only came about 20 years ago, I really had to evaluate what school would be my best fit. Arts management is very dependent on your surroundings, so I had to take into consideration many aspects of that major, such as location, job possibilities, demand, and – most of all – how much fun I would have working in such a field. When it came down to my final three choices, I had the options of a strong city in South Carolina with only one main museum, a suburb of Philadelphia that would cause me to commute a lot if I needed to get into the city, or Pittsburgh where I would be located amongst at least three predominant museums and a variety of galleries that would be easily accessible. Obviously I went with the last choice, and it was a superb decision.

 
In a city like this, where you are surrounded by cultural experiences, it is hard not to get involved. As I begin to consider my future career, I recently decided that I need to get my foot in the proverbial door of this museum world. Since living only an hour away from Pittsburgh, I have been to all the basic museums in this city – The Carnegie Museum of Art, The Andy Warhol Museum, The Carnegie Science Center, The Heinz History Center, The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and almost everything in between. There was one museum I had left to conquer, located in Pittsburgh’s historic North Side. Since high school, I had always wanted to visit The Mattress Factory Museum, but much to my dismay my plans had always fallen through. When thinking about when I should begin my internships and start gaining experience in the field, I thought that a volunteer position would be a great way to get some primary experience. I began looking into volunteer positions in the main museums, and decided that now would be a great time to try something new; so I applied for a volunteer position at The Mattress Factory. For you readers out there, The Mattress Factory Museum has nothing to do with mattresses; it is a contemporary gallery that houses artwork called installations in a building that was once a mattress factory. It’s unlike any other museum you’ve ever been to before.

 
I began my volunteer work at the museum on October 28, 2011, when I worked at the gallery opening of our current exhibition entitled Factory Installed. This was actually the first time that I had ever been to the museum, and was so eager to start exploring. The other employees and volunteers that I worked with welcomed me with open arms. One employee, also a Chatham University student, showed me around the museum briefly before the opening began, and I was stunned by the artwork. Words cannot describe the experience of visiting this museum; it is an escapade you have to have yourself to understand. After a few hours of working the event, I realized that I was going to love working at this museum; I had already met great people and even some of the artists!

Around nine o’clock, my coordinator told me that there was an after party that was being held at the directors’ apartment, which was located above the gallery. Some of the employees were thrilled by this, telling me that it is such a great experience and how big of a deal it was. I was just stunned by the whole situation – how often in your early twenties to you get invited to a party at the director of a museum’s apartment? That night became one of the best events of my sophomore year.

 
Continuing with my volunteer position, I have been gallery attending every Saturday I can fit into my schedule, trying to build up hours and experience. I get to interact with excited museumgoers, and share with them information that you wouldn’t typically get from just looking at the artwork. Having an opportunity like this has really reassured me that Pittsburgh was the right city for me, and that I have chosen the right field for myself.

Class of 2015 Window Painting

by Amy Chau ’15

Battle of the Classes is one of Chatham’s famous traditions. All four classes compete against each other to win the title of “Best class of the Year” We started the competition with Relay for Life, a charity run/walk for cancer patients. Many students participated in the run. It was very fun and enjoyable. Many stayed until 4 in the morning.
Then we have window painting competition at our Anderson Dining Hall. Each class decides a specific theme for the year. For the class of 2015, the theme of the year is “Friendship never ends” Many of our classmates participated. There are many BFFs on the window: Pooh and Piglet, Shaggy and Scooby Doo, Mario and Luigi, SpongeBob and Patrick, and of course, Charlie Brown and Snoopy. It was very fun to paint windows with many of our classmates. All classes’ windows are very beautiful and artistic. But of course, 2015 has the best window of all. We won first place!
Battle of the classes also features mystery events throughout the week. Since they are a  “mystery”, we don’t know what is there until the night of the event. Everyone had fun in those events. It was also friendly competition between all classes.
The best event in Battle of the classes would have to be song contest. We perform music selections in front of many people. I’m not going to tell you what we will perform. You will have to find out yourself!

Chatham events are definitely fun and enjoyable. Battle of the Classes is definitely one of the best traditions. Don’t miss out! You will meet new friends and form close bonds with your classmates!