The legendary adventures of a caffeine-addicted Admission Counselor

Annual Christ College Freshman Debates to be streamed live this Thursday

2010-04-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

Christ College students will debate subjects of international and national public interest—from the conduct of military operations against Al Qaeda to the monitoring of Internet sites by employers and universities—this April during the college’s 24th annual Freshman Debates. The series of four debates taking place April 6 to 15 will include a live webcast of an April 8 debate regarding whether or not detainees at Guantanamo Bay should be moved to a prison in Thomson, Ill.

Each debate will take place from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. in the Mueller Hall Refectory and is free and open to the public. Christ College freshmen will argue for and against the following propositions:

April 6 – “In order to subdue Al Qaeda, American forces should, when necessary, conduct military operations into Pakistan.”
April 8 – “Detainees at Guantanamo Bay should be moved to the maximum security facility in Thomson, Ill.”
April 13 – “Indiana should institute a public option health care plan.”
April 15 – “Employers and universities should be prohibited from monitoring or restricting the internet sites visited by their employees or students.”

The April 6, 13 and 15 debates also will be posted on Valpo’s YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/valpo) following their conclusion.

The Freshman Debates are the culmination of the work of 80 first-year students in research, preparation and practice of the art of oral argumentation.

“The Christ College Debates enable freshman students to apply their emerging skills of academic research, critical analysis and oral argument to significant, controversial public issues,” says Dr. Mel Piehl, dean of Christ College. “Participants and audiences alike enjoy the verbal sparring and contest of wit and logic that takes place between the two debate teams, while also learning a great deal in the process.”

At the conclusion of each debate, audience members “vote their minds” by leaving the assembly through a door marked “pro” or through a door marked “con.”

Christ College is Valpo’s interdisciplinary honors college. Students are concurrently enrolled in the honors college and any of Valpo’s four other undergraduate colleges—Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Nursing and Business Administration. Together, Christ College students and faculty create a community of learners who believe in honoring intellect, enlivening faith and engaging the world.

** Press Release from University Relations.

Wha, wha, what did you say??

2010-03-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

How’s life? Crazy, busy, hectic – don’t know what you want to do with the rest of your life? Perhaps some of you have decided on the school that’s the right fit for you, some of you are still trying to decide between the top two, and some of you have no clue and are waiting for that epiphany to hit you. Well, just keep in mind that high school seniors across the country are going through the same thing you are right now! Also remember that many have gone before you and many will come after you!

A few campus happenings--

Valparaiso recently won a National Service Award for students efforts in community service.
Jason Derulo will be performing on campus at the end of the month-- tickets go on sale soon! Be on the look out. I know that I will definitely be at this show!
President Heckler and a student exchange lives for the day in "Be President for the Day" program.
Students returned from their 2 week spring breaks refreshed and ready to complete the rest of this semester.
Campus is getting jazzed up for Jazz fest that takes place in April.

A few things to remember -

If you have already, I am so glad that you've deposited - let me know if there is anything I can help out with! Don't forget that the Health form is due July 1st.
Watch for information at the end of the month about FOCUS, Valpo’s fun-filled and informative orientation program. FOCUS is where you sign up for classes, meet with your advisor, meet other incoming freshmen, and truly get to know Valpo for the first time!
If you have not yet submitted your deposit, please let me know what I can do to help make your college decision process easier. I'm always here to answer your questions.
Remember, it's not too late to schedule on overnight visit. This is a great opportunity for you to truly see what it's like to be a Valpo student.

Well, there’s your Valpo Update! Hope all is well. As always, let me know if you have questions or if I can be of help!

Remember, be legendary in your own way!

Valpo is coming to Chicago for Admitted Student Reception

2010-03-04T09:19:00.000-08:00

In case you have not yet RSVP'd for the Admitted Student reception at the Willis (Sears) Tower on March 13th, it is not too late. RSVP deadline is this coming Wednesday, March 10th.

Featured at this reception are members of the Valparaiso University community, including alumni and host, Attorney Josh Lee (VU '98) of Schiff Hardin & Waite, NBC5 Chicago Meteorologist , Ginger Zee (VU '02), Admission Staff, alumni, current students and me, your Admission Counselor!

Event Details are as follow:

Please join us:

Saturday, March 13, 2010, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Law Offices of Schiff Hardin & Waite
6600 Willis Tower at 233 S Wacker Dr.

All attendees will have to be entered in advance to the security system for access to the Willis (Sears) Tower, so you must RSVP by March 10, 2010 to me at 888.GO.VALPO or megan.marrs@valpo.edu. Seating is limited for this event so we ask that only parents attend with their students. I look forward to seeing you there!

** Admission into the tower is free**

From Sam's View

2010-02-22T14:13:00.001-08:00

My student aid, Sam, is involved with many campus activities including intramurals, working on campus, Sigma Chi Fraternity, working as an AIA (Ambassador in Admission-- tour guide), student overnight host... and in a new weekly feature, "From Sam's View," Sam talks about his major, International Economics and Cultural Affairs (IECA). Weekly, Sam will discuss Valparaiso's Campus from his perspective.
----
The IECA major is a major full of diversity. Not only in the classes that you are required to take but also in the job

opportunities that would arrive. With IECA you will take a wide range of courses, from Poli Sci to History to Economics classes. IECA majors must pick an area in the world in which they would preferably like to work. This area also determines the foreign language that the student must take. For instance a student that wants to work in China will study Mandarin Chinese.

Foreign language courses are a big part of the IECA major because students will not only be able to correspond with the people that they are working with overseas, but they will have a better understanding of the culture and traditions of that area. Another way in which many IECA students obtain that cultural understanding is by studying abroad in the country of their choice.

As I said earlier an IECA major is ideal because the focus on foreign languages opens up an international market for your job search. An IECA major can go to work for the State Department, work in Public Relations, work overseas for an American Company and of course there is always grad. school. Go here to see more information on this major (http://valpo.edu/ieca/index.php).

New Engineering Center to Advance Innovation

2010-02-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

Engineering students at Valparaiso University will gain additional opportunities to develop and practice their engineering skills in the Donald V. Fites Engineering Innovation Center, a new facility designed to advance the University’s position as a leader in providing a comprehensive education for future engineering leaders.

Work on the $13 million building project was recently approved by the University’s Board of Directors and is scheduled to begin in March, with completion expected in time for students and faculty to occupy it by the beginning of fall 2011 semester.

The Donald V. Fites Engineering Innovation Center will enhance the unique, innovative and creative experiences available to students in Valpo’s College of Engineering (http://www.valpo.edu/engineering) while also being the first building on campus to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

Dr. Kraig Olejniczak, dean of the College of Engineering, said the Donald V. Fites Engineering Innovation Center is focused on the needs of students.

“This new facility will support the tradition of Valpo engineers being technically competent, possessing a sound foundational knowledge of engineering theory, while also being able to design experiments and gain hands-on experience,” Dr. Olejniczak said.

The Donald V. Fites Engineering Innovation Center will be attached to the south side of Gellersen Center, home to Valpo’s College of Engineering and Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. The addition will cover approximately 13,500 square feet and include additional laboratory and learning spaces for Valpo’s undergraduate engineering students.

Dr. Olejniczak said the new Center will include significant space for Valpo’s engineering students to work on multidisciplinary design projects at all class levels, including pods similar to the spaces found in high-tech business incubators. That flexible space will be especially beneficial, he said, for senior electrical, mechanical, computer and civil engineering students. All senior engineering students participate in team design projects that provide a capstone experience in which they develop creative solutions to engineering challenges.

“The Center will provide a setting that simulates the environment in which our students will be working once they graduate,” he said. “Our students are involved in design projects that can improve people’s lives, and we look forward to having a facility that enhances the opportunities for students to be in a setting where they can practice creative problem solving and gain management expertise.”

In addition to the new space in the Donald V. Fites Engineering Innovation Center, the project includes the renovation of approximately 4,300 square feet of existing facilities in Gellersen Center.

“The College of Engineering has continuously advanced its programming over the years, and our students and faculty have increasingly gained national recognition for their accomplishments,” Dr. Olejniczak said. “The new Engineering Innovation Center provides well-equipped labs and first-rate facilities to go along with our outstanding faculty, supporting Valpo’s place as a leader in undergraduate engineering education.”

The new facility is named for 1956 Valpo engineering graduate Donald V. Fites, former chairman and CEO of Caterpillar Inc. and a member of the University’s Board of Directors, who provided a lead gift for the project.

“My Valparaiso University engineering education was the platform from which I built a highly satisfying life and career,” Fites said. “Technical excellence was, and continues to be, a given in VU’s engineering college, but the real value that sets Valpo apart is the personal attention and dedication that the faculty and staff devote to each student. When one combines that with the character-building opportunities available on campus not found at larger schools, I believe you have a formula that maximizes an individual’s chances for success.”

Numerous Valpo engineering graduates have gone on to work for Caterpillar, and in fall 2008 the College of Engineering was the third-ranking supplier of engineers to the company. Caterpillar and Valpo alumni who are current or former employees of the company provided more than $5 million in gifts supporting the project.

“Many Valpo engineers have gone on to outstanding careers at Caterpillar, one of the world’s preeminent firms for engineers,” Dr. Olejniczak said. “That’s an outstanding indicator of how highly-sought Valpo engineers are for both their technical skills and leadership abilities.”

Funds for the Donald V. Fites Engineering Innovation Center were raised during Valpo’s “Our Valpo, Our Time” comprehensive campaign, which concluded in June 2009 and raised more than $238 million. (Article provided by University's Campus Chronicle)

This weeks campus happenings...

2010-02-16T08:48:00.000-08:00

I hope this note finds you doing well!

A quick highlight about some fun and exciting campus happenings from last week and this week:

Men's and women's basketball both had big wins in their games against Cleveland Young State and UIC. Last tuesday campus celebrated Chinese New Year at the Student Union in addition to the Career & Internship fair. VU Dance Ensemble was this past weekend which was a hit. VU Symphony Orchestra performed on Saturday in addition to our very well attended BSO Black History Month Dinner. There were lots of movies on campus and a VuVox concert (see youtube video below).

This week is full of exciting events such as an African jewelry exbo, Multi-ethnic Regional Conference, Ballroom dance lessons, Men's basketball game, Meteorology lecture-- including a free Observatory opportunity. We also have the Homerathon II, and World Banquet. This is just the tip of the iceburg for the activities we have going on this week.

For those of you who haven't applied yet and are interested in attending Valpo, it's not too late to get your application in. We have rolling admission and are more than happy to review your application.

For those of you who have applied and are making your decisions, I encourage you to come visit campus. We can schedule an individual visit-- you can sleep in the dorms, go to class, meet with a professor, go on a tour, eat the AMAZING food, and chat with me. Just let me know what days work for you. If you'd like to come for an Admitted Student Day, we have dates in March where you can participate in the same activities I mentioned, but with other prospective students. Visiting campus, especially participating in an overnight, is an excellent way to ensure you can eat sleep and breathe on campus.

If you haven't filed the FAFSA, make sure you do so my march 1, 2010. Valparaiso's FAFSA code is: 001842.

On a side note, I came across this video and want to share. I strongly appreciate students creativity, so if you have any cool videos like this, feel free to send them my way! I'd love to check them out.

Lastly, as noted in my previous post, we are hosting a Regional College Fair on March 10 from 6:30-8:00PM. Up to 100 colleges and Universities plan to attend. Juniors, Sophomores and even Freshman, this is an excellent opportunity for you to come meet with college reps and check out everything Valpo has to offer. For more info, check out my Facebook-- Megan At Valpo.

If you ever have questions, do not hesitate to call me (219)464-5011, email me: Megan.Marrs@valpo.edu or Facebook me: Megan At Valpo.

As always, be legendary in your own way.

Valpo hits the big time in a Superbowl comercial...

2010-02-11T08:02:00.001-08:00

Check out this video at the 44th second to catch Valparaiso University during the Sweet 16 basketball game. As many of you know, Valpo is known for our tremendous basketball team. It's pretty awesome that 10 years later we're still featured in a commercial with Will.I.AM.

Legendary.

Happy Groundhog day!

2010-02-02T11:56:00.000-08:00

Students have been having a blast playing around in the mounds of snow, sledding, etc. Fortunately, we have not had a massive snowfall like this time last year-- *knock on wood*-- but there's still time since the little groundhog saw its shadow today.

Onto other news-- Owl City (yes, THE guys who sing Fireflies and my personal favorite, Vanilla Twilight) will be performing in our new ballroom later this month. Tickets sold out in a record 15 minutes to students and general public. I'm sure this will be a stellar performance.

** Other school related news**
It's that time of the year again-- time to file the FAFSA. "What is this FAFSA thing?," you may be thinking... FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You may file through paper or online (most people file online). www.fafsa.ed.gov. It allows students to possibly receive grant and/or loan money from the government based on your family's finances (including tax information). Grants = money you don't have to pay back and government loans = low interest rates. Payment for government loans typically doesn't begin until after college graduation. If you're from Illinois we also have the Illinois Neighbor Grant-- just being an Illinois resident coming to Valpo makes you eligible for between 1-5k per year... just make sure you file the FAFSA!

Make sure you have this filled out by MARCH 1, 2010!

My spring travel tour will be starting up next month, so I will put this out there again-- whomever comes up with the best (has to be clean) tour title will win a prize. Please have your submissions to me by Wednesday February 25, 2010, 12:00AM CST. Winner will be notified on February 28th.

I hope your week has been outstanding! Good luck to all those coming on campus this Saturday for the music auditions!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to call or email me. If you haven't been on campus yet or would like to come visit again, we do have Admitted Student Days in March, and we can always set up an individual visit for you as well.

Remember-- be Legendary in your own way! Giddy UP!

Valparaiso University College Fair!

2010-02-02T11:52:00.000-08:00

Come one! Come all!

Valparaiso University is hosting a spring college fair!

When: Wednesday, March 10, 2010

6:30-8:00PM (central time)

Where: Valparaiso University's campus

Valparaiso, IN 46383

888.GO.VALPO

www.valpo.edu

*More information coming soon. Stay tuned!

Valparaiso University, your home away from home!

2009-10-29T07:39:00.000-07:00

If you haven't come to campus yet, I highly recommend that you come check out one of our excellent visit days. We have one this Friday, Oct 30 and on Saturday November 14th. It's not too late to register for our November 14th date. At these visits you're able to meet professors, your admission counselor (me), students and other wonderful people who will make your time at Valpo enriching and memorable.

I've had a great time meeting alot of students on the road this fall at fairs and high school visits. Remember, if you have any questions, just drop me an email, call the office or message me on facebook. When I'm not on the road, I've been busy reviewing your applications. If you haven't sent in yours yet, it's not too late. November 1st is our early action non-binding deadline and January 15 is our scholarship priority deadline. If you miss those deadlines, we do operate on rolling admission, but I strongly encourage you to apply earlier rather than later as it helps with scholarships. In order for your application to be complete, I will need your test scores, transcript, counselor evaluation form and your essay. If you have any questions about your essay, feel free to drop me a line. Remember, it's a way for me to get to know you a little better, so brag about something cool and why you're a rockstar or why you love Valpo and want to attend.

In other related news, Owl City just announced that they will be performing on campus in the spring-- you know, the guys who sing Fireflies.

Should be an excellent time. The basketball season is about to get underway and students have been very busy with different activities.

Time to get back to file review. I look forward to meeting more of you and helping you through your admission process!

Remember, be legendary in your own way!

First Fall contest!

2009-09-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

I've been mentioning to alot of you that I've met during high school visits and fairs that I will be holding contests within the coming months. Throughout the coming weeks we will have an on-going contest to see who can guess "Where on Campus is the Crusader..." details for that to come in a few days. My first contest is not so much a contest, but a general wonderment. I want to know what you are doing at your school or community to help bring a positive impact. This can be something large or not so large. Keep in mind that every positive action is worthwhile. So let me know! Send me a 30 second video clip, email, wall post or call me about what cool and exciting things you're doing in your community or school. Contest will end mid-october and the winner will be notified and receive a most excellent prize. Remember, be legendary in your own way!

Scholarship opportunity for my hispanic students & update

2009-09-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage month PepsiCo has partnered with the Hispanic College Fund (HFC) to promote higher education among Hispanic Students. **The following is directly from a letter I received from PepsiCo**

The 2009 Pepsi Hispanic Heritage Month program offers information and resources to help parents and students through the college application process on a bilingual website: http://buildurdestiny.com or http://www.construyetudestino.com.

Students can also use the website to apply for special, merit-based scholarships. PepsiCo is offering 30 scholarships to assist with undergraduate and graduate studies, including 5 scholarships worth $4,000 each, and 25 scholarships worth $500 each. Recipients will be selected by the HCF.

The website launches on September 14, 2009 and applicants must submit paperwork by March 1, 2010 for consideration. Evaluation, selection, notification and student acknowledgement of award will take place from March 2 to April 30. All scholarships will be awarded in September 2010.

The website also features a daily trivia question about Hispanic heritage from September 14 to October 18, 2009. Participants will be entered in daily and weekly sweepstakes for fantastic prizes, including notebook laptops.

*************

On a different note Fall Travel is off to a smashing start. I have met with some rockstar students at high school visits as well as at fairs. I am impressed by this years class so far-- keep up the hard work! This week I will be at the Jones College Prep fair as well as making stops at Elk Grove High School and Rauner College Prep. Make sure you stop by for some Valpo info! Also, if you haven't yet started your application, now is the time. We do have rolling admission, but I encourage you to get it in sooner than later. The first admission decisions are going out this week... so if you have applied and submitted all of the required materials (app, transcript, test scores, counselor evaluation and essay), you will be hearing within the next few weeks!

If any questions arise, do not hesitate to email me: Megan.Marrs@valpo.edu or look me up on facebook: Megan At Valpo, or call the office.

Have a wonderful Monday and remember, be legendary in your own way!

Quick Update...

2009-09-07T10:48:00.000-07:00

My next blog will be much lengthier... but here's a quick look at my weeks travel:

Tuesday Sept 8:
St. Scholastica Fair

Wednesday Sept 9:
Deerfield High school visit
Maine South High School visit
Resurrection High School fair

Thursday, Sept 10:
Gordon Tech High School Fair

Friday, Sept 11:
De La Salle Institute Fair

I'll keep you up to date on my travels this week, local hot spots I hit up, funny stories, campus happenings, etc. As always email me at: megan.marrs@valpo.edu or Facebook me at Megan At Valpo!

I hope to see you out in CHI!

In the meantime.... be legendary in your way...

Fall is fast approaching

2009-08-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

Hello, my loyal readers! I trust that you all had an exciting and safe summer vacation. Did you do anything fun?? I'd love to hear about your summer vacation! As for me, my vacation was not as exciting as last summer when I went to China; however, I spent most of my time on campus in Valpo and took a few trips here and there... very relaxing. I also spent alot of my time volunteering with an outstanding organization called HOBY (Hugh O'brian Youth Leadership). If you are a freshman or sophomore reading this, look into attending a seminar in your area. For you natural leaders out there, this is the perfect opportunity for you to enhance those skills, and for those of you who might feel a little shy, but know that you have an inner rockstar that's bursting at the seams to get out, this could serve as a wonderful opportunity for you as well. The end of summer is bittersweet; I am sad to see it go, but am extremely excited for students to arrive on campus! I can't believe my first class is now at sophomore status (you're getting so old *tear*) and I have my second incoming Freshman class. We will definitely have a lot special people wandering around-- I'm excited to see all of the great things you will do.

I am in the process of finalizing my Fall Travel plans, but am still missing a Tour Name... I could do along the lines of U2 with the 360 degree tour... but I need something even better than that... I'm thinking that it's time for a contest. To the student who gives me the most original (and cleanest, you wouldn't believe the suggestions I've received in the past...), you will win a secret prize. No, it's not guaranteed admission or a full tuition scholarship... but I can guarantee that it will be legen...wait for it...dary. Deadline 12 AM EST September 1st. I will announce the winner on September 3rd and profile you on my blog if you'd like.

If you remember, last year I gave you the inside scoop of a legendary admission counselor and the low down about what I take along with me for Fall Travel. This fall I will be scaling it down a bit since I have more of a centralized recruiting (City of Chicago, North Shore 'burbs and Northwest Chicago 'burbs) territory. Don't you worry East Coasters or students from Southern Ohio, I'm still here and have no problem adopting you and your family! Back to my main point-- what I take with me during travel-- all of these things are necessary in case I need to pull a Macguyver, which ALWAYS happens at some point:

In my travel (non-valpo material, non-clothing suitcase) bag I will always have the following:
Bottled water (preferably dannon natural spring water or Smart Water) I'm being specific in case a rep. views this and wants to send me some cases ;)
one regular can of Coke
appples
almonds
First-aid kit (trust me)
Extra socks
Flip-flops (I could live in flip flops)
Raincoat
Umbrella-- I actually picked up a bright magenta one, which is just fabulous
cell phones, wall and car charger... and extra charger since I always seem to lose one
Laptop
homework-- yes, my day time outfit is the Admission Counselor, while at night I am an MBA student here at Valpo.
iPod, charge
digital camera
Ethernet cable (just in case)
A wide selection of batteries
flashlight
Hand sanitizer
Plastic bags (both of the sandwich and garbage varieties)
Tissues and napkins
baseball hat
Spare toilet paper (I traveled to China last summer-- it's become 2nd nature)
tape, assorted rubber bands and paperclips (just in case I need to MacGyver something together)
Pens
A towel
Tylenol, Advil
A lifetime supply of Tums

All this, plus a folder full of my travel schedule, emergency numbers, insurance forms, contacts, reservations and any other scrap of paper necessary to make the travel season go swimmingly.

I guess I didn't really scale it down afterall...

Once I finalize my schedule I will post it so you know when I'll be in your area. I look forward to meeting you during this fall and spring. Please email me at: megan.marrs@valpo.edu with your tour name suggestion as well as any questions/concerns you might have about Valpo and college admissions.

Remember, be legendary in your own way!

FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!

2009-05-21T13:35:00.001-07:00

**Borrowed from Valpo Nicole** :)

Good afternoon future Valpo Crusaders!

I just wanted to connect with you via email, as I have left messages on machines and with parents this afternoon regarding registration for FOCUS as well. If you haven't already registered for FOCUS, please do so as soon as possible. I was just informed that FOCUS 1 is now closed/full. The remaining sessions are still open:

- FOCUS 2: June 12-13
- FOCUS 3: June 15-16
- FOCUS 4: June 19-20

See the following link to the FOCUS registration: http://www.valpo.edu/admissions/admitted/focus.php

You can MAIL, FAX (219) 464-6898 or CALL in your registration 888-468-2576.

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or need assistance with this.

See you in June!

The end is near...

2009-04-20T08:23:00.000-07:00

Wow that sounds so dooms-day! The end of your Senior should be filled with mixed emotions about this chapter of your life ending, gearing up for college life, PROM, saying bye to friends and getting excited to meet new ones. I completely understand that feeling and while it is overwhelming, it is important to focus on the great opportunities that lie ahead. As I've mentioned before, if you have not made that important decision about where to attend in the fall, grab the yellow legal pad of paper, a sharpie or Pen and make your pro's and con's list.

For those of you who have decided on Valpo-- GREAT, welcome to the family! For those of you having a difficult time making the decision, let me know how I can help. I know it can be daunting, and you may second guess yourself, but ultimately, you need to find the best fit. This will ultimately determine your success. If you're still having a hard time, here are a list of my reasons that you should attend Valparaiso University:

Strong academics; each College has at least a 95% job or grad school placement rating within 6 months of graduation. Engineering and Nursing are 100% and business is 98%.

Classes are instructed by professors only; you will NEVER be instructed by a teaching assistant.

Division I athletics-- 9 men's sports and 11 women's

Value; let's face it, economic time are pretty rough now. I understand the sticker shock of tuition; however, when you couple classroom experience, study abroad, the character of the student body, and job placement ratings, the Value of a Valparaiso education far outweighs the initial cost.

Speaking of study abroad-- your financial aid and scholarships transfer over to you studying abroad at our 15 study abroad campuses! We have 15 programs in 8 countries AND just won the Senator Paul Simon award for internationalization of our campus-- HUGE honor!

Location: 15 minutes from the National Lakeshore, so you can hang out at the beach after class or on the weekends; 1 hour from downtown Chicago for some shopping, the bean, concerts, Sox games (or cubs); The Valpo community-- very welcoming to everyone. There are plenty of shops, restaurants, community events.

Valparaiso University campus life-- we have well over 100 organizations-- close to 120. You can be involved with everything from Intramurals (ultimate frisbee, basketball, etc.) to Greek life, to Student Senate, our NEW campus tv station, radio station, newspaper, music, multi-cultural opportunities, or hang out in our new student union.

In all honesty, I can go on and on about the things I love about Valpo and why I think it's a great choice for you, but the decision ultimately comes down to you.

If you do decide Valpo is it for you-- go ahead and send in your housing & tuition deposit form to us by May 1st and then register for FOCUS (freshman orientation in June).

I wish you all the best of luck! Go Valpo!

Area Reception

2009-03-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone--

The past few weeks have been busy with planning area receptions in Ohio, Chicago and The North Shore suburbs. The first two were amazing-- great people, great food, great environment. We all talked, questions were answered and laughs were had. I truly enjoyed getting to know everyone who attended.

This coming Saturday I am hosting another reception at the Sears Tower which is sure to be a fabulous time.

Last week I spent a few days in the Dayton and Cincinnati areas of Ohio for some fairs and high school visits. Though typically spring high school visits aren't well attended, I was able to meet with some great students as well as guidance counselors.

This week I have been in Chicago for some fairs in the city as well as covering some fairs in the South suburbs. I was able to meet some awesome students this week who I hope will come visit campus soon!

For those of you reading this who are still in the college search process, it is not too late to send in your application. We have rolling admission, so I encourage you to still apply if you are interested!

What's new, VU?!?!

2009-02-23T13:09:00.000-08:00

Hiya! I hope you're past 2 weeks have been going swimmingly! Our office has been pretty busy lately with Valpo Visit Days, Destination Valpo Days, reviewing files, planning spring travel and some special events, but it has been great. I have truly enjoyed meeting with everyone who has come to campus!

There have been a few new additions to campus that I want to share with you. First, we have 3 new athletic teams beginning Fall 2009-- Mens and Women's golf, and women's bowling. Who knew NCAA Women's bowling is the fastest growing sport, but it is! Please check out: http://www.valpoathletics.com/mgolf/news/120/8720/ for additonal information.

In addition to new athletic teams we will now have a Spanish House. Currently on campus we have a German House as well as French House. The German House has it's own facility, whereas the French House and Spanish House will be in the brand new apartment complex which is going up across the street from campus. The apartment complex will be opening August 2009.

As I mentioned before, David Cook was on campus nfor a sold out show at our brand new Harre Union. I heard that it was an amazing show. Our big spring concert will be announced shortly and I will be sure to let you know the details.

This coming week I will be coming to Ohio for some high school fairs and visits, I hope to see you there!

If you're still interested in applying to Valpo, it is not too late. Go ahead and submit your application! For those of you who have been admitted, I know how tough of a decision it is to decide where to attend. If you need any help with coming up with your pro's and con's list, I am more than happy to help you out-- and I promise to not be bias!

There are many ways to go about making the decision...
Ultimately – IT’S ALL ABOUT HOW YOU FIT AND FEEL – remember that

Does it have your academic interests?

Will you get involved here?

Don't just choose a specific school because your boy/girlfriend goes there

Pick a school where you just feel “right” – you’ll know it when you find it!

Pray about it

Ask your admission counselor to hook you up with current students or alumni to talk about their experiences

Grab that black sharpie and make a pros and cons list on a yellow legal pad

These are just a few of my suggestions about making your decision. Visiting always helps, so if you'd like to come check us out, let me know!

Have a wonderful week and remember, be legendary in your own way!

Is it March that comes roaring in like a lion? February must be confused...

2009-02-06T06:49:00.000-08:00

Hiya! What an extreme week this has been! I have to say that I have always loved winter, especially snow; however, my love affair came to a screeching halt on Wednesday when I found myself almost waist deep in snow when cleaning off my car. Once on campus I took a brisk jaunt to capture the beauty of the snow and campus.

Students have been having a blast playing around in the mounds of snow, sledding, etc.

Onto other news-- American Idol's David Cook (yes, THE David Cook) will be performing in our new ballroom later this month. Tickets sold out in a record 15 minutes to students and general public. I'm sure this will be a stellar performance.

Speaking of the ballroom-- remember how I mentioned all of the cool new things about the Union a few posts back? Well-- last weekend we had, "Valpo after dark." Sounds spooky, eh? Actually it was pretty cool-- an ice rink was brought into the ballroom and students were able to try their best Kristi Yamaguchi and Evan Lysacek impressions. Fortunately there are no photos of my feeble attempt.

** Other school related news**
It's that time of the year again-- time to file the FAFSA. "What is this FAFSA thing?," you may be thinking... FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You may file through paper or online (most people file online). www.fafsa.ed.gov. It allows students to possibly receive grant and/or loan money from the government based on your family's finances (including tax information). Grants = money you don't have to pay back and government loans = low interest rates. Payment for government loans typically doesn't begin until after college graduation.

Make sure you have this filled out by MARCH 1, 2009!

My spring travel tour will be starting up next month, so I will put this out there again-- whomever comes up with the best (has to be clean) tour title will win a prize. Please have your submissions to me by Wednesday February 25, 2009, 12:00AM CST. Winner will be notified on February 28th.

I hope your week has been outstanding! Good luck to all those coming on campus this Saturday for the music auditions!

Growing to your potential and Steering a Course

2009-01-28T12:11:00.001-08:00

Hiya Friends--

This blog entry has nothing to do with campus events or deadlines. It is purely an entry that I hope promotes self examination. I know there are times in life where we all get off course, don't know what to do, are easily swayed by peer pressure-- it happens to us all. How we handle our actions, is what determines our ultimate success. Everyday I read my John C. Maxwell, The Daily Maxweel Reader to help me stay in the straight and narrow leadership path I enjoy so much being on. I find that his words can reach multiple levels-- from work, to personal life, dreams and set backs. To deciding on which college to attend, what major to choose-- or later in life, how to handle situations that come at you. Enjoy.

======================================
Steer a Course

If you could go anywhere, where would you like to go? Not in terms of vacations, but in your life. Your answer to that question does a lot to determine whether or not you are successful. You see, we're all on a journey, whether we know it or not. We are traveling inevitably toward the ends of our lives. So the real question for us is whether we're going to select and steer a course for it, or allow ourselves to be swept along the tide, letting others determine where we'll end up. The choice is entirely up to us.

What specific destination are you steering your life toward??

======================================

Growing to your potential

Novelist H.G. Wells held that wealth, notoriety, place, and power are no measures of success whatsoever. The only true measure of success is the ratio between what we might have been and what we have become. In other words, success comes as the result of growing to our potential.

It's been said that our potential is God's gift to us, and what we do with it is our gift to him. But at the same time, our potential is probably our greatest untapped resource. Henry Ford observed, "There is no man living who isn't capable of doing more than he thinks he can do."

We have nearly limitless potential, yet too few ever try to reach it. Why? The answer lies in this: We can do ANYTHING, but we can't do EVERYTHING. Many people let everyone around them decide their agenda in life. As a result, they never really dedicate themselves the THEIR purpose in life. They become the jack-of-all-trades, master of none-- rather than a jack-of-all-trades, focused on one.

If that descrives you more than you'd like, you're probably ready to take steps to make a change. There are four principles to put you on the road to growing toward your potential:

1. Concentrate on one main goal.
2. Concentrate on continual improvement.
3. Forget the past
4. Focus on the future.

When you know your purpose in life and are growing to reach your maximum potential, you're well on your way to being a success...

Final thought**

Are you focused on the one trade that will set you apart??

====================================

I hope you all have a wonderful week-- and remember, be legendary in your own way!

Happy New Year

2009-01-05T06:32:00.000-08:00

Hello my loyal readers--

I hope everyone had a wonderful and adventurous Holiday Break! I am back in the office after a 2 week break and am looking forward to speaking with you, answering questions and also having you come in for a visit.

I know I have talked a lot about the new Harre Student Union opening, but alas, it is finally open! Yesterday I walked around the union and heard The Killers, some Jack Johnson and some other awesome music playing through the piped stereo system. It definitely created a fun atmosphere for everyone.

Have you given any thought to your New Years Resolution?? Remember, January 15th is the deadline to let me know your resolution if you want to be eligible for a prize.

I'm off to review more files! Have a wonderful day... and remember, be legendary in your own way!

Featured Prospective Student of the Week!

2008-12-16T09:45:00.001-08:00

Woo hoo-- it's almost Holiday Break for students! I bet you're all stoked! I would like to take a moment to introduce you to one of Valpo's prospective students, Tamer Lee. Tamer is a total rock star. Two months ago she entered Chicago Tribune's Holiday contest for singing and playing the holiday hymn, "Gloria." Tamer is now one of 7 finalists for the BIG event which is this Friday, December 19th.

Tamer is doing her best to represent her community. She is involved with the 4-H mixed Clovers, The Church of the Living God as a guest violinist, Merit School of Music Orchestra, Marshall High School's jazz band, Hyde Park's Marching Band and Chicago Area Alliance of Black School Educators as a guest performer.

Tamer is currently a Senior at Hyde Park Academy in Chicago, IL. and the Merit School of Music. She studies violin and voice, plays 5 instruments and performs in 2 choirs including All City Chorus at Whitney Young.

Please check out, http://chicagotribune.com/gloria so you can check out Tamer perform!

**
If any other student readers have updates/announcements about awesome things you're doing, let me know and I will feature you in my blog!

Until then-- be legendary in your own way!

It's beginning to look a lot like Destination Valpo Day Season!

2008-12-04T09:31:00.000-08:00

Hello, Dear friend--

I hope your week has been going well since I last posted. Things on campus have been very festive and students are gearing up for finals. Let me catch you up on some campus events as well as visit information and... yes, another contest!

Academics:
Eighteen Valparaiso University professors have received grants from the University’s Committee to Enhance Learning and Teaching for classroom tools and software, travel expenses and other activities designed to improve student learning.

Grants totaling $10,000 were awarded to:

Dr. Carter Hanson, associate professor of English, for expenses involved in developing a new graduate-level course on the cultural history of electronic dance music from the 1970s to the present;
Drs. Angela Vernon and David Simpson, assistant professors of psychology, to conduct a survey examining the relationship between an individual’s level of moral reasoning and perception of the purpose of Valparaiso’s honor code;
Dr. Zuhdi Aljobeh, associate professor of civil engineering, to accompany a team of engineering students on a service learning trip to Central America next spring and collect information about water and air quality, interview community leaders and study possible solutions to a community’s health issues;
Elise Alverson, adjunct assistant professor of nursing, to attend a conference on dietary supplements offered by National Institutes of Health;
Dr. Nirupama Devaraj, assistant professor of economics, to present her research on collective action and international carbon dioxide regulations at a national economics conference;
Dr. Del Gillispie, assistant professor of education, to support a service learning trip by education majors to Nicaragua during March 2009;
Dr. Christina Grabarek, assistant professor of education, to present research on predicting eating disorder risk at the National Association of School Psychologists’ annual conference;
Dr. Todd Hillwig, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, to observe and collect data on the formation and shaping process of planetary nebulae at the South American Research Telescope in Chile;
Dr. Jennifer Hora, assistant professor of political science, to present a paper on “Fantasy Congress,” an online drafting game similar to fantasy football, and its impact on student learning at a conference of the American Political Science Association;
Dr. Larry Jorgensen, assistant professor of philosophy, to present a paper on philosopher Gottfried Leibniz at a seminar on early modern philosophy;
Dr. Carlos Miguel-Pueyo, assistant professor of foreign languages and literatures, to present a paper on the meaning of the use of blue color by European Romantic writer G.A. Becquer at an international colloquium in Germany;
Dr. Rachel Rivers Parroquin, lecturer in foreign languages and literatures, to serve as an interpreter for a service learning trip to Central America during March 2009 by students from the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Nursing and Engineering;
Dr. David Simpson, assistant professor of psychology, to present his research on religion and psychology at an international conference of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies;
Dr. Zsuzsanna Szaniszlo, associate professor of mathematics and computer science, to participate in the annual Joint Meetings of the Mathematical Societies, including a panel on undergraduate research;
Dr. Paul Tougaw, assistant professor of education, to present a paper and workshop on professional and ethical dilemmas facing young teachers at the International Phi Delta Kappa Summit and to present sessions on classroom management and the interview process at the National American Association for Employment in Education;
Dr. Jeff Will, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, to allow him and an undergraduate engineering student to travel to Japan and collaborate with faculty at Hokkaido University on deploying virtual reality technology in their teaching, as well as bringing ideas back to Valparaiso;
Drs. Stanislaus Zygmunt and Andrew Richter, associate professors of physics and astronomy, to attend a national conference of the American Association of Physics Teachers and learn more about creative pedagogical innovations and best practices in college-level physics instruction.

Valparaiso’s Committee to Enhance Learning and Teaching works to promote and enhance teaching and learning on campus and assist in faculty development. It awards grants annually to faculty members developing new courses, enhancing current courses, presenting their scholarship and engaging in other activities that benefit student learning.

Extracurricular:

Basketball season is about to start with a few exhibition games already taking place. Valpo has been guaranteed 3 ESPN appearances this season with a possibility of 7! Make sure to check our website to see what games will be on ESPN (http://www.valpo.edu/athletics)
Co-ed volleyball has wrapped up and now it's onto intramural basketball season. Students are tearing up the courts and staying occupied outside of the classroom.
With the new union almost finished and ready for it's grand opening on January 4, 2009... office that will be located in the Harre Union are making their move into the new facility.
Stop.Drop.Rewind. performed in the Christopher Center during an end of semester gathering. Students were able to relax, decorate and eat cookies, listen to some music and mingle.

Plus lots of other events happening on campus!

Now onto the contest-- with the new year just around the corner and since most people reading this are in high school and about to graduate, whomever can submit the best New Years GOAL will win an amazing surprise. Deadline is January 15, 2009 midnight CST. This can be a wide variety of goals-- example: Each year my resolution is the same-- do at least one thing per year that scares me. This year I went to China with 17 people from the MBA program that I hardly knew, never having traveled abroad before. It's still up in the air what I will do next year, but I know it will be hard to top a trip like the one I experienced when going to China.

Many of you have received your Acceptance letters from many schools and are facing the dreaded, "So what are you doing after high school? Where are you going to school??" Trust me, I completely understand how obnoxious it can get and also how intimidating the whole college decision process can be. As much as I would like to say, "You HAVE to be at Valpo!" if you're not happy, it's a lose lose situation for all. Take time to figure out the pro's and con's of each school you are considering and remember, if you ever have questions or have concerns and would like to chat-- that's why I'm here! This is a very exciting time in your life and you should feel very proud of your hard work and, while perhaps feeling a bit sad about ending your highschool days, look forward to the awesome doors that are opening right before you.

Keep in mind that visiting campus definitely helps with making a final decision. May 1, 2009 is the decision deadline, but you can submit your deposit any time before. We have some overnight visits scheduled (DVD's) in January, Febuary and March-- with our first one being tonight-- where we'll match you up with a current student, you get to chill on campus, go to class, meet with the profs and see what it would be like to attend Valpo. I strongly encourage you to attend one and get to know our awesome hosts and students while learning about the Valpo experience.

As an early head's up starting January 1, 2009 you can start filing the FAFSA, but until then I encourage you to file the early aid estimator.

I hope you are having a wonderful week! Look for an update next week.

And remember-- be legendary in your own way!

Megan On Facebook!

2008-11-25T13:28:00.000-08:00

Hiya my loyal readers! I apologize for my hiatus. A lot has been happening on Valpo's campus-- mainly lots and lots and lots of file reviewing. All of you early action applicants will receive your notification within the next week, if you have not yet already. Let me know what questions you have-- and also, CONGRATS!

Those of you who have not yet applied, we have a web portal where you can apply online. Those of you who apply via the portal can check if we are missing anything for your application to be complete-- those of you who do not apply via the web portal cannot see that same info, you'll need to call or email me. http://www.valpo.edu/admissions/apply

Also, Valpo is now part of the exclusive Youtube Campus Network where you can see some of our students featured in videos, partial tour, and other fun clips. Check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/valpo.

Lastly, I know that some of you might not like communicating via email or on the phone, I have created a facebook account and would love if you add me as a friend! Don't worry, I will not contact you thru facebook often, but if you find it easier to connect this way or would just like to facebook your favorite Admission Counselor, please click on the Facebook badge below.

Now that students are being admitted, we will be having large over-night visits on campus, with the first being December 4-5, 2008. It's not too late to register, and you can do so by logging onto our admission webpage, calling us, or emailing me. We do have other overnights (DVD-- Destination Valpo Days) in January, February and March so let us know! Also, if the dates we have scheduled do not work with your schedule, we're more than happy to host you any Sunday through Thursday-- please give us two weeks notice.

Check back next week for another update-- and until then, Happy Thanksgiving!!

O-H...I-O

2008-10-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

... Thus completes my travels in Ohio. Thanks for the great time, I'll see you soon...

I'm kidding, I have more to divulge to my loyal readers! I began my journey to the Buckeye state on Oct 5th and got back on Oct 12th. My first trip was to the Columbus Suburban Fair at Otterbein College where I met with fabulous students-- what's up Samantha!? After the fair I decided to discover part of north C-bus to learn what the locals love about the city. I cannot lie, being a Purdue University graduate I did have my prejudices; however, I was won over by the charm of everyone I met, the wonderful schools I visited, the counselors as well as... yes, the mall that was across the street from my hotel.

I spent Monday in Columbus, checked out downtown and made plans to discover the Buckeye campus when I went back on Friday. I then made the trek to the 'natti (Cincinnati) where I fell in love with the fall foliage, local charm and of course, THE greatest ice cream known to man: Graeter's. If you're ever in the Cincinnati area, make sure you stop in for some-- ask for the raspberry chocolate chip-- you'll thank me later.

While in Cincinnati I met with some amazing students **Zack and Justin thanks so much for pointing me in the Graeter's direction!** who had great questions and high desires to attend Valpo. Definitely good times. After my busy week I had Friday night and Saturday to enjoy and explore. Since I was downtown for the NACAC (National College Fair), I spent Friday afternoon and early evening walking around taking pictures of the bridge-- which, interesting factoid-- John A. Roebling suspension bridge was the longest of it's type... until The Brooklyn Bridge was built and stole the title. And there's your history lesson for the day. Not only am I an Admission Counselor, I'm also an architecture buff. I really enjoyed spending time at the Fountain Square downtown where there is a huge flat screen tv that people watch games on and also tail gate before home games. I spent some time there watching football and some of the ALCS game. I also loved being in the city and the view of the bridge and buildings...

My weekend was completed with the NACAC where I met with a great number of students.

New contest-- oooh, see I hold up my end here-- let's make this a bigger challenge... the student that provides with with the quickest and most creative route from Valpo to Columbus will win a prize of legendary proportions... please submit your travel route to me by Nov. 1st -- oh what else is November 1st?? That's right, EARLY ACTION, NON-BINDING deadline. How convenient! For you Buckeyes wanting to come to Valpo, this is the perfect compliment to your process... not only may you gain admission, you may also win a smaller, but amazing, prize.

Onto some campus happenings-- we had our second visit day of the Fall season where 88 students and their families came for a good Valpo Visit filled with info, laughs, tours, and of course, amazing chocolate chip cookies. We're all looking forward to the upcoming visits. It's not too late to sign up for a visit day, and as always, you can sign up for an indiviualized visit!

This previous weekend was also our Homecoming. While I missed it, I hear that it was amazing. We had so many alumni back to celebrate their love of Valpo and see the new developments on campus.

This coming Friday, October 17th, our new President, Mark Heckler will be innaugerated at the Chapel. We are all very excited about the events leading up to and after the ceremony.

Check back for updates... and remember, Be legendary in your own way!

It's official....!

2008-09-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

Dear friends--

Not ONLY is it my favorite time of year-- Hello Fall, my dearest love-- BUT my Fall travel tour has been named. Wait for it... wait for it... this year's title has been named by Benjamin Witte of Chicago, Illinois. Ben is a Senior at Univ. Chicago Lab Schools and plans to study Art: Ceramics and Education. His amazing title.... wait for it.... has earned him a superb Valpo gift. Thanks so much BEN! And the title is.... Megan's Mega Midwest Montage **don't worry East coasters, when I visit you in the spring there will be a new title**

This week has been fabulous-- I met so many amazing students at the Brother Rice/Mother McAuley fair on Monday night and at the Maine South fair last night. Mad props to the students I met at Highland Park and Evanston Township High School... you guys rock and had amazing questions-- I look forward to seeing you on campus soon! Chicago's Northshore is absolutely beautiful-- venturing around Evanston's downtown area, Winnetka, and the entire north shore during this time of the year has fast become one of my favorite things to do. All of the people are great, beautiful weather-- and of course-- the amazing shopping!

Make sure to check out our website for new happenings on campus and to schedule a visit!

And as always... be legendary in your own way!

Liberal Arts night at Jones College Prep!

2008-09-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

My fall travel is off to an amazing start! First up was the Liberal Arts Fair at Jones College Prep.

For those of you unfamiliar with Jones, it is an amazing school, like many others in the City of Chicago. This fall we have 6-- yes SIX-- Freshman on campus from Jones. Two of those students accompanied me on this adventure and did an amazing job describing their love of Valpo to their former classmates. Needless to say, we had an awesome turn out at our table. When we first arrived we were greeted by high energy, warm smiles and a reserved parking space. Those of you familiar with parking downtown can appreciate the excitement we had with not having to stress about finding a close spot. Sam and Jeremie were asked to be "surprise" guests for the beginning panel and were very well received by everyone. There was even live music performed by members of the Jones College Prep band and a very nice meal.

All of the students I met were very prepared for the fair and had lots of great questions to ask. I couldn't have hoped for a better turn out. I look forward to seeing all of you Jones students again soon at both a high school visit and when you come visit campus! Let me know how I can help!

Big fall travel starts in a week-- I look forward to the many amazing experiences I will encounter while meeting you!

Don't forget to submit your suggestion for my fall travel tour name-- I have an amazing gift for the winner! (submit by midnight cst Sept 22nd)

And as always, Be legendary in your own way...

Coming to a high school near you..

2008-09-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

Dear friends--

As promised, the highly anticipated return of your admission counselor's travel season is about to begin. Please check out the following dates to see if you will be able to stop by to get some Valpo info and say "HI" to me. My tour of Chicago will be somewhat epic as I plan to visit 50 high schools within 6 weeks plus many in the Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio areas. Do not fear, my East Coasters, I will be coming to you in the Spring months, but you can come visit me on campus, drop me an email or give me a call for some information in the meantime.

Let's get interactive-- Whomever submits the most creative and clean tour title for my fall travel schedule will win a fabulous Valpo gift. All submissions must be received by September 22nd, 2008 12AM CST. Please email me at: Megan.Marrs@valpo.edu

And now, the grand unveiling of the "to be named later" tour:

Wednesday September 10th, 2008
DeLasalle (fair)
Jones College Prep (fair)

Monday September 22^nd, 2008

Luther High School South

Morgan Park Academy

Brother Rice (Fair)

Tuesday September 23^rd, 2008

Maine South (fair)

New Trier

North Shore Country Day School

Wednesday September 24^th, 2008

Evanston Township

Highland Park

Deerfield

Thursday September 25, 2008

Maria (fair)

Curie High School

Marist (fair)

Wednesday October 1^st, 2008

Lake Forest Academy (fair)

Niles West

Niles North

Thursday October 2^nd, 2008

Lincoln Park High School

Francis W Parker

Northside College Prep

Luther North

Sunday October 5^th, 2008

Columbus, OH

Monday October 6^th, 2008

High school visits TBD

Tuesday October 7^th, 2008

Univ. Cincinnati

High school visits TBD during the day

Wednesday October 8^th, 2008

Miami University

High School visits TBD

Thursday October 9^th, 2008

High School visits TBD

Friday October 10^th, 2008

High School visits TBD

Sunday October 12^th, 2008

Ohio NACAC

**Back to Chicago**

Monday October 20^th, 2008

Flossmoore (fair)

Gwendolyn Brooks

St. Ignatius

Tuesday October 21^st, 2008

Morgan Park Academy (fair)

St. Rita

Wednesday October 22^nd, 2008

Walter Payton

Whitney Young Magnet

Thursday October 23^rd, 2008 (Happy birthday to my brother!!)

Noble Street

Latin School

Friday October 25^th, 2008

DeSales (fair)

Mt. Carmel

Univ. Chicago Lab School

Saturday October 25^th, 2008

Chicago NACAC

Wednesday October 29^th, 2008

National Hispanic Fair

Thursday October 30^th

William Taft (fair)

Saturday November 1^st, 2008

Univ. Ill @ Chicago (fair)

*disclaimer, dates may change, and if they do, there will be a post about it*

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, "Wow, Megan, how do you stay so energetic and inspired while out on the road?" I will tell you-- it's because of Starbucks. I'm joking, partially, in reality it's because of the relationships developed during this time of the year. You also might be wondering what exactly I take with me while out on the road-- OK, ok, ok twist my arm, I will tell you. In my travel (non-valpo material, non-clothing suitcase) bag I will always have the following:

Bottled water (preferable vitamin water)

one regular can of Coke

Powerbars

trailmix

First-aid kit (trust me)

Extra socks

Flip-flops (I could live in flip flops)

Raincoat

Umbrella

cell phones, wall and car charger

Laptop

homework-- yes, my day time outfit is the Admission Counselor, while at night I am an MBA student here at Valpo.

iPod, charger

digital camera

Ethernet cable (just in case)

A wide selection of batteries

flashlight

Plastic bags (both of the sandwich and garbage varieties)

Tissues and napkins

Two hats

Spare toilet paper (I traveled to China this summer-- it's become 2nd nature)

tape, assorted rubber bands and paperclips (just in case I need to MacGyver (1) something together)

Pens

A towel

Tylenol, Advil, Motrin and aspirin

A lifetime supply of Tums
(1) for those of you too young to know who MacGuyver is-- take a look

All this, plus a folder full of my travel schedule, insurance forms, contacts, reservations and any other scrap of paper necessary to make the travel season go swimmingly.

I look forward to seeing you all very soon!

And remember-- be legendary in your own way!

Is it me, or is it beginning to feel like Fall too soon?

2008-08-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends--

The end of summer is upon us, while this is a bittersweet feeling, I cannot help but be excited about this coming year. Baseball games, visit days, beach bumming, my trip to China-- I cannot give justice to how amazing my summer has been. I hosted a High School counselor visit day two weeks ago and it was smashing-- the counselors met with Deans from each of the colleges, had a VIP tour of the new union, and a delicate lunch at one of my favorite hot spots in town.

My first class of students has started at Valpo and it has been so much fun seeing them on campus, hearing about their freshman dorm experiences, and them stopping by randomly just to say "HI!" I keep finding myself more and more anxious to meet new students and bring them on to campus. There is something so refreshing about being on this side of the desk and helping students realize their potential that I honestly cannot wait to see what my students do while here and after.

Today was especially exciting because we had our 80th Annual Opening Convocation where distinguished professors were honored by our new President, Mark Heckler. It is indeed an exciting time on campus as we celebrate our 150th year, welcome our new President, faculty, staff and of course, our new students!

There is always something to happening on campus whether it's an athletic event (http://www.valpo.edu/athletics), within our Arts department (http://www.valpo.edu/vuca) or something in the academia realm. Starting in September our symposium series will begin. Some of the topics and speakers include:

Sept. 11 Reflections in the Dark, presented by Fredrick Barton, a Valparaiso and Christ College alumnus who is an award-winning film critic, novelist and professor at the University of New Orleans. He will reflect on the evolving American spirit as portrayed in contemporary films such as No Country for Old Men, The Dark Knight and The X-Files: I Want to Believe.

Sept. 18 Einsteins Happiest Idea: Gravity and Curved Space-Time, presented by Dr. Eric G. Adelberger, professor emeritus of physics at the University of Washington. The talk will review Einsteins theory of gravity and how it illustrates how profound ideas develop, how incorrect experimental conclusions stimulate new insights and how the best experimental techniques are sometimes the least obvious.

Sept. 25 Meditation and Monasticism: Making the Ascetic Self in Thailand, presented by Dr. Joanna Cook, George Kingsley Roth Research Fellow in Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Cambridge. Dr. Cook, who took ordination as a Thai Buddhist nun while writing her doctoral dissertation, will discuss the ways in which people make religious and cognitive concepts real through learned bodily and mental experiences.

Oct. 2 Domestic Vision: A Retrospective on the Art of Joel Sheesley, presented by the internationally-respected artist whose work is being exhibited at the Universitys Brauer Museum of Art this fall. Sheesley will discuss the development of his artistic vision from a sense of Americana to 17th century Dutch models.

Oct. 9 Faith and Work, Love and Life, presented by four Christ College alumni: Kate Goodman, a writer who serves as lead moderator for the Denver Posts blog Mile High Mama; Ben Schnakenberg, an associate at High Road Capital Partners in New York; Matt Provenzano, resident physician at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics; and Stephanie Loomis Pappas, doctoral candidate in rhetoric and composition at Northeastern University. Each will reflect on the ways their Valparaiso and Christ College experiences shaped their careers, relationships and spiritual lives.

Oct. 16 Christ College Student Scholarship Symposium, featuring the analytical, critical, creative and research projects of current Christ College students.

Oct. 30 The Lilly Fellows in Humanities and the Arts, presenting an overview of the scholarly work being pursued by Valparaisos new Lilly Fellows Dr. Susanna Childress (English and creative writing), Dr. Karin Fransen (philosophy) and Dr. Samuel Garber (American studies).

Nov. 6 Holden Village: With Christ in the Wilderness for the Life of the World, presented by Dr. Mark Schwehn Dickmeyer professor in Christian education. Dr. Schwehn and fellow Valparaiso students and faculty who have spent time at the Christian retreat Holden Village in the Cascade Range, will talk about their experiences at the center which has received national recognition for its pioneering environmental stewardship practices, liturgical experiments, artistic ventures and theological imagination.

The presentations are held each Thursday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Christ College Refectory in Mueller Hall, with the exception of the Sept. 18 and 25 lectures. The Sept. 18 lecture will take place in Neils Science Center while the Sept. 25 lecture will take place in the Christopher Center for Library and Information Resources. Each presentation in the series is open to the public without charge. Call Christ College at (219) 464-5022 or visit valpo.edu/christcollege for more information.

In a few short weeks I will be on the road again, building relationships with students and families and checking out awesome, local hang outs known to only those within specific territories. Within the next few days I will post my travel schedule so you can come meet up with your favorite Admission Counselor! Enjoy the beautiful weather!

As a reminder, if you have any questions about Valpo or the general college admission process, feel free to contact me!

And remember-- be legendary in your own way.

Testing

2008-07-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

Greetings from your Valparaiso University Admission Counselor! Currently we are implementing new methods to reach our students. If you have any questions about Valpo or the general college admission process, feel free to contact me.

Within the upcoming blog posts look for information about my life on the road, info about campus events, videos, photos, travel schedule, etc.

Have a wonderful day!! Go Valpo!