Fun at the Zoo!

by Blake S., Panther Blogger

As a full-time college student, it can sometimes become difficult to arrange your schedule to make sure that you are providing yourself with plenty of free time to have some fun and get away from the stress that is associated with college coursework.  However, one of the greatest things about some of the courses here at Ferrum College is that they actually incorporate fun trips into their course requirements.

An example of one of these trips that I have recently participated in is touring the Carilion hospital in Roanoke, Virginia as a member of the anatomy and physiology class.  Throughout this tour, students are exposed to the many labs that are used in the hospital, such as the echocardiography lab, microbiology lab, and cardiac catheterization lab.  This is a great learning experience for students and allowed us to explore the numerous opportunities associated with the medical field.  However, perhaps one of the more intriguing field trips that I have participated in during my time here at Ferrum is a trip to the Zoo!

Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
(picture from www.aecom.com)

Just last week, I was given the opportunity to travel alongside the Ferrum College zoology class to the North Carolina Zoo.  I've got to say that it was, without a doubt, some of the most fun that I have had as a Ferrum College student.  While at the zoo, we were allowed to take a self-guided tour around the park and travel to all of the different exhibits.  One of my favorite exhibits was that of the aviary, in which there were numerous exotic and beautiful species of birds!  The chimpanzees and baboons were also pretty funny to watch, and the bears (my favorite animal) were astonishing!

This was a great opportunity to not only get away from campus and have some fun, but to also gain greater knowledge about the topic of zoology and get some insight from the workers at the zoo.  While there, we spoke to a number of different workers who provided us with advice regarding applying for work positions in the field of zoology after graduation.  Each of the individuals that we spoke to mentioned that they were able to obtain their jobs with just a bachelor's degree and plenty of work experience; as a college student about to graduate, this was a pretty promising thing to hear.

Overall, this was a great opportunity that I am very glad I was able to partake in, and I hope that many others will take advantage of this same chance to learn and grow as a student and individual.

Spring Fun!

by Anneleisse A., Guest Blogger

Who says that there isn't anything to do in Ferrum, Virginia?  This semester has been a busy, crazy...and did I say busy semester?  But who says that when in college, you should only study and not take time off from the books?  Well let me tell you how I have spent my free time lately!

Every spring, we have a big concert and it follows a genre rotation.  This year was R&B or Hip-Hop, and guess who was our big performer!?  JUICY J!!  That's right - we had Juicy J come perform at our YMCA on campus.  The event was a huge success with about 800 people, which made it a SOLD OUT event.  I had the opportunity to volunteer to help out with the concert, and as a member of Event Staff, I had the responsibility of making sure people followed rules so that everyone could enjoy the concert to the fullest.  Although I would have loved to brag about meeting him, I didn't...but he did take a selfie with my phone while on stage which I found pretty cool.  Take a look for yourself...

Besides having a concert every spring, we have plenty of events that go on during this time.  Last weekend, we had Panthers Against Cancer.  This event went from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., and there were a variety of things to do during the 12 hours of the event, such as Zumba, karaoke, and games.  The purpose of the event was to raise awareness and raise money for cancer.  Besides having this event, the Criminal Justice Club hosted a chalk run on the same day. 

So although school is a priority, you should always try to make time for some personal fun when possible.  Take time off and do something that doesn't involve classwork unless that's what makes you happy.  It's not every weekend that Ferrum will have big events like these, but there are always other options, whether it's taking an hour out of your day to walk campus, do some yoga at the Y, or simply get in a quick workout.

Until next time,
Anneleisse

Attending an Aging Conference

by Rachel W., Panther Blogger

Early one recent Wednesday morning, three professors, a fellow Social Work major, and I climbed into a van to make a three and a half hour trip to Raleigh, North Carolina.  We made this trip in order to attend the "Aging Conference" at North Carolina State University!

The conference itself was extremely educational!  It not only reestablished my desire to work with the aging population, but it also opened up my mind to graduate school.  Ferrum College is providing me with all the tools I need to succeed in not only my undergraduate degree but also to move forward and earn a master's in social work further down the road.

We even stopped at Red Robbin for dinner and
enjoyed an onion ring tower!

During this trip, I got some one-on-one time with my amazing professors who gave me advice on graduate school, internships, and the social work field in general.  It is so rewarding to go to a small school where I can have these kinds of experiences with my professors who truly know my story.

Also on this trip, I got to spend time with another social work major, Taylor.  Taylor and I have a lot of the same interests.  We both want to work with the older population and really love the degree we are earning.  Another great aspect of being in the Social Work Program at Ferrum College is that the program has a very tight knit group of students. We are all willing to help each other with things both academically and personally.  Taylor is going through a lot of the same things as I am as far as planning the future (including graduate school, next semester's classes, and planning internships), and it is so nice to have someone who can relate and understand!

Being Back at Ferrum

by Delana S., Panther Blogger


Since returning from D.C., I have had to readjust myself to Ferrum and being back in a slower-paced environment.  It is refreshing, but at the same time increasingly hard because I have been on the go for so long that my body really just got used to it.  I am so glad to be back home.  I missed all of my friends and my professors here.

Still, this semester is very busy for me because I have to make some decisions regarding next year and what I want to do when I graduate.  So far, I have come to the conclusion that I want to go to graduate school and be a Foreign Service officer.  I had the opportunity to meet a few people who could tell me what I needed to do to start the application process and what it includes, but I'm not sure where I'm going to end up.  Things have been looking pretty bright for me and my future, but it is hard when you want to do everything!

One thing that I truly love about this semester is that I really get to work on public relations for the Student Government Association.  I was elected with the cabinet, but they really didn't need me in the fall, so I get to do a lot now and I love it!  Ferrum College's Student Government Association now has a Twitter account and will soon have an Instagram and a Tumblr account.  These are my "pet projects" because with technology becoming more prominent in careers, it is good to start building a network and reaching out to others on social media.  I also get to work on other creative projects and have fun with them.

Besides that, I am also getting involved with the Ferrum Leadership Fellows again. Despite being absent from Ferrum's campus last semester, being in D.C. helped me to work on my leadership skills and also further develop my communication skills that will help me be a good and effective leader.  The best part of having a good relationship with the company is that they allowed me to come back and help with a big event, and I was able to see many of the people who I had previously met.  It was an amazing experience and I am glad that I had the opportunity to work with them all once again. I love being a leader and taking on leadership roles because it is always a fulfilling adventure.

One thing that I thought that I wouldn't be able to do within my four years at Ferrum is study abroad, but I went to D.C. last semester and now I am going to be heading off to Alicante, Spain for the upcoming fall semester!  It seems that I am doing a lot, but with my second major being Spanish, it is a good opportunity for me to be immersed in the culture and become fluent.  I am very excited because I have never been to this part of Spain - on the coast.  I have traveled to Spain multiple times, but this will be new. I will be living with a host family, attending the university, and learning about the people and the culture.  Many people can't believe I am leaving again, but I have to take advantage of every opportunity I can before I graduate.  I am excited for this new adventure!

Getting My CPR Certification

by Paige R., Panther Blogger


On March 20th, fellow Minds-N-Medicine Club member Brittany and I attended the Western Piedmont Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) CPR training course in Martinsville.  Brittany and I are both registered MRC volunteers, so we were able to take the class free of charge.  During this course, we learned the proper methods for CPR on adults, children, and infants.  We also practiced the Heimlich maneuver.

I was so surprised at how sore I was the next day!  The manikins are made in a way that makes it very difficult to give compressions in a manner that is acceptable to receive certification.  In the picture, you can see a green light on the shoulder of the manikin.  This light indicates that the compressions I was giving were satisfactory.

As much as I hope that I never have to give CPR, I'm very glad that I do now have this certification and knowledge!  At Ferrum, it is very common for students to have opportunities like this to go out into the community to do volunteer work, to take a special course, or to work more closely in an area they are interested in.

Minds-N-Medicine Hosts a Blood Drive

by Paige R., Panther Blogger

On Wednesday, March 26th and Thursday, March 27th, the Minds-N-Medicine Club hosted a Virginia Blood Services Blood Drive in the YMCA.  Virginia Blood Services provides blood to the local community.  Every unit of blood that is donated can save up to three lives, directly fulfilling Ferrum's motto:  "Not Self, But Others."

As the President of the Minds-N-Medicine Club, assisting with the organization of the Blood Drive has become very special to me.  Up until the time I went to Zambia (check my video blog about that trip!), I donated blood at all of Ferrum's blood drives.  I am currently on deferral, but I will be able to donate again in August.

Daniel donating blood for
the first time.

Sticker that Virginia Blood Services
gives to blood donors.

Before each Blood Drive, our club holds sign-ups on campus.  One of my friends, Daniel, signed up to donate blood for the first time during this Blood Drive.  He signed up to donate during my lunch break, so I went and sat with him while he donated.

Virginia Blood Services
40-year anniversary t-shirt

Minds-N-Medicine Club member
Josh donating blood.

This experience was so rewarding for me because I had the opportunity to see Ferrum students taking a step to save lives.  While I observed students donating blood, I saw something change in them when they realized that what they were doing was going to make a significant impact on another person.  This event made me so proud of what the Minds-N-Medicine Club does and even more proud of the selflessness of Ferrum students.  Although this was the last Blood Drive I'll ever have the opportunity to assist with at Ferrum College, I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to see my peers make a difference.