Tuscaloosa’s Rise School graduates 21 students with emphasis on possibilities
Tuscaloosa News – July 24
Ute Jocham wiped tears away as she watched her daughter Mandy — a flash of red hair and smiles in a grass hula skirt dashing about — rehearse with her classmates for their graduation from the Rise School at the University of Alabama. The tears came with the combination of Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance” played on piano by a Rise staff member and Mandy’s walk to the dais that represented the culmination of her six-year experience in the integrated preschool program for students with disabilities and peers who are developing normally. Mandy’s older brother, 9-year-old Kevin, is also a Rise graduate. Kevin, who developed normally, attended the school because of his sister, Jocham said. “It’s so thrilling,” Jocham said. “She made such good progress. It’s unbelievable.” Mandy, who was diagnosed with Down syndrome, was among 21 students who graduated from the school located on the University of Alabama campus on Thursday. The Rise program is part of the university’s College of Human and Environmental Sciences and serves students ranging in age from infant to 6 years old.
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) (From Bryant-Denny Stadium) – July 24
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – July 24
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – July 24
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Students construct marshmallow launchers at Univ. of Alabama engineering camp
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – July 24
Summer camp and marshmallows don’t mix like you think they might at the University of Alabama. Tyler Picchi explained how engineering campers brought the two together this week. “Well it’s supposed to act like a slingshot,” he said. Kids are making marshmallow launchers from card board, newspaper, duct tape and nails. And that suits them just fine. “It took a lot of work cause we had a lot of constraints. We could only use certain items and objects,” Deja Gibson said. This week 34 high schools juniors and seniors from across the country will see how much they really like engineering and what type of engineering best suits them. They built these contraptions during the Student Introduction to Engineering (SITE) Camp. Alexis Papadelias, University of Alabama student, said the camp is also a great way for the school to connect with potential, future students. “Students are actually a lot more interested and now with this particular program they’re trying to recruit students and its kind of a recruiting tool not just for the college of engineering but the University of Alabama,” she said.
University of Alabama Adapted Athletics hires wheelchair tennis coach Charlie Rivera
Parasport News – July 25
Yesterday, University of Alabama Adapted Athletics announced they had hired Charlie Rivera as their new head coach for their wheelchair tennis program. Rivera brings a wealth of experience to the program, having coached tennis for twenty years, and over wheelchair tennis for eight years. He was a key person behind the scenes organizing the 2013 Wheelchair Tennis Collegiate National Championships. Prior to taking this position, he was working and teaching at the North River Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa. Past experiences include working as a wheelchair tennis in San Juan, Puerto Rico, working at the Bollettieri Academy with top level tennis players like Andre Agassi, and working at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida, the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort in Sarasota, Florida, and at the Ridgewood Country Club in Waco, Texas.
Defining a workaholic
Synergy – July 24
Most of us put in more time at work these days than our parents did — and that’s not necessarily a negative or troublesome trait. After all, we live in a wired world where it’s possible to be in touch with the office and colleagues after hours if needed. And there’s nothing wrong with being conscientious about work. Can being so deeply involved in your job that you work virtually non-stop be more than simply dedication to your career and company? Can you really be a workaholic? According to industrial/organizational psychologist Jonathon R. B. Halbesleben, Ph.D., the HealthSouth Chair in Health Care Management at the University of Alabama, the answer is “yes.” “While adding the term ‘..aholic’ is probably a bit dramatic, one can indeed become addicted to work,” says Dr. Halbesleben , who specializes in employee well-being and work-family issues. “Addiction is usually characterized by uncontrollable, compulsive behavior related to a specific stimulus (drug, sex, alcohol, etc.) with severe discomfort if the addict stops engaging with the stimulus. So yes, one can be addicted to work if he or she feels a compulsive need to work at times when work would not necessarily be required or even acceptable and if the person goes through withdrawal symptoms when away from work.”
Business briefs
Montgomery Advertiser – July 24
Montgomery executives: Growth, jobs ahead: A statewide study shows Montgomery area executives expect more growth and success than business leaders in any other part of Alabama. It was the second straight quarter Montgomery has been the most optimistic area in the Business Confidence Index, which asks business leaders to predict things such as profit and hiring for their company for the next few months. Driven by high expectations for hiring and investment, the Capital City’s rating ticked up .2 percent to land at 59. Anything above 50 is considered a prediction of growth. The state as a whole was at 55.5, and the Birmingham-Hoover area was the second most optimistic at 56.9. The study, conducted by the University of Alabama’s Center for Business and Economic Research, said Montgomery’s optimism rose in part because executives here expect a “sizable increase” in new jobs in the third quarter.
Lars Anderson writes new book, “The Storm and the Tide”
Fox 6 (Birmingham)(Live Interview) – July 24
Longtime sports journalist, Lars Anderson of Sports Illustrated joins us to discuss the upcoming season and his book, “The Storm and The Tide.” This book chronicles the way Alabama football helped Tuscaloosa recover from the 2011 tornado. We should point out that you moved here and so, you sort of capture this story for the rest of the world, almost as a newcomer in a way. How did it impact your writing?
13 Insanely Simple Ways to Be More Likable
Men’s Health – July 24
It can take as little as 100 milliseconds for people to make up their minds about you, research has shown. That’s literally less than the blink of an eye. With that little time, everything from what you wear to what you do with your hands has an impact. … Good news: You’re perceived to be trustworthy just because you’re a guy, according to a new study from the University of Alabama. The researchers had people rate witnesses as they testified in court on a scale of 1 to 10 on likability, trustworthiness, confidence, and knowledge. The male witnesses received an average trustworthy score of 7.43, while the women’s was 6.70. (Men’s likability rating was higher, too, but not enough to be significant.) The researchers say it may have to do with men historically having more power and status than women. Just don’t use this fact in an argument with your girlfriend.
Glenview’s Breghan Nolan receives Hospitality Scholarship
Chicago Tribune – July 24
The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Foundation (IHLAEF) today announced the recipients of its scholarships for the 2014-2015 academic year. Breghan Nolan of Glenview was awarded a $1000 scholarship because of her outstanding academic achievement, a strong portfolio and a commitment to pursuing a career in the hospitality industry. Nolan will be a senior at University of Alabama this fall, where she is majoring in Restaurant, Hotels and Meeting Management.
GlenviewPatch – July 24
How to Embrace the City You’re Interning In
Huffington Post – July 25
This blog post was written by Intern Queen Campus Ambassador Sarah Dougherty from the University of Alabama. Each year, thousands of interns take the leap and relocate somewhere new for the term of their internship. I accepted an internship in Cincinnati, Ohio, where I only knew about 6 people before arriving. It can be intimidating at first — new roommates, new routines to make, and a whole map of ground to cover before August comes around, in addition to full-time responsibilities in a new office. When I first arrived with all of my belongings and the “first day of school”-type nerves, I thought “how am I ever going to find a routine here?” It took a little bit of patience and a lot of effort to gain momentum, but now I find myself thinking, “how am I supposed to leave?!” Being comfortable in your surroundings makes the dream internship experience that much more enjoyable — there’s something so nice about feeling settled in. These are the four things that have really made my summer, and can help you embrace your new city, too!
Southeastern Regional Championship water-skiing event begins at Lymanland
Tuscaloosa News – July 25
The 2014 Southeastern Regional Championship began Wednesday at Lymanland in Duncanville. The tournament is open to virtually all ages, as skiers as young as 6 and as old as 90 will compete in the regional’s three major categories — jump, trick and slalom. The opening day saw action in the men’s and women’s division slalom and the tournaments most popular event — trick skiing. Much like the many tournament enrollees that skied Wednesday, trick-skiing participant James Mills Jr. competed in hopes of qualifying for nationals, which will be held in Austin, Texas in August. Mills, competes in the men’s five division, which includes participants aged 53-60. Though Mills said he just resumed competitive skiing six years ago, his past in the sport has given him a lasting legacy in the Tuscaloosa area. “I learned to ski in high school and some friends, and I actually formed the first water ski team at the University of Alabama in 1974,” Mills said. “We were just group of guys that loved to ski, so we developed a team to compete in the intercollegiate division.”