November Thoughts...

Glad to say that this semester is coming to an end! But...sad to say that this semester is coming to an end! School is moving too fast, and it's kind of scaring me! But it was a good run, and it's ok because time has to always move on. Still...this is going fast! This month was good for somewhat repairing things. By next semester everything should be patched up and good! My grades are kind of unstab;e as of now...But I know I'm going to fix them and everything will be good by the end of the semester! I'm happy freshman seminar is over. This was very pointless...and this whole portfolio was so much pointless work! I HATED IT!!!!!

October Thoughts...

Now THIS was a crazy month...so many things happened and so much drama unfolded! I just wasn't ready, and it really took me off guard. A lot of people I was cool with, kinda disappeared and I wasn't as cool with them anymore. And a lot of my girl friends were getting into some trouble as well...it was kinda bad. It was good however, because I joined the organization Misses At Meridian Outreach Society, where I found a lot of love! It was also homecoming, and I did work as a volunteer for the fashion show. This allowed me to meet a lot of new people, and I had a lot of fun. Also my boyfriend visited from home, and I loved that a lot because I missed him so bad! So a lt of crazy things happened, but a lot of good happened as well, and I'm thankful! :)

September Thoughts...

This was my first whole month at Howard University. I've gotta say that this was a good month!! I had solidified a lot of my friends, and we partied every weekend, and had a lot of fun! At this point I was doing really well in all of my classes. I had gotten a bad grade on a calculus test which really threw me off! But I still had a lot of time to improve and try to make my grades up, so I was optimistic! I went to all my classes everyday, and I was on a good track. I didn't really like freshman seminar at this point. It was boring and pointless. But I came regardless...

All About ME!!!

My name is Megan Faith Tate. I was born in Chicago Illinois, as my parents first child. My parents later had two more daughters; Taylor and Sydney, my younger sisters. When Sydney was born, we moved to Minnesota, and I have lived there ever since.

Being that I am from Minnesota, I know that I have had a quality education that not everybody can attest to. Coming to Howard it has only reassured the fact that the education system in the northern states is exceptional, and that it has adequately prepared me for college. However, it is not only the location that I received my education in that makes it unique, it is the path that I took in obtaining my education. When I was I second grade my mom decided that I was not being challenged enough in my classes, and that I should try to come to a higher level of learning. So the second half of second grade, I moved up to third grade, and finished the year there. From then on, I have always been younger in every grade that I've gone to.

Transitioning to new stages such as middle school and high school were kind of challenging because of my age at first. The school work was always easy, and I was able to excel at that in school. It was more the social aspect that held me back. But I soon adapted well and I was very prosperous socially and academically throughout my school years.

For college I actually never wanted to attend Howard University. It was my very last choice. I really wanted to go to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. It's a very renowned school, whose name carries a lot of weight. However because they do not give merit based scholarships, so my parents couldn't afford that school. My next choice was the university of Minnesota, because it was more affordable and in my home town. But when I really looked into the scholarships I had received there, there certain catches to what my scholarship really included. And it turned out I couldn't go there either! So ultimately I had to come to Howard, where I had a full ride I was ignoring...

Now that I'm here I love Howard so much. I realize that this was the right choice for me to make. Although it's very far from home, I quickly adapted, and age was not a factor at all! I fit in quickly and easily and I'm learning a lot and enjoying myself here.

Over all I'm really proud of the progress I've made over the years to get here. I went through a lot in my schooling, and it was a weird transition because of my skipped grade. But really, it was worth it, and I'm really proud of myself for what I accomplished!

International IQ

• Jamaica is the largest English-speaking island in the Caribbean and the third largest in the region.
• Classified as a developing country. Its mixed, free-market economy consisting of a combination of state-owned entities and private-sector organizations. 
  
• A parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy with the monarch being represented by a Governor-General. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who officially uses the title "Queen of Jamaica" .
  
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• The Jamaican coat of arms depicts one male and one female Taino Indian standing on either side of a shield, bearing a red cross with five pineapples. Above the shield, a Jamaican crocodile rests atop the English royal helmet and mantling. Master". This was later replaced by "Out of Many, One People". 
  
• The indigenous streamer-tailed hummingbird or "doctor bird" is Jamaica's national bird. It is called the "doctor bird" because of its long black tail resembling an old-time doctor's coat. The doctor bird's feathers are the most iridescent and beautiful of all the hummingbirds on the island.
• The flower of the lignum vitae tree or "tree of life" is Jamaica's national flower. It is a lavender-blue flower, which blossoms during spring and early summer. The tree is indigenous to Jamaica and grows best in the dry woodlands on the northern and southern coasts. Its wood is thought to have medicinal value. It is also widely used for the manufacture of furniture and to create beautiful art objects, sought after by locals as well as visitors.
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• Although ackee is not indigenous to Jamaica, they have embraced it as their own, making it our national fruit, and a key ingredient of our national dish - ackee and saltfish, which is usually served for breakfast or brunch. A delicious fruit and a local favourite, it is also a part of our everyday diet. Ackee was brought from Africa, probably on a slave ship, and now grows extensively throughout the island. The unopened ackee is poisonous, but once the sun has dried out the noxious juices, the ripe, yellow fruit is safe to eat, with a flavour and texture much like scrambled eggs.
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• A diagonal gold cross divides the flag into two black triangles and two green ones. Opposite triangles have the same colours. "Hardships there are, but the land is green and the sun shineth" is the flag's theme. Black represents the strength and creativity of our people; green, our wealth of agricultural resources; and gold, the sunlight over our island and our future hopes. 
  
• National motto, "Out of Many, One People" reflects Jamaica's rich racial heritage.
  
   

1st Coloquium

Well the topic for this program was "What's Research?". It was held in Cramton Auditorium. I sawe the famous Professor Greg Carr. He spoke well and was able to hold the attention of all those over hormonal youth and keep us all interested in what he was saying. I was able to learn a lot about the campus and it's history that I never knew. For example that this majority black university was founded by a "white" man; while there is nothing wrong with that but i must say I was suprised and that on this same university, on the steps of the same building (Douglass Hall) that I walk on 3 days out of the week MLK n Malcolm X met. He also went into a deep convo on how research is so important and the 5 w's of it. Got me interested in taking his class and possible studying abroad.

3rd Coloquium

On November 19th, 2009, Dr. Fatimah Jackson came to speak on the Importance of Interdisciplinary Approaches in African American Studies (the How and Why). 
A little background info on her:

• She is a Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Institute of African American Research at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
• She is one of the most important scientists studying the origins of humanity, and was one of the scientists who helped map the human genome.
• She was the coordinator for genetics research for the African Burial Ground Project in New York City.
• She has published over 30 research articles.
• Received her B.A. from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Cornell University.
• She has studied and used research from geography, molecular and population genetics, ethnography, demography, history, evolutionary biology, bioethics, toxicology, epidemiology, and public health and integrated these data in a biocultural anthropological context.
  

Some of her main points of her presentation:

• Ethnogenetic Layering (EL) needs to be used as a tool to incorporate data from diverse fields in addition to important research issues
• Human hetereogenetic and bicultural variability present a challenge to classical racial stratification models of epidemiology and public health
• New approaches needed in order to comprehensively capture the nuance of human biodiversity  as it relates to health
• Enzymes vay among different groups of people

I do feel like a presentation to this depth should not have been made mandatory to all freshman seeing that it could not hold the attention spann of those not at all interested in the biological differences between diverse groups of people.

Megan F. Tate

Permanent Address: 975 Dennis Street, South, Mapelwood Minnesota, 55119

Current Address: 2601 16^th Street, NW, Washington DC, 20009

MrsHampton13@gmail.com

 651-734-8845

Education

Howard University, Washington, DC

Expected Graduation: May 2013

B.A.S. Chemistry

 

Objective

To secure a meaningful employment opportunity as an intern at a company that will allow me to expand my knowledge and utilization of the chemistry skills I am learning as a college student.

Work Experience

Ramsey Junior High School                                                                                                                       June 2009 – August 2009

i.      Worked as a tutor for sixth grade students.

ii.    Focused on instilling basic math skills and teaching new skills for the upcoming year.

iii.  Led team building activities and theatre games to strengthen the community with the children, and capture their attention better.

 

 

Extra-Curricular Activities

·      Basketball                                                                   November 2005 - March 2009

·      Volleyball                                                                    September 2005 - November 2009

·      Track                                                                           March 2007 – May 2008

·      Theatre                                                                        September 2007 – May 2009

·      Misses At Meridian Outreach Society                       September 2009 –Present

·      Homecoming Volunteer                                              September 2009 – Present

5 HU Clubs and Organizations

Campus Pals:

The HU Campus Pals are a group of sophomores, juniors, and seniors that help freshman students transition into Howard University. They provide numerous activities during freshman week, that unify the freshman class immediately upon arrival. This year we went to Kings Dominion, had a freshman dance, the dating game, and much more. They continue their activities, as well as informational meetings to help the freshman throughout the entirety of the year.

Misses At Meridian Outreach Society:

This is an organization that I am currently part of. This is an outreach society stemming from Meridian Hill Hall, an upperclassmen dorm that houses many freshman girls. This program is implemented to serve Freshmen girls living in Meridian Hill Hall, and help them transition to Howard as well, being that they are living off campus, with students outside their class, and separate from the normal freshman girl experience. They also reach out into the community, to help the surrounding area through community service. It was founded just last year by the President Miss Oyetewa Oyerinde, Vice President Miss Brittany Maner, and Secretary Miss Christina Spann.

International Pals:

They are similar to the Campus Pals, however they extend their reach to international students more so. They are here to help incoming freshman and transfer students from international background transition to Howard University. They also have several programs, and have numerous activities freshman week, and continued on into the year. Although they aim to help international students, their activities are not limited to only international students, and are instead open to everyone!

State Clubs:

There are also numerous clubs for the states that various Howard Students are from. Although it is not necessary to be from the state whose group you are joining, it is beneficial. It gives you a chance to bond and relate to people from similar areas to you, that are also trying to succeed out here in college. The different state clubs have numerous functions for everyone to come out and see what their state is all about!

Caribbean Student Association (CSA):

This is an organization that is like a state club for students from the Caribbean and surrounding areas but really so much more than that. It allows those students to come together and share their culture with all the different cultures present. It's also a chance for non international students to see what they do as well. CSA host a lot of parties that are very fun to go to, and they put on a lot of programs as well.

TILT

TILT was very frustrating. I did it for Composition already, and even then it wouldn't allow me to email my results to my teacher, But now that I'm trying to access my results once again, it has locked me out and wont let me even view the scores I got. I know that I got 100% on all 3 tests, but now I can't prove it! Or submit my scores for freshman seminar. I feel that TILT is pointless in itself, and now this proves that the system is set up poorly as well.

Howard University

Founders library was dedicated in 1939, an houses information as well as historical exhibits. It's built on the sight for the old main building, and is home to one of the university's museums and the MSRC.

Griffith Stadium was named for Clark Griffith, the manager/owner of the Senators baseball team, in 1924. It was constructed in 1914 as American League Park. The stadium was a social center for the city. Famous people got their start there, for example Duke Ellington sold peanuts at the games as a kid.

The Howard University Gallery of Art was established in 1928. Professor James V. Herring (1897-1969), founder of the HowardUniversity Art Department, and James A. Porter (1905-1970), professor and artist, were its first directors. It was originally set up in Rankin Chapel, then moved to Founders, then moved to Childers Hall.

Howard Hall is the oldest extant building on the Howard University campus. Originally the home of white General Oliver Otis Howard, it was completed in 1869 as one of the first four buildings on the campus. General Howard was one of the founders of the school, and served as the president from 1869-1874.

Howard University, one of the oldest black colleges in the United States, was established by an act of Congress in 1866.The university also helped give birth to and nurture many of the civil rights and black power movements, organizations, institutions, individual leaders, and victories of the late 19th and 20th centuries.

Questions I had:

1. Do people actually make use of the historical resources we have on campus such as the museum and library?
2. What is the University doing to let people know that such resources exist?
3. Will such buildings always continue to be a part of Howard university?