Campus Blood Drive, Casino Night, and so much more!

The blog that I just posted had some valuable information regarding financial aid. But now I want to switch over to something a little bit more fun! It isn’t going to be too long, just a little something quick!

When you're in college, remember to...

get involved!

The view from a window at work!

Every day, there are activities going on around campus. Most of these activities are organized and facilitated by students. Some are just between dorms or groups of friends.

At Northwood, we’ve had everything from Eat, Meet, and Greet with SGA to Haunted Forest. Some of our students have spent six-months in DC for internships. Others enjoy the fun of having a movie night to relax.

This week, we're having a Campus Blood Drive! (Unfortunately, I can't donate blood because I'm sick.) That will be tomorrow, I believe... if it doesn't snow! We also will have Casino Night for our students.

It's all a matter of how you choose to spend your free time! There is always something going on. There might even be some fun in class projects. Don't just spend all night in your dorm stressing over homework. Sometimes having some fun can help you feel refreshed and ready to hit the books again!

And now I'll leave you with some pictures of events I've participated in at Northwood! :)

-Erica

Financial Aid 101: FAFSA basics

On January 1st, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid opened up to add students who need to fill it out. First of all, you will need a PIN for both yourself and your parent(s). Sometimes these take a while to get, so make sure you request one a couple weeks before your actually plan on filling out your FAFSA.

Even if you don’t think you’ll be getting any money from the FAFSA, you will have to fill out an application to qualify for other financial aid and scholarships from the school.

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Here is a little checklist of the documents you will need on-hand when you start the application!

-Your income taxes from the prior year.

-Your parents’ Income Taxes from the prior year. 

-Social security card.

-Driver’s license. This is only if you have one.

-Your W-2 forms, untaxed income records, and current bank statements.

-Your current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond and other investment records.

-Your alien registration or permanent resident card. This is only if you are not a U.S. citizen.

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There is a paper application available on the FAFSA website that can help you practice the application. This can be helpful so you already know what numbers go where. It’ll be easier to fill out the electronic application, and it will also allow you to see if you have any questions.

At first, the application process can seem overwhelming. Just remember to stay in contact with your high school counselor, as well as the admissions counselor and financial aid office at the university you are looking to attend.

The number to the Financial Aid Office at Northwood is 972-293-5430. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm. Also, the official website for the FAFSA is http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm. 

If you have any questions, remember to call the FA Office! They will work their hardest to get you an answer!

Erica :)

By the way, be careful with the website! Always make sure you are on the correct site. The application requires information such as your full name and social security number, so you should be absolutely positive you are entering that information through a secure network on the official site.

Meet, Greet and Eat with SGA

Each year Student Government is given a campus improvement project. Last year we picked out furniture for a student hang out area called Knights Lounge. This year we were given the task of replacing an awning that collapsed due to the massive amounts of snow we had last year and replace the worn furniture on the porch in front of Butler building. We always want to get student input for our projects because without students Northwood wouldn't exist. To get ideas from students our SGA hosted an event called Meet, Greet and Eat with SGA. We were able to get our local Chick-fil-a to donate 50 chicken sandwiches which we passed out to students if they completed a floor plan with their ideas of what they wanted on the porch. We got some really great ideas of how students want to see the furniture laid out. We did get some pretty silly ideas, like a swimming pool, hot dog stand and concert stage, but overall we had an awesome turn out. The sandwiches were gone in about 20 minutes and our event was supposed to last 2 hours!

I had so much fun seeing all the students rush to get their sandwich. If you have free food, college kids will come! 

Students filling out their floor plans to get their free sandwich

Miguel and Janice, two SGA officers, passing out cookies and juice

SGA is a group of some pretty strong willed individuals that have a passion for serving the students. We definitely know how to work and play hard. As posted in previous blogs we are always busy doing something. We strive to make sure students have the best possible experience while they are in college. I love being a part of SGA and planning and hosting events such as the Meet, Greet and Eat. I also really enjoy our campus improvement projects. Last year we had a ton of fun getting to go to the design showroom and sitting in a bunch of chairs looking to choose one that was just the right comfy! We chose the fabric, color of the chairs, color of the tables, what type of metal we wanted, ect....I was so excited when I was asked to lead the committee of our project this year. Check out Knights Lounge!

These pictures don't do this room justice. You should definitely come to check it out and take a tour of our beautiful campus! Stay tuned for the finish of our next project in April. I promise not to disappoint!

-Christen

Starting back, then leaving again?

After being out of classes for over 8 months, it felt slightly comforting as I stretched out fully in my favorite Hopkins chair - Room 112, 2nd row, 3rd seat from the left - please don't steal it! You see, it was when I walked into Professir Giles' class and snagged my familiar seat that signified that I was back in action on the Texas Campus! Though my eyes are still set on graduation, walking through the doors of Hopkins felt amazing, the amount of reading on the other hand... well, we'll save that for another blog.

Why was I out of class? Good question - I was elected the International President of Collegiate DECA back in April and I accepted an internship that meant moving to Washington D.C. for nearly six months. DECA is actually the reason that I came to Northwood initially, I visited the campus during a Mock DECA day my sophomore year in high school and I earned several scholarships through my involvment as part of the Business Club Scholarship program, so I knew that my first blog had to be about DECA!

Just as I was settling back into my classes I had to leave to attend a conference in Orlando, Florida, known simply as the Mid-Winter Meetings. Here the National Officers from both the high school and college divisions meet and discuss recommendations to the Board, review their Programs of Work, and plan out the respective division's International Conference! The conference from my perspective was very busy, with a lot to accomplish in less than three days. We went from hotel baord room, to the site of our Opening Session, then to the Caribe Royale to see where the April conference would actually be hosted. This is about the time when I remembered that I had homework due in twenty minutes and suddenly realized that balancing my newly acquired position and school isn't going to be easy.

I was surprised at how much we accomplished in such a short amount of time; we were able to meet with the staff at Arabian Knights, do a skeleton walk-through with M&M Productions, critique our POW and outline steps to accomplish the rest, and even do our best to take pictures EVERYWHERE. I. Hate. Pictures. So maybe multi-tasking is something that I can handle. Maybe school and work won't be so hard to get used to. Either way, I'm glad that I'm back in class, glad that I'm still able to do my job with Collegiate DECA, and glad that I am once again, a Northwood Knight.

~Shankle

Giving Back to Northwood!!

     Last night, I was able to accompany one of the admission’s counselors to Whitesboro High School for a college fair! Our table stood there among dozens of other universities, including Sam Houston State University, Texas A&M Commerce, University of Texas, and even the United States Marines. I always have so much fun interacting with the students and telling them about the unique qualities of Northwood!

     As I mentioned above, I went to the fair with a counselor, Phylecia Boomhower. Did you know she was once a student at Northwood, too?? And quite an accomplished one at that!! Before we ventured out on the long drive to Whitesboro, I was admiring all of her acknowledgements and awards displayed in her office. Most people are just proud to hang their diploma! Along with being Valedictorian of her Associate’s Degree, Phylecia also received two awards recognizing her outstanding EXCEL participation and her excellence in Banking and Finance! (I think there was even another award in there too!) 

     As my graduation and honor’s convocation approach, I can only I hope I achieve a small portion of what she did during her time at Northwood. Between EXCEL, Student Government, Royal Ambassadors, CAB, and many other organizations, there are always opportunities to give back. But what always amazes me is that while giving back, you always seem to receive something in return! Whether it is simply an overwhelming feeling of joy or accomplishment, or learning a valuable new skill, contributing is always a win-win. 

~Melissa

Fun in the Sun, Outstanding Business Leaders, and Opportunities

Many business men and women simply work to achieve prosperity, while others are working towards exponential profits. However, there are a select few individuals who seek to live out their passions while making a positive impact on their customers. Northwood University has made a tradition out of honoring such outstanding leaders in business.

This past weekend, I had the honor of attending the 31^st Annual Outstanding Business Leader (OBL) Awards Gala in West Palm Beach, Florida. From success in car sales and beer distribution, to record-breaking dealerships and overcoming obstacles of debt, these individuals each have unique and inspiring stories that will excite any business student.  

Being a student presenter was a wonderful opportunity to speak with and become further acquainted with the OBLs. The experience began Thursday afternoon and went late into the wee hours of Saturday night. After arriving in West Palm Beach, myself and Francisco Collazo (the other Texas student presenter) met up with the Michigan and Florida students to review the busy and exciting itinerary for the weekend! 

(Some of the OBLs signing posters!)

The first event took place on Northwood University’s Florida Campus (which is beautiful – it was warm, lusciously green, and palm trees were on every corner!) for a luncheon and forum. It was during this time that we were able to put a face to the name of these incredible entrepreneurs we had heard so much about. 

After enjoying a delicious lunch and intriguing conversation, everyone proceeded to the Countess de Hoernle Student Life Center for an interesting and dynamic panel discussion. The room was packed full of Florida students, faculty, and staff who had gathered to learn from the honorees. The next two hours flew by as the men and women told their candid stories – each with its fair share of success and failure – and answered the questions of inquiring students. We walked away learning some of their mottos and key foundations to success, some of which really stuck out to me. From encouraging us to “treat customers as if they were our best friends” and reminding us that “luck is merely laboring under correct knowledge,” the wealth of information in the auditorium was priceless.

(The student presenters before going to the DeVos residence!)

The events just got more and more exciting! Friday evening, the DeVos residence hosted a cocktail party for all of the OBL honorees and their guests, student presenters, and University administration. (Richard DeVos was the cofounder of Amway and the owner of the NBA team Orlando Magic.) I cannot even begin to describe how lucky I felt to be in a house this immaculate and gorgeous! Who can say they have been in a powder room made entirely of granite? I CAN! : ) The backyard was just as beautiful – from a perfectly manicured lawn (at first I thought it was a putting green!) to an infinity pool that appears to fall into the ocean. All the while, I was able to mingle with some of today’s most successful individuals and enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres.

(Shannon Corby, a Michigan student, and I at the art festival.)

Saturday was a little bit more relaxed throughout the day, as we prepared for the evening’s events. In between touring an art festival in City Place, enjoying lunch in the warm sun, and visiting the white sand beaches, I practiced and fine-tuned my speech. Also going on this past weekend, was a Ferrari car show. Consequentially, there were cars worth more than my home all over the roads! Bright red Ferraris, metallic yellow Lamborghinis, and shiny silver Aston Martins. Let’s just say the students majoring in Automotive Aftermarket were in heaven!  But the hour of the Awards Gala quickly approached, and off to The Breakers Hotel and Resort (one of Florida’s most luxurious oceanfront resorts) we went!

(Some of the student presenters!)

Now, normally I don’t get nervous for speeches – especially not ones that last roughly two minutes. But that night, I was nervous! However, the show must go on! After practicing on stage at the podium, we went into the beautiful ballroom for photos, cocktails, and more tasty appetizers.

At the sound of a chime, the audience of three hundred moved to the Venetian Ballroom for the three course meal, presentations, and dancing! Everyone’s speech went flawless; the meal was spectacular (especially the banana split!) and then we all danced the night away!

(Francisco Collazo and Steven O'Bar - my fellow Texas students!)

As I reflect on this past weekend’s events, I feel so honored to be selected for such an amazing opportunity. I was surrounded by so many incredible role models, met fellow Northwood students from each of the campuses, and toured around to the beautiful sites of West Palm Beach – what an incredible weekend! I can only hope that next time I attend the Outstanding Business Leader Awards Gala, it is because I am an honoree. ; )

~Melissa

Here is to the new year!