Blue Jay Buffet

Whiting School of Engineering Video Competition

Throughout this past semester the Whiting School of Engineering organized its first annual WSE Video Competition, the results of which can be viewed at:

http://engineering.jhu.edu/videocompetition08/peopleschoice

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This video is about using engineering techniques in all aspects of life, including the kitchen. In this film, gingerbread men are made using engineering techniques. After adding a secret ingredient to the recipe, something goes very wrong. There is a surprise waiting in the oven. (Click video image to watch entire submission.)

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Students from the schools of Engineering and Arts & Sciences submitted a total of 12 qualifying videos. Each video is 2 - 3 minutes long and students chose from one of the following themes: It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time, A Day in the Life, A New Discovery, and How it Works. All videos highlight various aspects of engineering at Johns Hopkins.

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The Gracias Lab at Johns Hopkins has developed a relatively easy, precise, and cost-effective process by which the 2D templates of semi-tethered "faces" can self-assemble into controlled 3D structures by utilizing the natural phenomena of surface tension. This video highlights the development, manufacturing process, and proposed functions (cell encapsulation devices and controlled drug delivery carriers) of our self-assembling nanoliter containers. (Click video image to watch entire submission.)

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The videos the students created range from humorous depictions of life as an engineering student, to a mock wildlife documentary on the search and capture of the elusive mechanical engineering student, to animated depictions of research and research documentaries on specific projects.

Parker has come to the Johns Hopkins University campus in search of the elusive Mechanical Engineering Student also known as a Mech-E. Come along for a wild adventure through out the Homewood campus as our host observes, studies, and attempts to capture one of these amazing creatures. (Click video image to watch entire submission.)

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Some groups of students created videos as part of a intersession course offered for this competition by the Digital Media Center. The DMC also assisted other students by providing instruction, workshops, and equipment.

Judges will award 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. The public was invited to vote for their favorite video, the People's Choice Award. Unfortunately voting has closed but please go and check out all the videos submissions at:

http://engineering.jhu.edu/videocompetition08/peopleschoice.html

As you get older, you get wiser!

Name: Adam Hack

Class: Class of 2003 Graduate

Current Residence: Baltimore, MD

Major: Economics major; Entrepreneurship and Management minor

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In October 2007, I came to a terrifying realization.  I got a note from the JHU Alumni Office.  The note congratulated me on my graduation and invited me to my 5 year college reunion.  It took me a few minutes, but I eventually convinced myself there must be some mistake, I could not have possibly graduated 5 years ago.  This moment of denial was quickly followed by a moment of clarity.  I had graduated 5 years ago…and I am getting old.

But as I mentioned, growing older is not necessarily a bad thing.  Yes, I have a little less hair, and yes, I move a little slower, but 5 years post graduation has afforded me a more astute perspective on my experiences at the Homewood Campus.

Here are the brass tacks of my Hopkins education.  I was an Arts and Sciences student and I graduated with honors with a degree in Economics and a minor in Entrepreneurship and Management.  However, as I sit in my living room and look at my diploma, I realize this is the physical manifestation of my education, but most of what I learned at Hopkins was not taught in the academic classroom.  Also, most of what I “got” from Hopkins cannot be summed up on a piece of paper.

In fact, most importantly, and I am sure your parents will like this, I got a job!  After all, this is the end game.  At some point, you will have to bite the bullet and make enough money to support your Chicken Parmesan addiction (or at least that’s mine, fell free to insert your guilty pleasure here).

Most people say their college experiences helped get them their first job.  For me, that’s an understatement.  That’s because I was hired by a college professor of mine.  I was hired to help him design and run a software development company.  What did we design?  I don’t know if you will have heard of this, but we designed an online college admissions application called … The Common Application Online!!!

But certainly, work is not the only thing in life, and certainly not the only “thing” I got from college.  My philosophy is, if you work hard, play hard too.  My passion is soccer!  At Hopkins I was a member of the Men’s Soccer Team and was a two-time All American (Scholar and Athletic).  I have continued playing as a weary weekend warrior for the past 5 years.

Through my friendships at Hopkins, I hooked up with the Baltimore Colts (not the football team, although they may have left town before you were born, so don’t worry if you missed the reference) a competitive men’s soccer team.  Over the past two years I have won an outdoor and indoor National Championship. 

Finally, and yes, here comes the nostalgia, I have gained a wonderful sense of Hopkins pride.  I must own:  6 Hopkins hats; 5 Hopkins shirts; a jacket; a blanket; a bumper sticker; 3 coffee mugs; and more pens and pencils than I care to count.

Alright, so that might be a bit much, but as you’ll find out, life is about accumulating stuff.  More practically, however, I show my pride by volunteering with Hopkins.  I have been a graduate assistant soccer coach, commencement volunteer, admissions office open house speaker, entrepreneurship and management department guest lecturer, and I even came up with the idea to “name the Blue Jay.”  Needless to say, I am still connected to the university.

I am, however, just one of this very fine network of Hopkins alums.  As an undergrad, I don’t think I realized just how terrific this university is and how man doors professionally and personally it would open…but then again, as you get older you get a little wiser!

March at Hopkins

March at Hopkins was full of greetings and farewells; at the end of March, the Admissions staff sent letters of congratulations to the class of 2012 which President Bill Brody announced that he will be retiring from his long run as President of the University. Between these hello's and goodbye's, there were short plays, the announcement of the new Young Trustee, art exhibits at Peabody, and networking opportunities for Engineers. Take a look at this past March at Hopkins!

FAREWELL, PRESIDENT BRODY

After 12 years as President of Johns Hopkins, Bill Brody announced his eminent retirement on March 10. Brody, 64, will have led the university for the fifth-longest tenure among Johns Hopkins' 13 presidents. His retirement will coincide with the conclusion of the $3.2 billion Johns Hopkins: Knowledge for the World campaign. In a press release last month, Brody told students and faculty that although he has loved his job, leaving is "inevitable" and sometimes "constructive", and that he believes he has reached that point.

During his Presidency, Brody:

• Established the Carey Business School, the School of Education and numerous interdisciplinary centers such as the Institute for NanoBioTechnology, the Center for Africana Studies, the Center for Global Health, the Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response, the Information Security Institute, the Institute for Cell Engineering and the Malaria Research Institute.
• Focused attention on the undergraduate experience both in and outside the classroom, by building new residential, art and recreational facilities; enhancing programs aimed at building a sense of campus community; inaugurating popular academic programs such as museum studies, theater, and entrepreneurship and management; strengthening security measures on campus and in adjacent neighborhoods; and creating new opportunities for undergraduates to take part in original research.
• Created and largely built out a master plan for its Homewood campus in northern Baltimore that emphasized a serene outdoor environment; modern, interdisciplinary research facilities; and a welcoming new entrance and visitor center.
• Expanded and modernized the research and education facilities of the health professions schools on the East Baltimore campus as part of a master plan that also has led to the construction, now under way, of two new clinical towers at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
• Revitalized the aging Mount Vernon campus of the Peabody Institute, creating one of the finest music conservatory facilities in the world.
• Expanded Hopkins presence in locations from Rockville, Md., to Washington, D.C., to Nanjing, China.
• Celebrated Nobel Prizes to two full-time faculty members and three graduates; also celebrated NCAA Division I men's lacrosse championships in 2005 and 2007.
• Made significant progress in the diversification of its student body, faculty and administration; committed to aggressive continued improvement in the recruitment of women and underrepresented minorities.

Brody will step down from the position December 31, and until then, the University is on the lookout for the next President. For more information, check out this news release and this web site created in honor of President Brody.

NEW YOUNG TRUSTEE

On March 10, the Board of Trustees voted a new member into their ranks: Michelle Brown, a member of the Student Admissions Advisory Board and Hopkins Interactive! Each year, one Young Trustee position opens up, and the Board of Trustees elects one graduating senior from the Homewood campus to serve a four-year term as a Young Trustee. Starting next year, Brown will be one of four Young Trustees on the Board and will serve for the next four years. During her time at Hopkins, Brown has been quite busy: she is a neuroscience major with minors in music and theater arts, she has been involved with Wind Ensemble, Barnstormers, Johns Hopkins University Theatre, and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Brown says that she's looking forward to her responsibilities as Young Trustee. To read more about it, click here .

ART EXHIBIT AT THE PEABODY LIBRARY

To celebrate the [would-be] 500th birthday of famous architect Andrea Palladio, the Peabody Library featured a special exhibit. Part of the Baltimore Festival of Maps, this exhibit traced Palladio's lasting legacy in building design down through the centuries. On display were first editions of rare architectural treatises, hand-colored maps, and original prints from the 15th through the 19th centuries. According to co-curator Judith Proffitt, program coordinator at the University's Homewood Museum, Palladio's European designs were the inspiration for many Baltimore buildings. The exhibit will run through June 17 and is free and open to the public. The works on display have been collected from all around Baltimore, including many of the University's various libraries. Get further details by clicking here.

PLAYS FOR AN AUDIENCE WITH A SHORT ATTENTION SPAN

The weekend of March 7, Johns Hopkins University Theater presented a series of seven short (but sweet) plays in the Merrick Barn. The new play festival was experimental and abstract, but managed to keep the audience entertained and engaged. Among the playwrights were students Sal Gentile, Jackie Jennings, Liz Eldridge, and Joseph Micali. The short plays were varied, featuring topics from alcoholism to Boltzmann brains to life under a volcano. The closing play happened to be the winner of the American College Theatre Festival Region II 10-Minute Play contest: "Without Parachutes", written and directed by sophomore Eric Levitz. In this play, plane crash victims escape the terror of their imminent deaths by they recreating their first date, but their flashback is constantly interrupted by the realities their present situation. One can't argue with the American College Theater Festival: This play was a winner. By the end of the weekend, the playwrights were proud, and the audiences impressed - a success overall. To read the News-Letter's review, click here .

QUICK! IT'S FASTPITCH SOFTBALL

For students that appreciate a little adrenaline to keep them going throughout the week, the University introduced a fun, no-stress Fastpitch Softball Club. Anyone is encouraged to join, from serious ball players with athletic experience to students who barely know what a softball looks like. The new club is in the process of scheduling scrimmages with other teams in the area, and its member will soon be decked out in brand-new uniforms. The softball club is promised to be an exciting new addition for Hopkins athletics, which is rapidly expanding each year. They may not be the nationally acclaimed Lacrosse team, but they're going to be sure to have fun!

MINING THE "AFRO-AMERICAN" ARCHIVES

The Center for African Studies and the Sheridan Libraries'  Center for Educational Resources have embarked on the Diaspora Pathways Archival Access Project, a student internship program funded by a three-year grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. This project will preserve the immense archival holdings of The Afro-American Newspaper, a fantastic publication for Baltimore's African-American community. The longest-running periodical of its kind in the United States, the family-owned newspaper covers both national and international news from an African-American perspective. Most of the publication's archival collection, which includes older print editions and thousands of photographs, currently resides in stacks of boxes in the "morgue" of its Baltimore headquarters, but the Project promises to dig these findings out of hiding and make them accessible to the public.      In November, the program selected five students from Johns Hopkins, Goucher College and Morgan State University as its initial cohort to uncover and describe the contents of the paper's archives. To read more about the initiative, click here.

JHU Heaven

Name: Michelle Auger

Parent of: Rob Auger - JHU Class of 2011

Hometown: Hampstead, NH

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Hi, my name is Michelle Auger and my son Rob is a freshman at JHU. His major, like most freshmen, has changed a bit since last August when he started.  His application had his major written as International relations, but when we visited the campus he started looking into Public Health. Once he started classes, he realized how much he enjoyed physics, so he decided to double major with Physics & International Relations. Last week he informed me that he has officially changed his major to Mechanical Engineering and will double minor in Latin American Studies and Entrepreneurship & Management.

Does that mean he now has a triple major? So when people ask me what Rob’s major is I just smile and say… “What day is it?” But seriously, freshmen year is for exploring and finding yourself so I am sure he will figure it out when he needs to. He also has his own blog which you can check out here.

When I was first asked to write this blog, I thought, what could I possibly say to a “new/prospective” JHU parent that would be helpful? But then I remembered all of the questions I had at this time last year and decided to give it a try! I hope it helps. Enjoy!

Why Johns Hopkins?
Rob was set on finding a college with a “city life”. We are from New Hampshire so I thought by city he meant Boston, Massachusetts, but obviously I was mistaken. We have a very close family and almost everyone lives within a two mile radius, and in the very same town that I grew up in. Yes, we all went to college, but no one in my family ever wanted to go that far away. I was hoping it was a phase; he would get cold feet and decide to apply to schools closer to home.

But when Rob and I walked on the Homewood campus that first time, I knew we would become frequent flyers on Southwestern Airlines. We parked in one of the visitor parking areas and a guy on a golf cart stopped to see if we wanted a ride to the Admission’s Office. The ride was long, we found out later there were closer parking areas, but he talked to us about the campus and the weather until we arrived at our destination. He was the first person we came in contact with and was so helpful and friendly!

At the Admission’s Office Rob had an interview. The receptionist was gracious and went out of her way to make us feel comfortable. We left that day, looked at each other and together said, “This is it!” Even though we were far from New Hampshire, the campus had the New England atmosphere that made us both feel right at home.

How important is the campus?
To us, it was extremely important. My son was going to be living here! Rob made a list of what he wanted to find on the perfect campus. Two of the top items on his list were to be close to a city and another was that the campus had to have lots of grass. Walking on the Homewood campus for the first time during the summer before his senior year, it was easy to see why it was such a perfect fit.

The Homewood campus is a beautiful mixture of historical and modern architecture. I think that I loved it as much as he did that first time. We went on the tour in over 100° temperatures, but you never would have known it. We were both captivated by the classrooms, the library, the dorms and the “beach”. As a parent, security was one of those things that was always in the back of my mind. As we walked around the campus, our tour guide talked about security a lot. Rob knew a few freshmen, so during our visits to the campus we went to a few different dorms. Every time we visited a dorm, we had to hand over our driver’s license and get signed in by a resident of the dorm. There were also security guards located at the main entrances. They were friendly but serious about their jobs. Safety was not an issue here.

Can we afford this?
I have been raising Rob on my own since he was very young so finances played a very important part in our decision. Rob was so set on going to JHU so he applied Early Decision (ED). Basically what that means is if you get in, you promise to come, no matter how large or small your financial aid package. But to me it also meant that we were at the mercy of the admissions and financial aid department. Making the decision to apply ED was a tough one, were we willing to take the gamble and not financially strap ourselves?

We decided to visit the campus a second time during regular sessions and meet with his financial aid officer so that he could help us with our options. That visit really made me realize that this University was the place for Rob. They answered all of our questions, guided us to helpful web sites and gave us advice for filling out the FAFSA and Financial Aid College Profile paperwork. We ended up taking the gamble, putting our trust in JHU, and boy what a great decision!

He got accepted, now what?
Right before Christmas, Rob got notification from the school that he was accepted. I was very proud of him and it was awesome to see him so excited. He had been a regular poster child for JHU. He owned enough t-shirts to wear most every day to school and he could answer just about any questions anyone had about the university.

My entire family was just as excited. We are a lacrosse family and all four of my brothers started making plans to visit. For Christmas, Rob and I bought t-shirts and sweatshirts for all of the family members. The next 8 months were probably the longest of his young life. He just wanted to get his room assignment, pack and go, but most of his friends were just getting their acceptance letters and trying to make decisions as to where they would go. JHU started sending questionnaires and paperwork for him to fill out. With the internet, Rob was able to “meet” many other ED students and quickly started making a network of friends. Soon he learned who his roommate and suitemates were, and started talking to them online.

I began shopping for items he would need for his dorm (even though he kept telling me he didn’t need things). I knew that college mattresses, even at JHU, were very thin so I got him lots of padding. As a mom I thought it would be important to coordinate with his roommate so I asked if he could ask his roommate what color his bed spread was.

Wrong! His answer to me was that “guys don’t match”, so we just ended up buying something he liked. Luckily his comforter was dark so it wouldn’t show the dirt! But, all of the college bound girls I knew were coordinating everything with their roommates, so if you have a daughter, have fun and don’t forget the bathroom!

Oh my, I think Martha Stewart just inhabited my body for a moment. OK, I think I’m back now.

But seriously, it was fun getting everything he needed (and a little sad). Oh yes, don’t forget the cold remedies and aspirin. It has to be the worst feeling in the world when your kid calls you saying he is sick or hurt his knee and you can’t get him what he needs. Thank goodness for the Hopkins’ infirmary.

Do I need to go to Parent’s Weekend?
My answer would be YES! It was so awesome to see his room all set up and to meet all of his friends. During move-in time in August, he really didn’t have enough time to get his room all set up because he was going to lots of orientation things and I was too. When I came back for Parent’s Weekend, he showed me around his dorm, introduced me to some of his friends and walked me around campus to show me where all of his classes were.

In return, I took a few of his friends to dinner at the Inner Harbor (that place is FANTASTIC!) and replenished his food supply. On another night we met a few of his friends and their families at Shriver Hall to see an a cappella and dance concert. It was impressive and it really showed me how diverse the students are here at Hopkins. My favorite activity planned by Hopkins was “The Capitol Steps” comedy performance filled with political satire. What a great show! I also brought Rob out for some alone time so we could catch up and got him a well overdue haircut. Parent’s Weekend was informative as well. I went to a class and listened to President Brody speak. I was impressed at how organized it was with so many parents and siblings around.

So, you may be wondering why “JHU Heaven” as a title? Well, a lot of people ask me how Rob is doing at Hopkins. There is only one way I could possibly answer them and that is…He is in Heaven, JHU Heaven! I have seen him grow into a mature and happy young man and I know that at least one reason for that is how well he fits here at Hopkins! I hope your son or daughter finds a little piece of heaven here in Baltimore as well.

Why it is great to teach at Hopkins (and be a student!)

Name: Joshua Reiter, Ed.D.
(Faculty Profile)

Department: Entrepreneurship and Management

Classes Taught:
Business Process and Quality Management
Technology Management

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As a lecturer at Johns Hopkins, I teach part time (one class per semester) in the Entrepreneurship and Management minor. (I am also an Alum- but more about that in another blog)  It is a great program as both Arts and Sciences and Engineering students take my courses so I get to know a very broad cross section of the JHU community.

As a member of the Adjunct Faculty, I typically teach one class per semester.  In the fall I teach Business Process and Quality Management, and in the spring I teach Information Technology Management.

Both courses stress business decision making, leadership, data analysis, technical expertise, ethics, and teamwork skills.  In addition, the Business Process class focuses on analyzing companies for inefficiencies and developing new processes to assure success.  The IT Management course, while not a programming class, prepares the student to be able to better understand technology issues, terms and uses which will be of benefit in their future endeavors.

My classes are also relatively small- perhaps 30 to 40 students per semester which is great.  Not only am I able to get to know all the students by name, but also the class time can be used for discussion as well as lecture.  As you can imagine, I am intrigued hearing the views of the students on the subjects we discuss.  I enjoy watching the students grow each semester from telling me what the book says, or what they think I want to hear, to being able to tell me what THEY think on the topic.  When they tell me what they think, I know they "get it."  It is obvious the students, who didn't even know what the course was about at the beginning of the semester, have become passionate and knowledgeable about the subject matter at the end of the semester.  It is a very rewarding feeling for any instructor!

I also enjoy getting to know the students better during the semester.  Because of the smaller class size, I am able to know each of the student names and sometimes can customize the lecture to include topics of importance to the class. I never realized how unusual this might be.  I always thought it was important for me to not only address students by name in the class, but also to be able to understand them better and say hi to them outside of class.

One day I was on campus and I saw one of my students on the other side of the quad.  I called out to him by name and said I missed him in class that day.  He explained he had a meeting and was unable to attend, but would stop by my office hours to see what he missed.

At that time, an Admissions Tour was coming by and a parent noticed the discussion I had with the student.  The parent left the tour and came over to me.  He asked if I was a professor at Hopkins.  I told him I was and he asked if knew all the names of the students in my classes.  Without hesitation I told him I did.  He followed up and said he was impressed that not only did I know the name of the student, but I also knew he wasn't in class that day.  I smiled and told him I make sure I am prepared for class so the students can learn.  Obviously they can't learn if they aren't there, so I notice those things.

Clearly there are lots of benefits to a Hopkins education. One of the major advantages is because of the smaller size of the University, you can get to know your professors to engage them in discussion, assist with research, or even ask them for advice on a host of topics.

And those are a few reasons I think it is great to teach at Hopkins (and to be a student here as well!)

On A Clear Day

Name: Sheila Tinn-Murphy

Parent of: Jackie Murphy - JHU Class of 2010

Hometown: Madison, CT

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Congratulations to those that have discovered one the best interactive sites for incoming college students. I am the proud mother of Jackie M, see Murphy's Law Gone Right, a blogger on this site.

When reflecting on our college search for Jackie, our eldest child, I would say that it was a process that both my husband and I truly enjoyed.

Jackie clearly expressed to us what she wanted in a college. She wanted to be challenged academically, she wanted a very good sports team to root for, she wanted diversity and she wanted to be in an urban area. My husband and I checked our schedules and came up with about a dozen schools on our list.  With two other children at home, we decided to divide and conquer.  Jackie and I took a trip to Maine to see two small schools, and did many local day trips to schools in driving distances from our Connecticut home. Once on tour, I tried to stay in the background and not ask embarrassing questions, and let Jackie take in the atmosphere of each school we visited. She liked a couple of the schools, dismissed some, so our search continued. I did not know if we would ever have that moment of Zen, or if she would have a sense that even one particular school was the place she could see herself living for the next four years.

During the summer, I planned a 3-day trip for my husband and Jackie to visit a total of five Philadelphia and Baltimore area schools.  When they returned home, I will never forget Jackie's reply to my question, "Well, did you like any of the schools?"   That spark that you hear about when someone has a defining moment lit up the room when Jackie solemnly said, "I really liked Johns Hopkins."

I asked her to tell me the reasons and she remarked on the beautiful campus, the wonderful tour, the great philosophy program, the Division 1 lacrosse, and the quaint city of Baltimore. She had come home from this trip knowing her first choice of schools was JHU.  Although we did visit more schools, Hopkins remained her top choice and she applied as an early decision candidate.

We were all on edge on the day Jackie was due to receive her decision. I was in NYC at the Metropolitan Museum of Art having lunch in the cafeteria when I received Jackie's excited call relaying the great news. I was so happy for her that I started crying.  I then called my mother, who also started crying. It was an emotional day for all of us and one I will always remember. After Jackie's hard work and efforts in high school, and the tremendous dedication she put in to her college search, the day was finally here.  I think Hopkins and Jackie made a great decision.

On another note, once Jackie was accepted, she was sent a link to the Hopkins Interactive Site, which I fell in love with immediately. Not only did I find Admissions_ Daniel's blog wonderful, amusing and informative reading, but the student blogs really helped me feel assured that my daughter would be among a great group of kids with diverse interests. I'll admit that I followed all of the blogs and relished each new post. Who would not be impressed with blogger Michelle's excited tale of observing brain surgery? I prepared lists of restaurants the bloggers suggested and took down notes of what to bring to school your freshman year as I headed off to  Bed, Bath and Beyond.  At the end of the summer when the bloggers were signing off, I posted a thank you to them, never expecting that my daughter would one day be blogging for Hopkins. I, of course, never imagined that I would be joining the ranks of bloggers too, but that is the kind of institution JHU is, allowing you to get involved in a number of ways whether you are a student or a parent.  Ah, it makes me want to go back to school again.  Do they give tuition breaks to students over 50?

From One Bay to Another

Name: Bryan Kaminski

Class: Class of 2006 Graduate

Hometown: Waukesha, WI

Current Residence: San Francisco, CA

Majors: International Studies and German

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Life’s quite the ride, and it’s what happens while you’re moving that matters in the end.

As you’ve probably figured out from above my name is Bryan Kaminski. I’m a 2006 graduate with a B.A. in International Studies and German. I grew up in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and I spent four years as a Hopkins Undergrad – three years in Baltimore and one in Berlin, Germany. After college, I took a job with my college Fraternity working with college students at 25 different schools throughout North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. In April 2007, I joined Google and moved to San Francisco.

Currently, I work on Google’s University Programs team. We focus on hiring the top college students to start their careers as Software Engineers at Google. It’s great to be part of the team that recruits young, talented people to join a company that cares about its mission and the people who work there.

Now we’re at the part where I look back, and try to distill into a few simple points – six to be exact – everything that I’ve learned along the way. So here it goes.

Number 1: Ask for help when you need it.

I was a terrible college applicant. I don’t mean I was unqualified, but rather I had no clue what I was doing. I knew I wanted a small school in the city, outside of the Midwest. After that, everything was up in the air.

I got lucky. Hopkins had a great viewbook, so I decided to apply, got in and decided to attend.

For some reason, I was afraid to ask questions during the process. I was afraid to admit that I didn’t even know the questions to ask. I’d been successful in high school, yet I didn’t know where to start when it came to college, and I didn’t want anyone to think I didn’t know what I was doing. I struggled. I made mistakes, I stressed myself out, and I left a lot of knowledge on the table.

Only after serving as an Admissions Representative did I realize how important it is to ask questions when you find yourself outside of your comfort zone. Making a decision about college is an important choice. There are people that can help – find them. As I found at Hopkins and have found in my professional life, people not only appreciate being asked questions, but are impressed by the curiosity and want to help out.

Number 2: Stretch yourself – get involved and take risks.

College is a change. One significant challenge is figuring out what to do when you’re bored. For some reason, it’s simple to blaze a new path of do-nothingness. Throughout my four years I watched as many went from over-involved high school students to uninvolved college students. Interestingly, the uninvolved looked back on their college experience as disappointing.

It’s easier than you might think to slide into mediocrity. There’s no manual to success in college. Sometimes, instead of jumping in, people seem to say, “I’m going to focus on my academics the first semester, and I’ll get involved the second semester.”

Yeah, right.

While they “focus” on academics, college passes by. What if the first semester is rough? Think anyone gets involved then? What if it’s great? Think they’ll want to jeopardize that initial success by adding commitments? It’s a self-perpetuating doom-loop.

Take it for what it’s worth, but academic success and collegiate success is neither one in the same, nor mutually exclusive. I look back at my time at Hopkins and feel like my co-curricular activities made a major impact on where I am today. The pressure of deadlines and commitments taught me how to prioritize and forced me to buckle down so I could maximize my time. The different experiences allowed me to take what I had learned in one activity or class and apply it in another. The diverse ideas and knowledge one picks up allows for the development of innovative ideas. These are all important skills that I find myself using repeatedly now that I’ve graduated.

By taking myself out of my comfort zone and taking risks, I discovered interests I didn’t know existed. I made lifelong friends with people I never would have met. I created opportunities, opened doors, and grew my social network just by being busy and involved. Sure, I cut back over time; you have to figure out what’s best for you. Most importantly though, I had a long list of options, and I had an incredibly diverse college experience for which I can always be grateful and look back on with no regrets.

Number 3: Give back or pay it forward

We all have high aspirations and along the way, we’ll likely face challenges, difficulty and frustration. Sure, we want to chart our own course, but we’re probably following some footsteps of those who have come before us. Growing up, my parents taught me to work hard at everything I did. My teachers taught me to challenge myself, and hold myself accountable. My friends pushed me to keep up with them in the classroom, on the athletic fields, and in other activities.

Somehow, I developed a pay it forward mentality. For me, that was taking on leadership roles in co-curricular activities in high school. In college that was serving as an admissions representative and student council, working for the Orientation program and being a member of Spring Fair and SigEp. Now, it’s volunteering and giving to the organizations that made a difference in my life.

At times this involvement was and is frustrating, but I always saw it as part of my responsibility to work through the frustration. Asking only, “What’s in it for me?” would have caused me to miss out on the reward gained by hard work and perseverance. By sticking through the rough patches and making it better for those who followed, I feel like I learned a lot, and helped out some people in the process.

Number 4: Don’t forget to say thanks.

A lot of people through the years will make a difference in your life. Often these people don’t even realize what they’ve done, and we don’t say thanks for that help often enough either. It’s not intentional; we just don’t think to do it.

I’d always been told the importance of saying thanks, of writing thank you notes, and such, but I’d never really believed it made a difference until I tried it out.

While working for my college fraternity, I came to realize that undergraduates and volunteers do all the work; they don’t get paid, and all too often they get no gratitude or appreciation from those they impact. One thing I learned during that job was the most significant thing we could do to encourage our members was to remember to say thanks and recognize those who did outstanding work. A quick note or thoughtful gift made all the difference in the world and led to better communication, increased performance, and better friendships.

You’re going to have a lot of great achievements in college, take some time to celebrate those achievements, and reflect back on the people who made it possible. If you can spare a few minutes and maybe a few dollars, pick up a card or something else meaningful let people know how much they’ve helped - it will make their day.

Number 5: Make time for your friends.

College will fly by. You may not believe me on your first day of Orientation, but when you’re crossing the stage to shake the president’s hand and collect your diploma, you’ll be wondering where that time went. The next thing you know, you’ll be moving out of your place and into some other city, far from your friends, and far from the place you had called home for the last four years.

From time to time, it would snow significantly in Baltimore. For us, that meant snow football. We’d round up three or four people, and start working the phones. Pretty soon we’d have 15-20 sliding across the field, while much of the school spent the time inside thinking about their next Chemistry midterm.

You only get four years to make the most of the experience. Too often people get caught up in the future and lose sight of the moment. In my experience, we do about the same amount of work whether it takes us two hours or twelve. We just expand the amount of time we spend “working” to fit the window. Meanwhile, we pass up an opportunity to deepen our friendships and share some experiences that may stay with us forever.

Make time for your friends. Take a break and recharge; it’ll allow you to dive back in with more focus and dedication than you might think. You’re a college student, but college is about more than grades and what comes after graduation.

Number 6: Do what you love.

The best question a college interviewer ever asked me was, “What are you passionate about?” I bombed the question and it has stuck with me through school and into my career. I’ve learned that if I’m not passionate about something, it’s difficult for me to put 100% into that particular project, class, or group.

The decision of what to do after college challenged me. I wanted to do something I was passionate about, since I learned that it was hard for me to fake interest and enthusiasm. I sought out a lot of advice from family, friends, and professors. In the end, I got some great suggestions, but one of them stuck out until a former professor said the best job you can have is one where you figure out a way to get paid doing something you would do for free.

That made my job search that much easier. I had taken a class called Leadership Dynamics, which helped put a lot of what I already thought into focus. It helped me realize I enjoyed working with people, and I enjoyed the challenges of working with organizations to make them successful. I’d also been spending a week every summer volunteering for an American Legion government program, and was able to watch first-hand as rising seniors built an understanding of government through an experiential learning program.

In college I spent my time on activities and groups that involved working with others. Most of these things didn’t pay, but I loved the time I spent working of projects for these organizations. I spent my first year after college working for SigEp traveling to different schools in the region and working with undergraduates throughout the country. This experience provided me with a way to get paid to work with people, serving as an important resource and challenging them to get the most of their experience in college.

Working for SigEp taught me a lot about leadership, organizational development and recruitment strategy – a couple of things I really enjoy. As my year came to an end, I discovered Google offered positions that matched my background. I thought it would be exciting to be a part of building that culture and seeing first hand how breaking all the “rules” could be successful. I also felt that my experience at Hopkins and my experience at SigEp put me in a position to lend a unique and valuable perspective to Google’s college recruiting efforts, as well as its growing career development organization. I guess I was convincing.

I’m lucky that I found a job and a company where I can look forward to work every day. I attribute a lot of that to looking for my passions while I was in college, and taking the advice to get paid for something I would do for free.

Six years and six ideas later, I’m able to look back and appreciate the experience I had at Hopkins. You’re all at a very exciting time right now. You’re facing a big decision, you have a lot left to accomplish, and you have a few months left of your senior year before it’s time to start again on a new adventure. Make the most of it – these opportunities don’t come around very often.