{Meet the Staff: Heather Asmus} Part Two!

About Me: I was born in Cedar Falls, but grew up in Des Moines.  The two leading men in my life are my husband, Nate, and my son August (21 months).  Nate and I enjoy exploring the world with August.  I think he teaches us more than we teach him.  I also enjoy baking, movies, spending time with relatives, and running.  My siblings and I completed a 5k together last fall, and I hope there are more races in our future!

{Meet the Staff: Heather Asmus}

Name: Heather Asmus

E-mail: Heather.Asmus@uni.edu

Undergraduate Major: As an undergrad I bounced from English Teaching to Graphic Design, and settled on English non-teaching with a minor in Professional Writing.  I absolutely LOVED my major and the professors.  Every summer I spent in an internship exploring possible career paths.  I worked for Living History Farms in their Marketing Department, then the Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, and finally at Pella Corporation as a Technical Writing intern.

Who You Advise: I'll be advising first year SBS majors and deciding students, working with the PAIRs, and the Exploring Living Learning Community in Bender Hall.

About Me: My first full-time job was as an Admissions Counselor at small private college in NW Iowa.  I returned to UNI for my MAE in Postsecondary Education Student Affairs in 2008 and graduated in 2010.  I've spent the last 4 years as a Campus Supervisor / Advisor at a community college in NW Iowa.  

I am excited to be a Panther again!

  

{Major Mondays: Criminology}

What is Criminology? Criminology is the study of criminal behavior and how society defines and responds to crime. Criminologists attempt to identify the causes of crimes as they occur in society and in individuals. They also study the political and social aspects of defining crime: what is a crime and who is a criminal. Criminologists also examine societal responses to crime by studying such topics as how the criminal justice system functions, the effectiveness of public policies and programs aimed at controlling crime, the portrayal of crime in the popular culture and related subjects. 

What do you do with a major in Criminology? The classes that you take as a Criminology major prepare you for a variety of opportunities. Many recent graduates are pursuing careers in corrections, juvenile justice, law enforcement and private security. You could also consider research and planning with a state or federal agency. Some students also go to Graduate school for Law, Sociology, Criminology, Criminal Justice, or Public Policy in order to work in public policy, research, teaching and law. 

What classes would you take? Your first class would be Introduction to Sociology. Some other required courses are Criminal Justice System, Research Methods and Criminology. You also get to choose most of your Criminology courses. Some of your options are White Collar Crime, Juvenile Delinquency, Homicide, Youth Gangs, Crime Analysis, Law and Society, Terrorism and Insurgency, Drugs and Individual Behavior and many, MANY more! 

Are there any recommended additional majors or minors? Some of the common majors and minors pursued in conjunction with Criminology are Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, Spanish, and Social Work. 

If you are interested in Criminology, take Introduction to Sociology (SOC 1000). It is actually a prerequisite for most Criminology courses and provides a good foundation for future courses. Also, be sure to check out their website here!

Withdrawing from a Class

Often times we find ourselves answering the question, "What does the "W" mean on my transcript?" 

During the first several weeks of the semester you are able to drop a class from your schedule with no penalty, also known as the "add-drop period".

Dropping a class any time after the "add-drop period" is over is "dropping with a W," also known as withdrawing from a class.  Evidence that you dropped the course is noted on your transcript, but it doesn't affect your GPA.  Think of it as a parking ticket: one or two are ok to have on a transcript, but when a handful of them are collected, future employers/schools might start to show some concern!
Overall, it's better to have a "W" than an  "F", but also try  to keep the number of "W's" to a minimum.

 

The last day to drop a course without a "W" is TODAY January 23rd.  If you would like to drop a course without the "W" stop by the Registrar's office before 5 pm today!

 

 Picture courtesy of  http://www.insurancequotes.com/traffic_tickets/

Campus Events: International Opportunities Fair

Thinking about Study Abroad? At the International Opportunities Fair, you can learn about study abroad opportunities and meet past participants, faculty, and staff. Information about financial aid, scholarships, credit transfer, and international travel will be there. Some of the trips represented are short 2-4 week trips or semester long. Start thinking about study abroad now and attend the fair!

 Who: You!
Time: 11:00am to 4:00pm
Date: Wednesday, January 21st
Where: Maucker Union Ballroom
Be sure to check it out!

Advice To First-Year Students: Try New Things!

Connect with UNI: Mobile App

Did you know UNI has a mobile app?  This is used to give students quick access to resources most often utilized. You may be wondering, "How would I use it?" Here is a quick run-through for you on the highlights of the new app including where to find it!

• eLearning: Clicking on this from the app will take you straight to the dashboard for your online classes. You can view grades, upcoming assignments, and see everything that you normally would.
• UNI Athletics: Follow the Panther sports teams
• UNI Calendar: There's a lot to do every day at UNI. Keep track of all the events on campus with the calendar.
• Emergency: Find emergency phone numbers quickly
• Rod Library: Visit the Rod Library mobile site for access to many other online services provided by the library
• Menus: Take a look at what's cooking' at Piazza, Rialto, Prexy's, 23rd St. Market, and other UNI dining facilities
• UNI News: Find out what's happening at UNI through our news feed
• Directory: Access the UNI directory to find contact information for students, faculty, and staff.
• Maps: Have a class in a new building? Use the campus map to find your way there!
• Office Directory: Find addresses and other contact information for UNI department and program offices
• Other: There are also links to view the UNI Home Page, see Videos, access the UNI Facebook page, follow UNI on Twitter, and provide Feedback.

How do you download it?
Android Users: Search for MyUNI in the Google Play store
iPhone Users: Search for MyUNI in the Apple App Store

{How to: Be an Effective Notetaker}

Note-taking is something that you will heavily utilize in your college career and beyond. However, it is something that is rarely taught. Here are some quick tips for you on learning effective note-taking.

• Listen for an organizing pattern. Observe whether you can determine the speaker’s system for addressing subjects (e.g., chronologically or topically).
• Note whether a handout accompanies lecture materials. If so, chances are that the information is considered to be important—especially if the speaker elaborates on those points during the course of the lecture.
• Recognize verbal cues. At the beginning of the lecture, did the speaker mention that he or she would address a certain number of key points? That’s one cue revealing how many main ideas will be addressed and what to listen for. Additionally, listen for signal words and phrases such as “For example…,” “On the other hand…,” or “In summary…,” as these are used to highlight main points.
• When in doubt, write it down. To prevent yourself from inadvertently missing a main point, let the motto “better safe than sorry” be your watchwords.
• Consider your learning style preferences. If you are visual, drawing diagrams may help; other learners may prefer outlines. Determine which method suits you best.
• Create a shorthand system that works. Very few people could literally capture every word of a live lecture. Abbreviations and symbols (such as “pp” for “pages” or “@” for “at”) can help you save time (and line space!) as you write.

 You can gather more note-taking tips from UNI's Academic Learning Center website here. Just scroll down to the "Handouts" section and select "Note-Taking Strategies."

This post was adapted from Cengage Learning and the original can be found here.