Meet our Pride Guides: Lyndsey, Delaney & Bhakti

With the fall semester in full swing, we’re so excited to introduce you to some more of our new Pride Guides!

Lyndsey Yackel

Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Williamson, NY
Majors:
Early Childhood/ Childhood Education & Drama Performance
Campus Involvement:

Danceworks, Rhythmix, the fall main stage production of HAIR

Favorite class so far? "Drama 55! I am on an assignment in the costume shop for "The Nerd" (one of our fall productions), so i get to do something I've never done before."Favorite part of campus? "The Student Center. I love when all the tables in the atrium are full of clubs and campus involvement! Also the food! :)"

Delaney Barac

Year: Sophomore

Hometown: Franklin, MA
Major/Minor: Public Relations Major, Music Minor
Campus Involvement: WRHU Radio Hofstra University, Music and Entertainment Industry Student Association, Public Relations Student Society of America, She EO's, Her Campus
Favorite Class So Far? Fundamentals of Public Relations
Favorite Part of Campus? "Definitely the 10th floor of the Axinn Library."

Bhakti Patel

Year: Sophomore
Hometown: New Hyde Park, NY
Major: Pre-Health with a concentration in Disability Studies
Campus Involvement: American Medical Student Association, Project Sunshine
Favorite Class So Far? Music Around the World
Favorite Part of Campus? "I love the quad area, especially during the spring. It's a great spot to hang out with friends and enjoy the beautiful surroundings."

My Life as a Student Teacher

Hi everyone! My name is Emma Vaccaro, and I'm a senior majoring in early childhood and childhood education with a co-major of STEM!

On February 16th, I turned in my application and all the documents needed to student teach for this coming fall. So many emotions ran through my mind- first, thankfulness to all the advisors and professors that helped me become the teacher I am today.

Next, excitement; hopefully I would be placed back in the same school where I taught fourth grade. Lastly, I felt a strange familiarity, as if this was something that had happened before, because it had; I had already taught in a preschool, as well as second, third and fourth grade.

I've already learned some pretty important life lessons. An example is how Dr. Suess' book Bartholomew and the Oobleck taught me that like when making Oobleck, always have a good and quick method for clean-up. Something else that I learned while teaching second grade was to always make sure you have an explanation for everything. These, as well as the other lessons that I've learned while student teaching, are definitely important and are sure to help me in my future endeavors.

My Internship at the Brooklyn Museum

Hi! My name is Melissa Thiringer and I'm a senior Anthropology major with an Archaeology concentration and two minors in Creative Writing and Art History.
Recently, I was lucky enough to obtain an internship at the Brooklyn Museum for my entire senior year. I'm currently in the Curatorial Department, specifically working with Ancient Egyptian art.

So far I have explored the inner workings of the museum including its enormous library, which is filled to the brim with books pertaining to all the sections of art the museum holds. I've also had the privilege of being able to work in the Egyptian storage room, which is full of objects that are not able to be seen by the public (mummies, sculptures, scarabs, paintings, mosaics, etc).

I have actually already finished my first project, which included looking at 100-year-old hand-written catalogue cards and typing them up into the system so that everyone can have access to the items that are behind the scenes. Currently, I am going through those items and making sure that

each one has a picture.

I am happy to say that I have been asked to come back this semester to continue to help out. I can’t wait to see what the museum has in store for me and the rest of my senior year!

My Life as an Education Major

Hello there, my name is Emma Vaccaro, or as my fourth graders know me, Ms. Vaccaro. As you've probably guessed, I’m an education major - but I also study science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). As an education student at Hofstra, I have the privilege of observing and teaching a local fourth grade class three days a week. I love being in the classroom, gaining experience and making connections. 

Studying STEM has encouraged me to approach many of my teaching lessons from a slightly different perspective. The most recent lesson I’ve planned will cover climate change and its effect on temperature and our world today. For this lesson, I have been working in tandem with my science methods course teacher and the elementary school’s science lab teacher. As mentors, they have been extremely helpful to me.

The elementary school’s science lab teacher has generously offered his lab and thermometers to help the class learn. In the lab, my students will display their understanding of climate change by recreating the greenhouse effect on a smaller scale. In addition, they will be reinforcing their knowledge of reading a thermometer.

I am incredibly excited for all of my opportunities and to be gaining such incredible teaching experience.

Internship Spotlight: Taylla

Hey! My name is Taylla, and I'm a senior TV and Film student from Montgomery County, Maryland. When you become a Hofstra student, something that you learn fairly quickly is that interning is a big deal. In my classes, I have received a great amount of experience in studios and editing laboratories. However, our professors encourage us to go out and utilize New York City. Therefore, in my four years at Hofstra, I have had the pleasure to intern at three great companies. My current internship is admirably my favorite. 

Telsey + Company is a casting company based both in New York and Los Angeles. The company casts for television, film, Broadway musicals and plays. My title at Telsey is "casting intern," where I work with a team of seven other interns. I've had the opportunity to sit in on auditions for Hamilton and Anastasia and am in the presence of creative teams for projects. The Telsey casting directors, including the founder Bernie Telsey, have taken the time to talk to us about their experience at the company. Being at Telsey has been rewarding for a number of reasons. 

The opportunities to learn and use software like Casting Networks (training provided by Hofstra alumni) and CastIt have benefited me and are a great resume builder. I have had the pleasure of witnessing a project being fully casted as an intern for the entire semester. The relationships I've made at Telsey and with the creative teams have been unforgettable. I am most grateful for Telsey + Company for making me feel like a part of the team. 

Senator Kemp Hannon Visited My Class

Hey! My name is Jane Mitchell, and I'm a senior Health Science/Pre-Med student from Walnut Creek, CA. As you may know, December 1 is recognized as World AIDS day. To spread awareness on Hofstra’s campus, my healthcare reform class welcomed New York’s Senator Kemp Hannon as a guest lecturer. Senator Kemp is on the frontline of healthcare policy and reform for New York.

Senator Kemp Hannon 

During his visit, Hannon spoke about difficulties in healthcare reform and New York’s current innovations and programs. In addition, he spoke about the changing political field within our country. It was interesting to hear a Senator speak about how everyday bipartisan work is done for reforms that will benefit the people in our communities. He answered every question the class had, including mine about his team’s next steps in healthcare policy. I appreciated his professional opinion regarding ideas of both local and national healthcare policy think tanks. Having a current healthcare policymaker discussing the future of healthcare policy was definitely a highlight of my semester!

From Inside the Debate Hall

Hi there! My name is Grace, and I'm a junior marketing major at Hofstra. I transferred here in the spring of 2016 because I knew Hofstra would provide me with opportunities I would not be able to find at any other university. That was once again proven to be true on Monday, September 26, 2016. I was given the incredible opportunity to work at and attend the first presidential debate in the 2016 election cycle!

I was one of the lucky few volunteers that would have the opportunity to watch the debate in person as a debate hall usher! My shift was scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. I got there around 2:30 so that I would have the chance to walk around and witness the excitement happening on campus before heading to the debate hall. I met up with Pride Guide Izzy (who happened to also be a debate hall usher). We walked into the perimeter and got into the debate hall to meet with the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) to discuss our responsibilities for the evening. Prior to the debate beginning, they walked us into the hall, and I had chills. It was the calm before the storm, and I could feel it! The major networks were lined against the back of the debate hall with some of the most recognized reporters doing live tapings as employees completed last minute jobs in the hall.

Inside the debate hall!

The lucky lottery winners started filing in as I escorted them to their seats. As I saw VIPs like Mark Cuban and Don King make their way to their seats, it hit me what was about to happen – I was going to be standing only a few feet away from the next president of the United States. I was about to watch the candidates take part in an extremely important and historical event. This was and will continue to be by far one of the coolest things I will ever get to be a part of. I cannot thank Hofstra enough for giving me this opportunity. It was a night I will never, ever forget.

Get Excited for Welcome Week!

Welcome Week is only one month away! If you ask any Hofstra student for a highlight from their four years here, odds are Welcome Week will be the overwhelming response. So many Hofstra students enjoy this week because not only do they get see their friends from orientation, but there are a variety of fun events and activities that happen on and off campus! Here's a list of some our Pride Guides' favorite Welcome Week moments!

1. You get to hang out with your OL! At this point you already know an upperclassman who knows everyone on campus! Talk to them and see who they can introduce you to or what student organizations they can recommend.

2. SO MANY Explore Next Door (END) trips are offered. From Mets games and bike tours of Central Park to scavenger hunts in the Museum of Natural History, there's a trip for everyone. And the best part? They're FREE for students!

Top of the Rock - END Trip

3. At the end of the first day of Welcome Week, there's a "class welcome," where current students and faculty line up and cheer on the incoming class! It's a great time to really get excited about the next four years!

4. In case you're really good at mini-golf, and even if you aren't, the Axinn Open is a great way to see what our library is all about! Play putt-putt along stacks of books and in the museum on the 10th floor!

Class of 2017 Photo

5. The class photo is the first time you get to see the entire class together. It's a great tradition to be a part of, and it will be cool to look back on when commencement comes around.

6. Who doesn't love to dance?! There's a really fun dance party with a DJ, lights, food and good vibes! Show off your moves and have a great time with new friends.

7. The New Student BBQ is a great opportunity to branch out and meet new people or hang out with your orientation group! A DJ and all your BBQ needs will be there, including veggie burgers!

8. The best thing to do in college is get involved, and what better way to find the club for you than the Club Carnival? Most of our clubs and organizations will be represented so you can definitely find some clubs that interest you.

*Don't forget to join the Welcome Week conversation on social media using #HofWelcome2020!

Student Involvement Spotlight: Kristen Misak

My name is Kristen Misak, and I am the 2016-17 President of 180 Degrees Consulting - one of the largest student-run, nonprofit consultancies in the world. Our branch at Hofstra was founded by Brendan Rorke '16, our former President.

Our mission is to maximize our social impact by helping nonprofit organizations on Long Island do the most with the resources they have on hand. We pair teams of highly qualified students (many in the business school, but also many in other fields of study) with nonprofit organizations that express a need to improve in financial management, marketing, social media, organizational structure and management, and other business-related issues. Because money is tight for many nonprofit organizations, they typically cannot afford professional consulting services. 180 Degrees provides pro bono services from our students, who benefit by impacting the community and gaining more experience in the consulting field.

I first heard about 180 Degrees in the spring of my sophomore year. I applied to brome a consultant and was assigned to work with the Long Island Volunteer Center. My team and I worked on different issues the Volunteer Center was facing. Being a marketing major, I mainly worked on finding solutions for their marketing and school media. At the end of the semester, our team constructed a final report and presentation for Diana O'Neill and her affiliates at the Long Island Volunteer Center full of suggestions to improve her organization. After seeing how grateful they were for the work we had done for them, I knew this was going to be something that I would become extremely passionate about.

I was elected Recruitment Director my junior year and worked to get even more students involved in helping these nonprofit organizations. We received a record number of applications - so many that we ended up adding an additional organization to our usual three! Also, during this year, I added a minor of civic engagement because 180 Degrees taught me how much it meant to me to be making a social impact in everything that I do. For my upcoming senior year, I was elected president of 180 Degrees, which I am extremely excited to begin.

In addition to 180 Degrees, I also work as a Pride Guide in the Office of Admission and interned with the Center for Civic Engagement. In addition, I will be starting a fellowship with the Center in the fall. I also taught two days/week in local, under-served elementary schools through the Money and Me Program, and I am in a dual-degree program for my BBA/MBA. But since beginning my involvement with 180 Degrees Consulting, I've found what I'm truly passionate about and how the rest of what I am doing fits into what I want to do and who I am.

180 Degrees hasn't just done this for me. Our consultants keep coming back because they see the tangible benefits of being able to gain real-world experience and make a social impact.

Interested in joining? Like our Facebook page for the latest updates and check us out at the Club Carnival in the fall! Applications go live during the first week of the school year.

Written by: Kristen Misak '17