By Maria

I know Tom has posted quite a bit regarding tonight’s Spider Football game already; but I just couldn’t keep quiet any longer!

Having attended a high school with a less than stellar football team and then attending a college without a team (we like to joke that we’re undefeated!), I was slow to pick up on the powerful allure of the game. However, having worked at Richmond since 2005 and bearing witness to some pretty spectacular games, I can now say that I am true convert. Despite never attending Richmond, I consider myself a loyal Spider fan.

I, as well as dozens of Richmond alumni and area fans, will be crowding a local sports bar to cheer on our Richmond Spider Football team to victory tonight. I have every confidence that our team will bring home the FCS National Championship trophy tonight!! So be sure to watch us on ESPN2… and look out for Connor McMahan, a Student Admission Representative and football star!

GO SPIDERS!!!

]]> http://admissionsblog.richmond.edu/2008/12/19/spider-football-on-espn2-tonight/feed/ 0 Maria http://admissionsblog.richmond.edu/2008/08/20/first-years-are-moving-in/ http://admissionsblog.richmond.edu/2008/08/20/first-years-are-moving-in/#comments Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:16:56 +0000 Maria http://richmondadmissionsblog.wordpress.com/?p=157 ]]>

This is probably one of the most exciting days on campus. Today first-years arrived!

Over the next several days, new students and their families will participate in Orientation. Included in the five day program are many exciting events such as a Presidential Reception, meetings with Orientation Advisors, “Playfair”, and information sessions. It’s a very exciting time for our new students and we’re all eager to get to know every one of them.

Today was also Faculty Colloquy which is an open session for faculty and staff to welcome new faculty members. In addition to announcing our newest faculty, the Provost officially opened the 179th session of the University of Richmond. I continue to stand in awe of the amazing history of this place and am so happy to be a part of its on-going traditions.

Go Spiders!

By Maria

If you spend any time on our student diarist page, Spider Diaries, you have probably picked up on the incredible number of activities available to students in the Richmond metro area. Well, the summer is no exception to that rule. In fact, the summer is probably my favorite time of year—living in Richmond during the summer offers a virtual smorgasbord of exciting free events. It’s nothing short of fantastic.

Throughout the summer, I’ve had the pleasure of taking part in many free events all over the River City. From food festivals to concerts, Richmond offers something for everyone. Here’s a snapshot of what I’ve been up to.

The annual Lebanese Food Festival is a wonderful event sponsored by a local church. The event features authentic Lebanese food and wine, crafts, Lebanese dancers, and ample opportunity for casual conversation. This is by far one of my favorite summer pastimes. The festival provides you with a great excuse to pig out on delicious food, dance the afternoon away, and enjoy the hot summer sun with good friends. I highly encourage you to check it out next summer!

Each May, the Chesterfield Berry Farm tempts me with promises of ripe beautiful strawberries. Now, growing up, I picked every kind of berry and fruit imaginable with my family. We would pick barrels of peaches, bushels of strawberries, and tons of cherries together. Some of my best memories involve me and my sister sitting under peach trees sampling the sweet peaches warmed by the sun. As an adult, I’ve come to enjoy participating in harvest activities with close friends. Chesterfield Berry Farm offers a unique experience combining hayrides, petting zoos, and delicious ripe strawberries. This year, my roommate and I surpassed my personal record and picked a total of 22 pounds of strawberries. Countless berries perished before ever making it into our baskets.

This year was my first trip to the Greek Festival. How could I have missed this wonderful Richmond event?! The festival incorporates traditional Greek dancing and festivities with spectacular food and a craft festival that truly is a feast for the eyes. I had a wonderful time learning the proper names for all sorts of food and dances. In the end, I left the festival very full and with several new friends.

If you like music, Richmond is the place to be during the summer. There are several summer concert series to choose from including those hosted in Innsbook and the free concert series called Friday Cheers on Brown’s Island. I haven’t been able to check out as many of the bands as I would have liked but the events I have seen were excellent. Nothing beats sitting outside on a warm summer night listening to bluegrass music. Not into Bluegrass? There are tons of other genres represented throughout the summer concert series.

Trust me, if you find yourself in Richmond this summer or next, you won’t be bored! Just pick up the local paper and prepare to be delighted.

By Maria

Hello Everyone! Gosh, I’ve missed chatting with ya’ll through the blog. I have to apologize for my absence. This time of year is super busy for me as I begin planning several large scale guidance counseling events on our campus. I promise to be back up and posting regularly again soon. In the meantime, keep Tom busy with your questions!

By Maria

Well, relax! You’re not alone. An increasing number of students are considering postponing their college experience for a year while they pursue other interests. Traditionally Gap Years occur between a student’s senior year of high school and their first-year of college. If you’re thinking of planning a Gap Year, take a few of these points into consideration. The notion of a Gap Year isn’t new or revolutionary; rather, it’s been around for awhile but only recently has it become a frequent enough occurrence to warrant national attention. In fact, I recently presented on this topic at our national organization’s (NACAC) fall conference.

Why do students consider taking a Gap Year anyway? Reasons vary as much as snowflakes; but the main thread is often a need to truly find oneself. I remember high school: tons of papers, many late nights, being completely stressed out, and not really knowing what interested me (outside of making good grades and getting into “the right” college). Well, now students are realizing that taking a moment to get off the fast track might benefit them. In no way am I saying that a Gap Year is for everyone. In fact, the opposite is true. Allow me to explain.

There are several really bad reasons for taking a Gap Year. If you fall into any of these categories, you might want to reconsider your motivations for planning a Gap Year.

Scenario 1: You’ve decided to take time off so that you can work on college applications to other universities/colleges because you think your Gap Year will make you (in some way, shape or form) more desirable to highly selective colleges. This is never a good reason to plan time off. The chances that your application will be received in a different light because of your Gap Year experience is slim; most colleges put more emphasis on your classroom work, curricular choices and standardized testing rather than extracurricular experiences when making admission decisions.

Scenario 2: Your high school record is less than stellar, and you’re hoping that a remarkable Gap Year experience will eclipse your modest academic achievement. Again, most colleges place more emphasis on your academic record; a year from now, you’ll still have the same grades on your transcript.

Scenario 3: Your parents are encouraging you to go abroad and expand your horizons. I am a huge advocate of study abroad experiences; however, you can have a very meaningful study abroad trip as a part of your overall undergraduate experience. Look into study abroad programs available to you at different colleges—I’m sure you’ll find many options out there.

Now on to the good. Some students are incredibly bright, high achieving individuals who’ve spent the better part of their academic careers buried under a massive pile of AP projects, pop quizzes, and internships but haven’t had time to truly figure themselves out. In admission, we refer to this as “the treadmill.” Students are pressured to achieve so much and to be so focused on their grades that they might fall short of discovering true passions. A Gap Year is a wonderful opportunity for you to take time to reflect on your interests or to discover a different part of the world. Other students are simply so exhausted from their quest to achieve perfection in high school that they need time to collect themselves before tackling the next phase of their life. Taking time to have a meaningful experience can truly put a student in the right frame of mind for college.