Recently in David L. Category

Bonsoir  from France!

Good evening or late night here in France. It is currently 11:30pm here in France and back home it is 5:30pm. We have had an amazing time in France so far. We have had very full days with most nights free. Tomorrow morning we are leaving at 6:00am to catch a train (that goes 200mph) to PARIS for the day. We have used what we learned in the classroom at IUPUI halfway around the world in Strasbourg France. With the knowledge we have obtained at Kelley, including the two classes we are currently taking, we have received background on all the companies we have visited and have been able to ask very good questions and carry on conversations with the different businesses.  We have visited Mercedes Benz and saw all the robots they use to produce all customized vehicles at a rate of 1000 per day. We visited Smart Car and learned how the government and Smart Car worked together to lower the unemployment rate in the area by hiring a majority of young workers 26 and younger. This caused fewer robots and more workers, but they still have a very neat and efficient process. We were able to walk along the assembly line and see the entire car come together. We learned from Eli Lilly France about the benefits and the typically work life in France. Approximately 35hrs. per week, with five weeks of vacation, extended paid maternity leave etc....  We learned how important patents are and how small bio-techs firms operate and produce special products around the world with only 23 employs at PolyPlus Transfection.

We also visited a castle! What an amazing view!    We visited a brewery and learned how beer is made, the process and ingredients that go into the beer. We also had a free tasting session with many different types of beer. Fun times!    We then visited a Winery! A small hometown winery , not a commercialized winery. He talked to us on how the wine was made and then he showed us how we should taste the wine during a wine tasting session. Remember; look, smell, taste and feel the aroma! 

We just finished with the most amazing barbeque ever. Strasbourg University is who Kelley has teamed up with to make this all possible. The representative took us to this old castle and we did not know what to expect. We walked for about 10 minutes and then started in the woods. We looked at each other and wondered where we were going. All of sudden the scene appeared before us and it looked like survivor the movie, where the council votes. It was amazing, candles everywhere, great seats, a tent/hut, a fire etc... The food was above amazing, we had a four course meal and not like in the states. This was four courses of meat all cooked in front of us. WoW!!!!!

Well tomorrow we are off to PARIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh ya bye the way I tried to be adventurous today and I tried Pig Head. Don't do it! Most of the food is like back home with a few twists and most food has been great. This was a bit to adventurous. Don't do it! Ok off to bed!

Inside joke....... When in France chase the police and say mauvias garcon, mauvias garcon what are you going to do.................     FUN TIMES

FRANCE HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!

I have not had time lately to write and stay updated with my blogs. I was busy with finals and wrapping up my Residential Assistant duties with the housing department here on campus. But now is the time you will here from me almost everybody while in France! Finals are over and the summer has begun. Most college students spend their summer working, visiting family, going on vacations, relaxing, or taking a few summer classes. Eleven of us here at the Kelley School spent a whole two days for our summer break. We finished the semester on a Friday or Saturday and began our first summer class on a Wednesday. The eleven of us are participating in the first ever Kelley School of Business - Indianapolis Study Abroad trip to Strasbourg, France. The structure of the program is what appealed me to the program. We spend a week and a half in school, one week in France, and then return for a week of classes and a project!  In these short four weeks we will receive 6 credit hours, a trip to Strasbourg, France (and a day in Paris), and the rest of the summer to do as we please.

Was I in for a wake up call during the first week of class. Class is from 9am to 4pm with an hour lunch for approximately seven days. The two classes we are taking is International Business D-301 and Politics in the European Union Y-350   I had the feeling I was in high school again, sitting in a class that long. It felt like the work load was on steroids. Imagine six hours worth of college material everyday. You have readings for both classes, quizzes to study for, articles to read, news to catch up on in Europe, essays that are due on top of your personal life, if you had one during this time. I had a few out of class personal items that were on my agenda. My sister graduated from high school as the Salutatorian and there was no way I was going to miss her graduation. Congrats sis!  My girlfriend was called to the ER because of an allergic reaction, she is ok now but I had to attend to that and make sure she was ok. All of this was a shock and a bit overwhelming at times. But, all of us continued to worked hard and plug through the work. Now as we prepare to leave to France today looking back it is amazing how much we have learned in this short amount of time. The professors have been truly amazing. Just to think in 6 or 7 days I can tell you all about how the European Union grew from 6 member states to 27 members states, I can tell you the criteria to join the Euro Area and begin to use the Euro currency, I can tell you why the European Union has no constitution and why all their treaties serve as something like a constitution, I can talk about the European Central Bank, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers, the European Court of Justice, and the European Council. I can talk about why other states want to join the European Union. I can talk about the economic policy and how the European Union needs to work on their Foreign policy. I can talk about the health care system and how that may affect not only the residents but also the business. I can talk about how international trade works and what effects quotas, tariffs, and subsidies can have on trade. I could talk about the exchange rate and how that can affect not only tourist, but the big impacts it can have on businesses. I could go on and on and it is truly, truly amazing that I knew nothing about the European Union and I knew little about international business and now I can ramble and ramble about all of this material.

While in France we will be visiting multiple locations and I will update you on our way! Businesses such as Eli Lilly, Smart Car, a brewery, a winery, a bio-medical firm, the European Parliament, a castle, etc....  Stayed tuned and wish us luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Kelley for this wonderful opportunity!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reflection: Thank You

As I promised from my last blog post I would continue with my reflection piece. Well here it is............

Sometimes when I look back I feel so blessed, honored, thankful, gracious, at times very lucky. Recently I was announced as one of the TOP 100 students here at IUPUI and when I was sending out invitations to the dinner for the TOP 100 ceremony I realized how much IUPUI and the Kelley School of Business is like a leap pad. A lead pad, in that the opportunities are boundless. There are so many opportunities in college many students don't know where to begin. I know all of us here it over and over again, get involved, get involved, get involved.

But, this is a true statement some of my best experiences and greatest memories have come from mentoring, community service, organization outings, baseball games with the Kelley Student Government, trips to Chicago with the investment club, Kelley House and the residents on campus, the list can go on and on. I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing professors; it is truly amazing if you take the time to reflect how much you actually learn over a semester. I have had the opportunity to work at a local bank during my college years with a flexible work schedule.  I have had the opportunity to work on campus with Housing and Residence Life while creating the Kelley House and serving as a Residential Assistant for two years. I have had the opportunity to volunteer on countless occasions. I have had the opportunity to work closely with the staff of Kelley while planning programs. I will be participating in a Study Aboard experience in Strasbourg France this summer. I will also hold an internship at a local accounting firm this summer in downtown Indianapolis. Through all of these experiences I have made remarkable contacts and lifelong friends. I have truly had an amazing college experience and just to think I still have one more full year.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get involved and take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of you. You may never have these opportunities again, once you are out of college. Always work to your full potential, take advantage and cease every opportunity that comes your way, you will never know where that opportunity may take you. These are a few of the reason why I feel blessed, honored, thankful, gracious, and at times lucky. I struggle at times letting people know how thankful I am for these opportunities, for the scholarships that have come my way, for the flexibility given to me at work, for the mentors that have helped me, for the faculty and staff here at IUPUI, for my family and especially my mom. Thank You is just two words but the meaning behind it can be so much more powerful in how you present the 'Thank You' and the sincerity you put behind it.

Remember to thank people for the opportunities that have came your way, a simple thank you can mean so much and down the road you never know what may happen. I will end this blog with two quotes that fit this blog well:

"I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." Thomas Jefferson

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" Seneca (Roman Philosopher)

 

David Lane

Spring Break

Yes, it is finally here!!!! Many students during spring break find their way to Florida or Cancun while others spend their time with family while relaxing and catching up on sleep. Others catch up on the dreaded homework while others use the time to prepare and get ahead for the coming weeks. Some students use the time to work, to make the money all poor college students need. These are a few of the main spring break activities students will participate in over this week long break, that really feels like just a few days.

I decided to spend my spring break working the first half, spend some time with family and then go to Chicago for the second half. I worked 12 hrs. on Monday,  11 hrs. on Tuesday, 9hrs. on Wednesday and then I used two vacation days for Thursday and Friday. A full 40hr. week finally!!!!! It is now Thursday morning and I am on my way to Chicago for three days with my girlfriend and two other couples. Four of us attend IUPUI and the other two attend University of Indianapolis. I always enjoy vacations or trips with friends that I am never able to spend time with because of the busy life. So, I am really looking forward to this trip. We are all 21 yrs. of age now, not to say you cannot have fun before your 21 but this trip should be fun J  We have plans to attend two museums, visit the Lake Shore, take the red line to China Town and Viet Town. My girlfriend is Vietnamese so we like to visit Viet Town to eat the authentic food, well as close as we can get to authentic J We might check out the night life and of course walk downtown in and out of all the stores and shops while window shopping J The last thing I plan to do is visit a friend of mine who graduated from Kelley last year and found a job in the finance industry in Chicago. Of course spend time to relax!!!!!!

I also took time this morning to stop and reflect while I was packing and doing laundry. I somehow found two hours to study because when I come back I have a HUGE accounting midterm on the Tuesday I return to school. Midterm after spring break suck L But, its part of life what are you going to do about it. So, I have found time here and there to study and I will also study all day Monday and Tuesday morning. Wish me luck. Stay continued to read about the reflection piece...............

Kelley House will be officially "Open for Business" September 3rd at 4:00pm. We are having a ribbon cutting ceremony in front of the Kelley House in the Campus Apartments. A few words will be spoken by the Dean of the Kelley School of Business, the Director of Housing and Residence Life, along with the RA for the Kelley House (which is me). After that we will cut the ribbon and food will then be provided. We are also giving away tons of prizes for residents! This should be a great event to start off a great year.

Move in day was August 17th for all residents living in Kelley House. This was also a great event. The Dean, Advisors, Assistant Directors, along with other Kelley students volunteered the day to help the new residents move in to the Kelley House. New students and families were able to meet Kelley faculty their first day on campus. Imagine the Dean coming out to your car, helping to carry your clothes and boxes up to your room. Imagine your advisor and directors from the business school helping to carry your T.V., towels, and computers to your room.  Many students and parents did not know what was going on at first. They were wondering why all of these people were helping to carry all their belongings to their room for them. They were expecting to spend an hour unloading the car, instead it took a total of 10 minutes per resident, with all the help we had. Both the parents and residents appreciated the help. They were even more excited when they found out the Dean had carried their clothes up to their room. The parents took time to meet and talk with the faculty. This was a win win situation for both the residents and families, as well as Kelley faculty.

We are currently planning events for the Kelley House. For the Month of September we have events such as:

         September 3rd, 2008: Kelley House Grand Opening    4:00pm-6:00pm   Campus Apartments

        September  7th, 2008:  Colts vs. Bears                          7:00pm-12:00am   Campus Apartments

        September  17th 2008: Business Etiquette Lunch        11:30am-1:30pm    University Hotel

        September 26th 2008: Day of Caring                             9:00am-2:00pm       Canal & White River

Many events are planned by other departments on campus. The purpose of these events is to involve residents while learning and having fun at the same time.  We want to make the living experience in Kelley House like no other!!!!!! We are off to a great start....................................

This is always an exciting yet busy time of year. Everybody is preparing for Finals, planning end of the year celebrations and holding banquets for celebrations and reflections. I am sure many students can relate to how this time of year feels.

I encourage all students to get involved, there are so many opportunities out there. Of course you must know your limits and do not over commit. But, the opportunities are endless. You can learn so much from outside of the classroom activities, attending conferences, networking, volunteering, going on trips (Chicago), and listening to speakers.

I have received some great news in the last week that I thought I would share. Last week I received the Northwestern Mutual scholarship thought the Kelley School of Business and then just yesterday I found out I was awarded the Gene B. Glick scholarship another Kelley School of Business scholarship. I am so excited. This would not be possible if it wasn't for my mother! She has worked so hard and has been through so much. I have four younger siblings and I told her on my senior night in high school that I would find a way to pay for my tuition and she needed to worry about my other four siblings. She teared up and gave me a big hug. I will never forget this moment. So far I have held my promise. My point is that if you work hard, get involved, keep a good head on your shoulders, and never forget where you came from anything is possible.

I believe these rewards have come from a number of things. Hard work and dedication to my school work is a given. But, also my commitment to service and being involved in so many activities on campus. Have fun and have a great time while in college. Learn all you can and make the most of it. Get involved!     This is one of the greatest times of a person's life. Being a first generation college student my mother did not tell me this. But, listening to others and realizing how special these four years are and will be, I understand.

Well good luck on FINALS and enjoy your end of the year celebrations and banquets. Remember to spread the word about the KELLEY HOUSE we have tons of great programs and activities for next year in the KELLEY HOUSE.

Hey Everybody:

It is hard to believe we have less than six weeks until the end of the semester! It is the perfect time to be looking for a place to stay for next fall. No need to look any farther the KELLEY HOUSE is here at IUPUI.

This is a brand new opportunity for current Kelley Students and direct admits. Living on campus in a theme house such as the Kelley House will not only be a great opportunity to meet friends with similar interest and similar goals. It is proven that students who live on campus earn better grades than those who do not. You have all the resources literally available within minutes. You also have 43 other residents you can talk to about classes, homework, which professors to take, which classes to take, etc.

I strongly urge everyone in Kelley to consider this exciting opportunity. We have many plans to make this the best living experience you will ever have! Call the Housing and Contracts office with any questions about how to apply for the Kelley House (317) 274-7200 or check out the website at www.housing.iupui.edu

Have you found a place to live next fall? Well I have an exciting opportunity to present to everybody...

Kelley House is on its way and will open Fall 2008!!! This is a very exciting opportunity to live on campus and be with approx. 40 other students just like yourself. For those of you who do not know or have not heard about KELLEY HOUSE let me explain. Kelley House is a theme house located in the campus apartments. This theme house is currently taking applications for the Fall 2008. Every person living in the Kelley House will be in the Kelley School of Business or at least planning to be in Kelley. There are tons of advantages to live in the Kelley House.

*It will be a honor to live in the Kelley House, remember approx. 40 spots are available.
*There will be no need to worry about PARKING on campus. You will be in walking distances or you can ride the shuttle
*The convience of living downtown
*No need to wake up extra early to get to school, you will be less than a mile from your classes
 *The apartments are fully furnished. I mean FULLY! Full washer and dryer, kitchen, couches, chairs, microwave, refrigarator, full size bed, full bathroom, t.v. stand, compter desk and chair etc.
*You will have a connection with Kelley Faculty. Faculty will have events with residents.
*Kelley Advisors are going to come to the Kelley House for advising
*Tons of programs are being planned for the Kelley House, resume workshops, competitions, guest speakers, Indians and Pacer games, market simulator competition, Pie in the face, community service, movie nights, game nights, decoration contest....... etc*Last but not least a GREAT RA ----- myself :-)

We are currently planning move in day. The faculty will be helping residents move in. Who would like to see the Dean and the Chair along with Advisors carry T.V.'s, laptops, and clothes? This is a once in a life time opportunity. You will be able to give the faculty work and they wont be giving you any work!

The following links will help you find more information about the Kelley House and also how to apply for the Kelley House.

Check out the website on IUPUI campus housing:
http://www.iupui.edu/~sldweb/housing/">http://www.iupui.edu/~sldweb/housing/

Please visit the following link for information regarding Kelley House:
http://www.iupui.edu/~sldweb/housing/reslc/kelley.html">http://www.iupui.edu/~sldweb/housing/reslc/kelley.html

If you do not currently reside in Campus Housing please visit the following link to apply:
http://www.iupui.edu/~sldweb/housing/docs/Housing_Application.pdf">

All questions regarding the application, facilities, fees, etc. should be directed to IUPUI's Office of Housing and Residence Life: 1-800-631-3974 or reshalls@iupui.edu