Free Ticket to the ASA & APhiA Charity Gala

The 1st student who comes to the AASAS office by 1pm TODAY and displays a talent 

(song, interpretive dance, jokes, rap, poetry, etc.) 

 will get a FREE pass into the 

African Student Association & 

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Charity Gala tonight.  

Gordon Commons

6-10pm

Friday, December 7th 

Rules:

• Must be a current UW student 
• Must have valid UW id
• Not a member of UW-ASA or A-Phi-A (Gamma Epsilon)
• Not a student employee of CAE
• Must perform talent for a minimum of 1 minute :-)

BreAKfAst with Santa!!!

Join the Epsilon Delta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Beta Omicron of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Lambda Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, Gamma Mu Chapter of Lambda Theta Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Delta Chapter of Chi Sigma Tau Fraternity for our 3rd annual 

                                                                            

                         BreAKfAst With Santa      

                                                     

                 THURSDAY, December 6th 2012

               7-9p at the Red Gym - MSC Lounge

Our theme for this year: 

Poverty Awareness, with Timothy Smeeding, Director of the Institute on Poverty Research

Also join us for BREAKFAST, cookie decorating, and of course, pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus!

**************Please bring Canned, Non-Perishable Goods to the event!!**********

Calling ALL STUDENT ORGS!!!

PLEASE BRING CANNED FOOD DONATIONS AS AN ORGANIZATION!!!

The University Gospel Choir Fall 2012 Concert

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Gospel Choir presents "In Awe of You", the Winter Concert!! Come join us for a night of great singing, praise dancing, spoken word, and much more. I guarantee that you will enjoy what you hear and be blessed.

 When: Sunday December 9th, 2012
 Time: 7 PM - 9 PM
 Where: Pres House on State Street above Subway
 Cost: ABSOLUTELY FREE!!
 Why: God has been good to us. Let us show you why. =)
 
 Everyone is welcome no matter your race or religion. God doesn't discriminate and neither do we. We hope to see your beautiful faces there! ♥

 P.S. There will be special performances by Living Water Praise Dance, A'tira Banks, and Richard Jones Jr.! You do not want to miss this.

Finals Studying Tips!!!

Well...it's that time again (maybe the first time for some of you)......finals :( . We all know that studying for finals can be one of the most stressful experiences of the semester. There is no escaping them, but there are ways to make the weeks leading up to finals less painful! It's time to focus, and with three more weeks until finals week begins, it's time to start some proactive study habits that will help you get through finals successfully and slide into winter break! Here are some tips that we've scrounged up to help you get through finals week :)

Study At Least A Month In Advance


Luckily you still have about 3 weeks until the finals week panic sets in. But don't use these weeks to chill! Studying early not only prevents late night cramming the night before your exam, but it also helps you retain information because the information is still fresh in your mind. Start by creating a study plan for yourself and stick to it!

Learn How You Study

We have said it before BUT we will say it again!!! Before you even begin studying it is important to realize your individual way of studying. This will help keep you on track when studying and help you avoid any wasted studying time. Studying habits that work the best for you may be unique...but hey whatever helps you memorize those 500 words for English right?


Clarify the Content of Your Exams

Find out what your exam format will be: multiple choice, essay, short answer, etc. This will allow you to figure out exactly how to study. This may require going in to speak with your professor about the tests format  (and any other questions about the exam). They should be happy to answer your questions.

Take Snack Breaks 

Please don't believe you can study for 8 hours straight with no study breaks. Your brain needs the energy and rest to retain the information and stay awake ( you've heard this before right??), so take breaks while studying. If you don't want to break your study flow, at least take 5 minute breaks every hour to snack or walk. It helps!

Know When To Stop Studying 

This is possibly one of the most important pieces of advice! Teen Vogue.com says that between 12 to 24 hours before your exam is best to stop studying. Now we know it's tempting to study up until the exam is handed to you, but if you find yourself repeating the same material over and over, it may be time to stop because your brain is not retaining the material.

Get a Good Night's Rest
You've heard this before. You know the deal!

POETRY SLAM & OPEN MIC

 UW-MADISON

NPHC GREEKS

SUPPORT 

CITY YEAR!!!  

JOIN CITY YEAR TODAY...
A year of service is challenging, but also rewarding and fulfilling. While there is no typical corps member background, all corps members must have the ability to work on a team, be a leader, develop leadership skills and be ready to commit 10 months to full-time service.

Who We Are Looking For

Our corps members must also meet certain eligibility requirements.
To participate, you must:

• Have a college degree or have attended some college, have a high school diploma or GED
• Be able to dedicate 10 months to full-time service
• Be between the ages of 17 and 24
• Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident alien
• Have served no more than 3 terms in another AmeriCorps, NCCC or VISTA program
• Agree to a background or security check

Previous experiences with service, tutoring, mentoring and leadership help strengthen candidacy.
City Year is available to all, without regard to race, color, origin, gender, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, or religion

Contact: Bryson Green  <~~~ UW Madison Campus Recruitment Ambassador!  

Twitter @CYMKE_GREEN

 Or

Kobena-Marcus Collins  <~~~  Recruitment Director  

kmjcollins@cityyear.org

Check out the website: http://www.cityyear.org/CityYear/Home_New_2011/Home_A_2011.aspx

NEXT APPLICATION DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 15TH

Communicating With Your Professor!

We all know that we were told to communicate with our professor wayyyyy at the beginning of the year. Some of us followed that advice...and some of us didn't. For those who didn't contact their professors there is still hope! Make the best of out of the last couple of months in the semester with these few tips!

1. Introducing Yourself Is Key! 

If your first exam didn't go so well you might want to start contacting your professor for advice on how to study. In order to do that you have to go in and INTRODUCE YOURSELF! If you don't wish to just walk into his office hours and say your name do it before or after class. Trust me, it will help them remember you when you go to office hours later and ask for help.


2. Make a Good Impression 

Showing up to an appointment late or ill-prepared is not a good way to begin a good relationship with your professor. Show up on time with materials and questions prepared so your professor will know you are a caring student. Also, although TA's might allow you to use casual language and titles around them, your professor might not be so hip. Using casual language and titles might be a sign of disrespect to them. Use respect and appropriate language when addressing your professor.

3. Ask the Right Questions

When you begin to go to office hours.. come PREPARED!!! Coming into office hours with no questions or purpose is a waste of time and it makes you look BAD. Coming to office hours with prepared and knowledgeable questions makes you look GOOD.... pretty simple!

Remember, while its always better to get an early start with your professor it's never too late!! Make that connection NOW! It can only help you :)

Race and the Presidential Election w/ the MLC

Hang out with the MLC and become a more educated voter before the election!

Midterms Got You Down???

Quick Reminder!!! Fall 2012 Drop Deadline is November 2nd!! 

Ugh MIDTERMS?! They require alot of late night studying, irritating study guides, and of course stress! Possibly the worst thing about midterms are the grades. If you have done well on your midterms.. CONGRATULATIONS!! However, there are defiantly some of us that did....hmm not so well on midterms.

But that's okay! There are ways to bounce back from the midterm blues and finish out the semester in the most positive and efficient way possible!

Tip 1: Re-evaluate Your Study Habits

Yes that test was hard, but are your study skills lacking? Evaluate how you are taking notes and if your note taking is complimenting your study skills. Remember  we all don't study alike. Figure out if you are studying to the best of your ability. Think, do you learn better alone or in a group? Do flashcards help you? If all else fails, ask your professor if he or she has any study tips for their specific class!

Tip 2: Create a Better Schedule

Were you actually spending your time wisely during midterms? Half the stress of  midterms is balancing studying with your other school work. Creating a schedule that gets you through the day-to -day basis, pushes you to focus on one aspect of your life at a time, allowing for more things to get done. More things done means more studying time right?

Tip 3: Use Your Resources

We have all been told to use resources before, and that tip probably goes in one ear and out the other. BUT if you realize that a certain class is really kicking your butt more than you thought it was, it may be time to consider getting in touch with campus resources. Tutoring, academic mentoring, and even group tutoring could be the first step to reaching out and being proactive in your education!

Tip 4: Communicate! Communicate! Communicate!

Believe it or not, sometimes professors can be way more understanding then they seem. If you communicate to a professor you need help or display a genuine effort and interest in the class, odds are they will offer some way to help. Whether it be office hours, personal suggestions or even the coveted extension on an assignment  communication to a professor can usually be  beneficial in some way!

Tip 5: Have Some "You" Time

If you haven't realized constant stress and studying can really put a damper on your wellness and health. Finishing out the semester positively may require you to step back and BREATHE. Prepare yourself mentally for the rest of the year. Take time out to make yourself feel good and do things that YOU want to do. This will put your mind on the right track and help give you a boost to finish out the rest of the year!

Party with SAESO!

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HEY- MEET US!!!

Hi my name is Karla Foster and I’m the NEW Coordinator for African American Student Academic Services here at UW-Madison but of course you already knew that. I’m excited to do this blog entry so I can tell you a little bit about myself. Me and
Vanessa (my FABULOUS student worker) were sitting in the office today and decided it was time for another entry. So I suggested that we timed ourselves for 10 minutes and whatever we wrote would be posted to the entry… 
So far it’s been 2 minutes and counting…

About Me:

I am originally from Gary, IN but I’ve also lived in San Diego, CA, Kenosha, WI, and various cities in Indiana. I attended Indiana University Bloomington (Go Hoosiers!!) for my undergraduate career where I majored in General Studies with a concentration in Arts & Humanities with a minor in African American and African Diaspora Studies. For my Master’s work I attended Indiana State University (Go Trees!!). So during undergrad I participated in the Black Student Union, Student Government, and was very active in my sorority (Z-Phi!). As a graduate student I served as an Academic Advisor for Education majors and interned in the office of Admissions, Housing, and the African American Cultural Center while advising two student organizations (African American Student Educators & #teamSPEAK). Something else about me is that I absolutely love music, it speaks volumes (Get it?? LOL). Right now my husband (who doesn’t know I exist) is Kanye West (I still like Taylor Swift) and don’t worry this whole thing with him and Kim K. will soon blow over. Anywho, I’m super excited to be here in Madison with all new students. I hope that I will be a beneficial resource and help you learn, grow, and navigate this university system to graduate from UW-Madison (Go Badgers!!). I want to make thislarge campus smaller to our community and hope to bring a since of camaraderie and Wisconsin pride to students of color on campus. I have an open door policy so feel free to stop by my office anytime. On Wisconsin! Check out our website  
 http://www.lssaa.wisc.edu/aasas/ and stay tuned for more blogs from AASAS!!

Hey my name is Vanessa Benton and I am a current UW student coming from Milwaukee, WI.

 I am a current sophomore and am hoping to major in Communication Arts and Journalism (aka I will probably end up a 5^th year seniorL). Currently, I am a member of the UW Madison radio station 91.7 WSUM (Tune IN: Talk that Talk 1am on Tuesdays!), the African Students Association Dance team, Hollywood Badgers, and FadeIn Screenwriters organization. I work with the CAE AAP program as a peer mentor and OBVIOUSLY I also work as a Student Outreach Assistant in the CAE African American Student Academic Services office. My favorite thing to do here is working as a production assistant for different companies here is Madison and Chicago- WHICH I DON’T GET PAID FOR.

I have a strong passion for humanitarian work and learning how to create a system that takes care of ALL and provides the youth and poor of impoverished cities an opportunity to get out and not keep them down!  My ultimate goal is to create a venue big enough to expose the world to disparities that are right in their backyard because I think a lot people don’t realize how close poverty is! Lowkey, I want to be Oprah! Hopefully I can skip grad school because I am trying to make this happen NOW (plus my mom says she needs me to hurry up and get rich).  I hope to one day fight against the superficial and self-centered image that we are given by Hollywood and big media corporations, and use the media to be a system of spreading knowledge.  (BAM!)

Speaking of media, social that is, follow us on Twitter @UW-AASSAS and come back to our blog!  

Hello From AASAS!

The African American Student Academic Services is dedicated to serving the African and African American community here at the University of Wisconsin- Madison.  We provide support services to undergraduate and graduate students. Need help applying to your major? Need help DECLARING your major? Need help applying to grad school? Student Orgs, need help revamping, recruiting, or refocusing?  We are here for YOU!! Contact our program coordinator, Karla Foster or our student outreach assistant, Vanessa Benton.

Contact Information:
Karla Foster: kfoster4@wiscmail.edu
Vanessa Benton: vbenton@wisc.edu
Hours:  9:00am - 4:00pm Monday - Friday
Contact Information: (262)- 262- 2683