The art of loving yourself

Love yourself first.

It’s what I tell myself every morning… Sometimes it’s so easy to see good in others, but so hard to find anything good about ourselves, isn’t it? Don’t get me wrong. I love who I am, with my flaws and my crazy Sagittarian temper, but whenever I’m in a relationship everything I do is for the other person. I prioritize the other person’s happiness instead of my own.

And in the midst of all that, I forget to love myself for just being me.

I start depending on people’s opinion about myself to truly know how special I am. And when they don’t validate me? I feel crushed, less worthy, incapable, alone and miserable. I know it’s sad, but it’s true.

We all heard the saying that you cannot love somebody else unless you love yourself first. Well, I agree. But, I did love myself first when I was single. I loved my grotesque loud laugh, my fast brain (more like I can’t sit still), my ability to love others and my passion to help the underprivileged. I loved my personality even though I knew I wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I didn’t care. I loved me.

 I knew I was special, because I was made by God. I wasn’t a Victoria’s Secret model (not that I would want to be), a famous actress, a successful doctor, a lawyer or a governor… I didn’t have a big title, but I was important to me.

I was a simple and humble human being that believed I could touch lives, share a little bit of love, along with happiness, and peace.

Maybe I wasn’t the nicest person all the time. Maybe I wasn’t the kindest either. I interrupted people talking and sounded rude to many others, but I still had hope that I was doing something good for people’s life, and for the world.  I believe my happiness and contagious energy could transform anybody’s life. Sounds crazy, but I had faith in the power of love.

My problem starts when I fall in love. For some reason, I’m willing to sacrifice everything about who I am to bring a smile to somebody’s face. I forget about my own desires, my own dreams, my own talents, and everything that makes me who I am.

Here I am, at 25 years-old trying to understand life.

I decided to not rely on others anymore, or even expect much from people. If I want certain things to be done, I can do by myself. If I want somebody to compliment me, I can compliment myself. If I want somebody to give me flowers, I can buy my own.  I create my own happiness and for now on I will love myself first. 

Benefits of practicing yoga

If you are a yoga practitioner, you might have experienced some of the benefits of yoga: sleeping better, getting fewer colds or feeling more relaxed during stressful times. But there are many more life-altering rewards to be gained when practiced frequently, such as reformed mental and physical states of being.

For its physical benefits, yoga has shown to increase flexibility, muscle strength and tone. Research also shows that yoga practitioners have improved respiration, as well as better levels of energy and vitality.

Most yoga sessions include breathing exercises, meditation and postures, called asana or poses, that stretch and flex various muscles, protecting the body from injury and improving athletic performance. Yoga can also help with weight reduction and help in maintaining a balanced metabolism.

Even though practicing yoga burns fewer calories than traditional exercises such as jogging or swimming, yoga can increase one’s mindfulness on the way they relate to their body, helping them become more aware of what they eat and making better food choices.

If one is trying to lose weight, it’s important to choose yoga classes that challenges the body and supports weight loss goals, such as Vinyasa, Ashtanga and Bikram—types of yoga that focus on strength-building and cardiovascular exercise.

According to studies published by the British medical journal The Lancet, clients with hypertension had their blood pressure dropped as they engaged in yoga regularly.

The benefits don’t stop there, as a recent study from the University of Illinois showed that practicing yoga for 20 minutes can also improve brain function. Participants of the study focused better on their mental resources, processed information more quickly and held more pieces of information whenever they were practicing the breathing exercises.

Exercises in general help decrease levels of depression, but yoga specifically has proved that if practiced on a regular basis, it can help decrease depression drastically. Some of these poses, including the Cobra, Bridge or Supported Headstand, can be extremely calming to the mind.

Yoga asana is a key component to breathing well and can contribute to a state of calm, where the mind and body connects and releases the attachment of worries, problems, fears and circumstances.

Patients who suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and frequently experienced nightmares and flashbacks were able to be significantly more at ease overall whenever frequently practicing yoga.

Developed in India over five thousand years, yoga proves to help clear the mind and break bad habits, eliminating negativity and diminishing stress.

Medical Marijuana didn't make to the ballot in Oklahoma

Despite of 67,761 signatures in favor of putting medical marijuana on the ballot this November, University of Central Oklahoma students should not expect to be able to vote on this debated issue.

Oklahomans for Health collected the signatures to State Question 788, where medical marijuana would be implemented and would allow doctors to prescribe cannabis products to patients in need.

The original ballot question was modified and rewritten by Attorney General Scott Pruitt. Supporters of medical marijuana believe the change to the ballot question was made to evoke a “no-vote” from voters. Supporters say the new wording of the state question misleads voters to believe the petition would also allow the recreational use of cannabis, instead of strictly medical use.

Joe Dorman, board member of Oklahomans for Health, said that the nonprofit believes the new language of the petition is more vague than the original, and there are hopes the Oklahoma Supreme Court will accept the original ballot title.

According to Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, State Question 788 on Ballotpedia.com:
 
The original first sentences of the proposal read:

“This measure amends the Oklahoma State Statutes. A yes vote legalizes the licensed use, sale, and growth of marijuana in Oklahoma for medicinal purposes.”

The revised version reads:

“This measure legalizes the licensed use, sale, and growth of marijuana in Oklahoma.”

“[The altered version] is very misleading. It does not give a clear picture of what the proposed language would do. This is specifically dealing with medical marijuana. The first part of the description leads people to believe that this is a question for full legalization of marijuana, and that’s not true,” Dorman said.

According to the Encyclopedia of American Politics, the Secretary of the State, Chris Benge, deemed the ballot title as insufficient and asked Pruitt to rewrite it.

Once the petition is completed, the attorney general has the ability under the law to rewrite or re-frame the ballot title if the he or she does not see it as a proper description.

Following a revision, the petition is sent to the Supreme Court, and in a period of 10 days the organization that proposed the state question can ask the Supreme Court to accept the original version, the modified one, or to write their own version, Dorman said.

Pruitt said the wording of the state ballot was changed because no medical conditions were listed. He wanted to inform voters by providing an accurate description of the measure’s effects, Pruitt said.
“The proposition itself states there are no qualifying medical conditions, and while a physician has to sign-off on an application for a license, nothing in the law provides a physician will monitor usage,” Pruitt said.

According to Dorman, medical conditions were not included in the state question because he believes that doctors have the expertise to discern whether or not a patient needs to use cannabis products. Dorman also said he did not want to leave some medical conditions out.

“The reason we wrote that, in the way we did, is many other states are seeing problems with having to go back and amend the law, just because medical conditions have been left out. We framed [the description] this way, to give doctors full discretion and authority to prescribe for conditions they think it will help,” Dorman said.

According to the Encyclopedia of American Politics, the original ballot title states that a “Yes-vote” would legalize the licensed use, as well as the sale and growth of marijuana in Oklahoma for medical purposes. The rewritten version of the ballot removes the “medical purposes,” out of the phrase.
Also, the previous state question affirms that the use of medical marijuana must be approved by an Oklahoma Board Certified Physician. In the rewritten version for a physician to give a patient access to medical marijuana, the phrase “must be approved,” was modified to “must recommend the license.”

When asked if medical marijuana should be implemented in the state of Oklahoma, UCO’s Criminal Justice student, Marcus Payton said, “I think [marijuana] can be used medically. There are a lot of benefits for it, as long as it’s strictly used in certain areas, like hospitals designated for those users. But nowhere outside of that.”

Even though the signatures were collected within 90 days, some state officials believe that Oklahomans for Health did not allocate enough signatures within the limited time, and advised them to get signatures earlier.

“Those state officials are incorrect. We collected, and there was enough time to go through the entire process and everything would go smoothly. But unfortunately it just wasn’t the case,” Dorman said.
Due to several criticisms of the rewritten ballot question, many supporters attended the rally, Pack the Capitol for Legal Medical Cannabis, earlier this week. The event organized by Oklahomans for Change hoped to help and inspire others on being involved in the political process and show their displeasure on several fronts, including the rewording of the ballot.

More than 100 people were present at the rally, chanting “let us vote” at the State Capitol on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016 at 4:30 p.m.

Attendees of the event and Oklahomans for Change members wanted officials, including Gov. Mary Fallin and Pruitt to know there is a large support to legalize marijuana for medical purposes.
Seniors with disabilities made up the majority of the crowd at the rally. Several speakers at the rally talked about their severe medical conditions including lupus, cancer, and epilepsy while other attendees spoke about their frustrations after having the petition modified.

“It doesn’t look like it’s going to be on the ballot this November, because of trickery at the capitol. And there’s a problem with the attorney general changing the title of the question to make it appear that it’s recreational use and not medicinal. That’s a barrier,” Walter Jacquis said, an attendee at the event.

According to a study released in the Journal Health Affairs, in states where medical marijuana is legal, the number of prescriptions given for painkillers and other classes of drugs fell drastically comparing to states that did not have a medical-marijuana law. In the study, the average doctor in a medical marijuana state prescribed 265 fewer doses of antidepressants each year, 486 fewer doses of seizure medication, 541 fewer anti-nausea medications, and 562 fewer doses of anti-anxiety medication.

Although the question will most likely not make it on the ballot this November, Oklahomans for Health believe in the chances for the petition to be on the ballot in the June primary election in 2018, or during the general election that same year.

Central’s Boathouse Receives American Architecture Award

With a mission to connect and create a memorable experience on the river, Central’s Boathouse has received great feedback for its sculptural qualities. The boathouse received the American Architecture Award 2016 granted by the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, earlier this month.

The American Architecture Award is dedicated to recognized excellence in architecture and urbanism in the United States, highlighting new developments in design and honoring commercial, interiors and urban architecture.

Central’s Boathouse was designed by architect Rand Elliott, Elliott & Associates, and displays iconic structures along the river, becoming recognized as a world-class destination by visitors and locals.

The award is organized by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, and the Metropolitan Arts Press, to study national and international architectural building and landscapes.

“We are honored to accept the American Architecture Award on behalf of the University of Central Oklahoma,” said Principal Architect at Elliott + Associates Architects, Rand Elliott.

Central’s boathouse was finished by 2015, winning national recognition along with the other 74 recipients of the awards, selected from 380 buildings and architectural projects.

The boathouse was built with the intention of supporting and housing the University of Central Oklahoma Women’s Rowing Team, but soon became something much bigger, according to CHK Central Boat website.

The discipline of art and rowing are now portrayed at Central’s Boathouse, along with an inclusion of an art gallery, a musical, a live performance stage, an outside water stage and a private conference room.

“The American Architecture Awards represent the best architecture in America. We are happy to represent Oklahoma and are proud to be among such an illustrious list,” Elliott said.

According to The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design website, the architectural concept behind UCO’s Boathouse was to connect the beauty, grace and power of rowing with the lyric notes of jazz music.

Another concept was to create a memorable, one of a king experience on the river, integrating fine art on canvas and paper with the sculptural qualities of rowing shells combined in a atmosphere filled of emotional sounds, stated Central’s Boathouse website.

The 33,000-square-foot Devon Boathouse is found on the Oklahoma River as the anchor point for the Oklahoma City Boathouse District.

According to Elliott + Associates’ website, the team illustrates the firms’ creative process and problem-solving focus while designing and transforming buildings and landscapes; members of the team look for a powerful idea to influence architecture.

UCO has aligned with the boathouse district and the arts movement to perfect details for the crafty place. They also partnered with LINGO Construction Services, Inc., Triad Design Group, Mark Eudaley Engineers, Inc. and Determan Scheirman Engineers, Inc. for the construction of the boathouse.

UCO Students Skype with Award-Winning Author

With technology on the rise, you don’t have to travel to learn from somebody on another continent. A professor at the University of Central Oklahoma gave students a Skype lesson with the author of a book they read in class, allowing them to ask questions about the book, and learn from an international point of view.

UCO’s Spanish Professor and Department Chair of Modern Language, Diana Pardo, offered students with an interactive class and a Skype lesson from Haitian author Evelyne Trouillot.

“I think it’s important to bring somebody to our classroom, because we are bringing something that very few people in Oklahoma know anything about. By bringing it to them, it becomes alive. It becomes something that is more authentic and more original, as opposed to just reading the book,” Pardo said.

The award-winning Haitian author has several books and novels touching base in polemic topics. She is also known for writing from a woman’s point of view.

Several of her works have been translated into German, English, Spanish and Italian, and have also been published in magazines in Cuba, France, Mexico and Canada.

The usually typical class started a little differently on Tuesday, with Pardo welcoming the Haitian author to a classroom full of excited students.

“We want to welcome you to our university, our class, our state, our country and we are going to do our best to make this a pleasurable encounter,” said Pardo.

Students of the African-Caribbean Literature class were offered a Skype lesson where they could ask questions about a book they were required to read in class, “The Infamous Rosalie,” including questions about the characters in the book, the history of the Haiti, and well as her inspirations to write a novel over slavery.

Over 20 students attended the class, and said they were thankful for the opportunity to meet Trouillot.
“She really took me to a different world, and she inspired me to look at life in a different way,” said Jordan Moss, a UCO student.

A student in class, Kameron Ackerman, welcomed Trouillot with a Haitian flag, while another student welcomed the author in French, her native language. Students seemed well prepared and engaged to meet the author.

“Reading the novel was great, but when we bring that person into our classroom, somebody from Haiti, a country that we have a lot of misconceptions about, we are trying to dispel a lot of these misconceptions. It’s important that we bring that to Oklahoma, to keep up with global competency, and to make sure our students know about the world,” Pardo said.

The novel written by Trouillot, “The Infamous Rosalie,” displays the story of Lisette, a Creole-born slave living in Haiti, suffering struggles to maintain her dignity, while dealing with the fears and traumas among the plantation masters. The novel also focuses on the aspects of the Haitian Revolution.

“It was very eye-opening just to learn about slavery, but also what woman went through. A lot of times you don’t get to read that in just normal history books. It was really eye-opening,” said Azucena Yearby, a student at UCO.

Women Fire Back at Trump’s Comments

American businessman and Republican Party nominee for President of the United States in the 2016 election, Donald Trump has voiced his opinion over women’s attractiveness, as well as their ability to execute work well.

Trump has insulted co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington, calling her “unattractive both inside and out.” He has also stated that American singer and actress Better Midler is an “extremely unattractive woman.”

Each of these comments were stated by Trump via his Twitter account.

“It is disheartening to see that this is still happening. I really thought we were passed the time where objectifying women was seen as acceptable,” Jasmin Tartt, a member of American Association of University Women, said.

Over a month ago, Trump compared his wife with Ted Cruz’s wife in side-by-side photos on his Twitter account. Along with the photos of both women, he wrote, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Sinead Maguina, vice president of American Association University of Women at University of Central Oklahoma, responded to Trump’s comments regarding women, “If you can only [give value to] a person by their looks, not only are you a narcissistic person – not only you are selfish – but you are just very ignorant. A person’s attractiveness doesn’t last forever. It does not, but your intelligence does. Your intelligence will be with you until the day that you die.”

The Republican Party presidential candidate is no stranger to grading women on looks, according to multiple sources. Because of these comments, Trump’s campaign has brought with it a lot of conversations over sexism and sexual assault.

During an interview with The New York Times, Trump made comments on model Heidi Klum’s appearance, saying, “Sadly, she’s no longer a ’10.'”

“Being graded based on your look, it’s pretty saddening and can be very hurtful. I’m definitely more empowered than I was in the past. And I’ve spent time in the military, so I’ve been around guys talking like this. But being where I am today, I definitely try to make a point in letting them know it makes me uncomfortable. I feel everyone should be able to feel this way and say something,” Tartt said.

During the first presidential debate, American politician and nominee of the Democratic Party,  Hillary Clinton, called out Trump for his history of misogynistic comments. In particular, she brought to light the former Miss Universe Alicia Machado, who he has called “Miss Piggy.”

Trump also insulted Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski in a Twitter attack, calling her “neurotic.”
“I’m not an object. I don’t dress the way I dress to impress boys. My intelligence is worth more than anything, and so those comments kind of depreciate what a woman is. We are not just a pretty thing you can look at. We are working women, we are mothers, we are CEOs. For him to say that, that’s just saying women are just an object, and that’s not OK. I don’t know who taught him morals,” Maguina said.

Tartt explained that a lot of men use this type of behavior: offending women and covering it up by saying it’s all a joke.

“I think a lot of people try to make excuses for this type of behavior because they play it off as a joke — the ‘boys will be boys’ culture that we live in today. It’s not even just about sexual, explicit things. It’s about what is behind it, because sexual assaults happen every day, and it’s mostly on women,” Tartt said.

“Just because you say some offensive comments and then say it’s a joke, it’s really not [a joke], because you thought about it, and you said it. It’s not funny to me, and it’s not funny to anybody else,” Maguina said.

The New York Post emerged with a videotape displaying Trump bragging about sexually assaulting women. In the video recorded a little over a decade ago, Trump said, “You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful women. I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything … Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.”

Since the leaking of the video, Trump has been accused of harassment and assault by a number of women who came forward to share their stories of alleged misconduct.

“Him commenting that the sexual comments that he made were just locker room talk is basically giving permission to everybody to just mistreat women whether it be physical, or mental or at the work place,” Maguina said about the leaked tape.

When asked how to educate the male population over this touchy topic, Maguina said, “Just say, ‘Hey, you know what, I don’t appreciate that. Can you please not say that again? Because it’s not nice.’ Don’t be afraid to stop them and say, ‘That’s not okay for you to say.’ They don’t have people that tell them that, because some girls just ignore it and go on with their day. I think we just need to be stronger as women,” she added.

New Program to Help You Get a Job

Students at the University of Central Oklahoma who soon will be looking for jobs can get help through a new program on campus starting Nov. 10.

The Workforce Advantage Program from UCO’s Customized Education is designed to help students build stronger ‘soft skills.’

The new program will allow employees learn about business etiquette, reputation management and professional communication, said Karen Youngblood, executive director for Customized Education.
The Workforce Advantage Program will address information on generational differences, dressing professionally, entitlements, punctuality and honoring hierarchy. The program will also discuss texting and social media in the workplace.

UCO’s Customized Education partnered with the State Chamber of Oklahoma to provide innovative instructions to keep learners engaged with real-world scenarios.

Youngblood said the idea for the program started a year ago when she attended Gov. Mary Fallin‘s Oklahoma Work Summit.

At the summit Youngblood heard from organizations, associations, non-profits and businesses that there was a need to improve soft skills to get employees boardroom-ready.

“All of [the employers] were saying the same thing. They were saying our young employees coming out of college don’t have soft skills. They have good talent; they have good technical skills; but they don’t have the soft skills,” Youngblood said.

According to Youngblood, soft skills are basic skills needed in the workplace including how to properly handshake, look somebody in the eye, use silverware, write a professional email, along with other traits.

The program is opened to anyone but is designed for new or advancing professionals, typically someone that is new to a company or has received a new position.

“We are not going to teach rocket science, but we are going to teach the business perspective and expectations that people don’t tell when you go in … We are trying to bridge that gap so that employees are even more valuable to employers,” Youngblood said.

The new program is intended to help employees convey a positive image and serve in the upper-level management of the organization. Professionalism, customer service and collaboration will also be studied throughout the program.

There’s no age requirement for the Workforce Advantage Program. Students that finished high school, received a bachelor’s degree, or even a master’s degree are all welcomed to take these valuable classes.

The program is designed to be a 90-day session, with three Thursdays and three Fridays over a period of three months. Classes will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays and from 8 a.m. to noon on Friday. Classes will cost $1299, and discounts may be applied.

Research shows that employees that want to stand out will need to polish soft skills and be able to leave a strong impression. After three months of classes, students will receive a professional certificate as a way to stand out from the crowd, said Youngblood.

The Workforce Advantage Program has a lifetime guarantee, where employees are able to retake classes again without any cost. Companies also may offer to pay for the training, as research has proven the long-term profits.

“Our goal is really to make sure the employee has that additional edge, that additional standout, that additional boardroom-ready functionality so they stand out among other peers,” Youngblood said.

Do Women have Sovereignty over Their Bodies?

As a woman in America, I take advantage of my rights and I understand the history of our challenges. Even with previous disadvantages and economic injustice, we have accomplished many rights throughout the last century.

Our grandmothers have fought for our rights, and under American law, women won the right to vote on August 18, 1920, which opened many doors for our future. Instead of being the secretary, we became the boss.

Women in America were expected to stay home with the children, cook for the family, and raise the children to be good citizens. That archetypal concept, however, has drastically changed in the last few decades. Stay-at-home dads became more popular, and mothers received an education and the means to follow a career and be successful in a professional field.

Even though women have faced inequality during the last century—and have fought through it—gender gap still exists in America and throughout the world, especially in the workforce.
Women generally earn 79 cents for every dollar men earn for exercising the same jobs.

According to Women’s Law Center (CWLC), African-American women in 2014 were paid 60 cents for every dollar white men earned, while Hispanic women only earned 55 cents.

Women’s rights have started to progress, but the question remains: Have women taken sovereignty over their bodies?

From my viewpoint, popular media still limits women’s role by including an intense scrutiny and emphasis on their looks. America has oversexualized the female body and praised men for their work ethic, discipline and overall professional attitude.

In a social experiment video on YouTube, two different women were observed. One, a breastfeeding mother, received bad looks and mean comments such as “shame on you” from those passing by her.

The second, a young woman wearing an extremely cleavage-bearing shirt and tight-fitting clothes, was praised by men for how beautiful she looked. She received a positive reaction, even though she exposed the same amount of skin as the mother did, who was sitting quietly and feeding her infant.

Mothers have the right to breastfeed in public and shall be excused from jury duty upon request, according to the Oklahoma State Law.

It’s conflicting to see people shaming mothers for feeding their infants in public while they have the right under the law to do so. The same people that despise women’s right when it comes to breastfeeding, take their children to the mall, and let them see photos of Victoria’s secret models who are often showing more skin.

I long to see the day where women and men will be equally respected and admired by society—a day where women will be admired for her efforts to better the society, instead of her looks and extravagant eyelashes. After all, equal means equal, right?

UCO Receives National Recognition for Student Engagement

The University of Central Oklahoma’s effort to help students engage with each other and the community around them has brought national recognition among prestigious colleges and universities.

The Wall Street Journal Times Higher Education College Ranking ranked UCO sixth place in the Top 10 list compiled for student engagement. UCO was the only public-regional university ranked on the Wall Street Journal’s Top Schools for Engagement list.

“It was a very prestigious recognition that we received, and we were absolutely delighted that other people discovered it. It was really a testimony to what goes here with our students, our faculty and our staff to receive this ranking,” said Jeff King, executive director of Center for Excellence in Transformative Teaching and Learning.

Over 100,000 colleges and universities around the nation were surveyed on questions over student engagement with staff, faculty, organizations and programs offered by these institutions. Other questions highlighted students’ satisfaction with their college experience.

For each institution, 50 students were given a survey. The institutions, however, were not notified about these censuses.

“What I like about this is that it’s based on not just data, but also on interviews. We didn’t know they were interviewing our students. We had no idea,” UCO President Don Betz said.

The engagement ranking was derived from seven questions. Survey questions included how challenging classes were, the level at which classes prompted critical thinking, the students’ connections to the school, and interactions in the community.

“What these people were trying to do with their particular survey was to get more of a read on what [a UCO student’s] actual experience was like, among all other indicators that they were collecting. And as it turns out, the University of Central Oklahoma ranked extremely highly in how much students are engaged with their education, with their faculty, with other staff on campus, with organizations and service learning, and so forth,” King said.

Governor Mary Fallin has complimented UCO’s administration for being recognized nationally for helping students connect with each other and the world around them. Fallin said UCO efforts are similar to her Oklahoma Works initiative, which aims to ensure Oklahoma students have the necessary education and skills to enter the workforce prepared and well-equipped.

Betz believes education is the single most significant factor in the long-range development of the opportunities for students, along with the development of character, which is influenced by education.

Betz said he receives feedback from employers articulating that UCO students are very engaged, alert, adaptive and eager to learn.

“But ultimately what it is, to me, is affirmation and encouragement that the pathway we are on is a pathway that is worthwhile. [A pathway] that serves not only our students, but our society, our communities, the metro area and the state of Oklahoma. And if we do that in the right way, especially with our costs here compared to many across the country, we think that we are, in that way, serving students as best as we possibly can. So we are encouraged; we have to be,” Betz added.

UCO tied for the sixth place with well known institutions such as Auburn University, Michigan State University, Miami University, among other institutions.

It’s noted that the results show a clear divide between public and private institutions, highlighting that private colleges are more prompt to receive high rankings, as public schools have more restrained spending.

“We are just again very, very pleased, and hopefully we can continue to serve our students and the community very well,” Betz said. “I can thank the entire faculty and staff of the institution—those people that get up every day and come here with a passion for what they do and a belief in the possibilities of creating opportunities for our students. And I also thank the students. They were the ones that did the reporting.”

UCO Student Raised $28,000 to Improve Elementary School

Alumna and current student at the University of Central Oklahoma, Lisa Gray collated over $28,000 in donations to implement a new playground at Horace Mann Elementary School (HMES). After two years of acquiring donation money, the school opened the new playground Monday, Oct. 24.

At the ribbon cutting celebration, hundreds of students were amused as they pulled off the covers veiling the playground. Students at HMES were on fall break when the new playground was placed and properly installed.

Gray’s son currently attends the school and will be able to use the playground before he moves to high school next year. Gray didn’t implement the new playground for her son, but rather for the future generations that will be able to access the new structure.

HMES Principal, Mitchel Ruzzolli, said that Gray saw the need to help other students instead of just helping her own child. He recognizes Gray’s passion to help the community and improve people’s lives.

Gray’s journey to utilize the new playground started when she was promoted to president of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at HMES two years ago.

One of her goals and ideas was to replace an outdated and out-regulated playground that wasn’t fulfilling the students’ expectations.

“One of the reasons why I’ve seen a need for [a new playground] is that we are actually a healthy-lifestyle school. They fund us well for the kids to be active, but as a parent, I felt if the school is doing their part in providing and pushing the healthy lifestyle skills, what can we do as parents to help?” Gray said.

After taking her role as the president of PTA, Gray decided to look for playgrounds and was shocked by their high cost. The original one she was looking at cost $70,000. After several weeks of research, she found a company in Florida with fairer prices that was willing to ship the playground pieces to be installed here in Oklahoma.

A considerable number of parents got involved with fundraisers and became disciplined in raising money to improve the students’ school breaks.

The playground was purchased in May of this year, but money was still needed to establish it in Oklahoma City. According to Gray, foundations came together offering to pay for the installation costs of the playground.

The Aldridge Foundation, Cresap Family Foundation, Breit Company, along with the help from members of the community, Toby Tindell, Gregg Long and Holly Freeman, donated to the school and were engaged in the installation process.

After the outstanding donations, Gray decided to implement two soccer goals to the school.

“It was amazing that once people started hearing what we were doing here, they were coming forward and had no problem helping with that. I’m very appreciative. [It] not only helped the children get a new playground, which I know they are going to be super excited about, but it made me feel just a little accomplished because I made it my personal goal to make this project done before we left here,” Gray said.

The graduate student believes it’s important to give back to the community and help others succeed.

In June of this year, Gray started working at UCO at the Student Support Services-Lameta as a Retention Specialist helping students achieve their goals to their fullest academic potential.

“I love helping students. I was very appreciative that I got that job because now I’m able to help students at UCO. We help and cater to students that are first generation or are in financial need. To be able to do that at a university — for me it’s amazing because we have students that come in and this is the first time dealing with college, and their parents actually never dealt with it,” Gray said.

Gray said she hopes to continue helping students at UCO and students at other schools. She graduated UCO with a general studies degree and is now pursuing her second Bachelor’s in psychology.

“I think it’s important to give back to the community. I like to give back to students,” Gray said.

OLYMPICS: Ten arrested as terrorist suspects in Rio de Janeiro

Brazilian police (PF) have arrested 10 people suspected of planning terrorist acts at the Olympics Games, in Rio de Janeiro. According to Brazil's Justice Ministry, the group was inspired by ISIS.

Brazil's authorities said the group first exchanged messages related to the Islamic States, but soon started to plan terrorist attacks. The group showed extremist views, vowing to oath to the Islamic State as a way of "baptism."

The Counter-terrorism Division of Federal Police in Brazil monitored messages exchanged via Telegram and Whatsapp, apps regularly used by Brazilians, detecting that there was a risk for terrorist attacks similar to the ones in Nice, and Orlando.

The suspects participated in a online account, called "defenders of Sharia" that planned to buy ammunition and train their members in martial arts.

One of the members of the group, contacted a supplier of illegal weapons in Paraguay, requesting the purchase of an AK-47 assault rifle. The messages exchanged by the admirer of the Islamic State and the arms supplier are still under investigation. In the messages exchanged, there were no mention of bombs, but rather how to finance the group to buy more ammunition.

The terrorist group also exchanged messages celebrating the executions carried out by extremist groups in the Middle East and the recent massacres in Orlando and Nice. Among the suspects, a minor and two Brazilians under investigation for convicted murder were present.

Brazil's Justice Minister Alexandre de Moraes called the terrorist group "amateurs" and illustrated that they are "without any preparation." According to him, organized terrorist groups would not look for ammunition online.

Brazilian officials are considering drastic measures for the safety of citizens and visitors, including tanks in the streets, and strict monitoring of aircrafts that disrespect no-fly zones.

The most drastic measure security officials plan to implement: the blocking of all cellphone signals, a worldwide practice for security authorities. According to the Secretary of Security Special Major Events of the Ministry of Justice, Andrei Rodrigues, the blocker is now available.

According to Brazilian authorities, the best security weapon is the shared information. The attack in Nice, France, proved that the French Intelligence services failed at preventing vehicles from entering certain areas.

Since June 18, 2016 the City of Rio has adopted another important measure in tracking vehicles: the restriction of trucks at Avenida Brasil, Linha Amarela and Linha Vermelha. The measure had the initial objective to improve traffic, but is now an important factor into reducing the amount of cargo entering and exiting the Olympics area.

Rio de Janeiro also witnessed several military exercises with simulations of terrorism in internal and external parts of the airport. Over 1,200 police officers participated in training patrol teams with K-9 units with the addition of 200 Air Force officers to make patrolling the main point of arrival of tourists and delegations.

Brazil is also receiving help from several countries in fighting back terrorism. Over one hundred countries will joint the Federal police in Rio de Janeiro next week to help monitor the exchange of sensitive information on terrorism. The announcement was made on June 19, 2016, by the Minister of Justice, Alexandre de Moraes.

Brazilian Police officers warn visitors: Welcome to Hell

The Summer Olympics Games were supposed to be Brazil's big moment, but unprecedented political and economic crises, along with other occurring problems, have people questioning whether or not Brazil is ready for the Summer Games.

From corruption scandals, to health and security issues, Brazil is facing one of the hardest times in their history.

POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CRISES

Brazil's economy is in its longest recession since the 1930s, which was triggered by a widespread corruption scandal involving Brazil's oil company Petrobras.

Since its transition to democracy more than three decades ago, Brazil is facing its greatest recession in 100 years, leading to a potential global health crisis. The largest economy in Latin America has now shrank 5.4% in the first quarter of this year.

Currently, there are 11.4 million unemployed Brazilians, up nearly 20% from a year ago, according to CNN.

"We are facing a strong financial and political crisis, so now its not the best moment to host this kind of event," said Renan Melli, Brazilian native and former UCO student.

Congress has started an impeachment trial against President Dilma Rouseff that suspends the President from any work for a period of six months. The interim President, Michel Temer, isn't having any luck, as three of his ministers have resigned because of corruption allegations.

“Brazil is going through a hard time right now. Beyond having our economy tank due to corruption scandals, our president is currently being tried for Impeachment processes and that only worsens our economical stand in the world,” said Barbara Lacerda, Brazilian native, and Political Science graduate from UCO.

In a short amount of time, the Brazilian dollar has lost its value, business were shut down, and crime has increased.

NATIONAL CRIMES AND TERRORISM THREATS

Brazil has a long reputation for muggings and kidnappings, but terrorism threats have also been made to Rio de Janeiro, after the attacks in Turkey, Bangladesh, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

"We worry about the security of the people who are coming to see the Olympics. We know that this kind of event is a potential target to terrorism and, at the same time, I believe that we are not ready to deal with this situation," said Melli.

One member of ISIS has tweeted after the Paris attacks in November 2015, saying Brazil would be next target. Several ISIS members also have launched a Telegram channel in Portuguese, Brazil's official language.

According to Brazil's intelligence agency, the number of those influenced by ISIS ideology has increased in recent months.

VEJA, a Brazilian magazine, has displayed a report of intelligence illustrating that in a scale from 1 to 5, Brazil is placed on 4 when it comes to potential terrorist attacks.

Lt. Gen. Luiz Linhares with the Brazilian Ministry of Defense, told CNN that the Brazilian government is reassured that they are able to handle terrorism and the unthinkable. 

Linhares said authorities will be screening the names of hundreds of thousands coming to the Summer Games, and law enforcement will take place.

Recently, police officers have voiced their inability to protect visitors.

With a banner at entrance of Rio's airport, one of the busiest city in the world, police officers wearing black protest: "Only in 2016, the unreported civil war in Rio de Janeiro has killed 60 police officers. The others remain unable to ensure your stay. Police and firemen without payment! Welcome to hell. Police and firefighters don't get paid, whoever comes to Rio de Janeiro won't be safe."

According to Amnesty International, Brazilian police ranks among the world's most deadly, being responsible for 1 in 5 homicides within the city of Rio in 2015.  Fear, insecurity, and instability surrounds Brazilian police officers, and firefighters.

Gedeon de Souza e Silva, a retired police officer from Rio, has stated his frustration with the wages that have been cut and not fully paid. According to him, young police officers are lacking basic needs such as toilet paper, pen, and paper. A lot of police officers bring those items from home due to the lack in stock, he said.

Police officers are currently paid in an installed payment of wages, where they have to wait a period of time in order to get their full check. The country plans to deploy 80,000 police and military officials in order to secure games, nearly double the number who worked for London Games in 2012.

Even though police officials are not getting paid fully because of the lack in national money, billions are spent to implement new infrastructure in Rio.

INFRASTRUCTURE ONLY FOR FOREIGN

Brazil has spent over R$ 36.7 billion for the Summer Games in Rio surpass the estimated price calculated in January of this year has increased over R$ 500 million, outweighing the costs of the World Cup held in Brazil by 43%.

"What is going to happen with all the infrastructure that has been created to the event? Is it going to be turned into benefits to our community?" questioned Melli.

Concerned Brazilians believe they won't access the new infrastructure as it was made for visitors, and not residents of the city. The poorer areas are not being invested, but being hidden from tourists and athletes instead. Walls, and buildings were placed to separate the poor area, and avoid visitors to enter the other city of town.

“It is definitely not a good time for my country, but I believe we have the potential and the people to get through these hard times,” said Lacerda.

Complications with constructions have also been voiced as the game approaches and subway lines, along with several Olympics sites, are still under construction. A subway that will transport athletes is set to be ready on August 1, only four days before the Olympics.

"We are completely sure that everything will be done by August 1. Of course the schedule is tight, but we have 8,000 people working during the days and nights. Everything is on schedule,” a secretary of transportation for the state of Rio, Rodrigo Vieira, told CNN.

The few other projects completed for the Olympics don’t aspire too much confidence, as a newly build bike path along Rio de Janeiro’s seashore collapsed in April, killing two people in. Homes around Rio’s Olympic Park were also demolished to make way for the Games, upsetting locals.

ZIKA VIRUS AND SUPERBACTERIA

Last month, 150 doctors and scientists displayed an opened letter arguing that the 2016 Summer Games should be postponed or moved, due to health concerns.

“We have the Zika outbreak that, although serious, is out shined by our political instability, economic recession, and the Olympics that are just around the corner, but have poor infrastructure that will only worsen the local administration and discontent with the Government.” said Lacerda.

Zika virus is spread primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. The virus can also be passed through sex, and also from a pregnant women to her fetus. Zika infections in pregnant women have been linked with babies being born with microcephaly, resulting in babies being born with small heads, and often developmental issues and sometimes death. 

In Brazil, more than 2,400 cases of microcephaly have been reported this year in 20 Brazilian states.

Several athletes have showed their concern for their health, some even deciding not to participate in the Summer Games.

Rory Mcllroy, four time golf major winner, has joined a number of top golfers that have pulled out from the Rio Olympics because of fears over the virus.

The British Olympian Greg Rutherford, has frozen a sample of his sperm before attending the Summer Games in Brazil because of his concern over the Zika virus, and his desire to have more children.

Another health problem arising is the super bacteria found in Rio de Janeiro recently. According to researcher Renata Picao, the super bacteria entered the city's waterways when sewage from a near hospital was channeled to the bay.  The waste from the hospitals produced an enzyme that is resistant to antibiotics.

The drug-resistant bacteria was found in Flamengo and Botafogo, two beaches that border the bay where Olympic sailors are schedule to compete.

Rio de Janeiro's poor sanitation and infrastructure is also responsible for the presence of the super bacteria.

Since the super-bacteria are resistant to most modern medications, doctors are relying on drugs that are toxic to the organism.

"It's a nice sailing area but every time you get some water in your face, it feels like there's some alien enemy entering your face," German Paralympic sailor Heiko Krogerat told CNN at recent visit to Rio. "I keep my nose and my lips closed."

Residents and travelers have been told about the water dangerous and its correlation with urinary, gastrointestinal and pulmonary infections.

How to be a Great Boss

Being a great boss takes practice, and a lot of effort. But you don't have to be perfect to be one.

Great bosses need to manage their time and priorities, working with ethics and integrity.

Bosses need to be able to collaborate with ideas, coach employees, develop systems and raise overall quality. However, these qualities are not what make a great boss, dealing with people the right way is.

We believe treating others the same is a great idea, but when it comes to management the idea doesn't work.

Everyone has a unique personality, and treating everyone the same would harm some and benefit others. So, how do you learn to treat employees differently but still be true to fair play?

Let's start with personalities, the core of a person.

Extroverts, like me, get their energy from connecting with people, and talking with others. They are more likely to enjoy a conversation face-to-face than an exchange of emails. Extroverts like to be around people most of the time, and are often comfortable speaking in public.

Introverts, on the other hand, get their energy from the life of the mind, having plenty ideas to present and share. They prefer to process things fully before presenting to others. Introverts tend to be good listeners.

A boss needs to discern the importance of understanding people's personality.

If an extrovert receives an email saying that they are not invited to go to a work trip because there are more people qualified, they will be hurt. That person would be more understanding if the message was passed face-to-face, and with more emotional care. For an introvert, the email might not be a problem.

On the other hand, an introvert can appear to have an approach with slyness, aloofness or lack of ideas. Good bosses recognize the talent of an introvert even when they are not the first ones to speak.
"It's also important to understand that introverts are quite capable of leading meetings, giving great presentations, and speaking at length about subjects that are important to them. The best proof I can offer: TV news anchors. They're all extroverts, right? Nope. Those introvert anchors can still shine in the spotlight, ad-lib for hours of breaking news, or charm a live audience. They just want a little quiet time when they're finished," said Jill Geisler, at Work Happy.


When it comes to communication, it's important to know that some people will tend to speak more in metaphors, when others want to be more precise and follow the facts.

A teacher holds a bag of cookies in front of her students, and ask them to write three words about the package. Some students will focus precisely on the details, contains 12 cookies, 200 grams, and others might focus on a broad topic, being more vague rather than specific. They might be the ones with the creative mind that wants to make sense of what "cookies" mean.

Great bosses know that people are a combination of personality, generational influence, life experience, backgrounds, and many other facts. They value their employees for their uniqueness, and help them grow professionally.

We understand that nobody is perfect, not employees or bosses. But with awareness, will and effort, we are able to experience harmony in a work place.

The right to own a gun

Do we have the right to own a gun? And if we do, what are the complications with it?

According to the Second Amendment, ratified in 1791, "A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

I take in consideration the Second Amendment that gives citizens the right to bear arms, but I also understand that they need to be responsible and trained to use a gun.

It's alarming that 900 of our fellow Americans have reportedly died at the end of a gun, 900 in the past month. It's even more shocking knowing that 40 percent of all gun purchases are conducted without a background check, despite the fact that the law requires licensed gun dealers to run background checks, according to Barack Obama and Joe Biden's article "Gun Control."
 

"Congress needs to help, rather than hinder, law enforcement as it does its job. We should get tougher on people who buy guns with the express purpose of turning around and selling them to criminals. And we should severely punish anybody who helps them do this," said President Barack Obama.

Along with the right that was given to us by the Founders, we also have an obligation to allow others to do the same.

By giving the right to bear arms to a few people that abuse their limits, others are having their rights taken away, such as the right to worship freely and safely, the right to assemble peaceably, the right to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
 

If you are selling a gun, it is expected that you won't sell to a person that is a felon or prohibited from buying the gun. It's common sense. Luckily, an overwhelming majority of Americans agree with us on the need for universal background checks, including more than 70 percent of the National Rifle Association's members. 

There needs to be a balanced approach on gun control in the United States where both sides agree on several issues.

 Americans that are qualified to possess firearms shouldn't be denied the right to participate in their own defense.

We live in a country full of adventurous people that love sports and hunting, and I'm a big supporter of all activities, if done responsibly.

President Obama suggests that Congress should restore a ban on military assault weapons, and limit guns with the only purpose to pump out as many bullets as possible, and as quickly as possible. These types of guns with the purpose to cause extreme damage, are designed to inflict maximum damage and should only be held by the people, said President Obama at a speech delivered at the South Court Auditorium, on January 16.


"For the 25 other innocent children and devoted educators who had so much left to give. For the men and women in big cities and small towns who fall victim to senseless violence each and every day. For all the Americans who are counting on us to keep them safe from harm. Let's do the right thing. Let's do the right thing for them, and for this country that we love so much," said President Obama at the Sandy Hook shootings aftermath on December 14, 2012.

The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting took place in Newtown, Connecticut, when 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children and 6 adult staff members. Prior to driving to the elementary school, the killer shot his mother at home.

Without a doubt, many families are still suffering the tragedy that took lives of many innocent citizens.

It's time for the people to stand up and fight for a world where violence, racism, and stereotypes does not exist.

Let's be proactive in prioritize peoples'  lives.

 A version of this was published at The Vista.