Thursday, October 25, 2012

Dr. Millowitz Professional Profile


Take a Political Philosophy professor who enjoys southern cooking and dancing with his five year old daughter to M.C. Hammer’s “Don’t Touch This” and you have Dr. Mark Millowitz.

                Millowitz is the new dean for the Honors College at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and is very excited about the new opportunity.

                “I like working with Honors College because the experience is different than with other students. Honors College students tend to be more outgoing then other students and seem to have more tendency to take on leadership roles,” Millowitz commented.

                Millowitz grew up in Alabama and went to college at Alabama State University. This is where he feel in love with both politics and philosophy. These two great loves lead to him getting a Ph.D. in Political Theory.

                “There is nothing more important than government. It’s the only organization that we give the right to take away our life, liberty or freedom,” Millowitz said.

                Millowitz’s favorite philosopher is Jean-Jacques Rousseau and other philosophers who study social contract theory. A theory that explains why we give government such power and what this power means for both government and citizens.

                Although he is still very involved with political research in 2008 become the dean and founder of the honors College at Alabama State University. Experience that he now intends to use as the UNCP Honors College dean.

                This past Summer Millowitz moved down with his wife of 18 years, Anne Millowitz and 5 year old daughter Elizabeth Millowitz.

                Their daughter Elizabeth has begun Kindergarten this year, which has been hard for both of her parents;

                “I think it’s always harder for the parents then the children. But she seems to be happy at school and it’s really nice to see her spread her wings so to speak,” Millowitz wistfully said. In the spring Millowitz hopes to get his daughter in girl scouts or some sort of other extra-curricular activity. 

                Anne Millowitz is currently a librarian at Duke University in Durham North Carolina a few days a week. Millowitz stated that although both of them work at rival universities there is no rivalry between them.

                “We are both just happy that the other one has a job that they truly enjoy,” Millowitz smilingly said.

                The move according to Millowitz has been an easy transition for him and his family.

                “I’ve lived in the south my whole life and we have all really enjoyed living down here. Everyone around here is so nice,” Millowitz said.

                Because of spending his life in the south Millowitz is also a huge fan of southern cooking.

                “Asking me about my favorite Southern food is the same as asking about my favorite philosopher. There’s just too many good ones to choose from,” Millowitz commented.

Relay for Life participates at Pembroke Day

Relay for Life particpates at Pembroke Day
            Pembroke Day was a time for food, decorations and music for many. However, Lauren Grow, chair of the Relay for Life Committee and others of the Relay for Life head committee used the event to raise awareness and money for Relay for Life.

            Relay for Life is a 24 hour event that many students raise money for throughout the year. According to Grow Relay for Life is an organization that helps raise money and awareness for cancer.  

            The group was located between the library and water feature. The booth was decorated with a Relay for Life sign, purple pom-poms and balloons.

            Participants that came by the booth were offered advice on how to register for Relay for Life and were given information about it. The dates for this year’s Relay for Life will be April 13 and 14. The theme is going to be board games.

            “We decided to do board games this years because for the last two to three years it’s been all about TV shows and movies. We wanted to shake it up a little bit and board games was the theme that we could list the most things under,” Grow said.

            The participants were also given a chance to buy a raffle for $1. The raffle will be what is known as a “fifty, fifty raffle” where the winner of the raffle gets half the money raised from the ticket sales and the rest go to Relay for Life. The drawing is set to be on Oct. 10 at the “Kicks for Cancer” soccer game.

            About 20 people bought raffle tickets during Pembroke day.

            “I wish we would have had a different table. Lots of people said that they didn’t even see me sitting at the table. Overall though, it was a successful day. We told a lot of people about Relay and hopefully it will raise our participants,” Grow said.

            Last year UNCP’s Relay for Life had 30 teams and around 400 participants. Together all the participants raised over %40,000.

            In order to learn more or register for Relay for Life visit there website at www.relayforlife.org.

 

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Classmate Feature article


Sorority Girls Aren’t Always One Thinks

Aleigha Shears looks like a hip hop star by sporting a nose ring and her hair in an easy up-done bun. But Shears doesn’t belong to a band, instead she is the Directory of Activities chair for the sorority Zeta Tau Alpha.

According to Shears, sororities are nothing like the view that media portrays of them. Not all of the girls are super-skinny, blonde, cheer-leader types. Instead many of them are the exact opposite.

“Many of my sisters have nose rings, belly button piercing, and tattoos,” Shears says.

Instead of her sisters being all about hair and makeup her they often spend time raising money for charities. Their main charity is the Susan G. Coleman Organization. This organization t helps those with breast cancer and raises awareness about breast cancer.

The sorority’s involvement with this charity is one of the reasons that Shears chose ZTA. While Shears was choosing her sorority her aunt was going through breast cancer.

“It’s hard to meet someone that hasn’t had an experience with breast cancer. Whether they themselves have had it or know someone who has I think it’s a charity that we all can feel affected by,” Shears said.  
Apart from raising money for the Coleman foundation Shears also spends social times with her sisters. Shears is the Director of Activities chair for ZTA. This is her second year in the position.

Last year Shears organized family day for her organization which she referred to as “a royal pain in the butt.” This was a day that all of the parents of the sorority were invited down to the university. There were games and chances for the families to interact.

“We have to begin organizing these events as soon as possible. It’s so hard when people don’t answer emails or call you back,” Shears said.

While Shears has enjoyed her time as the Director of Activities Chair in November she hopes to move up to either Vice President or Ritual Chair. A Ritual Chair is someone who organizes the different rituals that the sorority’s preform such as the induction ceremony.

Shears encourages other who are interested in Greek Life to try out for a sorority or fraternity.

“The sisterhood is the best part of being in a sorority. We can all act stupid, weird and just ourselves around each other without worrying about that person talking behind our backs about stuff,” Shears said.

However, she does realize that Greek Life isn’t for everyone.

“If I ask someone and they’re not interested in Greek life then I don’t try to force it down their throats. You have to have the desire to be a part of a group like this, but for me it was the right decision,” Shears said.