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A mysterious superhero has descended upon several Universities throughout the United States.

Recently, at least nine college institutions have received gifts totaling over $45 million from a mystery donor. What’s unusual is no one, not even the universities, knows where the money came from.

Typically when an educational institution receives an anonymous donation – they are allowed to know the identity of the donor.  In the recent donation sweep, however – lawyers and middlemen have cornered academic institutions into signed agreements not only disallowing them to know the identity of the donor, but promising not to try and find out.

Some of the schools that received the donations are the University of Iowa colleges receiving 7 million, the University of Southern Mississippi college receiving 6 million, and Purdue’s Indiana college receiving 8 million. It’s not clear whether the gifts come from an individual, organization or group of people with similar interests.

All donations were given on March 1st. Each came with the stipulation that most of the money must go to student scholarships.
Donations have dwindled at several colleges, and many schools have been trying to make ends meet during this economic downturn. These gifts show that someone recognizes the importance of higher education and truly wants to make a difference in the lives of students.  Historically speaking, and only exempting some of the Ivy League institutions - a larger endowment is a typical prelude to enrollment increase.

I would certainly be on the lookout at these specific universities enrollment metrics over the next academic year – as opportunity might arise for those looking to attend one of their programs.

Most of us are familiar with advertisements created by the United States armed forces. A major selling point in a lot of these ads is the military’s promise to help servicemen and women pay for their college education.

To me, this idea seems pretty fair. Our country owes a lot to the men and women who defend the United States through military service at home and abroad. Offering our veterans a quality education when they return home is probably the least we can do to repay them.

Since the end of World War II - and the first version of the G.I. Bill - veterans’ circumstances have changed. Due to inflation, today’s Iraq and Afghanistan veterans’ benefits just don’t go as far as they used to.

This coming August, the new G.I. Bill will take effect. This version of the bill offers benefits to those who have served at least 90 continuous days of active military duty since September 11, 2001, or those who served at least 30 days and were discharged with a service-connected disability.

What does this mean for veterans and civilians?

Most likely, it means more veterans around college and university campuses. The new bill has been updated to accommodate rising education costs, so more veterans can pursue a higher-quality education.

The college experience can be daunting for some veterans who have grown used to a military-style daily routine. Civilian students should be welcoming and respectful to veterans they meet. Some veterans don’t mind answering questions about military life, but some would prefer more privacy.

If you want to get involved, many colleges have student veteran organizations. These groups can help veterans join a community, and can allow civilian students to reach out to veterans who have sacrificed so much for the rest of us.

 Sounds like a good thing to me!

My collegiate experience is something that I will never forget: the feeling of freedom, new friends, late nights, and not to mention hard work! The work I mention goes without saying when you consider college coursework, but I also had to work outside of my duties for classes.

I personally found a way to turn in all my assignments, attend a multitude of social events, and yes, make a little money while in college. I did encounter a few bumps in the road while trying to balance both school and work. Let me assure you, as I had to discover for myself, that everything works out in the end. Here is my equation for balancing work and school.

Finding a Job
I looked for jobs that worked with my class schedule and not the other way around. Remember, you are at college to get an education. One job I had while in school was at a local sandwich shop. It was a great arrangement. I set my schedule to come in a few days a week after all my classes were finished for the day. I would come in around 4:30 and work until 10. This allowed me time to go home and finish up any remaining school work, make it out with some friends, or hang out and relax.

Studying at Work
As things slowed down after the dinner rush, I would simply ask my manager if I could do a little school work as long as there were no customers needing help. I did not pull out my laptop and loads of notes to write my mid-term paper that was due the next day. I brought a couple of textbooks and a highlighter. Work is the perfect place to knock out a few chapters to keep up with all of the reading. Trust me, there will be plenty.

Missing the Fun
There are going to be times when your work schedule is going to conflict with something fun like a party or the big game. One of the most important things to establish with your manager before you work your first hour is your time off. It always seemed to me that everything fun happened when I had to go to work. This was not the case. I always made sure I had a weekday night off and a weekend night off that was devoted to enjoying the social side of college. Making time for yourself and friends will make balancing school and work seem a little less stressful.

Remember …
Find a schedule that works for you. This is the best way to create a successful and awesome experience at college. Find a job that works with your class schedule
and a manager that is willing to acknowledge that you are in school. Getting school work off your list while working your job leaves you more time for the fun stuff at school. Make time for yourself – those are the times that truly make the college experience.

I found out about this really cool program in Spain. 

Basically, Pueblo Ingles is looking for young folks to participate in their Teen program this July.  They want people who are available to spend 8 days in Spain. 

What’s the catch?

Well. You have to speak English and be between the ages of 13 and 18. No problem! I got that covered. The down side of this great offer is that you have to pay for the flight to Madrid. But, after that you get to spend 8 days at camp filled with group activities, skits and games. Where do I sign up?!

I thought why would a program pay for me to spend 8 days in Spain. So, here’s the answer why!

Pueblo Ingles wants to provide a fun environment for Spanish teenagers to practice their English speaking skills. So they created this camp so you can help people in another country all the while experiencing the Spanish culture. As a volunteer, you’re just responsible for being yourself, hanging out with other teens and talking. Which really – should be pretty easy.

So here is the 411 on this program!

Looking back on my first semester of college, what do you think is the first thing that comes to mind? Parties? Late-night study sessions? Um, yeah. For me, it’s a bright orange parka.

Every morning that first semester, I’d get up before the sun rose to bundle up in that neon orange parka and walk a mile to my job on campus. (No, I’m not completely stupid; the buses just didn’t run that early!)

First, a little background about that parka:

• I used to be an “eclectic” and unique dresser in high school. I didn’t dress freakishly. But I was willing to take a risk, considering the tiny and conservative town I lived in.
• The parka wasn’t really that warm. And it was ORANGE. Not just regular, old, everyday orange. Hunting gear orange. And it didn’t even fit that well!
• Why did I still choose to wear it? At the time, I was very easily influenced. I’d let the opinions of others affect the clothing and style I wore. I think I became a bit more boring as a result. This orange parka wasn’t boring, so it was a bit of the real me hanging on to…well…me. Oh, and I didn’t have another jacket.

Okay, so the point is this: All American kids go through the entire secondary education thing by law. College, though…that’s a matter of choice. You’re choosing to attend, and you’re choosing to do your best to succeed and achieve whatever goal you might have. Along the same lines, I obviously chose to go to college. I chose to wake up at a ridiculous hour every day to work for only an hour and a half. And I chose to wear that stupid orange parka to stand out.

And maybe I’m reaching a bit with this, but I really think those frigid walks led me to understand the extent of my choices more fully. I was finally on my own and in control of all of the consequences of my actions – whether it was some extra spending money or extra hours of sleep.

So what if people are blinded by your jacket? You need to do what’s best for you and what will take you to where you want to be. As for slipping on ice as you walk in the dark…well, that’s why it’s good to have the jacket. Easier visibility!

For traditional and nontraditional students alike, adjusting to full-time college life can be very difficult. Students are beginning a new phase in their lives, and it can be a very stressful time. Full-time college life is vastly different for students who have not experienced this before.

The traditional college freshman must adjust to being an adult for the first time. Mom and dad aren’t going to be there anymore. These students must handwash their dishes and pay to wash their laundry. Furthermore, there aren’t going to be parents or teachers over their shoulders to tell them when to do their homework, or warn them to quit their partying. They are, gulp, responsible for your own success.

Nontraditional students have a whole different set of stressors to contemplate. They may have spouses and children at home to distract them from their schoolwork. They have responsibilities outside of school, such as work and bills. Plus, for older students, the transition from work to school can be difficult. Their peers aren’t their age anymore, they are young college students. These students can’t forget about the workweek when the weekend hits; they still have homework to do.There are things you can do to relieve the stress of adjusting to being a full-time college student.

For starters, keep your eye on the ball. The world is competitive, and you want to get a great job after graduation. Keep plugging away and don’t let outside distractions keep you from your goal of graduating and starting a great career.

Enjoy your time at school. When it’s over, it’s over. Take some time to attend university events such as guest speakers, sporting events and group meetings. You may enjoy these events immensely, and they will help enrich your college experience.

Take time for yourself. Making sure you study enough for that big test is important, as is completing your coursework. But don’t forget that everyone needs a little rest and relaxation. When the stress is getting to be too much for you, take a breather. Root for your favorite team while watching a game. Enjoy your favorite TV show. Everyone needs to chill a little once in a while.

Make sure your college support system is in place. For traditional college freshmen, find friends who share similar interests and will support your full-time college career. And don’t forget to call home (or even visit) when you can. Your family will always be there for you when the going gets rough. For nontraditional students, make sure your spouse understands your decision to return to school. If you have kids, study with them. It will make those tedious homework assignments easier.

Finally, remember the formula for succeeding as a full-time student: hours of hard work + moments of relaxation = graduation with a bright future and career success.