April 30

Just like that, my freshman year is over! It sure has been a fun year, and it couldn’t have ended any better. On Monday April 20, I was elected as the new President for Delta Upsilon at Embry-Riddle. I was honored to be nominated and elected to this position. I know it will be a ton of hard work, but I am prepared to do anything necessary to make this colony succeed. I believe whole-heartedly in Delta Upsilon’s founding principles and their overall goal to “Build Better Men”. I take great pride in knowing my fraternity brothers have faith in me, and I am looking forward to doing a great job while creating a lot of amazing memories with them.

Along with taking finals this past week, I was also packing up and getting ready to head home. I had to do some major cleaning but I got it all done and was officially checked out of my dorm. It was a little sad to leave my room that I considered home since August. I left Daytona Beach early Tuesday and stopped in Nashville to spend the evening with my friend Brent and my cousin Susanna (in the picture in front of her dorm at Vanderbilt) who go to school there. Wednesday I made it back to Missouri where my family was excited to see me. The drive was long, but I truly love living in Florida and going to school at ERAU which makes the long travels worth it.

This past weekend my friends and I (and my car) made it to the beach one last time before we headed home for the summer. The weather in Daytona has been absolutely perfect (80’s and sunny). We spent all day under the warm sun and boogie boarding (because we aren’t skilled enough for real surfboards). I never get tired of the beach, and I already miss it being back in the land-locked state of Missouri. It has been in the 60’s and rainy since I have been home and I already miss Florida’s weather.

Yesterday I got more good news about the end of the semester: I received a 4.0 GPA for the spring of 2009. It’s so great to see all of your hard work paying off, and it was the perfect ending to the best semester ever. My classes and professors were a lot of fun this year, and it really showed. I truly believe if you are having fun in class you perform better, and my professors certainly made these last four months a lot of fun. From goofy stories about Malaysian tree shrews to dogs visiting class, it undoubtedly has been a wild spring.

I am looking forward to having a great summer. I have a lot planned including the Europe Study Abroad, my sister’s wedding, and a national Delta Upsilon conference in Albany, NY. I will also be working while at home to get some money for all of these activities. At the beginning of July I will begin writing a journal about my experience with Embry-Riddle abroad this summer, so check back in and see what I am up to on the other side of the pond. I hope you have an amazing May and June, and I will be back in July. Until then, please email me (meansm@erau.edu) with any questions about ERAU or college life in general and I would be more than happy to talk with you.

Until Next Time,
Mack

April 19

Finals are less than one week away! It feels like I was just flying back from Christmas break, and now I am about to pack up and head home for the summer. This has been the fastest four months of my life, and the past two weeks were no exception.

Last weekend was the Task Force One incentive dinner. We all met up and went to Sapporo Japanese Steakhouse. The food was very good, and we had a lot of fun spending time together off campus. I have met some really good friends through TFO this year and I am very glad I was part of the organization. I would recommend any first-year student to become a part of TFO as it is a great way to get involved on campus and meet a bunch of new friends. This week, TFO is having an unofficial meeting where we all bring food and hang out one last time as TFO-ers. I am looking forward to these last few hours our organization will spend as one.

On Easter, my BA201 group (MoKurity) decided to hang out and spend the holiday having fun. We went to lunch and spent time at the beach. I think it is so great that a random group of kids from BA201 have become such good friends. Even though our group project was completed a week ago, we still meet up and goof around. We genuinely have a great time when we are together, and I am sure we will continue hanging out even past this semester.

Delta Upsilon is continuing to grow and become more and more active. This past week we took part in a canned food drive put on by Theta Phi Alpha, one of the sororities on campus. DU brought in over 100 pounds of food and we placed second! Also on Saturday, we took part in the annual Oozeball (mud volleyball) tournament. Those of you who came to the Spring Preview probably noticed a bunch of crazy people rolling in the mud and water. I had so much fun playing, especially with my DU brothers. We won two games and lost two games, but we all got muddy and that’s what matters.

On Friday some of my friends and I went to support the AcaFellas at their end-of-year concert. The AcaFellas are the male a capella singing group here at Embry-Riddle. They do a very good job, and it seems like they have a lot of fun. Check out my video of one of their songs (Apologize) at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zw4AjVqF0g. After the concert, we headed over to the Student Union where Touch-N-Go Productions had another comedian. This time it was Dat Phan, the original winner of Last Comic Standing. The show was extremely humorous and I laughed pretty hard. TNG does a great job bringing big names to our campus, and everyone should look forward to and take advantage of these opportunities.

Finals start on Saturday and continue through Wednesday. I somehow have four finals scheduled on Saturday and my last one is on Monday. I am already trying to study some for finals as well as finish the projects in COM221 and assignments and tests in WX201 and PS142. I know I have said this, but I have really liked my schedule and all of my teachers this semester. Every class has been very different, but all of them have been fun and productive. Last Monday I got to register for Fall 2009 classes and this is what I have:

  • Financial Accounting – BA210 – Ledgerwood – MWF 9:15-10:15
  • Air Traffic Management I – AT200 – McGuirk – MWF 10:30-11:30
  • International Studies – SS325 – Edson – MWF 1:00-2:00
  • Economic Survey – EC200 – Kornecki – TTH 9:45-11:00
  • Themes in Humanities – HU145 – Straubel – TTH 11:15-12:30

Along with my fall schedule I wanted to let everyone know that I will also be taking part in the European Aviation Appreciation Program this summer. I will be writing my journal online as I travel with ERAU to London, Paris, Munich, and other cool places. Check it out this summer! I have to go study study study, but check out the site for my post-final entry. Have a great few weeks and thanks for reading!!!

Until Next Time,
Mack

February 22

Hello everyone! I hope February finds you all well. Although I must say this all the time, my semester has been getting busier and busier. About two weeks ago, I was presented an opportunity to become a founding father for Delta Upsilon at Embry-Riddle. Delta Upsilon (DU) seemed to match my values and priorities, and I had to take advantage of this unique experience. The last two weeks have been packed with DU information sessions, recruitment events, and even a retreat. I have already made many new friends and learned a lot about what it means to be DU. This week, a slew of activities are planned, including the official colonization ceremony. I am excited to be a founding member of something I know will be great at ERAU.

Last weekend I had to make a trip back to Missouri. Although I had much to do back home, I did get to have some fun. I got to see my high school friends and also had some quality family time. Another thing I did was join in the excitement of Missouri Tiger basketball. All Mizzou fans are excited beyond belief (including me), as the team has broke into the top ten in the nation!!! Unfortunately, the one thing I didn’t have in Missouri was my luggage. Somehow, Southwest Airlines found a way to lose my luggage on a direct flight. Conveniently (sarcasm), it arrived one hour before I had to go back to the airport to fly to Florida. It was very annoying, but luckily I was able to make do with what I had left at my house. When I first decided on ERAU I was worried about the distance and not being able to go home often. I have quickly learned this is not the case, and I got to have a productive and fun trip.

Task Force One has been discussing and planning many things in our meetings. On Tuesday, we voted on an incentive activity as a reward for our hard work throughout the academic year. We have decided to go to a Japanese Steakhouse, followed by bowling, which I am really looking forward to. Also we have registered for the Relay for Life in late March. These activities will be here before I know it.

My classes are still going well. This afternoon I met with my company in BA201, and we went around town to interview people about our fictional product. We got some pretty funny footage, and had a lot of fun together. I think we will have a great presentation at the end of the semester, and I know I will have a lot of fun working with my group members in the coming days. In PS142 and WX201, I have more tests this week, which I am going to study hard for. And in COM221, I have begun researching for my big project, and I have already learned so much. Thanks for reading my journal, and please let me know if you have any questions!

Until Next Time,
Mack

February 22, 2009

Hey guys! Hope you are all doing well. I am so excited that February is done. Next month is March which means Spring Break! I am so excited because I will be going to my friend Derrick’s house in Rhode Island for a few days before going to my house in New York City. I am looking forward to going there and just relaxing and having fun. So far classes are going great. Took a few tests the past week and did very well on them. Classes can be tough at times but it’s not something that can’t be done.

Last weekend, Derrick and I went to his grandparent’s house in Fort Myers for the long weekend. It was so much fun and we really enjoyed it!

I am sorry to report that I have changed my major from Aeronautical Science to Air Traffic Management. It was a tough decision, but after thinking everything through, I decided that I would rather not be in too much debt with better job security than to pay a lot of money for flight training and not know whether or not I can get a good paying job or a job at all. I am taking flight as a minor as soon as I am financially stable.

I am still active with TFO, First Gen, and ERRSA. Also, I am pledging Delta Upsilon in the fall. I want to take some time to build my GPA up higher so I have a cushion in the event my work load gets too much. This Wednesday is the colonization ceremony. I will not be a part of that, but my bid still stands and when I am ready I will be initiated in. We held elections as to who will be the exec board for the Fraternity and my friends Derrick, Darryl and Mack all got elected as VP’s!!! YAY!!! I am proud of them and give them all my support and blessing.

There isn’t much going on this time around, but if you guys have any questions, please feel free to email me. Thanks to those of you guys that did, I am behind schedule so do not think I am ignoring you if I haven’t gotten back to you as yet, I promise I will. Until next time…

February 8, 2009

It’s February already, it seems as if the year started yesterday. The past month has been a blast. The weather here in Daytona has dipped down way into freezing temperatures. It got so cold that students that fly early in the morning couldn’t go up because of ice. It has started to warm up a bit, it’s not too hot and it’s not freezing… which is good! The cold weather hasn’t stopped me and my friends from having fun. It also hasn’t stopped us from going to classes either! I had a few test so far in AS 221 and WX 201 and will have my mid-term for BA-201 on Wednesday. In AS 221 I got an 88% and in WX I got a 76%. In both classes I only have three tests for the semester so I am in good shape so far. I am looking forward to the midterm in BA 201 because I know the material and it’s a pretty big test because it’s only a midterm and final for that class. Wish me luck!

I am still on financial hold for flight until next week. I got a loan from Chase to help cover the expense to at least finish my private pilot license. Darryl and Kayla are making great progress with their training; I am so proud of them and am supporting them 100%. I did a landing clinic last week so I could catch up on my landings, and it went very well. Even though I had to land in a crosswind, I still was able to deal with them, keeping in mind it was my first time behind the yoke since December 11th last year! I will be taking my written next week so I can get that out the way.

As for clubs, I am active with TFO, First Generation and ERRSA. This weekend, ERRSA had another retreat [FARH]. There was a selected group of people that went and, from what I heard, it was a fun experience. My friend Derrick and I are pledges and founding fathers for a new fraternity on campus, Delta Upsilon! The fraternity is all about leadership and service, and focus mainly at building leaders and promoting diversity. We painted the spirit rock and campus and have a whole week of events planned. We already have 8 guys committed and need just a few more to make a colony. I am so excited about the fraternity and am happy to have this opportunity.

The Daytona 500 is here! It’s going to be a crazy week. Already, there are a few jets parked up on the ramp. It’s going to be quite noisy and a lot more intense than the Rolex 24, but it won’t be too bad until the weekend.

It’s Black History Month guys!!!

For the past week I haven’t been able to talk to family as much because my mom lost her cell phone! It’s the main means of communication I have with my family and I have to wait until next week when she gets a new one. In the meantime, we have been communicating through my cousin’s cell phone and email. My grandma is spending some time in Jamaica and just earlier this week she called me. We talked for a long while time. I notice that this semester I am a lot more responsible and self-sufficient. I don’t miss family as much anymore and I am currently earning, so I am not totally dependent on my family for the bulk of my financial needs.

Just a quick update on the plan me and my friends had for spring break, we are not going on the cruise. Instead, I am going to go to Miami with my cousin for the weekend, and then I will be flying up to Providence, RI to spend the break with Derrick and possibly travel to New York City to spend a day or two with my mom. We really had our hearts set on the cruise, but at least we have other alternatives.

There is a lot going on campus this semester. We have a lot of home basketball games, track meets, and lots of social events. We also still have our weekly movies done by Touch n’ Go, and lots of community service events. There is a lot to do and many ways to become involved and make a difference.

Next weekend I will be going to Fort Myers with Derrick to his grandparent’s house and spent the weekend. I am so excited and I can’t wait!

So far the semester has been going really good. I am confident in my classes, having lots of fun, and most of all enjoying the experience. To all you guys that sent me emails, thanks so much for reading my journal posts. I know that it’s just around that time when ERAU sends out acceptance letters. If you guys have any questions, whether it is about financial aid or housing, residence life, anything at all, feel free to ask. I will try my best to answer all your questions and any comments that you have are welcome.

Until next time…
Andre