With 154 Flavors, Which is the Best One For You?

Thursday, January 6, 2011
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For me, the hardest part of the application process was deciding to apply. It was like putting in that bit of extra effort to get off your butt after a long day at work and head to the gym for your workout. I had to do a lot of self-evaluation and soul-searching before I arrived at the conclusion that it was the perfect time for me to get my Master’s degree and that this was the perfect profession for me. Once I was committed to CASPA’s application process, the rest fell into place. With 154 different ARC-PA programs throughout the nation, how did I end up at Quinnipiac University?

Since this was the profession that I planned on keeping for the rest of my life I wanted to make sure that I received the best education possible. With that said I picked up a copy of US News and Report from Barnes and Noble and only applied to programs within the top twenty. I wanted to make sure that the time and money spent on my Master’s degree in Physician Assistant studies would be worth it several times over.

Have you ever been told in a resume writing class that you should read the mission statement of the business that you are applying to? The mission statement is like a personals ad that gives you an idea of whether or not you and your potential employer are a match. Well I never read mission statements until I decided to apply to PA school. Thank goodness I did, though!

When I read through the brochure for QU in 2008 there were two things that stood out which set QU apart from other universities. Not only was QU committed to excellence in education (which of course every university should be), they were also committed to community service and to making leaders of their students. These commitments were clearly demonstrated as I sat in the Echlin Center auditorium and listened to the PA program director during an interview session on a chilly Saturday morning in October 2008.

She spoke of the many community service projects that QU’s PA Program takes part in year after year such as KEEP with the National Kidney Foundation and the Literacy project at ACES and St. Raphael’s Hospital. In regards to leadership, a large percentage of the faculty were involved on both the state (ConnAPA) and national (AAPA) level in Physician Assistant organizations. How much more of a leader could you get than serving as past president of the AAPA? It couldn’t be more obvious that this program was committed to healthcare on so many different levels. The fact that their students’ pass rate on the PANCE has consistently been above the national pass rate since at least 1996 was just icing on the cake.

To all of you reading this and thinking about applying to PA school, make every effort possible on interview day to get a good feel for the program that you are interviewing at. I can’t emphasize this enough. Ask the students and the faculty all the questions that you need answers to so that you can make the right decision for YOU. Imagine yourself attending classes with the students that are currently in the program. Imagine yourself working with the faculty to make sure you perform well academically. PA school is at least 24 months long and you don’t want to spend those months feeling miserable because you didn’t pick your “favorite flavor of ice cream.” Trust me, the course load alone can make you miserable enough at times. Best of luck to all of you!

-Ryan Narciso

Ryan graduated in 2005 from the University of Washington with an undergraduate degree in Biology. Subscribe to our feed for more posts from Ryan!

QU's MAT Program & Student Teaching

Wednesday, December 15, 2010
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This week has been bittersweet, as it is my very last week of graduate school classes! In retrospect, this master's program went by very fast, and I am going to miss going to classes. Wonderful professors, fascinating topics, a relaxed atmosphere,  and good friends have made the class experience, overall, a  very enjoyable one! Because every class consists of the same cohort of peers, our group has bonded, and I have looked forward to seeing them each night and debriefing about our internships.

Although the class portion of this master's program is coming to an end, there are some very important components coming up that I am eager to embark on. Most significantly, I am beginning student teaching next month! I will be student teaching in a fourth grade class at the school in which I am currently an intern. I have been spending time lately getting to know the students in this room, as well as my cooperating teacher, and I am so excited to work with this wonderful group daily. Student teaching lasts for ten weeks, during which I will be in the same classroom every day, gradually taking over for the teacher and running the day. The students in this class are very curious about working with a student teacher, and sometimes when I pass the students from this class in the hallway, I hear them whisper to each other, “That's her! Our student teacher!” I have so many ideas, lessons, and activities that I am planning to do with this group, and I know already that this experience will be intense, educational, and fun!

Aside from getting ready for student teaching, I am also working on my master's thesis, which is another important component of this master's program. My topic is about the use of educational, multicultural film in an urban fourth grade classroom, and I will soon begin my research within my internship school.

The master's of art in education (elementary ed.) is one that is so intensive and yet so enjoyable and worthwhile. My own teaching has progressed so much through this program.  By working in elementary schools for two years, I have gained so many skills that I believe are contributing to my efforts to be the best possible educator and mentor. I will be sure to keep you posted on my student teaching experiences and the weeks leading up to it!

Best,
Melanie Lubin

Melanie graduated in 2008 from Smith College with undergraduate degrees in film studies and anthropology. Subscribe to our feed for more posts from Melanie.

A Physician Assistant Student's Journey at QU

Monday, November 29, 2010
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Currently, I am a second year graduate student in the Physician Assistant Program.  My journey at Quinnipiac began six years as an undergraduate in the Entry Level Masters Physician Assistant Program.  My goal then was to be a surgical physician assistant however my goal now has drastically changed.

Throughout my time here as an undergraduate and graduate student I have been shaped and molded into the person I am today by my professors.  My professors have guided and mentored me in and out of the classroom.  They have opened my eyes and provided me guidance; their guidance has led me down a very different path then I initially anticipated I would take.  Now, as I am in my final months in the physician assistant program I have two goals; one, work as a physician assistant in primary care in an underserved area and two, become at professor at Quinnipiac. 

Primary care in an underserved area is a complete 180 from surgery.  I started to realize how much I love working with the underserved community from all the community service we do as a program.  Some examples of what we do are; we feed the homeless men in New Haven, work with the Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP), read to underprivileged children, do service work in the Dominican Republic and the list goes on and on.  Then, this past summer I worked in Bridgeport at a federal health clinic and my eyes were opened to an entire population I had never been exposed to.  Every day I went to work with a smile on my face and left with a bigger smile because I felt that I could actually make a difference.   

To me the professors and the atmosphere is what makes or breaks a school and Quinnipiac has both.  I can honestly not say enough how incredibly my journey has been here at QU and I hope my journey here is just beginning.

-Carly Arena

Carly graduated in 2009 from Quinnipiac University with an undergraduate degree in Health Science Studies. Subscribe to our feed for more posts from Carly!

QU's MAT Program: Follow Your Dreams

Monday, November 15, 2010
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Hello potential QU grad students! My name is Melanie Lubin, and I am currently in my final year of graduate school, pursuing my Master's of Art in Teaching, Elementary Education. I am from Massachusetts, and I received my bachelor's degree at Smith College in 2008, where I majored in film studies and anthropology. The following year, I pursued my love of working with children, and got a job at Boston Children's Museum as an exhibit interpreter. It was through this job that my passion for education solidified, and I realized that my dream was to teach elementary school. It was during my year at Boston Children's Museum that I began researching graduate programs in elementary education.

I knew that I wanted to go to graduate school in Connecticut, since my boyfriend (now fiancée) was there, working on his degree. I researched several different graduate programs in the New Haven area, and all the while, Quinnipiac began to emerge as the most perfect choice. I researched the program online quite a bit, and then I attended a graduate information session. The two women who spoke (who were both, at the time, in the MAT program) were informative and enthusiastic. When I came to Quinnipiac for my interview, I was an awe of the beauty of the campus, and the kindness of the MAT faculty and staff with whom I met.

My day, as a Quinnipiac MAT student, is a busy one! Every weekday, I go to my internship school, where some days I am a substitute teacher, and other days I am helping teachers and students in a variety of different grades and subjects. The internship program is such an important aspect of the QU MAT program, and this was a large part of why I chose QU. For the two years that we MAT students are working on our Master's degrees, we are also set up with placement at an elementary school. Last year, I worked in North Haven, CT, and this year, my internship is in New Haven. The differences between these two schools are vast, and I have learned so much about the suburban versus urban elementary  school experience. Through the internship program, I have been provided with real world knowledge and skills, ones that I am eager to apply to my own future classrooms.

After working at my internship school, I go to class at QU. I find the academics at QU to be rigorous, fascinating, and engaging. I have formed close bonds with certain professors, and I intend to seek their support, advice, and feedback (about my own classrooms), long after I finish the program! The best part of class for me, though, is connecting with my friends and debriefing with them about their days and mine. In the MAT program, the same cohort of people take each class together, so the fifteen of us in my cohort have gotten very close. I am constantly going to these friends for ideas and guidance about education. Through the MAT program, I have made some best friends.

I look forward to keeping all of you potential MAT students updated during your graduate school search! Please feel free to contact me with any questions! mclubin@quinnipiac.edu

--Melanie Lubin

Melanie graduated in 2008 from Smith College with undergraduate degrees in film studies and anthropology. Subscribe to our feed for more posts from Melanie.

A Home At Quinnipiac

Wednesday, November 3, 2010
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I come from an undergraduate university with a total population of over 12,000 students.  I’m used to large classes, crowded classrooms and hallways, and never being able to find a seat in the dining hall.  For graduate school, I was looking for an entirely different experience.

Quinnipiac University is the perfect size for me.  QU has 3 campuses: Mt. Carmel, North Haven, and York Hill.  The graduate communications program at Quinnipiac is on the Mt. Carmel campus.  The campus is nestled by a soaring mountain, and the environment is quiet and serene.   However, the campus is not isolated; it is about 15 minutes from my apartment and, just down the road, Route 10 offers plenty to do.

I feel welcomed by the Quinnipiac community.  I study in the gorgeous Arnold Bernhard Library, I eat lunch in the café, I take advantage of workshops, and I use the gym regularly.  When I got sick, I was able to utilize Health Services and if I have free time, I take part in student activities.

I have about 15 students in each of my classes. I have created real friendships with the other girls in my program.  We study together, we go out together, and we even go to the gym together!  I’ve never been able to cultivate relationships in my huge undergraduate school, so the fact that I have made some really good friends just makes me feel at home at Quinnipiac.

My professors know me by name. They work closely with me and know my interests and educational goals.  The Public Relations program is on the small side, but I believe that is an advantage.  My professors actually listen to the feedback we give them.  I don’t think I would get that anywhere else.
It is just past midterm and I can’t believe how far I have come.

This semester, I started off completely shy and unsure of myself.  However, I made some really great relationships and my professors have been guiding me along.  The PR program is intense, but it is never enough to make me regret my decision.  It’s time to pick out my classes for the spring semester. I am just 5 classes away from graduating in May!

-Randi Iaco

Randi graduated in 2009 from Central CT State University with an undergraduate degree in Marketing. Subscribe to our feed for more posts from Randi!

A Student's Experience in the MAT Program at QU

Monday, November 1, 2010
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When I wake up, brittle and tired at 5:40 AM every morning, I usually require a moment to sit up in bed to reflect on what could possibly compel me to drive myself so passionately.  At this point, I need to question what could oblige me to slash the cords of comfort so routinely.  I need to remember how I can perpetually convince myself that four hours of sleep is enough.  All it takes is five seconds though; near-diluvian floods of simultaneous joy and excitement rip these questions to shreds.  What a beautiful realization to make every morning: I chose to mold minds, change lives, and motivate the masses.  I chose to teach.

When I graduated from Rutgers University in 2009, I could not imagine where my teaching journey would lead me, but I knew that I wanted to teach, and I was desperate to make an impact right away.  Qunnipiac offered me this opportunity; through the MAT program, I would be able to educate others during the day through an internship at a local high school, all the while obtaining the graduate coursework needed to establish the foundation and approach by which my teaching career would be solidly grounded. 

Pulling my tie snug and tying my shoes tightly, my day comes into focus.  I face between six to seven hours of high school students, followed by at least three hours of my own classes at night.  It’s difficult for me to explain this to others who are unfamiliar with my obsession with teaching.  Some are bewildered by my constant allusions to the profession.  At 7:33, when the school day begins, I laugh at those folks—but I should not.  I’m too busy preparing to thunderously demand educational excellence.

Of course, the excellence doesn’t begin at 7:33 AM and end at 2:00 PM like the typical school day.  It’s a lifestyle.  And that’s the attitude I take to my classes at Quinnipiac.  While I successfully battle indifference and academic struggles all day at the high school, the war is never over.  In class, I am given the opportunity to challenge my own assumptions, bringing about a critical awareness of myself and the teaching landscape.  The MAT program gives its students an avenue by which their personalities can be used to recreate themselves in teacher-form; it demands that thoughtful reflection is a fact of a teacher’s existence—a tool of survival. 

It should be no surprise, then, that like many of the MAT program’s students, I am indeed surviving—thriving, even.  The challenges that come in school are collectively analyzed so that we have the strength and knowledge to individually attack them with vigor.  This vigilance, of course, is something that I brought with me to Quinnpiac.  But here, I have been given a place to let it grow and morph.  Here, I have truly become a champion of the cause that defines every teacher’s journey: I want to make a difference that will be felt across the planet. 

What could be more beautiful than a life so fulfilled?

-Josh Hagewood

Josh graduated from Rutgers University in 2009 with undergraduate degrees in History and Geography. Subscribe to our feed for more posts from Josh.

A Day in the Life of an MBA student

Thursday, October 28, 2010
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When my alarm sounds at 9:00 AM, I wish I could have a few more hours in the day.  I had always been very involved as an undergraduate at QU, but my free time has been significantly reduced since becoming a graduate student.  But before I go any further—I don’t want you to get the wrong idea—I LOVE my busy life and all the activities that I have chosen to be a part of (but, you know, it would be nice to have 27 hours in the day). 

My day usually starts in the Graduate Admissions office on the North Haven campus, where I help create new designs for the mass e-mails that are sent out to remind prospective students about upcoming information sessions.  I also help my boss prepare for events and keep in contact with students who are interested in the many graduate programs that QU offers.  What I value most about my graduate assistantship is the general helpfulness and friendliness of the people I work with.

From work, I usually have time for a snack on the way to my classes, which include: Statistics, Cost Accounting, Managerial Economics, International Business, and a graduate case study course.  I decided to stay for the fifth-year fast track MBA program sometime in my junior year when almost all my older friends were having trouble securing a job after graduation.  The timing was right to stay in school and finish up my MBA, which would give the economy another year to pick up before I take my first step into the “real world.”

When I get home from classes, it’s time for dinner before I head off to my QWMBA meeting.  Quinnipiac Women MBAs is a fairly young organization at QU that is comprised of women who are already in the MBA program or upperclassmen undergraduate women who have interest in the program.  As the Chief Information Officer, I take the minutes of every meeting, update and maintain the calendar and keep track of important contacts.  We recently selected Alianza Americana as our charitable cause, as it is located in Nicaragua and a majority of the QWMBA officers have selected Nicaragua as our MBA660 study-abroad course.

After my meeting and during time in between my responsibilities, I find time for homework and studying.  Having little free time has forced me to plan out my days and allocate time for studying so that I don’t end up having a night-before cramming session. 

Whenever I start thinking that I am too busy, I ask myself the same question…”What exactly would I do with extra free time?”  Of course, the possibilities are endless and include activities that are both productive and unproductive.  That’s when I remember that I made the right decision, because every night when I end my day I feel a sense of accomplishment, belonging, and satisfaction that I would not trade for all the free time in the world.



“A charming woman is a busy woman.”
-Loretta Young


-Julia Notar-Francesco

Julia graduated in 2010 from Quinnipiac University with an undergraduate degree in Marketing. Subscribe to our feed for more posts from Julia!

Why I Chose Quinnipiac

Monday, October 4, 2010
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Hello world!

My name is Randi Iaco. I am a first year graduate student here at Quinnipiac. University and I am studying public relations full-time. I am here to tell you about my admissions process and why I chose Quinnipiac.

I just graduated from Central CT State University in December 2009. I have my undergraduate degree in Marketing. I always knew I wanted to go to grad school. I had actually planned on getting my MBA after I had some work experience. I had my heart set on a few other schools, but after awhile, I wasn't sure if getting my MBA was what I really wanted.

I love marketing and I found that I am more interested in marketing people than selling products. I began to explore programs in communications because I felt like that reflected what I was mostly interested in. Some of the schools that I wanted to go to were out of state. Where I am in my life right now, it just wasn't feasible for me to leave CT like I thought I would be able to. So I began a search for schools closer to home.

Quinnipiac is a great school, and I have always known of its reputation. I know many people who went here for undergrad and the communications department was always praised. While doing my research online, I saw that Quinnipiac had a brand new public relations program! I knew at the moment that this was what I was looking for. I knew that having a business background with marketing would compliment a master's degree in public relations and QU is one of the few schools in the country that have this program at the master's level.

I am very happy with my decision to come to Quinnipiac. One of the major advantages for the program for me is that I will be done in one year. I am eager to get into the workforce and I believe I am learning the necessary skills to be a valuable asset to a company. Another advantage is how small my classes are. I know everyone in all of my classes and my professors have a great relationship with us.

The professors at QU are amazing. They have real world experience and substantial knowledge of the industry. The professors are committed to the university and to the students and are always available for help. The public relations program is on the Mt. Carmel campus, so every time I walk out of my class, I see the beautiful foliage of the trees on Sleeping Giant Mountain! I am so happy to be here at Quinnipiac and I hope you will explore the public relations program too!

Randi graduated in 2009 from Central CT State University with an undergraduate degree in Marketing. Subscribe to our feed for more posts from Randi!