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(04/22/15 6:17pm)
During the annual Davis UWC Scholars dinner, I met Middlebury graduates, members of the board of directors and the philanthropist, Shelby Davis. They shared tales of Middlebury UWC scholars’ success in social entrepreneurship, science and business. I even spoke in person to the philanthropist who sponsored the 106 UWC students on campus for a four-year education. He told me that four years ago he was betting on my potential to succeed, and now he encouraged me to keep being a winner in my future endeavors.
But after the celebratory dinner, I was thinking about the many times that I almost gave up during my four years at Middlebury in so many different aspects. Academically, I cried in my professor’s office the first week during orientation because my first year seminar professor told me that my writing skills were not up to the class standard and I had to switch my seminar. Socially, I felt frustrated when I did not understand all the American popular culture references while grabbing meals with hallmates. Nor did I fully understand what “going out” entailed during weekends. Economically, I became stressed when looking and applying for campus jobs. How do I adjust the balance between classes, studying, social life and 20 hours of campus jobs? Nutritiously, I ate very little because I was not used to the “salad bar, pizza, hot dog and hamburger” diet of an American dining hall. Emotionally, I did not have the means to go home during winter to be with my family, and in the cold harsh snow-filled days I felt really homesick and I missed my parents and talking to them dearly.
The point of the laundry list is that navigating campus for a UWC scholar at Middlebury is difficult. It is so because there are three distinct sets of issues we often carry as UWC scholars: firstly, there are international student issues: cultural differences, language skills, diets, social interactions. But in addition to that we also face issues related to socioeconomic background, something similar to that faced by first generation college students. For example, staying on campus for breaks, going on subsidized trips, transportation, looking for jobs and internship connections after graduation. Moreover, lingering on our minds are the so-called “UWC values.”
We learned from community service experience and our fellow schoolmates to learn, serve and return to the community. But coming to such a vigorous learning institution like Middlebury, with a myriad of opportunities and choices available, how do we strike a balance between learning and sharing? How should we pace ourselves to strive for that goal in the long term?
The administration has made some moves to answer some questions pertaining to the first set of issues: they let us stay on campus during winter, organized tax workshops amd connected us to local host families. These efforts have eased some of the issues as international students. But they don’t fully address the other two sets of issues we have as UWC students. Since there was little support regarding these two realms, we as UWC scholars leaned on one another to go through these issues by ourselves. Someone mentioned going on a subsidized trip, another talked about finding campus jobs, the other got connected to an alumnus and found internship opportunities to further his passion about Brazilian forestry. We also talked about our dreams and how those could serve for the betterment of the world. Without them and their encouraging words, I would have been worn out, frustrated and with no motivation to pursue my passion. But there is only so much our fellow students can do organically to support each other. Even more, this strong sense of camaraderie that unites us to eat dinner or socialize with one another is sometimes labelled “clique-y.”
In response to Adrian Leong’s article, I advocate more institutional support for UWC scholars. Given the three distinct issues that we have, some administration-led efforts to form mentorship and advisory programs would be beneficial to both the UWC scholars and the wider campus community. We don’t have to struggle through things on our own. UWC scholars can talk openly about specific socioeconomic issues they face and navigate relevant resources more easily. Instead of “serendipitous, cliquey” conversations, why not engaging with the wider campus community in designated spaces? We can invite the wider campus community to join in the conversation about community engagement, career and services. By engaging other student bodies to collaborate and share, we can invite them to be part of the extended UWC community and deliberate on the meaning of life, career and happiness. I believe these cross-cultural, philosophical, yet at the same time practical conversations and initiatives are what Middlebury needs to be a truly diverse, integrated liberal arts college.
During the dinner, the organizing committee shared a moving anecdote about a Tanzanian student went on a run with his American hallmates chanting Tanzanian folklore songs together. I love running too. If I had more time free from looking for resources blindly, dealing with emotional stress, I would have loved to invite my hallmates to sing Chinese pop songs with me while running. But to make these beautiful stories happen, administrative support is fundamental. Without their support, such anecdotes will remain rare and betting on our success as UWC students could turn into a risky business.
(02/13/13 2:33pm)
More than 1.2 million people gathered in the National Mall to watch President Barack Obama’s swearing-in on Jan. 21. Before the official celebrations began, though, the numerous Vermonters in Washington, D.C. decided to kickstart the festival in Vermont style.
On the night before the official swearing-in, the Vermont State Society in Washington, D.C. organized an Inaugural Reception at Constitution Avenue.
The event was an opportunity for the many Vermonters who were involved in Obama’s re-election campaign to celebrate their shared political victory — and their shared roots.
Vermont families, young professionals and businessmen arrived in their cocktail attire. After getting the Vermont wristband and their raffle tickets, guests proceeded downstairs to dine on Vermont delights – plates of cheese, salad, turkey and more.
While chatting with one another at tall tables, they also enjoyed Burlington-musician Lowell Thompson’s performance.
In the hours before the reception, excitement for the event mounted. Two days before the event, the Vermont State Society had tweeted thanks to the many different sponsors for their donations — most of whom responded with enthusiastic praise for both the Vermonters who worked on Obama’s behalf and also for the state itself.
A number of generous Vermonters made the evening’s festivities possible. Narric Rome and Julia Frost, president and vice-president of the Vermont State Society communicated with different vendors, supplying hundreds of guests with Vermont delicacies. In total, twenty-eight Vermont companies — including big corporations like Ben & Jerry’s and Cabot Cheese — generously shipped boxes and cases of wines, cheeses and meatballs to recreate the Vermont sentiment.
The many Vermont products brought the event just a little bit closer to home – bottles of Vermont-shaped maple syrup and apples from Champlain Orchards were given out as souvenirs.
Around 9:30 p.m., Governor of Vermont Peter Shumlin entered the venue. As he descended the stairs, all guests turned around, hoping to shake hands and greet him in person. During his speech, he encouraged all Vermonters to work together to “keep up the good work.”
Shumlin’s address reflected the enthusiasm and passion of the crowd to which he spoke.
“Vermont is the most progressive state in the United States,” said Shumlin. “We made all this happen because no matter if we are Democrats or Republicans, we listen to each other and we all care about Vermont.”
Shumlin ended the brief speech on a high note by outlining a bright future for both Vermont and America.
“We will make sure that Vermont continues to set a model for other states. Our healthcare plan is more advanced than the rest of the country and we will improve our education and immigration laws. We will show other states how democracy works!”
Shumlin lauded Vermonters for their ability to work toward bipartisan goals. He also praised the willingness of Vermonters to work together at the grassroots level to engender political change. Vermonters will continue to work toward the betterment of American society at all levels of government.
The next honorable guest, senator Patrick Leahy (D) — who was just promoted to the Senate’s president pro tempore, third in line to the presidency — shared a similar pride for Vermont.
“[As] I reminded then-President-elect Obama, I said the first state in the union to come in for you, ahead of your own state of Illinois, was Vermont,” Leahy said, following by raucous applause and cheers from the crowd.
Leahy made his dedication to his job clear over the course of his speech.
“I have to tell you a secret,” Leahy joked. “I actually enjoy being the most senior member of the Senate.”
Leahy currently chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee that is tasked with many of the hottest debates in the country, including gun control and immigration law.
After senator Leahy’s departure, senator Sanders and representative Peter Welch arrived later in the night. They both praised members of Vermont communities for their commitment to democracy.
When the night finally came to an end, guests took the elevator up to the roof terrace, enjoying the breathtaking night view of the Capitol, where Obama would take the oath of office in public.
Baldwin — a current student at American University in Washington, D.C. — shows that Vermonters are continuing to make an impact in American government. At the reception, he said that although he loves his adopted home in D.C., he felt that “[he] belong[s] to Vermont. ”
“I feel very honored to take part in the reception,” said Baldwin. Events like this always remind me of how special Vermont is. Although I study in D.C., I will definitely settle down in Vermont in the future.”
(01/23/13 7:10pm)
Barack Obama’s long-awaited day has finally arrived. As he stood on the west side of the Capitol, he took the oath of office once again in front of a crowd of 600,000: “I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
And so, it was done. The President was sworn in and paraded along Pennsylvania Avenue with his wife, Michelle Obama.
The crowd that gathered to watch the ceremony was truly impressive in both magnitude and enthusiasm. It reminded me of Mass Games in North Korea, except for all the American flags waving.
This morning, I woke up at 6 a.m. and followed the crowds to enter the National Mall. Entering the Mall is not an easy task — you get out of the metro station and walk against a blistering wind. Yet what struck me was the enthusiasm radiating from all the volunteers’ faces. They welcomed us with big smiles, warm greetings and even high-fives. Lively music and motivational videos were blasting from the 50-foot tall television screens and sound systems.
All of a sudden, all the hassle to enter the venue was swept away – it was worth it: we came from different parts of the country, but today, at this spot, we united to be part of the history.
People attended the swearing-in for a variety of reasons. Bryan Lee, an elevator inspector, brought his wife and three young children all the way from St. Louis, Mo. on an overnight bus just to “see Obama and wish him good luck.” They woke up at 3 a.m. and were at the Mall starting at 4 a.m. just see Obama with their own eyes.
Maxim G. Alweida, a French telephone service worker in D.C., volunteered at the ceremony to be part of “a great thing.” He bids Obama good luck with the upcoming years — “His job is a tough one. Getting things done is not easy. But it doesn’t mean that things should stay the same,” Maxim explained in a heavy French accent.
Some even came to send a message all the way from Africa. Ricky Korir, a Kenyan who is now working in Atlanta, Ga., waved the flag of Kenya fervently in front of the CNN camera. Ricky shouted: “I would like Obama to come visit his home country and see how much our country has improved.”
In his inaugural speech, Obama emphasized repeatedly the importance of improving the American people’s welfare in all aspects: gay right issues, energy issues, gun laws and so on. His message was clear: it is an occasion for us to celebrate, but at the same time, it is an occasion to remember that the government has serious work to do.
After a night of consecutive inaugural balls (official and unofficial), Congress will resume its work – the House Ways and Means Committee is meeting punctually at 10 a.m. to discuss the debt ceiling plight. By tomorrow, D.C. will return to normal — no more barricades, no more souvenir selling. No more parties and back to business. But at this point, I wish to prolong these moments a little bit more; it only occurs once every four years, right?
Written by WINNIE YEUNG ’15 from Washington D.C. as a (Winter Term) White House Intern
(01/17/13 2:30am)
As Congress resumes its session, and with the Presidential Inauguration just eight days away, D.C. is full of activity.
This week kicked off with the appointment of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense and John Brennan as the head of the CIA. As soon as President Barack Obama finished the announcement, journalists immediately pounced – especially on Hagel, whose stance on Israeli-Palestinian relations has been called into question by the media.
Controvesy regarding Hagel was soon brushed aside by the ever-present news cycle. On Friday, our collective attention was consumed by the arrival of a foreign guest – Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai. Obama and Karzai had a meeting to discuss the future of Afghanistan and the role of the United States in that nation’s future.
The journalists at the White House report in all languages: French, German and Chinese, among others. They lined up in front of the White House just to gain a place to sit in the East Room for a seat at the post-meeting press conference.
However, beyond the vague promise of an “accelerated” transition timeline from summer through to spring, the two did not disclose much except re-affirming the American commitment to help build a democratic, thriving Afghan state.
White sitting in the East Room and listening to these grand statements of hope, I still wondered about the “small people.”
When will my Afghan friends be able to return home safely, free from sexual harassment and political attacks? Even though Obama and Karzai envision a democratic state in future, will one really come to be?
Hamid Karzai is alleged to be corrupt and has himself blamed the U.S. for many problems in Afghanistan. All these complex problems point to the fact that there is a long way for Afghanistan to go.
The biggest buzz in D.C. these days is the fesitivities surrounding the Inauguration.
The National Mall at the Smithsonian museum is completely blocked for setting up tents, chairs and platforms for celebration.
On Pennsylvania Avenue, green metallic stands are set up in front of the White House and the neighboring government buildings to receive the estimate 800,000 people who will be rushing into D.C. next weekend.
Fun fact: Obama will take the oath twice since January 20, 2013 falls on a Sunday. He will first make a private oath on Sunday and a public oath on Monday, making him a president who will take the oath four times.
Each day, the Presidential Inauguration Committee releases more information about the festivities and the swearing-in ceremony. Katy Perry, the Glee cast, Beyoncé and Usher are among the performers that will accompany the President to celebrate his second inauguration.
Even though the official festivities sound unbelievable, the unofficial events are meant to be even better
I can’t wait to see how politicians socialize and dance – will they behave just like we do?
Written by WINNIE YEUNG ’15 from Washington D.C. as a (Winter Term) White House Intern
(11/14/12 4:47pm)
View Phil Scott's Bike Tour in a Larger Map.
How do Vermont politicians campaign? In addition to the typical flyers, television commercials, Facebook fan pages and websites, Vermont politicians find engaging ways to infuse their campaigns with “green mountain flavor” to appeal to the sensibilities of the average Vermonter. Republican incumbent candidate for Vermont Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott embarked on a 14-county bike tour from Oct. 2 to Oct. 9, logging 568 miles over the course of his trip. This unofficial campaign tour enabled the Lt. Governor to promote his policies and explain his platform, which helped him secure re-election for another two-year term.
Scott had several aims for his ambitious bike campaign. Firstly, he hoped to highlight the policies that he has been promoting during his last term, such as self-reliance, tourism and the importance of buying local products.
He also hoped that his tour would promote Vermont tourism during the key foliage season and he would like to lead by example.
The trip was a “longtime personal fitness goal” for Scott, an avid cyclist, and a way to get in touch with local, typical Vermonters in an informal setting.
“I’ve been to parades and fairs at the state’s larger venues,” said Scott in a press release. “But I also want to visit with people from all walks of life and in Vermont’s smaller towns.”
“Seeing the state on two wheels calls for a slower pace and increases your awareness and perspective from a number of different standpoints,” Scott said. “It makes it easier to see and appreciate more of the small, and many times family-owned, businesses that make up our economy.”
Vermonters managed to distinguish Scott from the average cyclist despite his large raincoat and his decision to ride alone. As he reported to Vtdigger, one woman stopped him on the road to hand deliver an eight-page letter outlining her concerns about rising fuel costs.
Off the road each day, Scott stopped at bike shops and held “meet and greet” sessions at local pubs and restaurants. He also stopped by the Hartford Chamber of Commerce, Gifford Medical Center in Randolph and the Coolidge Homestead in Plymouth.
At the end of the ride, Scott’s physically challenging campaign strategy paid off. Prior to the election, he earned endorsements of the Manchester Journal, the Herald of Randolph and Burlington Free Press, signaling a good start for the election-day. On election night, his opponent Cassandra Gekas called in at 11 p.m. to concede victory and wish Scott the best of luck. Post-election tallies indicate that Scott scored 57.1 percent out of the total electorate, claiming one of the rare Republican victories in Vermont.
Scott’s relatively high victory margin makes his re-election all the more significant. Some critics think that Scott is a promising future gubernatorial candidate for the Republican Party, which struggles to make its voice heard in the democratic stronghold of Vermont.
Eric Davis, professor emeritus of political science at Middlebury College, is one such skeptic of Scott’s gubernatorial potential. Davis sees Scott’s party affiliation as “a dilemma for Scott’s future aspirations.”
“The reason why Scott is elected is because he is seen as a regular guy and he is willing to cooperate with the Democrats,” Davis said. “But if he is hoping to run for the governor’s seat after Shumlin resigns, his identity as a Republican will hinder him in Vermont, one of the most democratic states in the United States.
“[Scott] would [need to] be an independent candidate in order to gain a higher position” Davis concluded.
Regardless of his long-term political aspirations, Scott has made it clear that he is ready to get back to work. In his victory speech, he urged all Vermonters to cooperate together to get things done.
Scott promised to continue to work for the welfare of all Vermonters, irrespective of political differences.
“It doesn’t matter who’s in charge, we all have a responsibility to do what’s best for Vermonters,” Scott said after his re-election was confirmed. “After the campaign is over you put your partisan stripes aside and you do what’s best for Vermont and Vermonters.”
(10/18/12 12:02am)
Since President of the United States Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on March 23, 2010 — enacting comprehensive health insurance reforms in the United States — Vermont state officials have been working hard to adjust Green Mountain Care Medicaid to meet the requirements of a state-provided health care plan under a single-payer system. The state recently received $104 million in federal grant money to institute Governor Peter Shumlin’s consumer-based healthcare exchange — the precursor to the universal healthcare system expected to be instituted by 2017 — over the course of the next year.
The grant comes at a time when the healthcare debate continues to play out at the state and national levels, and the uncertain future of Shumlin’s healthcare plan, Green Mountain Care, reflects the uncertain future of healthcare provisions in Vermont and in the United States.
Vermont’s single-payer healthcare system was the first of its kind in the United States when it was ushered in by Shumlin in May of 2011, but the debate about the relative merits of government-run healthcare continues, as detractors — including Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Brock — continue to express concerns that patients are adversely affected by the lack of choice they have under a single-payer system.
The constituent plans that fall under the umbrella of Green Mountain Care — the predecessor of Obama’s controversial “Obamacare” system of universal healthcare coverage — have been refined since May 2011 when Shumlin’s universal healthcare system was passed. Shumlin has laid out key steps for the implementation of the Health Benefit Exchange that will gradually expand to a universal Green Mountain Care coverage in roughly 2017.
Currently, Green Mountain Care programs provide low-cost or free coverage for low-income children, parents, the elderly and other individuals and also provide options for households. It covers health care services such as doctor visits, hospital care and prescription medicines. Green Mountain Care provides all Vermont residents with healthcare options. Shumlin reports “Vermont has the fifth lowest rate of uninsured residents in the country. The rate has been stable over the last five years.”
In May 2011, Shumlin passed Vermont Act 48, outlining a path to single-payer healthcare for all Vermonters. In accordance with his plan, Shumlin made small business tax credits available to encourage universal coverage. Shumlin has also created a timeline that anticipates the creation of the exchange enrollment system — which will allow small businesses and individuals who are not covered by their employer to research and select qualified healthcare plans online — by October 2013 and universal coverage beginning in January 2014.
Although certain Vermont groups welcome healthcare reforms, others sharply criticize them. Vermonters for Health Care Freedom, a non-profit organization based in Montpelier, Vt. opposes the change. The group is engaged in an awareness campaign that seeks to educate the public about the policy. Vermonters for Health Care Freedom cite the tax increase as unnecessary and the primary problem with the Green Mountain Care system, and the organization has expressed concern that the reformed healthcare system may not provide healthcare to Vermonters as efficiently and as effectively as the current system.
Brock states on his website that he envisions “a Vermont where prudent regulation, free choice and abundant competition have made the high quality and low cost of Vermont health care the envy of the nation.”
Brock proposes the adaptation of consumer-driven health care that changes to accommodate preferences of individual Vermonters instead of a compulsory health care wholesale mandated by the state.
However, more than 47,000 Vermonters remain uninsured, and Shumlin is currently working to guarantee that Green Mountain Care provides health insurance for all Vermonters.
The Vermont state government is currently requesting further federal funding for a “waiver for state innovation” for Green Mountain Care system that establishes a global healthcare budget for the entire state and a unified system of payment rules for compensating providers. These standards comply with the ACA standards and await approval.
Vermont hopes to use the $104 million in federal grant money to finalize the creation of the exchange outlined by Shumlin in Act 48. The funds will primarily be used to improve Vermont’s outdated information technology network — existing hardware is over 35 years old in many parts of the state — and to create public education programs to educate individuals and small business about the state’s online healthcare exchange, which will be called Vermont Health Connect when it goes online in October 2013.
(09/26/12 9:50pm)
Middlebury students enjoy a uniquely flexible and varied dining experience. Unhindered by a restrictive meal plan, students can come and go as the please during the morning, afternoon and evening and enjoy freshly prepared arranged foods from a variety of fresh local sources. Every day, students can choose from a colorful array of produce that includes local fruits, vegetables, dairy products and other items. Dining services use food from 47 fresh, local sources to put together a varied menu for the students. This cornucopia makes it easy for students to overlook the many hardworking dining services employees that go to great lengths to provide them with a top notch dining experience.
One of these tireless employees is Margaret Brande. A 5’2’’ woman with a gentle smile, she grew up in the southern part of Ireland before moving to London for better job opportunities. While living in London with friends she met her future husband, a native Vermonter, and the couple moved to Vermont in November 1974.
Brande was initially apprehensive about the move, but she quickly adapted to her new life in Vermont thanks to the strikingly similar natural features that she found in Middlebury.
“[There are] lots of greens, lots of trees,” said Brande. “They remind me of Ireland.”
Brande came to feel at home in the green pastures and mountains of Vermont, and was soon busy looking after her two children, who ended up unintentionally leading her into the catering industry. While her children attended Cornwall Elementary School, Brande got involved at the school and initiated a lunch program where she single-handedly managed lunch services for 120 people. She planned the menu with a limited budget from the government, cooked every day and distributed lunch boxes to each student. When her children graduated from high school, she decided to try something different.
“I was looking for change,” said Brande. “I [was] looking for adults — not kids. So I was looking for Middlebury College, and I landed a job!”
In no time, her Middlebury career took off. She started as a café barrista at the rehearsal café on the ground floor of the Kevin P. Mahaney Center for the Arts, and then worked at the Grille. She currently works in Proctor dining hall at the language tables in the Redfield Proctor Dining Room during weekdays. Despite the long days she spends in Proctor, Brande loves her work.
“I love working in the dining [halls],” said Brande. “It’s fast-paced, it’s always on the go. You see different students, which is fun. I have the best boss in the world and the best colleagues that you can ever ask for.”
She enjoys having conversations with different students over the course of her workday, and works hard to make sure that they are satisfied with their meals. In fact, Brande views students as more than just customers and strives to accommodate their particular situations and needs.
“These are students who are in a hurry, who try to eat between classes,” said Brande. “We help them to keep them full and stay in great shape for classes.”
Brande said she enjoys interacting with students and takes mental notes of all the small gestures through which students show their appreciation.
“Students are really appreciative of what we are doing,” said Brande. “When they ask for something, they say ‘please;’ when we help them to get something, they say ‘thank you very much.’ That is nice.”
Brande sees the dining hall as something of a cultural intersection — a place where students and faculty from diverse backgrounds can get together and exchange ideas and have meaningful conversations. Another benefit she described was having the opportunity to reach out to people from all regions, states and countries.
“That is what college life is about,” said Brande. “Sitting with different people and meet[ing] those kinds of people that you have never met before. … I consider myself international and people [here] are from all different states and countries. To me [it] is interesting [to] … try to get to know where [different people] are from and what their place is like, so you can know more about the world.”