Wine, Fashion, and Beer

So this semester has been a successful one for Community Relations in PRSSA at Missouri State, if I do say so myself.

In one week, we volunteered at a Wine Tasting at MacDoodles for GYN Cancer Alliance, walked the runway for a Girls Night Out at Talbots for Ozarks Food Harvest, and put on Beerfest at the Shrine Mosque for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks.

Here are some pictures to enjoy: 

Wine Tasting for GYN Cancer Alliance

"Girls Night Out" for Ozarks Food Harvest

Lindsey, PR Manager at OFH, could not help but try on an outfit even though she was not planning on being a model.

All fashion show photos are from http://www.facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest

Sorry, no photos from Beerfest because I did not attend, but I hear great things from my fellow PR volunteers. And I look forward to what next semester holds for PRSSA!

P.S. Wednesday is World AIDS Day, and I plan on spending it at the Candlelight Vigil at Founder's Park in Springfield, MO sponsored by AIDS Project of the Ozarks. The event starts at 5 p.m. and will last until 6 p.m. Please consider attending to support the people in our community struggling with this terrible disease. If you cannot make that, mark December 6th on your calendar because Jeanne White-Ginder is speaking at MSU in honor of World AIDS DAY.

Compassion International in Colorado

3) Apply for an internship with Compassion International in Colorado Springs, CO.

Ever since I decided to become a Public Relations major two years ago, I dreamed about applying to Compassion International Internship program. It seems to be a great summer program, and I like Colorado Springs.

Weheartit

Here are the details:

1. Students that graduate between May 2011 and May 2013 are eligible. Check.
2. Have a 3.2 GPA. Check.
3. It is a 10 week program from May 23, 2011 to August 1, 2011.
4. Deadline for application is January 9,  2011.
5. Internships available in the Communications Department.
6. More detailed job descriptions available December 6, 2010!
7. Optional Vision Trip August 4-11, 2011 to Dominican Republic. Cost $1, 200.
8. Paid internship of $8 an hour.
9. Four day work weeks (Monday through Thursday) and Friday will be a rotating volunteer day.
10. Out-of-state students have the option to living with a Compassion host home for $300. Transportation not provided.

Of course, I would have to find a fabulous coffee shop to work in there to incorporate coffee into this adventure. I am not familiar with the area, so I am up for ideas! This idea excites me because it would take care of the summer and fulfill every aspect of what I want this adventure to be. 

I would get to see the States as well as another country and get another internship all at the same time.

Thoughts?

I am a Barista

Pic by Koni

I am a Barista at a local coffee shop in Springfield, MO called The Coffee Ethic and have been for one year now. However, I have been a Barista for 4 years starting at my mom's cafe: Grace Cafe. Unfortunately her shop closed down two years ago, because Cape Girardeau wasn't ready for her coffee. She was ahead of her time.

Pic by Liz Church

Now, I am going to school in Springfield and work at the most EPIC coffee shop in the world: The Coffee Ethic. A year before I moved to Springfield, I lived in Bolivar and use to drive 45 minutes just to get a cup of coffee from this place. I really am living a dream come true!

Pic by Koni

Sometimes I am just in awe of coffee, the process it has to go under before it gets to a customer-- especially, espresso. It is just beautiful sometimes. The rich color takes my breath away.

Pic by Me

 I always joke that I do my best Barista work in my skinny jeans. You know just reinforcing the third wave stereotypes, but I don't have any tattoos or facial hair so I am already an oddball. ;)

 

Pic by Koni

My favorite part of being a Barista is the people. I have met so many great people in the Springfield community and from all over the world. In fact, today, I met a guy who rooms with a Barista in Dayton, Ohio and was told he had to try our Clover. Also, two Baristas from a Tulsa, Oklahoma shop called Topeca came in, and we had some great conversations.

Pic by Koni

The sense of community created in a coffee shop is incredible, and I love what I do.

Chicago: Children and Coffee

2) Apply for an internship with World Vision in Chicago, IL

and

9) Work at an awesome coffee shop wherever I end up.

This past summer, I took a two day trip to Chicago with ladybug and two other friends. It was so fun to learn how to navigate the city (I ended up being the tour guide). It was intimidating occasionally to be four girls alone in a strange, big city, but it was worth it.

Kudos to me

Big cities have always intimidated me, but now I want to go back. One of my favorite non-profits, World Vision, has a location in Chicago. World Vision is a "Christian relief, development and advocacy organization" committed to communities and families across the globe to lower poverty and erase injustice. One of there most familiar programs is the child sponsorship program. Read my review of World Vision's president's new book here.

So applying for an internship would be a great way to get back to the Windy City.

Kudos to ladybug

So here's the scoop: 

World Vision in Chicago is looking for:

"Managers for Team World Vision are looking for students who have knowledge of or background in grassroots marketing, social media or event planning.

The U.S. Programs department is looking for students who are passionate about domestic issues and have strong interpersonal skills."

Okay, that is right up my alley! I love grassroots marketing, social media, and event planning. I even bought a book this year about social media and PR. 

They offer internships in the fall, spring, and summer semesters to anyone enrolled in a university or one year after graduation. Some stipends are available for graduates (not me) and housing is not available. Interns are asked to give up 10 to 12 weeks and work at least 15 hours a week but encouraged to work 30 to 40 hours a week.

Kudos to me

With no monetary stipend though, I would need a part-time job. Coffee shop is a must. While I was in Chicago, I visited the Intelligentsia store in Millennium Park. It was so incredible. I felt like I was in a laboratory of coffee goodness. Definitely, a good example of a third wave coffee shop. 

Or any coffee shop for that matter like Wormhole Coffee, The Coffee and Tea Exchange, or a random mom and pop one I happen to stumble in. 

Kudos to me and Intelligentsia Coffee for a great single origin cappecino

All in all, this sounds AWESOME and SCARY. I would have to find somewhere to live for three months like maybe a family or an apartment. I would have to find a job and live in a giant city, essentially alone. Getting an internship with World Vision might be worth the risk though, we will see.

Thoughts on this possible adventure?

Exploring the Ecuador Experience

1) Study Abroad in Ecuador with Missouri State University

Okay, so option one I am exploring is studying abroad. I have always wanted to study abroad, but the timing has never been right. A whole semester is just too much for me at this point in my life. However, the Spanish Department at Missouri State University has a four week program every summer. This year they are going to Ecuador!

weheartit.com

So here's the scoop:

The program is May 22, 2011 to June 19, 2011. It costs...wait for it...$4,000. Although that is terribly expensive, it includes everything as well as getting 6 hours of credit towards my Spanish minor. Yeah! The deadline is March 4, 2010 with a non-refundable deposit of $300. The teacher chaperon is Dr. Roger Dowdy.

We would stay two students to a room with a host family that are native speakers and go to class everyday. The classes are taught by native speakers, and there are four students to every teacher. Talk about personal attention! Dr. Dowdy said that each Thursday they volunteer at a Boys and Girls Club sort of thing and just play with the lower income kids. (Which is a great way to learn Spanish like I discussed in a previous post) On the weekends, there will be multiple "excursions", Dr. Dowdy said.

In conclusion, great opportunity that costs a lot of $$$. To me, I like the idea of study abroad because in the realms of adventure, it is safe. I know, lame reason but I am not much of a risk taker. This would be an adventure filled with rich experience, but I know I would be provided for and taken care of, for the most part.   

This trip would definitely embody community and culture by emerging myself in a new culture and community, which would leave room for a coffee adventure! I have been wanting to spend more than a week in a Spanish speaking country for a long time to harness my language skills, and this could be my chance.

What do you think?

Halloween Night at the Museum

Friday night, it was PRSSA's first volunteering event coordinated by me. Me, Lindsey, Travis, and Doug all helped out at The Discovery Center's Halloween Night at the Museum.

It was such a neat idea. Kids came dressed in costume and could go to different booths that were both scientific and about Halloween. The grand finale involved blowing up pumpkins. I didn't get to see it because I was cleaning, but it sounded like a lot of fun.

My favorite part of volunteering at events like this is meeting new people. I greeted with a sweet lady named Linda, who was a Drury student in a Organic Chemistry class. During candy lulls, we got to chit chat, and it is always fun to meet new people. :)

 It was so fun! I was a greeter at the door, so I had the best seat for all the cute costumes the kids wore. There were a lot of Spidermen, Woodys, and Buzz Lightyears. I also gave out candy at the end, so I think I was automatically the kids favorite volunteer.

My friend, Megan West, who works at The Discovery Center, was also there and a cat like me! It was good to see her at her work place.

Travis, my beau, was a sheriff. He was so sweet to help with my volunteer event!

Me, Doug, and Lindsey posed for a picture for at the end of the night. (Lindsey was a "cereal killer", which was pretty creative.) All in all, I would call this event a great success for The Discovery Center and PRSSA. Looking forward to more opportunities to volunteer this year!