I was recently accepted to the Sigma Beta Delta Leadership Academy in San Diego, CA.  Sigma Beta Delta is the national honorary society for Business majors. I was one of 25 students selected nationally and the only student chosen from Ohio to attend this prestigious program.  During the three day conference, the 25 participants from different states and universities around the country worked together to develop new projects that could bring significant positive changes to the world. Selected student projects will be implemented with the help and resources of Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society. The purpose of the leadership academy was to collect a group of young leaders together and work on different projects that will better serve humanity.

James Fawler author of the book Connected

The Sigma Beta Delta Leadership Academy was indeed one of the most educational and fun trips I have had so far. Besides meeting a group of wonderful and influential people, I learned the importance of serving our communities. Overall, this leadership academy was a great opportunity for me to increase my leadership skills, learn about others, and be a better global citizen.

SBD President Dr. Donald Driemeier & Founding President Dr. James Bearden

Group2 Company: The Sirak-Brockett Agency.

Group2 Members

The members of the Group2 formed a consulting team and analyzed the Information System/Management Information System of Sirak-Brockett Agency, part of Sirak Financial Companies.  The group members developed a quitionarie to ask the IT manager of the company regarding the IT department and the system used at the company. After evaluating their IT department, the group provided recommendations for future improvement.

On Friday November 5th, the group met with Tod Kendle the IT director of the company to discuss the project and evaluate the IT structure of the company. During this meeting, the members of the group asked questions and took notes. Following on that, another day was planned for a group meeting to discuss the notes taken on Friday and assign responsiblities to each group member.

There are five members in the group and each one had different responsibilities and duties to accomplish before the project. For instance, the the overall report was divided into three sections with each member doing one section. One member took responsibility of doing the presentation (powerpoint) and the other member of the group was in charge of preparing the Wiki and the Blog for the project.

The Wiki was used as a collaborative tool to upload and discuss the overall project. The Wiki is designed to be viewed by everyone but only the members of the project could edit the contents of the wiki. A common username and password was created and distributed among the members to long in to the Wiki and bring changes.

Although the Wiki, which is linked to each members Facebook, and E-mail was used to communicate habitually, the group decided to have a final physical group meeting to review everything and make sure the project was ready for presentation. On Tuesday November 30, the group met for the last time. Each member presented their part of the project. Feedbacks were given and necessary steps were taken to finalize the whole project. Also, this last meeting was planned to make sure each member knew their roles during the presentation.

To read more about the project please visit the group Wiki by clicking here

Every year Walsh University has a Bowl-a-thon to honor Brother Charlie. The purpose of this event is to raise money for student scholarship. Last night was this year’s Bowl-a-thon. The event was at Park Center Lanes, about five minutes away from Walsh. Over 35 teams registered for the event.

Each team had around 4 – 5 players. A few of the teams were made out of staff, faculty and alumni. So as you can see, the event was not solely for students. Due to the fact that it was a fund raising event for a non-profit organization, (Student Scholarship, for Walsh University) the overall cost for students was very cheap. It was only 5 dollars per person to play three games along with bowling shoes. This is extremely cheap compare to regular price.

My roommates and I made a team and went there last night. Two of my roommates Lacy and Aaron are very good bowlers. However, Matt my other roommate who is not an experienced bowler virtually beat everyone last night. He was bowling for fun, as he was saying last night. We were all surprised especially Lacy who claimed to win. Although we play games competitively and debate religion and politics regularly, in the end we are best friends. My roommates and I get a long very good together. We call ourselves 1B, which stands for the people who live in the apartment 1B.

Overall, last night was a very fun and entertaining night. I was fascinated to see all these people attended the event either to have fun, to help raise money for scholarship, or to just practice their bowling skills. Also It was a good time to see other friends and colleagues outside of school and mingle for a little bit.

Walsh family weekend is one of the most famous weekends on campus. Student’s families come over for a weekend of excitement full of fun activities. During this weekend, the UPB and the student activity office provide many different activities for the student’s families. Usually they plan they make sure that the family weekend falls during a Saturday in which the football team has a home game. So families could go watch the game in the morning and come back on campus across the street at the Hoover Park and have fun.

The family weekend virtually started Friday afternoon. The international club had Walsh University Around the World yesterday. They provided international music, food, and activities; in addition, they helped the visitors learn how Walsh University is making an impact across the globe.

A lot of families were already registered and some registered last night. The UPB presented the movie Toy Story 3 in the gym for everyone to watch. The plan was to have the movie outside; however, the weather was not very good. The movie had many audience of different age. Students a long with their parents and little sibs showed up and enjoyed this wonderful movie on a big screen.
Today, Saturday, parents will go to the President’s Breakfast in the morning in the Barret Center, while the students a long with their little sibs another delicious breakfast in the David Center. At 12:00 PM Walsh plays Ohio Dominican University at the fawcet stadium. Families are provided with ticket to attend the game if they want to.

Before the game finishes, almost all the student clubs will be at the Hoover Park preparing some sort of activities for the families and kids to come. For example, the international club will have a face painting and tattoo table.  There is going to be balloon animals, corn hole, photo booth, petting zoo, carnival games, habitat for humanity build, hot air balloon, professional storyteller, and many more.
Walsh family weekend is a wonderful weekend full of excitement and fun for those who are taking advantage of it.

Hi everyone,

Writing new blogs has been quite slow during the last few months. In fact some of you have asked if I was still blogging. Well, from today, every week there is going to be a new, exciting and fun post.

The banner

Today, I am going to write about the Student Government opening weekend event, the Mix N’ Mingle. The student government has been trying to throw an event on Sunday. After weeks of preparing and advertising, we were finally ready for it. On Saturday, while more than 400 freshmen were moving in, we (the student government executive board) decided to talk to them personally and invite them for tomorrow’s event. As the president of the student government, I believed that this event could be a good opportunity for freshmen to meet new people and get more familiar with the overall campus.

Students waiting on line to get food

Starting at 10:30 AM today, I had all my volunteers and executive board preparing the event. By 12:30 everyone was ready. The grill was making burgers and hotdogs, drinks were all cold and ready to be served, the pop corn machine was busy making popcorns, the sno-cone machine was surrounded by students craving for something cold in such a hot day, other student were busy playing cornhole and volleyball, and our live DJ added more fun to the event with his wonderful collection of music.

The DJ

Besides food and games, we had slip and slide and water balloon fight. Due to the fact that the weather was very hot today, more than hundred our balloons filled with water disappeared in a matter of minutes.

Filling up the balloons with water

Overall, it was a wonderful event before the beginning of school tomorrow. Because it was our first time throwing such an event during the opening weekend, we were nervous and doubtful about the overall result of the event. However, not only me but all the executive board were very happy with the results. Everything went very well and we are looking forward for future events

I am excited for tomorrow to meet my new classmates and probably new professors.

Since my return back, a lot of my friends have asked me to write a blog about my trip to Amsterdam where I visited my brother after 13 years. Well, here it is…

It was Wednesday when I bought my flight ticket from Rome to Amsterdam and sent a copy of the itinerary to my brother. I flew to Amsterdam the same day and arrived at schiphol airport around 3:40 PM. The flight was exactly on time. Since I did not have any language, I walked straight towards the exit sign. I was very excited to see my brother after 13 years.

I walked outside and ready to scream the moment I see him, but saw no sign of him. I kept looking around for a few minutes and still no sign of him. I did see a guy with dark hair and dark complexion walking with a lady and looking at me. I told myself, this cannot be him. The same guy kept walking around for a while.

Finally, after waiting at the arrival for around 24 minutes, I decided to ask someone for a phone and call him to see where he was. Well, I saw the same guy walking towards me. As he got closer to me, I said “SalamAlikom.” He smiled and I realized that it was him, Sharaf, my brother who has been away from home for almost 13 years.

He was there on time, but I guess we did not recognize each other. It was like a movie. All we missed at that time was a video camera. We hugged each other and… As well, I got introduced to his wife, who is a Dutch citizen. She was a very beautiful blond girl with blue eyes, completely different than what I expected: a dark hair dark complexion girl.

I had the best time being with him and his wife in Amsterdam. I wish I could stay longer so I could get to know him more; however, I am very optimistic that we will meet again soon. Time went by very fast. Overall, it was the greatest time of my entire trip.

Sharaf and I

After the Colosseum, the catacombs are the second most important and fascinating remaining I have seen in Rome. They are scary and exciting simultaneously. As I was walking through them, I felt scared; not scared of this world but scared of the grave. “Imagine being in one of these small graves buried under tons of sand and soil” The people who were buried there knew that they will be killed or punished if they get caught worshiping Jesus “their faith,” but they still did it. However, today, we take freedom of religion for granted.

inside the catacombs

Also, I was really shocked to see people walk the steps on their knees “the wholly steps” of Santa Scala. In Afghanistan, which is a third world country, a lot of people including my mother do such actions. The older generations think it is rude if you not do it; however, the younger including myself, believe that these things are superstations. When looking at Danilo and other students walking all the way up the steps with their knees, I was amazed to see such “superstation” in a first world country where people are all educated.

In fornt of Santa scala

The wholly steps (Santa Scala)

Finally, Venice! The city that lives on water is one of the most beautiful cities of Rome. However, I did not really like it. The entire city is surrounded by water, and anywhere you go, you have to take a water taxi. Due to the fact that I do not know how to swim, I am extremely afraid of water. This was one of the reasons I did not like the water taxis. In addition, the rest of the city is all about shopping. So basically, if you like shopping and riding boats, Venice is for you; otherwise, do not even bother. However, I would like to state that the gondola ride was the unforgettable memory of this city.

Saint Marco

Gandola ride

eating pizza in Venice

Lets see if Florence is better than Venice…

Rome, Italy

As you may recall, I mentioned in my previous post that my next blog will be from Rome; well, here I am in Rome the city of Fountains, writing this blog. As of now, I have spent my first week in Rome studying with 12 other students in Castle Gandolfo.

Send off at Walsh

So far, this trip has left me speechless. In fact, I have traveled to many countries before including Germany, India, USA but this trip is completely different than others. I cannot believe one week has passed already.

Rome airport

Well, our studies started last Monday. Every day from 8:30 to 9:30 we are in the class studying one of the four courses already assigned. Then, the entire group will go to Rome see and experience what we were just studying in the morning. For example, on Monday we talked about the Roman Empire and imperator Nero, later on that day we went inside the Colosseum (Coliseum) and the Roman Forum and witnessed everything with our naked eyes. Seeing a picture in the book than witnessing it with bare eyes is absolutely different. As soon as I entered the Coliseum everything changed. All I was asking myself is how did they build such a thing 2000 years ago without any kind of sophisticated technology or machineries. Honestly, as I was walking around it, I felt like I am in the old times watching the gladiator fighting each other.

The Coliseum

Group Picture inside the Coliseum

Likewise, the next few days of last week, we went to other parts of the city and observed everything from near. For example, at the Spanish Steps or (Piazza di Spagna) we got to see some of the very beautiful fountains. At Piazza del Popolo, we saw paintings of Bernini and Caravaggio. Looking at them made me glare more and create my own story from the paintings. They are absolutely gorgeous.

crucifiction of peter by Caravaggio

So far, the trip has been magnificent. The weather is really nice. Food is delicious. Almost anything I ate so far has been tasty. One of my favorite things in Rome is gelato (Ice cream). Their ice cream is a lot different than in America. It is kind of expensive but it is worth it. Indeed, coffee is unforgettable here. Every morning, I start my day with a cup of coffee. Overall, I would like to say that Rome is just incredible. Not only the sceneries or historical remains of Roman Empire, but also the people, the food and the culture of Rome, Italy will stay with me as unforgettable memory.

I will soon upload the next blog from one of the weekend trips…

Eating gelato in Piazza del Popolo

Regards,