You may miss returning to that familiar pool or ice cream shop you have been working at since high school, but now it is time that those sleepless nights throughout college will come to use.

Now, us seniors will be able to put what we learned in college into practice.

As seniors are filling out countless applications and making career-decisions based on locations, Dubuque may be looking far more attractive as a place to settle down.

Greater Dubuque Development Corporation recently announced that Dubuque has climbed from 157^th place for small metropolitan area in the country for expected job growth to 1^st place on this year’s list.

Director of Workforce Development at Greater Dubuque Development Corporation Sarah Harris explained how Dubuque has seen a substantial spike in job growth, fueled by IBM, Hormel, Medline and other business expansion.

Dubuque has also moved up in the Forbes list of the best small areas for businesses and careers, making the leap from 40^th place in 2009 to 15^th place in 2010.

Harris explained how this jump is attributed to a combination of factors, but largely rests on the notion of Dubuque’s quality of life.

“With human capital being a number one asset, companies need to know that they are locating in a place where employees and their families want to live. Great schools, healthcare, low crime and community collaboration are just a few of the many qualities employers look for when choosing a location. Dubuque’s job market continues to increase because businesses see value in providing great quality of life for their employees,” remarked Harris.

However, the many opportunities available to Dubuque citizens are no coincidence.

The mayor and city council identified workforce development strategy as a top priority in the city of Dubuque, explained Harris.

As a result of their collaboration, Dubuque Works was formed. Greater Dubuque Development, Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, Telegraph Herald, Iowa Workforce Development, The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Dubuque Area Labor Management Council and Northeast Iowa Community College have all combined efforts to fill current and future workforce gaps and to strengthen existing workforce programs.

With the Greater Dubuque area being home to roughly 18,000 college students, the college presidents at the local institutions spoke highly of their students and their dedication to work closely with IBM leaders, creating a segway of talent for the future.

The pool of college graduates was later cited by IBM executives as one of the key factors in their decision-making progress, according to Harris.

City-workers are doing all they can to make college graduates aware of the career opportunities that exist in Dubuque after graduation.

Events such as the CEO Network Luncheons, Dubuque Live, Future Young Professionals and the Tri-College Career fair are just a few of the many opportunities for students to connect with CEOs, Human Resource executives and other community leaders right on campus, explained Harris.

“Due to the down economy, college students will be competing against experienced professionals for job opportunities. Internships, community involvement and a polished resume will give you an advantage over the competition,” said Harris.

Internship Coordinator at Loras College Faye Finnegan wants to make sure that students are aware of all the networking opportunities available to them right on campus as well as in the larger community.

“We as an institution have worked more closely with the Dubuque Chamber in showing students opportunities, such as through the Career Extraveganza and Dubuque LIVE. At least 7 students got offered full-time positions at the Career Extraveganza because they went in being open-minded. The Chamber also recently began hosting the Welcome Back Bash, which creates avenues for students who attend,” said Finnegan.

“The city is reaching out—we want you to stay; young professionals bring a lot to the table and we want you to be tied into the city and the Chamber,” stated Finnegan.

Senior Zach Gries took advantage of the opportunities Loras offered involving Dubuque.

Gries will be working for Cottingham and Butler as an Account Manager upon graduation.

This Dubuque Health Insurance Company was represented at this year’s Dubuque LIVE as well as the Career Fair.

“I spoke with Jennifer Wolf who is the Vice President of Human Resources at Cottingham and Butler at Dubuque LIVE, when she asked me about my graduation plans. Eventually she offered me a chance to interview, and the rest is history!” exclaimed Gries.

“There are a lot of great companies in Dubuque and even if people don’t want to stay forever, these companies provide GREAT experience. Cottingham and Butler is one of those companies. The experience I gain while there, could lead to a variety of new opportunities or a chance to grow with a company throughout my career,” said Gries.

As the city is making continuous efforts to enhance the area, focusing on recreation, advancements are seen through the Mines of Spain, the Riverfront, Arts and the Carnegie-Stout Library, companies are finding more of an avenue for business growth.

Senior Class President matt Romkey is optimistic that the reason seniors are staying in Dubuque is because of the exploitation of workforce.

“This is a very exciting time for the Dubuque community. I believe that this reiterates the fact that there are jobs out there if students are proactive. I have heard from several seniors that they will be staying in Dubuque next year and I believe these new opportunities are to credit for that,” stated Romkey.

Senior Derek Olberding will be holding the position of Loan Representative at Dubuque’s Fidelity Bank & Trust.

“The Greater Dubuque Development Corp and the City of Dubuque should be commended for the job they are doing. I know from personal experience that these two organizations are working very hard not only to retain businesses currently in Dubuque but also to attract new businesses to the city. Dubuque has been known for having many young people either grow up in the area or go to school in Dubuque only to lose that young talent to other larger cities. With the attractions of those businesses and their ability to create job growth they are doing everything in their power to keep that young talent in Dubuque and the ranking just proves that even more,” said Olberding.

(DUBUQUE)–Everyday oil from the Gulf of Mexico’s oil spill creeps a little closer to the shores of the surrounding states.  And even though the spill is thousands of miles away, local salons here in Dubuque have found a way to contribute to the cleanup efforts.

Before the oil spill students like, Sherry Ann Abing, at Capri College would throw

Sweeping up hair clippings for Matters of Trusts.

away the hair clippings from their clients. However with suggestions from Abing, Capri no longer puts the clippings to waste.   They are currently sweeping these clippings into a collection for a national group called, Matters of Trust.

Abing explains the objective of Matters of Trust, “They’re people taking clean hair and hair clippings from salons making mats out of them to clean up all oil spills.”

One pound of hair can potentially clean up five gallons of oil in two minutes.  Knowing this Abing suggested collecting for Matters of Trust months before the Gulf’s oil spill but it was really the spill that drove them to join the groups cause.

Abing said, “It just took this disaster to come in play where we ended up jumping in and saying, ‘Let’s go, let’s do this.’”

Hair naturally soaks up oil and recycling it is easy and cost efficient. “What better

Hair naturally soaks up oil and moisture.

way than to use something natural reuse it, recycle it, to help clean up oil spills all over,” Abing said.

Dubuquer’s find this collection of recycled hair one of the best ways they can help the world clean up.

Capri client, Brittney Dunmed went to Capri to get a haircut without the previous knowledge of the hair clipping donations. She commented, “I think it’s great. I’m really excited to help out with my hair.”

Client, Jeff Bushman shared the same experience.  He expressed, “It’s a win-win, helping out with the oil spill and then using it and they won’t be just throwing it away.”

Salons all around the Dubuque area have joined Capri and are now sweeping up

Capri clients are glad to hear their clippings are going to help with the oil relief.

their hair clippings. “We are all try to do what’s best for the community, right here as well as around the United States and even further,” said co-owner of Amirage Salon.

Capri College is the drop off site for all the salons in Dubuque area and will be indefinitely collecting their donation.

To see how hair mats are used to soak up oil click here.

Ray Oatis has been a citizen of Dubuque for the past five years.

“I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana,” says Oatis.

And when the opportunity to moved to Dubuque to get a better education, Oatis took it.

“To better myself as a person really to graduate from high school so I did I graduated from senior,” says Oatis.

And when he’s not working at Culvers, he’s playing guitar, drums, keyboard.

“I make beats.  I play basketball once or twice a week with the guys and I work at Culver’s,” explains Oatis.

Oatis and his roommates are living in downtown Dubuque. While living there they have heard many comments about others living in that same area.

“In the downtown area people get stereotyped a lot. You know if people see a black person they just assume that that person is from Chicago and that might not be true,” explains Oatis.

Oatis’s says his time in Dubuque has been pleasent for the most part and he has not had any negative racial slurs directed towards him, but he does remember a time when he was labeled because of the color of his skin.

“I had a guy come up to me and asked me ‘hey when was the last time you went home?’  I was confused but I said, ‘well uh last sumer’ he said ‘oh well I’m going back to Chicago next week.’ You know he thought that because I was black I was from Chicago.  It’s just crazy that he would think that I’m from Chicago just by looking at me,” says Oatis.

Mayor Roy Boul says as a life-long citizen, he’s seen diveristy grow in Dubuque and has heard racial comments grow too.

“I hear a lot about those statements and I think for the most part I contribute that to ignorance,” says Buol.

Buol says the answer to confronting and end those types of statements is through education.

“I really, truly believe that education is the key to acceptance.  Any advancement in society has been based on education and will continue to do so,” explains Buol.

Oatis agrees with Buol but thinks the answer can be solved in an even simpler way.

“Ask questions.  I would rather you ask me a question first before you assume that I don’t have a job or I don’t do this or that just because I am black.  Ask me if I have a job, I’ll tell you it’s that simple,”  says Oatis.

Wether the answer is education or asking a question, one thing is true, the road to acceptance of racial diversity is progress, but as for the journey, we still have a long way to go.

I have always been taught to “never judge a book by its cover,” however people are not even looking at the cover it seems.  What I mean is people aren’t even trying to get to know someone who is culturally different, in my opinion.  What these three individuals have taught me is this, to continue to do what I know I do best, ask questions.  I think that people are so afraid they are going to offend a person if they ask, “Hey where are you from,” or “so do you have a job?” 

We have to being willing to ask questions to get answers.  It’s a concept that seems so simple and yet it seems to me like it’s the most difficult action people do not want to take.  Also, education is key in terminating those racial slurs too.  If a person is willing to get to know their environment then it shows that person cares about the environment.  The same is true for someone willing to learn about their neighbors.  If a person is willing to take the steps to get to know a certain race or ethnic group, it shows they care and they do not want to assume how a person or a group of people are.

I could sit here and tell you to go and ask questions or go educate yourselves and stop the stereotypes, but it’s up to you to decide if you want to end it.  One person can only do so much to create change, but when they do it’s the rest of the followers who let the change grow and make a difference.

The following is a composition of Dos and Don’ts as collected from this year’s graduating seniors. Though they cannot undo their decisions, or alter their past, they can impart their advice to their fellow students. This is especially relevant in college when many great opportunities exist and the majority of the responsibility lies upon the student to explore those opportunities.

If you have not given this list prior thought—it’s not too late. Each day is an opportunity, a chance to BE MORE. Whether you’re a freshman, sophomore, junior or even senior, it’s not too late to explore your potential and try something new. As one incredibly ancient and wise tortoise in Kung Fu Panda describes, ‘Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the ‘PRESENT.’ Learning to let go is important, and learning to live in the present crucial, don’t become too concerned about what will be or what was, or else the “present” is wasted.

[KATE STACHOWIAK]

Do

• Really spend time with building relationships with others! Sit down and just talk!
• Be present to the people around you as well as the opportunities that arise and be present to your own needs and wants!
• Be random!
• There is so much more to life than just alcohol.  Spend at least one weekend a month not drinking.  You would be surprised what else there is to do.
• Visit your friends/roommates from Loras in their hometown and invite them to visit your hometown.

[SARAH CUNNINGHAM]
Do

• Find a spot in the library where you can get comfortable. Once you find a little “comfort zone” you will be amazed at the amount of concentration you are able to give your work.
• Spend a few nights staying out way too late. You may be tired, but you’ll get through the day just fine. There’s also a chance you may make some of the best memories of your college career.
• Over involve yourself for awhile. You can always pick and choose what you like best as you go along. College is a chance to try new things and discover new interests.

[KATE EARLEYWINE]

Do

• Be open to new perspectives.
• Enjoy late night talks.
• Ask yourself, “Who am I? Why am I here? Who do I want to become?”
• Get to know the resources our campus and community offer.
• Go on adventures and explore Dubuque.

Don’t

• Take your friends for granted.
• Forget to take care of yourself.
• Take college for classes, but for unique opportunities to live, grow and learn.
• Forget to embrace every moment and learn as much as you can from the good and the bad.

[ANDREW BUDI]

Do

• Work hard.
• Hand in homework early.Study and get good grades (they have not gone out of fashion).
• Talk to your friends and professors if you are confused.
• Avoid staring at your Facebook the entire class period and then try to explain that you just don’t get it.

[JAMES M JOHNSON]

Don’t

• Attend large house parties; the potential consequences are not worth the temporary enjoyment!
• Go home on weekends! Too many freshmen miss out on fun opportunities by leaving on weekends.
• Skip classes. Many teachers put a lot of weight into attendance and missing class can come back to haunt you.
• Forget to take any of Dr. Cochran’s politics classes. The two politics classes I had with Dr. Cochran were my favorite courses of my
• Loras experience (and I’m not even a Political Science major).
• Forget to give soccer a chance and watch the Loras play. Many people may think soccer is boring but I believe that they might think differently if they attend a match of the nationally ranked Loras men’s soccer team.

[ZACHARY GRIES]

Do

• Exercise! It might suck while lugging your bag to the AWC but you’ll feel SO much better afterwards (especially with all the stress of college)
• Try new restaurants! There’s a ton of small restaurants downtown and all over Dubuque; make it an adventure to find and try new ones with your friends.
• Try being the designated driver! Your friends will appreciate you and you’ll gain an interesting and FUN new perspective (and when your friends wake up in the a.m. hungover, you’ll have the last laugh!)
• Steal a cafeteria tray during the winter and go sledding with it
• Play zombies vs. humans!

Don’t

• Spend all your money at the beginning of the semester
• Get mad at your friends during housing sign up
• Forget to eat fruits and veggies!
• Say “yes” to something you don’t want to do
• Assume you’re going to remember all your homework assignments without writing them down!

[GERMAN PODGORNYI]

Do

• Do assignments early, you will have to do them anyway at some point. All-nighters are not fun if you have to finish assignment by 8am.
• Close your eyes for 10 seconds, and if you do not feel well or head spinning, stop or take a break, or you will be “worshiping the throne the rest of the night.”
• Talk to professors after class, some of them know lots of funny stories or just additional information.
• Log off Facebook unless you want to see how creative your friends can be with your status.

Don’t

• Worry too much about rules too much.
• Read jokes in class, some of them are too funny.

 Yes, the first annual Farmer’s Market is being held on campus, right before you go home.

The event scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 16 in the Keane parking lot is led by a group of four Loras students including junior Kimberly DeVore, senior Nicholas Hayden, sophomore Tira Hepker and myself, in association with the Platteville Farmer’s Market and Aramark. The market will include fruits and vegetables, some canned/jarred items, flowers, arts and crafts.

As a project idea for the fulfillment of the requirement for Issues in Global Politics class taught by Professor Jenna Lea, the idea sprang up in a class this past semester.

“This semester the POL 121 Global Issues classes were challenged to consider a global issue that has local impact. One group chose to look at local sustainability efforts and has worked diligently to bring a Farmer’s Market in miniature to Loras to show students how they can contribute to local sustainability by purchasing locally grown and produced products,” said Politics professor Lea. As the idea took root, student organizations such as Peace and Justice and LEAF lended their hand. Aramark became involved as well.

 Originally, the group hoped to raise money to build a wind turbine here on campus, a goal which still may come true owing to the donations received by the Farmer’s Market. But, as it was decreed impractical given the set time limit and the multiple aspects of such a large project, the idea of a Farmer’s Market here on Loras campus was introduced by DeVore. One of the goals behind this enterprise was to help support energy efficiency, but also to give ideas and knowledge.

 Senior Nick Hayden said, “I am really excited that my group and I came up with this idea. With the buy local movement that has been gaining its popularity these last few years, it was only a matter of time before students organized their own farmer’s market.”

 Additionally, this Farmer’s Market is not just about the food, but also about what can be done with the food. In other words, this farmer’s market is also showcasing something more valuable than food—education. Aramark has generously scheduled a cooking demonstration led by one of their chefs.

Volunteers are also needed to help clean up after the event, so please, come, enjoy and help either by supporting the Go Green Initiative or by volunteering to help us afterwards. If interested, be sure to contact Kim DeVore via email at kimberly.devore@loras.edu or by dialing 319-521-7685. Items donated from vendors will be accepted and money raised will enhance the Loras College energy efficiency fund.

Typical food products travel hundreds if not thousands of miles before they end up in your kitchen. That’s a lot of food miles, and a tremendous amount of wasted fossil fuels and packaging. Buying regionally-produced food is a keystone of sustainability: not only does it save the energy costs associated with shipping bulk products; it also keeps a portion of your grocery money close to where you live. So, continue to locate your local farmer’s market this summer and add it to your weekly errands. You’ll be supporting local growers while enjoying fresh, seasonal produce. With steps taken like this, more people will hopefully start thinking of other actionable ways to present a lighter environmental footstep. And that’s how meaningful change begins.

When I think about biking I go back to the time when I first learned to ride it. I was around 10 years old when my brother and I rented a bike from a bike-shop (Rs 15 or approximately 2 cents for an hour). I sat on the back seat, tightly held my brother riding the bike, and went off to a nearby open field for the day’s lesson. It was now my turn to sit on the front seat. As I sat and had a good grip on the handles, my brother held the bike in position and on the count of three he gave a gentle push from the behind. Interestingly enough, I could keep going without a fall. I had seen my brother ride the bike and had ridden with him but I had never thought it would come to me that easily. From this incident I had always been very hopeful about learning to do new things, thinking very presumptuously that everything would come easily to me. Unfortunately, even after taking a semester long swimming class, I cannot float on water; I have found that playing piano is not as easy as it looks; the next test in the line is driving and I wonder how many crashes I will have to go through before I can drive in the streets. Although I have fallen from my bike multiple times and bruised numerous parts of my body, I can always boast that biking came naturally to me.

The joy of biking to me comes from the liberty it provides me to look the world from different eyes; to go to places where walking isn’t feasible; to challenge myself to ride up and down the hills and through narrow and wide streets; and to discover new places. It also provides me the liberty to enjoy nature in the friendliest manner. As I cycle the pedals and as the wheels stride, the gust of air hits my face and traverses through my hair and I get elated. I get elated when I hold my head high and behold the passing from heightened levels.

What sets biking apart from any other physical activity is its amusement. It can be tiring but there is fun involved. It may seem solitary but the world surrounds you. One can relate life to a bike ride; the road to walk is topsy-turvy; the best way to reach our destination is to pace ourselves, have a firm grip on the handles, make the right turns at the right time and most importantly enjoy every second of the ride throughout.

Bike this summer/fall and live a mentally/ physically sound lifestyle while the warm weather is still in hand. May 17-21 is ‘Bike to work week’. Take a break from your four wheelers!

“The strides taken at Samsung in recent weeks have been amazing.” said spokeswoman Lisa Berger. “We wanted to, and have succeeded at, creating a television hardly perceptible to human comprehension.”

The announcement comes at a surprising time, especially after the recent development of Samsung’s third dimensional television. The third dimensional televisions require 3D goggles, which are sold separately from the actual television unit. According to Berger, the 3D TV was a breakthrough in television technology around three months ago, but is now “isn’t that great.”

“It was kind of cool back then, but the 4D TV is a lot newer than those 3D ones.” She explained. “But the 3D TV is still good for some things. like watching some of the older movies, like Avatar and Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen.  The people who have the 3D TVs don’t own pieces of junk or anything, it’s just that there is something bigger and better out there now. The 4D TV is different; it gives the consumer a viewing experience unlike any other.”

The 4D TV does not come with glasses or any third party viewing assistance objects. According to Berger, all the viewer needs is “their imagination.” The viewer would sit down in their couch, stare at the screen, and, in doing that, momentarily stop time.

“Then the TV works just like any old 3D TV, except all the clocks in the room are stopped.” Explained Berger

Sales for the 4D TV are set to begin in early 2011, but Berger says customers can already reserve theirs online. “Prices are yet to be determined,” explained Berger ,” because the fourth dimensional television is too hard to comprehend and finding a price, at this point would be just ‘silly’.”

“Samsung’s main goal was to create a television that is not able to be comprehended by the human brain, nor “will it probably ever be”  she said. “It is a way for our Samsung consumers to experience something that very few living beings have, even scientists. We feel it’s time to give the consumers the viewing-experience they deserve, even if they don’t know they deserve it yet.”

Berger finished by explaining that Sony Entertainment also is planning to release a 4D TV, but she urged consumers not to buy it because “lots of what Sony makes is crap. I’m not saying that because I work for Samsung. Their stuff is just not that good.”

The baby has the eyes of the woman on the bed

The nurse cradles him close and wipes the blood off his head

If there wasn’t a war, and the plane hadn’t gone down

It’d be daddy in the room holding his little boy instead

The baby grows up a man, faster than most could believe

While his mother plays daddy; she doesn’t succeed

There’s emptiness there and it’s hard to ignore

The boy grows up with big things in store

The boy turns eighteen and signs the forms

His mom says no all he does is scorn

His daddy left a job and it’s his to complete

He boards with pictures in hand and boots on his feet

The pictures show dozens of green, camouflaged men

They stare back at him as he imagines again

What his father endured with the bullets and bombs

What it was like to be there, battling ‘til the end

The boy’s daddy kneels and stares back at him

With his green on tight; a helmet tied to his chin

Bombs exploded and missiles launched

But all these dangers meant nothing to him

Like father, like son, the boy will stand and fight

With a belief that what his father did was right

As the commander yells it’s time to jump

He puts the picture away and falls in to the night