Bolster Your Degree by Learning a Foreign Language

Posted on May 10, 2012 by The RIC Team

Bolster Your Master’s Degree by Learning a Foreign Language

A quick glance at education-related news today will yield numerous stories about debt-laden students not having the networks, skills, or experience needed to find a job. As a result of a sluggish labor market, students today are looking for innovative ways to market themselves to potential employers. Historically, having a degree was enough to guarantee a job upon graduation, but many education experts today believe that the master’s degree is becoming the norm in today’s society. Some have flocked to “skill-based” fields such as engineering or business while others have pursued freelance positions, but a less-commonly taken path to prosperity is to supplement one’s master’s degree with a foreign language. Not only does adopting multiple languages open up career opportunities, but studies have shown that having this skill also improves physical and mental health in the future.

Career Advantages of Foreign Language Study

Foreign language study is a given for aspiring translators or interpreters, foreign language instructors, or students who intend to study abroad in a program conducted in the language of the host country. However, studying a foreign language during school enhances degrees even when there is no obvious connection to the subject matter. Studying a foreign language during an MBA program, for example, can be the determining factor in landing a plum assignment with an international corporation, or gaining a prestige international client as an independent consultant.

In other cases, bypassing the opportunity to learn French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic or some other language is often a short-sighted decision that has detrimental effect on a student’s future career. For instance, some ability in speaking, reading or understanding a foreign language is almost essential for professionals such as attorneys, physicians, educators and scientists whose work means interacting with a multicultural population of colleagues and clients.

Foreign Language Study and Career Enhancement

Aspiring classical musicians, art historians and diplomats often complete advanced foreign language study as part of their program curriculums. Even when foreign language instruction is not required, many students gain a working knowledge of at least one foreign language either along with their studies or as part of their undergraduate studies. Knowledge of a foreign language enables students in these professions to read source documents in their original languages and communicate with colleagues on work teams comprised of individuals worldwide.

Classical Music

Although young talents like Chinese pianist Lang Lang have renewed interest in classical music, its roots are planted firmly in 17^th and 18^th Century Europe. Much of the body of classical music, whether the medium is opera, chamber music or symphonies, is available only in German, Italian or French. Studying classical music as a performer, conductor or music historian is greatly enhanced if you have a working knowledge of at least one European language. At the Julliard School, students studying Piano in the Doctor of Musical Arts program are required to study musical history and critique along with performance instruction. A first-year doctoral course, History and Practice: Renaissance and Baroque Periods, examines composers, culture and repertoires of music during this period. A second year course, Studies in Style Criticism Topic: The Songs and Symphonies of Brahms and Mahler, examines the social forces that influenced the music of these two composers along with addressing the mechanics of text, meter and instrumentation of each composer’s works.

Art History

Museums, libraries, historical sites, zoos, universities and governmental units at the local, state and national level employ art historians and archivists to catalogue and present works of art, historical papers, audio and video recordings, photos, archeological artifacts and antiquities. Curators and historians who know at least one foreign language are at a distinct advantage in the job market, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While students in the Master of Arts in Modern and Contemporary Art History, Theory, and Criticism program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago are not required to study a foreign language, they are strongly encouraged to do so to support their academic research, especially if they later enroll in the doctoral program.

Diplomacy

The United States government dispatches ambassadors and diplomats to nearly every country on Earth, including posts in the developing world and in hostile hot spots. The State Department employs Foreign Service Officers to fill these important posts. One of the absolute requirements of a Foreign Service assignment is to know or be willing to learn one or more foreign languages . Students enrolled in the Lauder Program at the Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania) combine in-depth language study along with courses addressing the culture, business climate and politics of a single region to earn a joint MBA and a Master of Arts in International Studies degree.

Health Benefits of Foreign Language Study

Separately, for students beginning a master’s degree program, age-related cognitive decline may seem like a distant worry, if they consider the issue at all. Even so, studying a foreign language in school can provide immediate benefits that endure even into old age. Bilingualism seems to be an especially potent weapon against the onset of dementia. Specifically, knowing a second language seems to significantly slow the progression of the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

According to a study conducted at York University in Toronto, Canada; within a group of approximately 100 patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, the bilingual patients had been diagnosed an average of four years later than patients who only spoke one language. Further, CT scans of patients who were the same age and functioning at the same cognitive effects showed that the physical damage to the bilingual patients’ brains was greater. The study seems to indicate that knowing a second language slows the progression of the disease. This benefit seems to stem from the fact that learning a second language improves analytic functioning, which is especially valuable in completing graduate level subjects.

For Further Reading:

OnlineMastersDegree.com provides information and resources to prospective graduate students. There is a wealth of information on the Internet about continuing your education and going back to school for another degree. We made it simple and collected a library of useful information to provide answers to all your questions.

Choosing a Roommate and Co-Existing

Posted on August 12, 2011 by Kelsey Halling

If you need some help choosing a roommate you can live with, you came to the right person. Since moving out of my parents house at 18, I’ve had every type of roommate experience from the dorm room with bunk-beds, to 6 people in an apartment in Oakland, to a bunch of girls in a house in Bloomfield, to my current living situation with one other person. I have lived with boys and girls. Fought over things like, what temperature the thermostat was set to. I’ve slammed doors, strained friendships, shared clothes, and have had some of the best times of my life with my roommates.

two very different people trying to be roommates

Image extracted from: The State News

Sometimes having roommates was awesome. For instance the 6 of us that lived in Oakland all got matching tattoos of our house number when we moved out. (Yes, we really did, and yes my Mom freaked out.) Other times, like the time our electricity was shut off, or the times I’d spend hours cleaning the kitchen only to come home to find it completely trashed an hour later, was enough to make me swear off living with anyone ever again and reevaluate the process of choosing a roommate. Through all of this though, I’ve learned a lot from having roommates. Specifically, how I like to live and how that should reflect on the process of choosing a roommate.

Living with someone is a unique relationship. Just because you’re great friends, doesn’t mean you will be great roommates. But sometimes, as is the case with my current living situation, those two instances happen simultaneously creating a really incredible living situation.

Chris (my roommate) and I are at a point, where having a roommate is no longer a financial necessity like it was when we were students. However, just because you can live alone, doesn’t necessarily mean you want to. I really like living with another person, and sharing the responsibilities of a space. Here are some general rules for choosing a roommate and living together that I’ve discovered, lead to a great roommate experience.

Share responsibilities

Image extracted from: Bonin Family Adventures

I hate calling utility companies. Chris doesn’t like talking to our landlord. So, he handles all of our utility bills, and I make sure our rent is paid on time, and negotiate with the landlord when necessary. This way, everything is taken care of, and no one feels overwhelmed by being responsible for everything.

Choosing a roommate who has similar values regarding cleanliness

Image extracted: Jahanc Blog

After living with roommates who have ranged from OCD like cleaning tendencies, to super messy, I have found that you can’t reasonably enforce your standards of cleanliness on other people. And why should you? If a level of messiness doesn’t bother someone, they won’t feel compelled to clean it up, and you will feel like you’re always nagging. Or, vice versa, you’ll constantly feel guilty for not reaching their standards of clean, so choosing a roommate that matches you in this aspect make a big difference. Both Chris and I fall somewhere in the middle. We don’t mind some dirty dishes in the sink, or glasses left on the coffee table, but we like a clean bathroom, and general tidiness, and cleaning up if we’re entertaining. For the first time, I don’t feel the need to have a chore chart or cleaning schedule. We just pick up, and take turns emptying the dishwasher, taking out the trash, and mopping the floor. It all works out, and there’s little tension regarding the state of the apartment.

Choosing a roommate and dealing with money

Image extracted from: Selective.com

Always a touchy issue, especially when it comes to roommates. My best suggestion is, when choosing a roommate, pick someone in a similar financial situation as you. It’s tough if you’re supporting yourself with 3 jobs and you have a roommate whose wealthy parents pay for everything and money isn’t an issue. It’s also tough if you can afford a certain standard of living, and your roommate can’t. Having similar access to, and outlooks on finances makes it easy to decide where to live, what and how you invest in your living space, and how you socialize outside of the living space. Be realistic about what shared expenses look like, and be sure you’re honest about what you’re willing to pay for. If you’re both hosting a party, or you both want to make some home improvements, decide how you’re splitting the expenses before you go out and make those purchases.

Food: what do you eat?

Image extracted from: College Candy

Have some basic rules around how you share your food. Most of ours are unspoken but go something like this:
-   Coffee, condiments, and beverages are all shared. When you buy these products you are buying them for the household, not just yourself.
-   Left-overs from restaurants are always off limits. I expect my second half of pad thai to be there for my lunch the next day. If it came from a restaurant and it’s not yours, don’t touch it.
-   If you’re cooking dinner, you don’t have to cook for the other person, but if they’re around, it’s a nice gesture to ask if they’re hungry and make enough for everyone, or tell them that there’s extra on the stove and to help themselves. Because of our different schedules, Chris and I don’t eat together real frequently, but sometimes we do, and it’s nice.

Don’t keep count

Image extracted from: Fine Fettle Guide

Who was the last person to by toilet paper? Who last replenished the coffee? I don’t know. And you shouldn’t either. You take turns doing these things, and it all balances out. Don’t keep tabs, it will make you bitter. And if it really is you doing all the chores, or buying all the household supplies all the time, then you may want to consider a new roommate entirely. Find someone you can trust, and take turns taking care of each other.

Finally, don’t forget to have fun choosing a roommate and having them around. Roommates can be the best. Invent traditions, have ongoing pranks, and enjoy the fact that when you’re bored on a Wednesday, you have someone to watch re-runs of Ally McBeal with.

Establishing Credit – How to Build a Credit History

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Lisa Florian

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Image extracted from: A Vegan Ballerina

We’ve all heard it before, the old “chicken or egg” question now let’s apply it to a real life scenario. You apply for a job and they’d like you to have more experience yet you need the job to get the experience. Sound familiar? The same applies to your personal credit situation. You need to establish credit so that you can build your credit history for future purchases including a car, home etc. However, when you apply for credit without any prior history, it can oftentimes be difficult to obtain. Chicken and egg.

Using Credit Cards

Believe it or not, it may seem like a great idea to use cash for all your purchases but it will come back to hurt you in the end when you are trying to make one of the purchases mentioned above – unless of course, you are using cash for that too which is unlikely. Establishing credit and using it wisely is what you want to do but the first thing you need to do is find an institution that will issue you credit so you can get started.

Establishing Credit with a Secured Card

Image extracted from: The Breaking Story

For those working on establishing credit, a secured credit card is usually the easiest type of credit to get. It requires you to make a cash deposit that the creditor can keep if you do not make your payments. (You will get the deposit back otherwise.) The credit limit is often low, and the interest can be high, but you may be able to convert it to a regular credit card after a year or two of on-time payments. You want to make sure that the creditor reports your account to the credit bureaus – if they don’t, you won’t be establishing credit and a credit history.

Getting a cosigner

Another strategy for establishing credit is to have someone with a good credit score cosign an account for you. This requires a great deal of trust on the part of the cosigner – if you fail to pay, he or she will be held responsible for the full balance. If you are under the age of 21 and are applying for a credit card, you have no choice but to obtain an application that contains the signature of a parent, guardian, or other individual 21 years of age or older who will take responsibility of the debt or proof that you have independent means of repaying any credit extended. Gone are the days of applying for a credit card on a college campus to get a free t-shirt without having verifiable income. That’s how I got my first credit card and got started on establishing credit.

A safe bet is to apply for a secured credit card, use it a couple times a month for purchases where you’d normally pay cash and then pay it off at the end of the month. You aren’t racking up debt but you are building credit.

For more information on secured credit and establishing credit, visit us at riverset.com or call 412.488.2525.Riverset Credit Union is open to those in Allegheny, Beaver and Butler Counties.

Microwave recipes for College Cuisine

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Kristina Wiggins

Editor’s note: The RIC brings more resources on how to eat healthy and on a budget, during your college experience. Coro intern Kristina provide us with a great recipe for buffalo chicken dip you can make in your dorm. Most of these ingredients you can find at the local East End Food Co-op! What are some of your favorite microwave recipes? We’d love to hear from you.

Dorm Cooking

Sick of the cafeteria food and ordering pizza for a late night snack? Bet you can get all of these ingredients from your campus general store… and bring everyone on the floor to your room to check out what smells so yummy! This is one of many microwave recipes to add to your repertoire!

Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe:

* Tortilla Chips
* 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
* Blue cheese or ranch salad dressing to your taste
* Hot sauce to your taste
* Shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled blue cheese
* 1-2 cans of chicken breast in water, drained

Directions:

Spread/ stir the cream cheese in large deep MICROWAVABLE dish with a fork until smooth.

Stir in the dressing, hot sauce cheese and chicken.

Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 5 minutes or until the mixture is hot, stirring halfway through the cook time.

Enjoy your Buffalo Chicken Dip

Avoid Roommate Problems

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Kristina Wiggins

“Good manners reflect something from inside-an innate sense of consideration for others and respect for self.” –Emily Post

Avoid roommate problems by using your good manners

Image extracted from: Apartment Ratings.com

The way you treat yourself and your environment sets the standard for others on how you demand to be treated. When it comes to college dorm living don’t settle for anything other then respect. From experience I’ve found that you have to put a little work into having a good dorming experience to avoid roommate problems. The following tips can help you put into perspective what issues you may need to address in these tight shared living environments.

Contribute…

…to the ground rules. From the get-go you and your roommates should discuss what dorming together will be like, what you expect and what you really couldn’t deal with. It’s so much easier to, from the beginning, express concerns and agree on aspects of sharing cleaning duties, food or shower supplies, having the lights and TV on, or having visitors and alcohol in the room, or sleeping and showering schedules

We’re college students; we’re meant to be growing up, yet we walk a fine line between, being serious about our studies, all while having the “time of our lives.” Things run smoother if you know what food in the fridge you are welcome to, what supplies you can borrow, when it’s your turn to shower or clean the toothpaste off the sink. Otherwise things will go unsaid continuing to bother you and eventually blow up causing roommate problems, aka roommate drama; which is basically the worst, you can’t ever escape it in an 11×11 room.

Image extracted from: ehow

…to the relationship: Share more than space; have conversations, include roommates in plans outside of the dorm. Don’t use your roommates, they aren’t just people you can borrow things from, and complain too; they can be a friend too. Don’t take them for granted, meet their friends and introduce them to yours. You live together so actually share your life with them. Being included in each others lives will make you feel less like you are alone in your home away from home, or that you are living separate lives in a tiny space.

…to the supplies: You know you use the toilet paper too, buy some when you see the stash is low! If you use the last of the milk make sure you purchase the next carton or at least let your roommates know there’s none left. After awhile when living so closely, it’s the little things that can really bother people. Don’t depend on others to provide everything that is shared.

…to the work: You agreed to a cleaning schedule, so do your part. It’s as easy and as simple as that. Cleaning up after yourself and contributing to the group cleaning efforts shows you care and respect the living environment and your roommates. Don’t make others remind you it’s your turn or have to ask you to actually contribute. Things will soon become uncomfortable if one roommate is the housewife, but if you’re stuck always handling the work don’t be afraid to speak up and simply remind a roommate these tasks are shared and to maintain a comfortable living arrangement they must be done regularly.

I hope these tips help you to have a more enjoyable college dorming experience and avoid roommate problems!

How to Avoid Roommate Problems

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Regina Anderson

Image extracted from: Getty Images

Living with roommates is part of the college experience for many of us. It might also be the first time we have lived with someone outside of our immediate family. Our family loves us no matter what–that isn’t the case with roommates.

Living with roommates is different. It’s really fun, helps save on costs, and you can really get to know your friends on a whole new level. Living with roommates can also be very challenging especially if your friends aren’t on the same page as you about house expectations. The RIC will explore some do’s and dont’s about living with roommates, whether you’re in the dorm, or have your first apartment off campus to help avoid roommate problems.

My current roommate, Courtney and I have lived together for five years in fact. That is a long time. People are often shocked to hear that and quip, “that is longer than my last relationship.” While I think our living situation is a bit of an anomaly, Courtney and I have definitely learned a lot from one another, and the experience has been amazing.

Be on the lookout for our series on living with roommates. In the meantime, here are some of my takeaways on how to avoid roommate problems:

1) Address big picture roommate expectations straightaway

You can’t assume everyone lives the way you do–even if it’s a friend you’ve known for years. Think about your roommate and your home expectations. Do you like to entertain friends a lot or do you prefer a quiet home to where you can retreat after being out and about? Do you want to integrate your household items with those of your roommate, or keep things separate? Talk about the things that are most important to your quality of life that you want to see continue in your shared environment. This leads me to another important point:

2) Pick your battles

If your roommate tends to leave dirty dishes in the sink or around the house for days at a time, that is worth a conversation (or even a friendly note if you’re not the confrontation kind). If your roommate constantly blasts his or her music at all hours of the day and night, that is worth a conversation. These are quality of life battles that should be “fought” meaning, discussed like adults with a result you both can live with. But, if you’re roommate maybe shifts your piles of paper so they are no longer at a 90 degree angle, or maybe doesn’t always fill the ice cube tray or replace the empty tp roll, these might be smaller things that go part and parcel with living with other humans. Who knows, you might (and probably are) do things that your roommate doesn’t like, but it’s not worth mentioning. Of course this can be a thin line to figure out what is a battle worth starting (and choose your weapons wisely–respect, facts and a joke here and there are good to use). Ask a couple friends what they think, (but don’t gossip, throw your roommate under the bus in the eyes of mutual friends, or use this as a platform to complain). If you’re ready to throw down because your roommate leaves the toilet seat up (or down) all the time, hear what other people have to say about that situation. It’s probably not worth having a house meeting about.

3) Know yourself and what you want

Choosing roommates is fun, but it’s an important decision. It’s okay to say no to some people that may want to live with you if you know yourself well enough to know it might not be a good idea. Not all friendships survive under the stresses of cohabitation. Think about what you like, what you don’t, and importantly, think about what you want out of the roommate experience. Do you want to be friends with your roommates and actually hang out at events and social gatherings, or do you just want to live with a responsible person that you see at home on occasion? Pick someone that fits that bill, be honest, open, and that might help in easing tensions to ensure your roommate experience is a good one!

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