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How I'm Spending My Summer: A GoRedFoxes.com Summer Series
Aug. 14, 2009
July 2, 2009 GoRedFoxes.com is proud to launch a series entitled "How I'm Spending My Summer," which will profile the activities of Marist student-athletes and be presented in their own words. The first entry was written by Rachele Fitz of the women's basketball team, who spent a week apiece in Milan and Paris earlier this summer. Entry #1 For some students and athletes it is impossible to get the chance to go abroad during the school year. That's why Marist offers a Spring Attachment Program. Being a Fashion Design major, I had the opportunity to participate in the 2009 Paris/Milan Spring Attachment, Trend Forecasting Program. This program offered one week in Milan and one week in Paris. Fifteen of my fellow classmates, merchandising and design students, all participated in this venture abroad. With Fifteen fashion majors, the sights of Milan and the delicious food of Paris, I knew this trip was going to be an unforgettable one. Only being familiar with two out of the 15 girls going to Paris/Milan, we all became quickly acquainted. We started off with a seven-hour plane ride to Milan, which is six hours ahead of Eastern time. When we finally arrived in Milan, we quickly gathered our luggage and headed to the bus and tour guide that was waiting for our arrival. By this time everyone was exhausted! The days in Milan flew by faster than we had all expected. During our visit we had the pleasure of going to the Ralph Lauren Milan Showroom. Ralph, a famous designer, is also known for turning old mansions into glorious showrooms. The clothes, rooms, sites and furniture in this showroom were absolutely beautiful. A classic yet delicate chandelier that lit up the room with just a hint of sun, hung in the center of the main office at Ralph Lauren. Bleach white and navy covered the office, with a touch of green, red, and white plaid pillows that were placed so comfortably on the couches that were also accompanied by animal skin blankets. We also had an employee go through the multiple Ralph Lauren lines and show us what they believe will be trends for Fall 2010. For any designer or fashion guru, it was truly a sight to see. Milan is well known for its exquisite shopping and unique stores. I think one thing that the girls and I were looking forward to was seeing how Milan's major designer stores compared to New York's. Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel, Fendi, and Armani were all extremely impressive. High fashion was everywhere throughout Milan. On our way to Paris, we could hardly contain our excitement! There were so many things to explore: Museum de Orsay, Museum du Louvre and of course the Tuillerie Gardens. While exploring the Chateau De Versailles, we visited the State Apartments of the King and Queen, the Hall of Mirrors, and the King's Chamber. Looking at the rooms that Marie Antoinette lived in and the beds she slept in was truly a breath taking experience. And, of course, how could I forget seeing the famous Eiffel Tower? We went on a scenic boat ride right outside the tower, so we had the privilege of seeing it during the day and of course all lit up at night. It was beautiful! The most memorable event in Paris was none other than seeing the live Broadway show of the Moulin Rouge. The beautiful dancers, outrageous and creative costumes and most of all the singing and dancing made this Broadway show the best I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. The Moulin Rouge is something that I have always wanted to see, and it was everything I expected. Going to Paris and Milan was an incredible experience, I was so fortunate having the opportunity to go on this Spring Attachment. The sights I saw, the places I visited, and the mouthwatering food I ate was unlike anything I could have ever imagined. For anyone who is thinking about going abroad or participating in a Spring Attachment, go for it! It is an experience of a lifetime, and what better time to do it then while you are in college! Entry #2
While working the Atlanta Thrashers' Youth Hockey Camp, I met General Manager Don Waddell, NHL analyst and SI.com writer Darren Eliot, forward Eric Boulton, and defenseman Zach Bogosian. After my first week, I took a two-week Mediterranean Voyage short-term abroad course through Marist International Programs studying Global Business and Society with Dr. Joanne Gavin and Dr. James Melitski. We traveled to Rome, Italy; Athens, Greece; and Istanbul, Turkey. Also, we took a day trip to Florence, Italy; cruised the Greek Isles and the Bosporus River. Domestically, I spent a long weekend with my mom visiting Washington, D.C. I fell in love with our nation's capital. The streets are clean, the citizens are active, and the architecture is gorgeous. Similar to international cities, the U.S. cities have a lot to offer. I have been inspired by my international and domestic travels which give me the opportunity to explore and experience new things. I am looking forward to celebrating my grandparents' 50th anniversary, and my mom's birthday taking a family cruise to Key West and Cozumel, Mexico this July before reporting for pre-season volleyball in August. Entry #3
During the program, I traveled throughout Greece visiting many different areas that were all very unique. Most of the stay was in Athens but I also visited Olympia, Delphi, Naphlion, Mycenae, and the gorgeous island of Naxos. Greece is definitely worth visiting because of its beauty and history. Ancient ruins encompassed the towns and at times no words could even describe how beautiful it was. While I was in Greece I met up with a family friend's relatives and friends. In Athens I met their close friend who owned a restaurant called Dia Tafta. This restaurant was the best in all of Greece! I could not believe the service we received and the food we ate was magnificent. When I got to Olympia I met the same family friend's brother and cousin who owns a restaurant and jewelry store. Here we were treated like family. The hospitality was remarkable! These people truly made my trip special. The whole visit to Greece was breathtaking! I visited the Acropolis in Athens, the ancient Olympic Stadium in Olympia, the tomb and palace of Agamemnon in Mycenae, the spot where the oracles took place in Delphi, and a Venetian Castle nestled in the island as well as being able to play beach volleyball in Naxos. Wandering down the narrow streets of Greece each day you are bound to find something new and exciting! Since my trip to Greece, I have been interning with Axiom Communications. I was first introduced to the company from a former Marist class of `95 alumnus and lacrosse player, Matt Brown. This will be my second year working with them and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Axiom Communications is a marketing, advertising, and public relations firm located in Secaucus, N.J. Entry #4 After living abroad in Florence for four months I was happy to come home to my family, even if I only got to see them for one week. I was extremely excited to start my third internship in Los Angeles, California. So after saying good bye to everyone in Texas when my week was up I headed off with my boyfriend Eric and best friend Devin from home to the sunny state of California. We arrived at the end of May and started to explore as soon as we go here. We went to the Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood sign and surrounding areas, San Diego, San Francisco and much more. In June the weather was amazing! Every day it was in the 70s. The funny thing was how everyone here talked about June Gloom and how bad the weather was just because the sun wasn't shining all the time. I was more than excited to go to the beach and play beach volleyball without having to worry about the burning hot sand. Also, to be able to stay outside for more than 30 minutes and not have a heat stroke was nice (that was the best perk to being here and not in Texas for the summer). So for my last week here I plan to enjoy my internship at BCBG Max Azria and soak up as much sun as I can. My friends and I along with some new acquaintances here are planning to go to Las Vegas and see the sights. The last time I went was when I was playing volleyball in high school, so I'm sure it will be nice to see the city of lights again. Entry #5 This summer, as well as working out and running to prepare for the season, I was accepted into the summer undergraduate research program at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in The Bronx, N.Y. While at the internship I worked in the laboratory of Dr. John Greally. This lab is the home of some cutting edge research. Through the program and I have attained a great deal of knowledge, including new research techniques and ideas and the research instinct and thought processes from the professionals. Everyone at Einstein was very bright and was open and willing to help and guide me along. I felt very comfortable in that atmosphere and I enjoyed it. Dr. John Greally's lab specialized in the field of epigenomics/epigenetics. Epigentics is the study of the processes by which a heritable phenotype that is not strictly dependent on DNA sequence is produced. Epigenetics can be studied among organisms or single cells. The main epigenetic focuses are proteins that affect DNA packing and resultantly effect the utilization of genetic information. In the lab I was placed on a project to do epigenetic studies. In the lab I was mentored by Dr. John Greally, Ph.D. and his lab members, including Ph.D. grad students, medical students and postdoctoral fellows. All of the people in the lab were friendly and very helpful. However they do not take it easy on me they expect me to learn on my own also and follow along as they teach. This requires me to read journal papers, learn and understand reaction mechanisms and look up protocols. I am also expected to attend weekly lab meetings where the entire lab including myself has to speak about lab progress and future projects. I also presented a poster to demonstrate all of my work. The poster presentation allowed me to show my work to faculty members, grad students, medical students and even family. Aside from in the laboratory I was attending lectures and seminars held by the faculty at the school and I also got an opportunity to get some clinical experience. I made visits to Bronx-Lebanon Hospital where I observed surgeries. I have seen several laparoscopic surgeries, a cystectomy and an appendectomy. While observing these surgeries I am roughly three feet away from the surgeon, physician assistants and nurses that are performing the surgery. This was an amazing experience to observe surgeries. I really got a lot out of this experience. This summer I received insight on just what it means to be a Ph.D. and a MD student. I think that my future lies between these degrees. While "doing all the science stuff," I was also training hard, working out at the gym and running on the field. It was important for me to balance the lab work and still train hard for the upcoming season which would be an important year for the Marist Football team as we go into the new Pioneer Football League. I think of this season as an opportunity for us to make history for our program and athletic department. I also had the opportunity to work out at Fordham University where thanks to arrangements made by Athletic Director Tim Murray. I would like to thank all the people that made this possible for me to get this internship: Pat Taylor for helping me with my application. Dr. Joseph Bettencourt for referring the program to me and helping me to apply and Dr. Luis Espinasa for allowing me to do research with him and teaching me lab research techniques that allowed me to enter the program with experience in the material and methods used here. I would also like to give a special thanks to Alyssa Gates and the Student-Athlete Enhancement center as well as Tim Murray and the rest of the faculty members in the athletic department. I would also like to thank Coach Jim Parady and all the coaches in the football program for there contributions and maintenance of a respectable program with an emphasis on student-athlete academics. Thanks to everyone at Marist, and this was an enjoyable summer. |
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This summer, I am working as an intern in the Marketing department of Atlanta Spirit, LLC, including the Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Atlanta Thrashers (NHL), and Philips Arena. During orientation, I received inside access into Philips Arena. I walked on the floor, saw the teams' practice facilities, locker rooms, player lounges, and executive suites.
The volleyball season is fast approaching and preparation is underway for my senior year. The summer months are always just as busy as when I am in-season. Although this summer, I have experienced a once in a lifetime trip to Greece. I studied abroad at the University of Indianapolis as part of a Spring Attachment program with the Communications Department. It was such a great experience to have especially since it is very difficult to study a whole semester abroad due to athletics.
