Busy schedules, late nights out and too many extracurricular activities are turning the Bender library at American University into a nap center, rather than a study hall. The National Sleep Foundation recently released a report noting that 63% of college students do not get the sleep they need. Mary Putnam Peck, a registered sleep nurse say that this statistic shows why college students are “actually defeating [their] purpose for being here” by not getting the sleep they need to retain the knowledge they gain in classes. Studies show that dormitory life also has a great effect on the average amount of sleep students get.
Hanson, the teen-bopping band from the early 90’s is back, but much more mature and with a new message. Hanson came to American University as part of their US college tour, spreading the word about their “Take the Walk” campaign. The charity raises money to help poor families in the African continent. After the three brothers took a personal vacation to South Africa, they decided that they wanted to do something to help the situation across the Atlantic ocean. The band now goes to college campuses, like American University, doing sponsored one-mile walks in an effort to raise the money needed to take action.
With the ever-expanding communications technology market, social networking sites such as Twitter have become constantly updateable. Faculty at George Washington University are taking advantage of this by using Twitter to keep students regularly informed about updates on campus. Averaging 58 tweets a day, according to the Washington Post, GW’s faculty have propelled them into becoming the most active campus for Twitter use. Menachem Wecker, a writer/editor at GW’s external relations office, helped bring Twitter into the limelight at the university by using the site to network with his co-workers. The obsession spread and now students at the university welcome the information provided by sites such as GW Today.
For most children the back to bethesda festival was all about fun and games, but for those staying at the Children’s Inn at the National Institute of Health, Saturday’s festival meant much more. 8-year old Matthew Devy, a relatively new patient at the Children’s Inn, has cancer, and flew all the way from Australia to Bethesda to begin treatment at the NIH. He says “you can never be bored” at the Children’s Inn and thats what keeps him so far from home. Although he doesn’t get to see his family as much, he says the children’s inn is very supportive and helps him during this tough time.
Surprisingly, the Children’s Inn isn’t just for children. 25-year old Eric Sartay, a Canadian patient has spent the last two years at the children’s inn. “The children’s inn is great” he says, “I’m 25 and I can still be there.” Sartay came from Canada when treatment options there failed and his doctor sent him to Bethesda for a transplant.
The back to bethesda festival offers visitors from all over the metropolitan area a day full of games and fun, but more importantly it offers the patients at the Children’s Inn a momentary break from a long struggle.
01
Oct
09
Swine Flu: Pandemic 2009
The 2009 flu pandemic may pail in comparison to other flu pandemics in history, but it is still a major health issue to populations around the world. Within this package, I focus on how the American University community plans to deal with the outbreak. With interviews from the health center director and a formerly infected student, the package presents the story from both the healthcare giver and those that have suffered already from the current outbreak.
27
Aug
09
Welcome
Welcome to my new blog. On this website you will be able to view my current professional work as well as read more about what I am up to as I pursue my career in journalism. I hope you enjoy my material and please feel free to post comments offering your opinion.
Tom Heijne 