Spring 2013 Club Fair

On Wednesday January 30, during common hour, Hofstra University and the Office of Student Leadership and Activities hosted the Spring Involvement Fair in the multipurpose room of the student center. The Spring Involvement Fair was a great chance for students to get involved in various clubs on campus and for clubs to recruit new members.

Almost 100 different groups and organizations attend the fair. These groups included: The Hofstra Club Soccer teams, the Rugby Club, Hofstra Democrats and Republicans, Hofstra Student Government, Hofstra Roller Hockey and various Fraternities and Sororities.

If your student missed the Spring Involvement fair, it's not too late to become a member of one of these great groups! Many of these groups are constantly looking for new members. Your student can go to http://hofstra.collegiatelink.net/organizations to find out more about the clubs that Hofstra has to offer and to find contact information to various clubs and organizations around the university.

-Craig Camara, Class of 2014

St. Baldrick's Day

In this coming march March, Hofstra University and the Hofstra University Roller Hockey Team will host its sixth annual St. Baldrick’s Day Event. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a childhood cancer charity, which raises funds to help find cures for children stricken with various cancers, and help these children live as normal lives as possible during their fight. Other events take place throughout all 50 states and 28 other countries. Their main fundraising method is having volunteers raise money to have their heads shaved in solidarity with children with cancer.

During the event, all of the Hofstra Roller Hockey team members will raise money and have their heads shaved throughout the day. Last year, with help from other groups such as Fraternity Phi Delta Theta, Hofstra ROTC and Hofstra Athletics, the Hofstra Roller Hockey Team was able to contribute almost $20,000 to the St. Baldrick’s foundation, with the Roller Hockey Team raising almost $7,000 on their own.

 

So how can you help? Starting in late February, you can log on to https://www.stbaldricks.org/donate and underneath where it says “I’m donating towards the fundraising goal of:” type in Hofstra Roller Hockey to make a donation for the group. Every small about makes a huge difference.

-Craig Camara, Class of 2014

What to Have Your Students Bring for Spring

If you're not certain as to what your student should have entering the spring semester, here are a few tips to help you along:

1. Snow boots/rain boots: Long Island gets plenty of precipitation throughout the year and, if the meteorologists are to be trusted on this one, we're in for a pretty rough winter, snow-wise. That said, it's always a good idea to have your students bring an extra pair of winter boots for February and early March, and a solid set of rain boots for the latter portion of the semester when getting across the parking lots can be pretty problematic after heavy rainfall.
2. An extra coat, scarf and pair of gloves: Though the semester ends in May, you want to ensure your student is able to handle the heart of winter at the onset of the latter half of the academic year. As any veteran Hofstra student or parent can tell you, even the mildest winters over here have that one day where you feel like you've woken up in Alberta. The extra winter wear is a must-have for February.
3. Umbrella: Inclement weather seems to be a theme. Don't worry, it won't be raining, sleeting or snowing all of the time, but it's best that your student comes prepared for when it does. They do sell umbrellas at the University Bookstore, but if you can fish an extra out of a closet or foyer, your student won't need to shell out the cash for one on campus and can hold onto that extra money for books or food.
4. Extra blankets: If your student lives on campus, be sure to equip him or her with an extra quilt or throw blanket for when the temperatures drop. This way, if they ever get caught inside studying or enjoying a movie and some cocoa, they have something warm and cozy to drape over their shoulders.

5. Some sunscreen and extra short-sleeved shirts: Once we all make it through winter, your students will want to take some time for themselves between classes to enjoy the spring sun. Make sure they have some lighter clothes for when the temperatures start rising, and something to guard against sunburns should they want to catch some rays in May.

Just a few things to keep in mind. With these items at their disposal, your students should be able to make a comfortable transition back to a normal academic schedule.

The Heart of the Season



Senior Guard, Stevie Mejia, attempts a
layup in front of the home crowd at the
David S. Mack Sports Complex.

As Intersession winds down, the basketball season is heating up. Both the men's and women's programs are in the thick of the 2012-13 season, trying to make some noise in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Basketball has long been a favorite pastime of Hofstra students who pack the Mack Sports Complex on a nearly nightly basis to cheer on their classmates, and now is the time when both these programs need the most support.

After a slow start, the Pride men's basketball team are looking to build off of their .500 record in the CAA with the bulk of their conference schedule ahead. The women's squad, on the other hand, is riding a hot streak, winning 6 of their past 7 games, and recently seeing Shante Evans set a new all-time scoring record for the Pride Women's program (1,859 points). Both teams are hoping to push forward and end the intersession on a positive note as they enter the final stretch of the season. The men's team will close out the intersession with back-to-back home games against Drexel (Wednesday, January 23) and UNC Wilmington (Saturday, January 26), following a trip to Fairfax, VA on Saturday, January 19 to take on George Mason University. Women's basketball will test its might against Old Dominion on Sunday, January 20, before playing its final game of January break in Harrisonburg, VA against James Madison on Sunday, January 27.

If your student would like to attend a game, needs more information on scheduling, or would just like to gather more information on Hofstra Athletics in general, please have them visit the Hofstra Athletics website: www.gohofstra.com. Go Pride!



Pride women's all-time leading scorer, Shante
Evans, drives inside against Harvard.



Ice Skating on LI and in NYC

With winter nearing its peak and students having time to kill before the Spring semester, it is good for them to take advantage of what the area has to offer this time of year. One of my personal favorite winter activities is ice skating, and there are plenty of places in the area, which your student can enjoy. Whether they are a neophyte on the ice or the second-coming of Mike Bossy, each of the rinks in the area cater to all skill levels.  Below are a few suggestions.


City goers skate under the Manhattan lights
at Wollman Rink in Central Park.



Citi Pond at Bryant Park is entering its eighth season of public skates this year. Not only is the Pond easy to access (simply take the Blue Beetle into Mineola, catch a westbound over to Penn Station and walk to Bryant Park on the corner of 40th and 6th), skating is free. That said, skate rentals are $14 per pair and there is an extra fee to check in bags, but if your student brings their own skates and have a lock handy, they can enjoy the rink and secure their valuables in one of the on-site lockers without charge. The Rink at Rockefeller Center is also a fixture for city goers. They have walk up sessions daily, which cost $20 per person with an extra $10 for a pair of skates. Though it may be somewhat pricey (and somewhat crowded), it's a great experience.  There's also Wollman Rink in beautiful Central Park, which has public sessions 10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Sundays. So tell your student to grab a cup of hot chocolate and experience the magic of skating underneath the stars while being surrounded by the city's beautifully lit skyline.

If your student isn't up for taking a train all the way to Manhattan, and if they are lucky enough to have a car (or a friend with a car) handy, they can take a quick trip over to one of the myriad rinks on the Island. Though the outdoor rink at nearby RXR Plaza is closed for the season, there is still Newbridge Arena in Bellmore (about 10 minutes away from campus by car), Cantiague Park in Hicksville (about 15 minutes away) and the Town of Oyster Bay Skating Rink in Bethpage (about 20 minutes away) just to name a few; and each of these rinks have public sessions weekdays and weekends.

So, as the January session progresses, please urge your students to take some time to enjoy what winter brings to the region. It's a great time to discover what makes our island and our city so unique.

Happy New Year to All Hofstra Parents

The fall semester of 2012 has come and gone, and despite early reports to the contrary, the world did not go along with it. Therefore, since we are in the midst of January intersession and a vast majority Hofstra students have flocked home during the break, we would like to extend our best wishes for a happy, successful 2013. We are so proud of every single one of our students--and we're sure you are too. So, we hope you and your families have a healthy start to the new year as we prepare for the coming spring semester; but for those who decided to stick around during intersession: we have plenty events to keep them busy until the spring.





One of the best things about winter on campus is how,
after a snowstorm, the trees seem to cradle the season
in their branches. It's the closest thing to a Robert
Frost poem this side of New England.



Please urge your students to take advantage of some of the great events we have on campus during January break. Click ahead to see some suggestions on what they can do in the coming days.