Having an opportunity to attend college was one of the life’s experiences that will always have an impact on my journey through life. With that experience and becoming a little wiser (older is a more applicable description), expressing pride in my institution is something that I really enjoy and feel is essential. I have no problem becoming a walking, talking billboard for my institution (Southern Illinois University – Go Salukis!) including sharing my stories with many during my journey. This activity has a dual effect. For me, it offers a reciprocal reaction which states that my institution is fortunate and grateful to have an alumnus that offers contributions to the world and demonstrates commitment and discipline to his craft. These types of characteristics continue to benefit my institution.

My college experience was fabulous. It seems like it was yesterday that I was on campus either heading to class or meeting many friends enjoying a great pizza or playing football on a frigid Saturday morning before we began our tailgating ritual. Yes those years were certainly memorable and quite an impact. As I continue to reach higher levels in my career, I will always reflect on my college experiences, classes, instructors and friends. Each reflection increases my admiration and pride for Southern Illinois University. With many of us unanimously agreeing that our college days were instrumental in where we are today, we must continue to express pride and make a commitment to our institution. There are many ways to express pride in your institution. Let’s take a look at some of the basic methods:

Alumni Giving – Alumni financial giving is at the core of any institution’s survival.

Participation/Alumni Groups – Each college/university has alumni located in the majority of large cities. Locate your local chapter and get involved.

Personal Story – Just a simple conversation about your experiences during your college days could create interest in your institution.

Institution Merchandise – Shirts, banners, bumper stickers, hats are additional ways to express pride in your institution. Also, by purchasing university merchandise, a source of revenue is provided for the institution.

Attend Athletic Events – Many institutions have well established athletic programs that create a wealth of revenue for the institution. Purchasing tickets, tailgating, participating in activities all contribute to the bottom line.

Volunteer to speak to youth groups – Middle and high school students are influenced by individuals that actually display effort to help. When you speak to a youth group, you provide an impact beyond measure.

Now many alumni ask the question “Why Should I Express Pride in my institution?” Many alumni feel that they have given enough to the institution via tuition. However tuition only covers a percentage of the overall cost of operating an institution. Many institutions rely on alumni giving to provide day to day operations. Our higher-ed institutions are the backbone of creativity for this global environment. Continued support for our institutions is crucial to our children’s success. Let’s give them an opportunity to experience some of the simple pleasures in which their memories will last a lifetime. I will always cherish my short period of time at SIU. From the beautiful campus and an invaluable education to the social events and life long friendships, my time at this institution will always be a part of my fabric. Express Pride and Commitment to Your College/University! Support Your Institution!

Melvin Anderson is VP-Business Development for Movitas Corporation. ExpressYourPride.com is a brand of Movitas. http://www.expressyourpride.com. ExpressYourPride.com provides products that allow students/alumni/fans/supporters of colleges/universities the opportunity to express pride and commitment to their individual institution. Each personalized/animated product is dynamically created with your first/last name, year of graduation, name of degree, etc. Express Pride and Commitment to Your Organization!

The Exam 000-349 is one that is conducted by IBM. The focus of this exam is on IBM WebSphere Transformation Extender V8. 2, Application Development. After passing this exam, candidates can add this qualification to their resumes, and it will be recognized all over the world. Like all other IBM exams, this one too is geared towards providing IT professionals with a competitive edge in their field as well as the job market. Such exams are a great way to enhance skills and keep you updated with the latest developments in the technological sphere. The 000-349 exam consists of around 63 multiple choice type of questions, and the time allotted is 2 hours. The test till now is available in only English, and the passing score is a minimum of 60%. There are a total of seven sections that the examination covers, and all these have further related topics under them. The seven main sections include architecture, describing data, creating transformations, testing and deploying, problem determination, performance tuning and connecting to external resources. Clearing this exam helps the candidate to gain the IBM Certified Application Developer – WebSphere Transformation Extender V8. 2 certification. For test preparation of the 000-349Exam, it is recommended that the candidates have a thorough knowledge of the topics that are listed in the examination syllabus. Good theoretical as well as practical knowledge is required. Also, candidates are advised to take a sample or assessment test before going in for the actual exam. For this test, candidates can also go in for the Tutor Approach, which includes classroom training and learning from other such sources. There is also a Self-Study Approach that students can undertake. The course taught in the classroom can also be taken online. Other updates can be checked on the IBM website that posts the latest news regularly.

When you create a runescape account please read this guide before start playing it. When you start runescape you will be asked to select your avitar. That avitar doesn’t have to be exactly what you look like in fact try to make it look like what you love it to. If you click ok when you are not ready, don’t worry as you can change it later for 500 coins in Varrock. Varrock is north of Lumbridge where you will start your exiciting adventure. Now then exit through the door in the room you are when you click ok from the avitar interface and you are in tutorial island. After that follow the path until you reach the survival tutor and then talk to her. She will give you a bronze hatchet, tinder box and a small net. Then click on a tree to cut it, use a tinder box to a log to light it and click on a fishing spot to catch fish. At this stage you will train your firemaking, woodcutting and fishing. Try to get all the skills to level 3 so that it makes it easier when you are off tutorial island. Then you will go to the cooking tutor and he’ll teach you how to cook plus remember to get a lot of food as you will need it later. After that continue along the path and go down the ladder and head towards the mine. There talk to the person in charge and he will give you a bronze pickaxe and tell you to mine. Also try to get all these levels to level 3. After that, you will go to to combat tutor where he will show you how to use weapons and how to range. He will give you a shield, sword, bow and arrows. Now here is when the extre bread you made earlier come useful. Head in and kill the giant rats with melee and as you attack you will lose your hitpoints. The bread will restore your hitpoints by 5. When you are done killing, go out as you came in and the tutor will tell you to now range at the rats. Also please try to get all these to level 3 as they will help a lot when you are off tutorial island. When you are done go to the mage tutor and she will give you runes to mage on the chickens in the cage. After you’ve done all that, go and talk to her and say that you want to go to the real world and she will teleport you there and give you supplies. And you are off and going. Good luck!

Now is perhaps the best time of your life. High school is almost over and you are looking forward to a fun and rewarding experience at college. Do you already know where you are going to school? If you are like most students you have been bombarded with brochures from all around the country. How do you decide which one is best for you? Some of you may be facing pressure from your parents to attend the same school they went to or to go to your local college or university. This is not always the best answer. You are not your parents and you will have your own personality and goals in life. Follow some simple rules and decide what college will provide you with the experience you want. The first thing you should do is visit the websites of each college you are thinking of attending. Look at the courses and degrees they offer. Remember that you do not have to pick a major immediately, just see what programs they have that interest you. You can always pursue a different area of study and still graduate in four years. Look at the events that they have throughout the year. Do they have items that interest you? Does the location of the school fit with your favorite activities? Contact the schools that you would like more information about and see if they can give you names of some students from your area. They can give you the inside information about the school. Try to talk with students that are pursuing fields that you have an interest in. Ask them if they had the chance to start over if they would still attend the same school. Find out if the school has a high placement rate after graduation and at what level their graduates are performing at in the real world. It may surprise you to find out that graduates of smaller schools often outperform graduates of much larger and better known schools. Smaller schools provide an excellent educational environment and can offer better personal service to the students. For many students the need for financial aid or a part time job will influence where they go to school. Look at the job opportunities at the school and in the communities in the immediate area. Restaurants, bars and retail stores provide a good way for college students make some extra money. When you have narrowed your choices down it is time to visit the colleges. This is an important step and should not be rushed. Give yourself time to visit with the recruiting officer and some of the professors that teach in the areas that interest you. Then go and explore the college. Is the college walking friendly or will you have to drive from one campus to the next? Are the living areas located in good areas of town? Are the dorms or apartments secure and safe? Remember that the more information that you have, the better your decision will be. Talk with some of the students that you meet and ask them any questions that you have. Visit the dining and student areas. Spend some time there just hanging out. Can you picture yourself there? Do they meet your needs? If you do not feel comfortable or don’t like what you see just go on to your next choice. Good luck on choosing your college!