Prison is usually a make or break destination for criminals - they’re either able to rehabilitate or they’re not. For a London Hells Angel, it might have been the luckiest break of his life. Diamond Ialenti was arrested in 2008 carrying a hockey bag full of marijuana (with intent to traffic) and a handgun. Those acts earned him 1,056 days in behind bars.
This full-patch Hells Angel got to work immediately to finish his high school education. Having only ever completed the 9th grade, Ialenti is prepared to finish his high school diploma before leaving the prison. Upon release from prison, he plans to start college.
In order to finish high school before being released, he’ll have to transfer to a different facility. Ialenti has made that request and the judge has agreed to make the recommendation. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s been a week since the shockwave of Michael Jackson’s passing has rippled through the world. Thankfully for even the smallest fans, Jackson’s legacy lives on through his incredible music. While he’ll always be remembered as one of the most iconic singers and performers of all time, he’ll also be remembered as a generous humanitarian who shared much of his wealth with those who needed it most.
One remarkable contribution was made to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) in 1986, a $1.5 million donation that went to establish a scholarship endowment in Jackson’s name. In 1988, Jackson made a subsequent donation, by giving all of the $600,000 proceeds from a Madison Square Garden benefit concert to the fund. Read the rest of this entry »
College is a lot of fun, but it’s also a lot of work. Here are some tips for incoming college freshmen to help make the first year a successful one!
1. Don’t schedule your classes too early in the morning. In high school, you were used to having a class every morning at 8 a.m. But trust me, it’s different in college. Maybe it’s because Mom isn’t there to tell you to go to bed, or maybe because you realize that your bedroom absolutely has to be cleaned at midnight, but whatever the reason, college students tend to stay up later. The later you stay up, the earlier 8 a.m. is going to seem. Take my advice and try to not schedule yourself for early classes every morning. And if you do, invest in a large travel coffee mug; you’ll want it later. Read the rest of this entry »
Two students at City College of San Francisco look at the list of classes that will be canceled next semester. (via SFGate.com)
The College of Journalism and Mass Communication at The University of Oklahoma is named after the Gaylord Family. The football stadium at The University of Minnesota was also named after a donor, T. Denny Sanford. It’s pretty common practice: a person makes a large donation to a college, and the college names something after the donor. Well, now, City College of San Francisco is letting donors name courses after themselves.
Don Griffin, Chancellor at City College, is accepting donations of $6,000 to save classes that are on the “endangered species” list at the college. About 800 classes are endangered of being canceled next semester due to budget cuts. There are typically 30 students in each of these classes. The classes that might be canceled include everything from Financial Accounting to Advanced Kung Fu. Read the rest of this entry »
I had to fill out the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, when I was a high school senior. It had 153 questions and took me several hours to complete. Many of my friends did not even bother filling it out just because it was too complex. It was a nightmare!
President Obama must also see the FAFSA as a monstrosity. President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan are recreating the form to make it more “user-friendly.” By doing so, they hope to make it easier for more students to apply for and receive financial aid, therefore enabling more students to attend college. Duncan said the goal is to increase college enrollment levels among lower income students. Read the rest of this entry »
Graduation is over, you’re reaffirming to your parents everyday that you’re an adult now, and all you want to do is move in to the dorm. The summer prior to your freshman year of college can seem terribly long, as you’re wrought with anticipation of this new life outside of high school, curfews and younger siblings. The freedom can seem intoxicating, but it will be short-lived if you don’t prepare now.
Use these coming weeks to really prepare yourself for the college experience, especially if you’re planning to move away from home.
1. Drive the Distance. If you’re within driving distance, make at least one practice drive to campus from home, and vice versa. New territory can be hard for anyone to navigate, and if you’re not used to highway or interstate driving, it’s worth taking your college ride for a spin to familiarize yourself with the route.
2. Check-out Campus. While you’re there, familiarize yourself with campus. You likely took a guided campus tour, but this time you should do it on your own. Find your dorm, the cafeteria, the shopping district or mall and decent restaurants. Read the rest of this entry »
He’s probably the most beloved member of the class of 2009. And rather than celebrate with the toss of a cap, he tweeted.
“I’m happy to announce I have graduated! Class of ‘09! Congrats to everyone else who has also graduated this year! -Mr. President (Nick).”
Nick might also be one of the youngest members of this year’s graduating class. He’s just 16, also making him the youngest member of his band, the Jonas Brothers, in which he sings alongside older brothers Kevin and Joe. Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve just come back from my ten-year high school reunion. It’s hard to believe that the class of 1999 is already looking back at a decade since graduation, and honestly a little jolting to think the next ten will likely buzz by just as quickly. My reunion went better than I ever expected, and I genuinely enjoyed catching up with everyone who attended. Out of a class of 150 graduates, we had about 30 or so show. A little disappointing in that respect, but it did allow for more time with everyone. Here are my tips for successfully surviving your high school reunion, no matter which decade you’re celebrating.
DO review your yearbook before going. It can’t hurt to familiarize yourself with names and faces.
DO politely ask for an introduction if you’re drawing blank on a name.
Most of us would rather leave our yearbook photos buried in a dusty box in our basements. But if you’re a celebrity, you don’t enjoy that luxury. Thanks to the folks over at MTV, we’re peeking inside the yearbooks of some big celebs to see what they looked like then.
The most surprising transformations are probably those of class of 2000’s Adam Lambert, of American Idol fame, and class of 1993’s Fergie, of the Black Eyed Peas.
Watch now and see for yourself how Tyra Banks, Kate Gosselin, Megan Fox, Kanye West and others looked for their senior pictures.
If you can’t work for one of the most influential CEOs in American business, then you can take his classes. Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, just this week launched the Jack Welch Management Institute, offering MBAs online.
Welch lead GE with a focus on efficiency, productivity, and talent development, that paid off for GE and its employees, as several went on to become CEOs themselves. He was also an early proponent of Six Sigma, a business management philosophy employed by corporations large and small. He had no time for being anything below number two, and applied that thinking to both firing illequipped managers or eliminating poor lines of business.
Now retired as GE’s chief and not one to sit back and watch the world roll by, he’s delving into an area of business that has grown increasingly popular in recent years (online education) and will help him to groom yet another generation of talented business leaders. Not to mention give the next generation an opportunity to learn from one of the greats. Read the rest of this entry »
Prison is usually a make or break destination for criminals - they’re either able to rehabilitate or they’re not. For a London Hells Angel, it might have been the luckiest break of his life. Diamond Ialenti was arrested in 2008 carrying a hockey bag full of marijuana (with intent to traffic) and a handgun. Those acts earned him 1,056 days in behind bars.
posted on July 3rd, 2009 by Brandi
