Sports enthusiasts know that when it comes to Olympic greatness, Michael Phelps holds the crown. In London alone Phelps dominated his opponents to bring home four gold and two silver medals, which made the most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 total medals. If that isn’t bragging rights, I’m not sure what is.

But before Olympic fame and glory there was education, which is an important thing to remember for young athletes aspiring to walk in Phelps’ footsteps. And even though Phelps never pursued a formal degree, he did still see value in taking classes and coupling athletics with academics as an intentional career move.

Phelps, who was born and raised in Towson, Maryland, attended Towson High School where he graduated in 2003. While he started swimming at the ripe age of seven, it wasn’t until later that he realized his true talent. A series of swim clubs and competitions led to his qualifying for the 2000 Summer Olympics at age 15, at which point he became the youngest male athlete to make a US Olympic team in 68 years. And even though he didn’t win any medals, his next three Olympic appearances would more than make up for it. Read the rest of this entry »

Classes begin in just a few weeks for college students. For those who are returning from a summer break, the tricky transition of balancing classes, homework, a job, and a social life begins once more.

Imagine if you had to add “catching up” to the list because you’ll be missing the first few days of class due to the Olympics. Not from watching the games or even attending, but because you’ll be competing in the international event. Many of Team USA’s athletes will be missing class this semester while they go for the gold in London. In fact, 5/8 of the US men’s Olympic gymnasts are University of Oklahoma students!

USA Today recently compiled a list of 10 college Olympians to keep your eye on during these summer games. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s very common for college students to feel strapped for cash these days. Even if they have a part-time job, it can be hard to make ends meet, especially if your parents are not helping fund your education. So what is a student to do?

Margaux Malyshev decided to become a hair model in order to make $250.

“To earn the $250, I had to let them do anything they wanted to my hair,” she said. When Malyshev walked in for the “job,” she had long blond hair. By the end of the experience, she had brunette hair with bangs and layers. “From now on, I plan to stick with psychological testing.” Malyshev was referring to her other source of income, where she makes about $20 per hour by filling out university research questionnaires.

For those who have just graduated and are in debt with student loans, this situation seems even worse. Combined with the current job market, many students are searching for any way possible to save a few dollars.

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Who says you have to be a British teenage wizard to enjoy a good Quidditch game? Last weekend, 300 college students from the Midwest USA proved that these traits are not at all a requirement to participate in a Quidditch cup. The students were from various universities, including Purdue, Ball State, University of Michigan, and Ohio State University.

“I was going to be in club soccer, but when I heard about Quidditch, I wanted to try it,” said Michael Koester, a freshman at Ball State University. “The great thing about this you don’t have to be a great athlete. I’ve made so many friends, and we have lots of fun together.”

It seems that Koester isn’t the only one who now prefers Quidditch, a fantasy game with players who ride on broomsticks, to other sports.

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Many universities are very proud of their researchers, but not many are willing to back them up like the University of Michigan is currently doing. The school’s president, Mary Sue Coleman, announced on Wednesday that the school was starting an initiative that would help fund start-up companies that were developed through university research.

In the past, many higher education leaders have seen these types of investments as a good way to guarantee a company’s success, but they have only endorsed companies on a limited basis. Now, Michigan is starting to shake up this traditional view.

“Simply put, University of Michigan start-ups are a good financial opportunity,” Coleman said. “And the historical data have convinced us now to invest a small portion of the endowment in start-ups from all three campuses.”

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By Cabrone D. Brewer

The Wolverine has a reputation for ferocity and strength — and after Saturday night’s performance against Notre Dame, University of Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson proved that he fits the mold perfectly.

With both teams donning retro-themed uniforms in front of a record-setting crowd of 114,804 for the first night game ever at Michigan Stadium, The Wolverines scored 28 points in the fourth quarter capped by Robinson’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Roy Roundtree with two seconds left to stun Notre Dame and lift Michigan to a thrilling 35-31 victory over the Irish.

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Finding a group that fits your interests is a very important part of being happy in college. When I first came to college, I joined some traditional clubs, such as Spanish Club, a sorority, and a professional writing club.

However, if I had been interested in a more unique hobby, such as lumber jacking, I would have been out of luck at my school. I guess I would have had to transfer to another school – like Michigan Technological University – to pursue my passion.

Many schools are now offering clubs and organizations for their students that are more diverse and unique. Check out some of the most unique college clubs- and see if anything peaks your interest:
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Drug and alcohol use have been synonymous with the college experience for decades. Binge drinking and recreational drug use are the behaviors that typically come to mind with college students but recent studies suggest prescription drug abuse is a rising problem on most college campuses.

Health surveys administered by colleges to their students are showing evidence regarding a rising trend of students using prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. The problem facing intervention efforts is the classification of drug use, according to students. The majority of students using prescription drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin report using the drugs not as social stimulants but as study aids for academic success.

Many students wanting to stay up and cram all night have been turning to stimulant drugs like Adderall. Students report a more effective level of focus when taking Adderall and feel more work is accomplished when on the drug. Surprisingly, no correlations have been found between taking Adderall and increased academic success. In fact, students who turn to stimulant drugs have lower grade point averages than other students and are more likely to skip college classes.

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The University of Michigan chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon has been expelled by the national Sigma Alpha Epsilon organization and U of M’s Interfraternity Council after accusations of hazing. The fraternity had been suspended since February after a parent emailed the university’s Office of Greek Life, reporting that pledges were forced to perform physical tests while having tennis balls thrown at them among other hazing tactics.

The national SAE organization announced that the University of Michigan chapter will continue to exist, but will be demoted to “colony” status. “The chapter is still suspended, but we’ve started work on a redevelopment plan with them,” said associate executive director of communications for the SAE national organization Brandon Weghorst. “The chapter will be classified as a colony, which means it will be like having a new group, and we will be starting from ground zero to make sure that they do everything that a chapter is supposed to do.”

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Penn State Coach Joe Paterno

Some big games in the Big-10 stole the spotlight in college football this past weekend. For games involving the national championship picture, check the “BCS Reactions” post.

1. A Living Legend– There’s really nothing new that can be said about Penn State’s Joe Paterno, but that’s because he’s done the same thing for over 40 years: Win football games in a classy manner. No matter who you root for, you have to love it when a great man like Paterno reaches an accomplishment like 400 wins. With the Nittany Lions down 21-0 at home to Northwestern in the 2nd quarter, it looked like the milestone victory would have to wait a week, but Penn State reeled of 35 straight points to make Paterno the only coach in D-IA football history with 400 career wins. Read the rest of this entry »