What are your thoughts about Xavier and its mission after your first semester? Saturday, Dec 4 2010

To be honest Xavier gets me questioning sometimes if this is the right place for me. The mission is fine but i wonder if I can really fulfill it one day. At this point I am adjusting to college life and trying to come to terms with who I am and what is expected of me truly. I am trying to reach my goals with hard work and I’m trying to reach them here at Xavier. I feel Xavier is a good place for education. I know I’m learning things and I know they are concerned with my education and well being here. I understand Xavier’s reputation but at times I wonder how valid is it. I feel that I didnt understand what Xavier truly was unti I actually came. As I tend Xavier I see the schools flaws. I see what you are not told on your visit. However, that is life. Things always seem greener on the other side. Xavier is wonderful in the repsect that there are many people who come here dreaming so big and looking for something. The people here are mostly of African-American descent and there is somewhat of a common struggle amongst all of us. Xavier is a place that promotes who we are and gives us the ability to be proud of it. There is no escaping who you are and there is no ability to say my people are not motivated to be something in this world because you are surrounded by people going just as hard as yourself and possibly harder. There is something bout Xavier that makes me proud to be here. But I am also faced with the fact that there is no there option for me. I am here because of my choice and I am here on scholarship. Xavier is my future place for the next three years. It is me. I am a Xavierite…so I better begin being real proud now. Xavier overall is a wonderful institution with a reputation that exceeds others. However, I am hoping that this reputation is true.

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Farme tries to balance his desire to treat individual patients with the need for his attendance at hight profile meetings. Which of the two is ultimately more important? Saturday, Dec 4 2010

Farmer battled with his career. The demands of being a doctor that has so many people to serve, but also the demands of his heart and his passion. Ulitametly treating patients and curing disease is the most important task that one can take on. Business affairs can only do so much, the healing process is what saves lives. Farmer often time was exhausted with his travels going here and there just traveling every place that he had an engagement. However, Haiti was his heart. He had a desire to help the suffering there. He had no regret for what he preferred to do. He told the reporter often times how he desired to, “retire to Cange”. No one truly believe Farmer but studying his life could one possibly be so surprised? The meetings that Farmer attended were for status and duty. The “protocal” type thing to his life that he had to stay up on. In his heart Farmer knew what he had to do but sometimes as human beings we have to make a sacrifice between passion and duty. Well sometimes we have to compromise and that is what Farmer ultimatey he had to do for some time. Part of his job description required those meetings therefore he had to be up on them. There was no picking and choosing what he will do and wont. When you sign to be something you usually know what comes with the territory and you know what you are suppose to do. No one is saying a life is not important because of course above all else a life should and always come before money, however, because of his career and who he was, Farmer had obligations.

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Comments on other students Blogs Saturday, Dec 4 2010

mrojasro Week 7
I agree with what your saying about Farmer needing money to fund any of the projects within Haiti and even outside of Haiti. Like you said it is true Farmer really wanted to advance Haiti’s healthcare but he really could do nothing without the financial support that he recieved from Tom White. You hit on key points from the book about him desiring money to fund his projects.

syed2010 Week 7
this is an interesting take on the story. i didnt realize any one felt tat money truly wasnt necessary. I also didnt realize how Farmer truly put the needs of the people before the money issue.

cnguye14 Week 7
You hit some really good points with this blog. I understand what your saying when Farmer wants to wipe out another illness that truly shouldnt even be a factor in the country any more. However, because of the money issue, as in Haiti has none they are not able to support their people in a way that America does. They cannot keep the area clean and free of disease. Your examples futher validated your argument and truly brought your opinion and thoughts across which I truly agree with.

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Send an email to your favorite teacher Friday, Dec 3 2010

Dear Dr. Mcferrin,

Thankyou for being a wonderful and enthusiastic teacher. When I would go to your class it was one of the few that I genuinely enjoyed being at and enjoyed going to on mondays. The material you presented to us was thorough and appeared that you knew the topics and material to a reasonable extent. Your demeanor was always present though im sure there were times that you were exhausted as many of us were. As many times as I dosed off in your class you never had an attitude with me and you always were willing to help me with the homework or assignment. I truly thank you for that time I had to come to your office even though it wasnt office hours and you took the time to break down Aerobic Respiration for me and everything. Your passion for teaching was refreshing. Xavier is lucky to have a professor like you that has the students best interest at heart. Honestly if I didnt have you as a teacher I dont know if would have the grade I have in Biology that I do now. Because you were sefless you helped me and I made a A on that exam. Your a great professor and I am glad that I had you as one of my teachers for my first year of college. I know now that there is always somewhere that I can turn if I need some more help or clarity on a topic. Oh and I definitely must say thank your for allowng us to usually leave class earlier than most Bio Lab classes. Likewise, thankyou for spending your time even after lab which was around 5 to help me learn meiosis. Taking your time to illustrate each phase in its entiritey was one of the benefits from having you as a teacher.

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Interview a senior… Friday, Dec 3 2010

I chose to interview Jordan. Jordan is an average attending senior at Xavier. Like many of the students who go to Xavier he is a bio-premed major. I told him about my assignment and he was more than willing to answer the questions that I had to ask him. So according to the prompt I just began with what do you believe about Xavier’s mission? This is what Jordan had to say…

As a student attending Xavier for four years I have grown alot and learned valuable lessons. I entered here of course as a freshman without much concern for the mission statement or what it really meant to be going to school to be making a difference. However, in my years that have passed by me so quickly I have come to realize how important each day is and how each decision I make is pertinent to my future and the outcome to my life. As I continued school each year became a year that brought me closer to having to make decisions after decision. And I wondered about Xavier and how it is preparing me for the future which is quickly appraoching. I rememebered how the mission statement looks to us to be creating individuals that will assist in creating a more just and humane society. I thought about it and realized that this obviously is my purpose and goal with gettin education. Xavier said it best when they created the mission statement. It is a wonderful thing to be attending and institution that values education, yet they value the community as well and have it placed to be a reminder that one should always give back and try hard to make a difference for those around us.

Jordan was a wonderful topic and as he spoke he got my mind going about how I feel about Xavier’s mission statement. Jordan obviously feels like it is something to live up to and that he can truly make a difference in this world.

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Do some research on Katharine Drexel. Do you think she would be happy with Xavier today? Why or Why not? Monday, Nov 8 2010

Katharine Drexel’s mission was to help the oppressed. Her passion was for Native Americans and African Americans who were put down. She sought to create an institution where people were taught to be leaders and create a more just and humane society. Sister Drexel valued community service and that learning occured well in the right environment. Personally, I do believe that Katharine Drexel would be happy with Xavier at the moment because they do truly follow her mission. We do learn everyday in this institution and constantly have alot of work to do. However, thinking about the just part we do not hear much about that within Xavier. To become people who will go out and make a difference. The most I see that people are willing to go out and help others is the idea that so many people would like to be doctors or surgeons. Basically overall people who are just ready to help and dedicate themselves to service. However, that is not the school instilling that within them it is their own passions and desires. It is what they see for themselves. Likewise, research and community service were pinpointed in her mission. Xavier does offer areas of research for the students. Places of study that would broaden horizons and expose us to things that we would not know about otherwise without experience. Community service is understandable because it is a person giving of themselves to others. You need to remember your roots and where you come from. Often times its necessary to serve and here at Xavier alot of people understand this. All of the organizations have community service events and alot of the time there are clubs or organizations that are all about community service for example Habitat for Humanity. Here they build housing and give their time early mornings on saturdays. Xavier has a vision and gradually it is instilled. However, above all else it has to be the persons own drive.

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What role does money play in Farmer’s quest to provide health care? Saturday, Oct 2 2010

Money is a major factor in Farmer gaining the ability to provide health care for the people of Haiti. Each task such as make a better water system or even jus begin a blood bank for the Haitians he needed money. Every simple thing called for money. To back many of his projects Paul Farmer called upon a famous Boston constructor to help him build many necessary unitlities inside of Haiti. This financial backing that this man provided allowed Farmer to begin is hospital and equip it with the things necessary to run it and make it successful. Money also was important in supplying medication for his patients because often times they did not have any money. Farmer found that money was almost like his best friend supplying each financial need that he had. Without the money Paul Farmer could not achieve his hope and desire to aid Haiti with a well staffed place of health care. “If he wants to meet me tell him to come to Haiti” is what Farmer said about an anonymous donor who soon would become Farmers most major project donor in finances. He started off early iniating what this man would be seeing not just asking for money but giving this American man a first count experience on what his money would be going to and exactly how it would be helping. This man saw devastation among a people and witnessed the living conditions that they had to endure. He hated what he saw and vowed to make a difference. He was not a medical physician so could not help with the physical or medical needs but there was someone who did have that ability. Therefore, he decided to sponsor the man that could make a change. Money is the language that everyone can speak and truly Farmer needed every penny he could get to make a difference.

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What role does Farmer’s Catholic heritage play in his work? Does your religious heritage influence your work? Saturday, Oct 2 2010

Paul Farmer comes from a Catholic background. A lot of times Catholisism is based around community service and helping others. Turn the other cheek no matter what some one does. A grudge should never be held even if the person is wrong. Forgiveness is key. Therefore, it is no mystery to why Farmer performs his work the way he does and deals with the things that go on inside of Haiti and other places. As people do him wrong or destroy what positive thing can be done, he ignores its negative effect and continues to go further than before. I can only think of one reason why this man could be so passive to the issues that go on around him, his religion. What he was taught correlates with his job. To be a doctor one must be selfless and be able to over look patients or anyone who is trying to stop progress. His tecahings from his childhood or from what he believes as an adult stay with him through each action he takes with another individual. Often times people relate their beliefs into their everyday lives in order to put into pracitice what they have been atught. I am christian and I believe that one has to be selfless and that people are important so you should treat them right. Often times I work hard to show respect to everyone around me just because this is a principle that I have been taught and a major factor in how I believe. Without my belief system I dont know how I would be at times. But truthfully a religious heritage does tend to have a bearing on how you carry yourself in the work field.

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What is your favorite class at Xavier and why? Thursday, Sep 23 2010

English I would have to say is my favorite class. This is where I can just express some of my thoughts through various topics that my professor announces to us. Here things are not as stressful because there really is no exam just papers and reading. The professor incorporates interesting ways for us to pull on our creative side. For, example she wanted us to illustrate the emtional appeal that various situations could have so as a group we acted scenes out allowing the class to pick out what emotions were the most prevalent. Of course we were not just given this idea for no reason it was to prepare us for our paper. This paper is to be an emotional appeal paper where we write the emotional aspects within a documentary. That is another thing I like about this class, the documentaries that take us away from the traditional curriculum of reading and more reading. We can watch something that capitivates us and affects how I feel emotionally making it easier for me to write because it has a real pull on me. Above all else I feel that I like this class because of the teacher. She is someone who has a calm spirit where she truly likes teaching us even though she is young and is recently out of school herself. Yet when she speaks or depicts something for us I can see she knows what she is talking about. I never feel confused or too bored in class. She has expectations for us and expects alot, however, she knows that part of this is still a learning experience. Truly the teacher and the material can make or break a class it can be the determining factor on how well you learn and what you retain. English is a great class because I love to write but I also can have one class where I am not stressed.

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How has poverty benefited Haiti and New Orleans? How has it hurt Haiti and New Orleans? Do you believe in the preferential option for the poor? Thursday, Sep 23 2010

A preferential option for the poor? I highly doubt that anyone would choose to be poor. When one is poor life becomes increasingly hard and one is vulnerable to all types of things. Therefore, I do not believe in the preferential option for the poor because I do not see where someone would long for a life of pure hardship. Poverty is the state in which the economic standard is the lowest of low. Where there is no means of “high class” living. Some often classify Haiti as a poverty stricken country and likewise, people may classify New Orleans as a poverty stricken city. Even so there are so many more “poverty” struck places all throught out the world. Poverty is not a positive aspect to life yet, it can have some benefits. Most human beings have a soft spot in their heart where they would feel as though they need to help someone in need or give back to a struggling community. Well when there are places like Haiti help some times is on its way. For example, Dr.Farmer recognized Haiti’s issue and chose to do something about it. He decided to begin a clinic and later a hopsital. Due to Haiti’s rugged terrain and horrible living condition when a wealthy man visited the country he quickly saw their need. In his heart he knew this could not be right to have millions of people living in such a devestating environment. As a result, he put his money up and backed Farmer’s project. Relief comes at times where its needed. Futher examples are New Orleans in time after Katrina. People were ready to lend a helping hand when it was needed. Maybe the government did not do all it could but there are always some people who see turmoil and realize that it must be fixed. Even though people help from time to time there are some conditions that just have caused these poverty stricken places some turmoil. Disease is often a factor in these poor environments. They go hand in hand. Where people do not have the money to get medical attention disease seems to be the most deadly substance around. What hurts these places often time is violence as well. A major factor that alot of these people face is the uncontrollable uprising of delinquant forces that have one thing in mind, power. Poverty is a hard cycle to break out of that has a real negative connotation all around it. There is no positive aspect.

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