Faculty Spotlight: Shannon Hokanson

It has been 20 years since Shannon Hokanson joined the Monmouth University faculty. Hokanson is one of the most well-loved professors, not only in the communication department, but also on campus as a whole. Hokanson is a friendly and energetic person who loves dogs. Anyone who has ever had Professor Hokanson in the classroom knows that she is a huge advocate for pit-bull rescue—she even has a pit-bull herself that you can often find in his comfortable jammies.

Hokanson is loved because of how real and personable she is. She is approachable, compassionate and understanding towards her students and coworkers. Before Hokanson became a professor, she attended Monmouth University as a student herself. One of her past professors was pleased when she saw that Hokanson applied to work at Monmouth, as she was an outstanding student. “Prof. Hokanson is a kind, caring and creative person I have only known her as such,” said Donna Dolphin Associate Professor of Communication. “It’s a lucky thing to work with a friendly and genuinely nice person.”

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Trending Recipe: Feta Pasta

Given the times of the world we are in, some can get a little consumed with the new trends on social media. I know I have taken advantage of social media, especially the app TikTok. The app is a video-sharing social media network, and the purpose is to create and upload short videos for entertainment.

As I was scrolling on the app for hours one night, I stumbled upon a recipe for a baked feta pasta dish. The original recipe was posted by Jenni Häyrinen in 2019. Häyrinen is a Finnish food blogger, and her recipe led to the #fetapasta hashtag trending on TikTok, which now has over 44 million views. This recipe seemed like the easiest type of pasta to make, and I was confused as to why this was a big trend on social media platforms. I mean, no hate to this pasta recipe, but I just did not get why there were so many posts, articles, stories, etc. about this pasta. The Washington Post, Food Network, Delish, The Rachael Ray Show, and more have posted recipe videos and articles about this pasta recipe.

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Declutter Your Dorm: The Importance of Spring Cleaning

In the “work-from-home” age of the pandemic, with most classes being held virtually at home or in your dorm room, it’s easy to find your desk overflowing with clutter. However, now that spring has sprung and finals are around the corner, it’s important to find time to clear your workspace of the various books, stationary, and even water bottles piling up at your desk.

According to a 2010 study published in the scientific journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, women who described their workspaces as “cluttered” were more likely to be depressed than women who described their homes as “restful” and “restorative.” And, according to another study conducted by Indiana University, those who kept their homes clean were healthier and more active than those who didn’t.

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Nursing Students Administer Covid-19 Vaccines

Monmouth nursing students administered COVID-19 vaccines at Brookdale Community College as a part of their clinical experiences, their third time administering vaccines in total, on Tuesday, March 23.

Rachel Blackwell, a sophomore nursing student, described it as a very rewarding experience, as about 1200 people arrived for either their first or second dose. “As a nursing major, this vaccination clinic helped me practice skills that I will continue to use here and in my nursing career,” Blackwell said.

“My experience throughout the day giving the vaccines was really good,” added Heather Orgonas, another sophomore nursing student. “I was nervous at first, but as the day went on, my nerves subsided and I really enjoyed it.”

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Monmouth Community Reacts to Upsurge in Anti-Asian Racism and Violence

Atlanta, Georgia, March 16. Eight people were killed in a series of mass shootings at three Asian-run spas, including six women of Asian descent, as reported by news outlets across the globe.

Many people have linked this incident to recent surges in Anti-Asian racism and violence since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, as per an official statement by the White House. According to a study based off police data by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University San Bernardino, hate crimes against Asian-Americans increased 145 percent in 2020.

People flocked to social media to express their frustration towards anti-Asian hate crimes, trending the hashtag #StopAsianHate. And, as the Wall Street Journal reported, protests are surfacing around the nation to push for an end to anti-Asian violence.

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Undeclared: How to Decide on a Major

“What do I want to do for the rest of my life?”

That is the question many first year students ask themselves when coming to college. Some people may know what they want to study, but for others, it is not that easy. 164 of 921 freshmen, or approximately 18 percent, are undeclared.

Such is the case of Naomi Louis, a freshman undeclared student. Louis thought this was the best choice for her, as she was unsure what would be the best major. “Upon entering, I had multiple majors I was contemplating and still am. I did not want to waste time on a major when I wasn’t even sure I would really like it,” she said.

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Resident Assistants Talk Dorm Difficulties Amid Pandemic Safety Restrictions

One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, safety restrictions have impacted many members of the Monmouth University community—and on-campus residential assistants (RAs) are no exception. In a short period of time, RAs had to adjust to a completely different way of interacting with residential students.

Mia Ardovini-Brooker, a senior political science student with a concentration in legal studies, has been an RA at Cedar Hall for about two years. She had the opportunity to experience being an RA before the pandemic.

“It was hard at first because we have never had to worry about so many restrictions on our programs before this,” Ardovini-Brooker said. “It was hard to get residents to come to programs pre-COVID so during COVID, it has been even harder.” 

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Student Workers: The Turner Syndrome Foundation

Monmouth University students can become involved in different ways—through clubs, on-campus jobs, Greek organizations, or becoming Resident Assistant (RA) or student ambassador. Some students even begin to work at a non-profit organization. Five Monmouth students currently work for the Turner Syndrome Foundation, located in Hazlet, NJ.

The Turner Syndrome Foundation (TSF) was founded in 2009 with a mission to raise awareness of Turner Syndrome, a chromosomal disorder that affects 1 in 2,000 females (two million in total), according to their website. The non-profit organization strives to reduce the age of diagnosis and increase the standard of care for affected individuals. TSF also provides educational resources, supports research, and continues to broaden its reach to patients and caregivers worldwide.

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COVID-19 Pandemic Affects Student Teaching for Education Majors

Education students seeking to complete their student teaching hours have faced many changes in the structure of these requirements as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

“When a student imagines what their field work is going to be like in their program before COVID, they have a certain idea in their head about what it would be like. Now it’s different because the majority of students are on more of a hybrid or remote base,” explained Corina Earle, Director of Field Placements for the Department of Education. “I wouldn’t say that anybody is missing out, it’s just a different adaptation.”

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Surviving in the Digital Age

In today’s technology-dependent society, it’s nearly impossible to unplug from electronics and take a break. Technology today is used for both business and pleasure, especially when the COVID-19 pandemic pushed students further into the virtual world.

Phones are students’ main source of communication, computers are mostly used for work, and televisions are meant for entertainment. All these electronic devices can be overwhelming to the human body, and remaining plugged in can be detrimental to one’s mental health.

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