Best Student Writing from Fall 2012

The following student stories were the best writing during the fall in CSM's COM2300 (Writing for the Media) class. The stories were also submitted to regional media for publication.

Robotics Competition

By Melissa Curley

     The College of Southern Maryland held its first Robotics Challenge – Collegiate Division against a Pennsylvania college on Nov. 3 at the La Plata Campus.

     Engineering positions will always be in demand, said Byron Brezina, mechanical engineering project manager at the Naval Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technology Division (NAVEODTECHDIV), who attended and demonstrated two Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) robots at the competition.

     EOD robots have proven invaluable because each destroyed robot symbolizes a saved human life, which corroborates the importance of engineering technology and learning for students today, said Brezina. 

     The EOD robots provide a technician with situational awareness and are typically used in hostile situations.  It’s a standard procedure to send in a robot first to assess a potentially dangerous situation, said Brezina.  

     “The CSM engineering students are learning all the controls and structures and it’s basically the same concept,” he said.     

     “I want to be a bio-mechanical engineer who makes prosthetic limbs,” said first-time Muhlenberg College team competitor and engineering student, Macauley Breault of Allentown, Pa.       

     In the game of “Sack Attack,” the conference room’s projector screen announced the competition of the CSM Talons against Muhlenberg University of Allentown, Pa.

     Both college teams designed and built two robots and each match totaled two minutes, said Bernice Brezina, CSM professor and Talons team leader. 

     The first 60-second autonomous challenge was followed by a 60-second remote-controlled challenge, Bernice Brezina said.   

     Using a small concourse, the robots scored points according to how many bags each machine could scoop, transport and dispense into center troughs with each match’s results displayed on the projector screen.

         “Computers have changed the world,” said former math and physics professor Peter Ezeswenna of Waldorf, whose 19-year-old son, Chiebuka, competed with the Talons team. 

     Chiebuka wants to be a computer scientist and joined the Talons as an extra curricular activity, he said. 

     “It’s a great environment for practical coding for something tangible,” said Chiebuka, who also wrote some of the coding and the autonomous for the team’s small robot nicknamed “Overkill Junior.”

     The event attracted local resident Michael McPhee of La Plata and his 7-year-old son, Steven, because he enjoys Transformers.

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Dream Careers
By Daniel Mason

Attendees at the College of Southern Maryland’s Nov. 29 career presentation “CakeLove: Find your Passion. Follow Your Calling,” about a lawyer turned baker, said they would also leave their current job to pursue their one true passion in life.

After listening to guest speaker Warren Brown’s story, several audience members at the La Plata Campus felt inspired and said they would also like to follow their dream job given the opportunity.

Brown, founder of CakeLove, worked as a litigator before he decided to follow his dream of becoming a baker. He opened his first store in 2002 and has grown to six stores all over the Washington, D.C., metro area.

Many people said they admired Brown’s success story.

“He is a very smart man that was self-taught when it came to cooking or baking because he studied law and didn’t study anything about bakery or cooking,” said Anna Grow of Charles County.

Audience members related to Brown’s desire to feel fulfilled and happy with his career. Many of the people that attended work at jobs that help pay bills, but if given the choice, they would pursue careers in cooking, farming, entertainment or music.

Nikki Taylor from Calvert County said, “My dream job would be to be the owner of a bed and breakfast. I would absolutely leave my job to pursue this dream.” She said she previously had a profession in the medical field and is currently enrolled at the college to find a career that will fulfill her.

 “I would leave my current job to pursue my dream career,” agreed Tracey Sewell of Charles County. “I would be something in the ministry of serving God.”

Many admired Brown’s dedication and motivation to leave a successful career in law and start a business in which he had no experience.

James Ayers, an audience member visiting from Washington, D.C., said, “I liked Warren’s story because he is so passionate in what he does.”

Many agreed that Brown’s passion led him to be a successful baker and business man. Although

Brown didn’t have any experience in baking before starting his business, most of those attending his talk agreed that his cupcakes tasted “amazing.”

The event, sponsored by CSM’s Career Services Department, served as an inspiration for most to find something they are good at and to follow that dream.
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2012 Turkey Trot

By Anthony Pinder

The 2^nd Annual College of Southern Maryland Turkey Trot held Nov. 18 at the La Plata Campus raised thousands of dollars in donations, yet it held so much more significance than money for many participants. 

This annual event attempts to attract “people of all ages who are looking to be active and fit for good health,” according to CSM Fitness Coordinator Jane Pomponio.

 Pomponio and CSM Aquatics Coordinator Christopher Tuttle created the event and continue to coordinate it.  The event raised around $3,000 and attracted nearly 140 participants this year--an increase from last year’s number, they said.  Perhaps the most important element of the Turkey Trot, however, is that a portion of the proceeds raised from the event benefit the American Cancer Society.

“I have friends or family who have had cancer or family who are survivors,” said Pomponio. “I was glad to organize something to benefit the American Cancer Society’s efforts.”

Proceeds from this year’s Turkey Trot also went to the CSM Foundation to help students who are either cancer survivors or have lost a parent to cancer.

However, it wasn’t just about the donations raised for some participants.  For some, this was a serious athletic event; such was the case with 1^st place men’s winner, Chase  Collins of La Plata, Md.  Collins said he hasn’t run competitively since high school and still managed to pull off this win.  The athlete said he found out about the event via Twitter, and didn’t have anything to do Sunday, so for him to “randomly sign up and win” the Turkey Trot served as a “confidence booster.”

For second place winner, Wesley Harris of La Plata, Md., the event marked a new personal record.  He says he ran the 5k in 18.10 minutes, an improvement from his last years’ time of 19.12 minutes.  Harris said he had been training for a month leading up to the event, working with speed and endurance, and he wanted to go “all out” for his last event of the year.

While not everyone can win in terms of speed, many participants won during an after-race raffle. At the finish line, in addition to the trophy prizes, local businesses donated prizes, including Pizza Hot Line, the Green Turtle, La Tolteca, Hunan Star,  Longevity Studios and Melwood.

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