My Experience Taking the MOS-400 Certification Exam!

Hello and Happy Holidays Season Everyone,

You may be wondering why I skipped writing about my experience taking MOS-300, the Microsoft PowerPoint certification. Today, Saturday, December 12, 2020, I had the pleasure to take MOS-400, the Microsoft Outlook certification exam. This is not by error, but by personally challenging myself to test my abilities. Rest assured, I will be tackling MOS-300 tomorrow, December 13, 2020. Proudly, I passed the MOS-400 exam with a great score with having no preparation or outside test-study at all. This truly was a test of my ability to utilize my current knowledge of Microsoft Outlook while also being able to deductive reason and logically think about how to complete the task without having no knowledge of how to do so. I will say, having no test preparation or really knowing the types of questions that would be present on the exam was difficult, some questions really had me pause and think. I use Outlook every day at work so I was confident going into this certification, but many tasks within the examination I have never done or seen, and I’ve certainly never utilized at my workplace; it truly posed a great challenge. I am so proud to pass the Microsoft Outlook certification because I believe it is much more utilized in the workplace than Microsoft PowerPoint (at least at the organization I intend to pursue a career with), allows me to bring new knowledge to my workplace, and this certification certainly sets me apart from others. With the passing of three exams thus far, MOS-100 (Microsoft Word), MOS-200 (Microsoft Excel), and MOS-400 (Microsoft Outlook), I attained the Microsoft Office Specialist - Associate Certification. I look forward to also attaining my Microsoft PowerPoint certification in the next 24 hours.

      

Spread the Holiday Joy!

Seasons Greetings,

As many of you know, I am attending both UNLV and CSN simultaneously. Although the balancing of both institutions and a combination of coursework has proven to be very time-consuming and challenging, I have also devoted a large portion of my time towards student organizations. Currently, I am the Director of Merit for the Human Resource Student Association, a SHRM Student Chapter at UNLV.  In addition to the vast number of duties and commitments, my primary duties include community outreach, community involvement, and philanthropic work. One of the projects I am currently coordinating with UNLV’s Office of Community Engagement is UNLV’s third annual (and first virtual) Holiday Toy Drive. The toy drive is to support and benefit local children of the Las Vegas valley. Donations will be provided to the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada Engelstad and Gaughan Clubhouses for distribution to children of surrounding neighborhoods. 

I welcome all of you and your family members or friends looking to keep the tradition alive of ensuring no children goes without a holiday toy to participate in this COVID-friendly, easy to navigation virtual toy drive. The toy drive is being conducted entirely through Amazon. To donate: 

(1) Visit the Wish List (Amazon Wish List) to select and purchase a gift.

(2) Select "Gaughan Boys & Girls Club Gift Registry" as the "ship to" address at checkout.

(3) Your gift will be mailed directly to the Boys & Girls Club for distribution to neighborhood children.

Donations will be accepted through December 18, 2020. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, or UNLV Education and Information Officer, Tamara Marino at 702-895-4298.

Click here for full-size flyer

My Experience Taking the MOS-200 Certification Exam!

Greetings All,

This past Saturday, November 21, 2020, I took the MOS-200 certification exam, and I can officially announce that I passed the exam and I am certified in Microsoft Excel. Not only did I pass, but I proudly passed with the highest score thus far amongst those in my class who have taken the MOS-200. This is exciting because I also scored highest on MOS-100. Not that score matters since it is a pass or fail when one has their certification verified, but to know that I struggled so much with the formulas, had difficulty importing text and CSV files on my Mac and loaned college laptop, to countless hours of working on projects, this is a proud moment. I recall spending four hours trying to perfect one Excel project only to realize the issue wasn't a user error but a technological error. I am so happy that all my classmates who also took the exam during the same session also passed. Best of luck to all my other colleagues who will be taking on MOS-200 in the coming days. I am excited to tackle MOS-300 next and earned the coveted Microsoft Associate certificate and badge and receive a paper copy of the certificate from Microsoft!

Words of Encouragement for MO-200

This week is exciting- my Information Systems colleagues and I, are preparing for the Microsoft Office Excel Associate (MO-200) certification and we will be taking this certification exam this weekend. For this week’s blog post, I will leave my colleagues and readers with inspiring and encouraging quotes or pieces of advice. Best of luck to you all on conquering and passing the exam. I would love to hear the best pieces of advice you’ve received or some quotes that you also enjoy, so please comment them down below.

• There is going to be people in life that are going to tell you that you can't or you won't, but you need to work hard and prove them wrong.
• Don't give up. It will pay off in the end.
• Nothing in life is easy.
• "Life has good times and bad times, perseverance thru hardship defines triumph. Stay focused, hang in there” – John Cena
• "Just because you lose a round, doesn't mean you are a loser. The only losers are those who stay stagnant. Pick yourself up, and say I'm gonna be back, back and better than ever." - Arnold Scawznegger
• “People will challenge you. People will hate you. People will doubt you. And nobody will give you a shot. So, it’s your job to show everyone what you’re made of” - Unknown
• "The only person that can get in your way is yourself." - Khalid

Eyes on the Road! Do Not Text and Drive

Hello Everyone,

I had the delight of presenting a call-to-action and informative presentation yesterday on why we as a society should all do better at never texting and driving. I gained inspiration from a previous blog post I made titled: “Stop Texting and Driving” which was more of a visual analysis of a campaign advertisement to stop texting and driving. For this blog post, I would like to leave you with some key takeaway and important facts about the effects of texting and driving, statistics, and what can be done to avoid this dangerous activity that I presented to my classmates. 

• Texting and driving is a serious matter and causes loss of life, it is illegal, it is not smart, and is preventable.

• Cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year and nearly 330,000 injuries from that 1.6 million are caused by texting while driving, according to The National Safety Council.

• A study conducted by Transport Research Laboratory concluded that texting and driving delays the driver’s reaction time more than the legal limit of alcohol consumption. 

• In the state of Nevada, Nevada Revised Statue 484B.165 prohibits hand-held cell phone use and texting while driving. 

• According to the Nevada DMV website, “Fine is $50 for the first offense in seven years, $100 for the second and $250 for the third and subsequent offenses. Fines are subject to doubling if the offense occurs in a work zone… First offense is not treated as a moving violation. A second or subsequent offense carries 4 demerit points.”

• To avoid texting and driving, my proposed solution is using a passphrase as your device’s locking system to remind you when unlocking your phone that you should not be texting and driving, or lock the phone in a place where it can be difficult to reach or where it can only be reached after parking, such as the center console or in trunk of the car.

None of us want to lose a best friend, a sibling, a parent, or a partner, so do not text and drive!

Make Your Voice Heard and VOTE!

Hello and Happy Three-Days from Election Day!  🗽

Yesterday, October 30, was the last day of early-voting for the 2020 General Election, and if you have not voted yet, make sure to get out there and vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Election Day is your last day to actually cast a ballot for this election, but there is so much on the line to not got out and vote, and your voice is so important and should be represented in-line with the values that you and your fellow neighbors care most about. This year is not just the Presidential Election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, but here in Clark County, Nevada, there are about 70 election races on the ballot. This is the time to make your decision on key individuals who will shape American and local legislation that will make an impact for decades. Voting has been made so simple and easy to complete this year with a prioritization on everyone's health and safety, and every registered voter should have received a mail-ballot automatically. This is great because it provides every registered voter the right to vote, by mail or in-person. In fact, over 1 million registered Nevadans have already voted (including in-person and mail ballots returned), which accounts to over 58% of active voters. Election Day Voting will take place from 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M., and a full list of polling locations can be found by visiting the Nevada Secretary of State website or click “here”.  I have a passion and huge interest in everything related to politics, election tracking, and law, so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me :-)

Stress in College Students

After reading many of my classmates’ blog posts, I can certainly resonate. For many of us, not just the effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic, but the workload for many of our classes have been oftentimes “too much to handle.” Personally, it feels as though all professors increased the amount of coursework being issued trifold. Nonetheless, I often worry that too much work is programming us to just complete the work, but the rapid pace and switching of subjects does not allow new-learned to completely grasp the concept or ideas being presented. I wish more professors would be understanding that students do have their own personal lives outside of their class. For many, students have families to tend to, they have a job, they are taking several other classes, extracurricular and internship opportunities, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, all while trying to succeed and become an all-around better person in life. For many young adults, especially those in college, there is a growing crisis leading affecting mental health, including suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and depression. In fact, “Suicide is the second most common cause of death for college students, right after accidents. In the period between 2008 and 2017, stress levels have grown exponentially. Consequently, 47% more young adults were having thoughts about committing suicide” (Jacimovic, D., 2019). I have done some research and would like to share below my findings with all of you- my fellow college colleagues of mine. Most importantly, however, if any of my readers ever feel a desire to self-harm themselves, please know that there is 24/7 confidential and free support by calling 1-800-273-8255, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 

Findings:

Maryville University argues that one should prevent stress in college through establishing a support system of family, friends, or professors to provide their advice. Secondly, is to understand your triggers.  This means that you assess and understand what causes stress in your life, and you make those adjustments in your life to avoid stressful situations. Managing your time is also a key to managing stress, and this will allow you to balance a number of things you may deem necessary to attend to. Furthermore, saying “no” is a key responsibility when you feel placed in a stressful situation, such as when you don’t have time to take up another responsibility (Maryville University). 

Moreover, mitigating the effects of stress, according to Maryville University, can be done through getting enough sleep, eating healthy, exercising, partaking in a hobby to distract your mind from stress, having a supportive group, volunteering, meditating, understanding your limitations and being realistic, being organized, and staying optimistic (Maryville University).

My Experience Taking the MOS-100 Certification Exam!

 Hello All,

Yesterday, October 13, 2020, I took the MOS-100 certification exam, and I can officially announce that I passed the exam. This is such exciting information to hear because I am the first student in my class to take the proctored exam, so I was uncertain on what to expect. I will say that the projects and processes were very similar to what was practiced in GMetrix. I was allowed 50 minutes to complete the examination and I was able to finish with 20 minutes left. I spent an extra five minutes reviewing my work and going back to questions I believe I may not have answered correctly. I am pleased that I was able to complete the proctored exam on my Mac desktop, opposed to completing the exam on a small laptop screen which is hard to navigate with a trackpad. The only issue I did have with the examination was during the login process and trying to connect with the proctor. Every time I would login with my Certiport credentials using the hyperlink that was emailed by Certiport to join the meeting, I was met with several error messages (even after refreshing as it instructs). Moreover, it took five attempts for the system to finally work, which was very concerning because the proctor only allows you 15 minutes after the start time to join and if not, you will lose your opportunity to take the exam. Overall, I am pleased with my experience, I am happy to be certified in Microsoft Word, and I look forward to also becoming certified in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint. 90% of why I selected this specific class section was to attain these certifications, an option that is not available in all class section offerings; thus, I am ecstatic to attain the first of three certifications in the MOS Associate series.

Advice to Prepare for an Interview

Greetings to my loyal readers,  

Although I am not a hiring-professional (yet!), I do aspire to someday work in a Human Resource capacity. As we are preparing cover letters, resumes, and I believe we will be preparing LinkedIn pages soon, I have decided to assemble some interview tips for you all. You should also check out the hilarious video below on what NOT to do during an interview (source: YouTube).   

Before the interview, the applicant should invest their time in serious preparation by researching the company, preparing for common interview answers and understanding why you are the best candidate, plan to show up early, and plan to dress appropriately. During the interview, although you may be extremely nervous (understandably so, who wouldn’t be? Plus, you’re likely not the only one nervous), you want to ensure you are speaking confidently, clearly, and loudly enough so the interviewers can hear your answers. Maintaining eye contact with all the interviewers is essential, while also initiating the handshake with the secretary who brings you in to the interview and all the interviews is so important as it exemplifies a sign of respect, acknowledgement, professionalism. Throughout the interview, you should be actively listening and ask for clarification or follow up questions if you do not understand a question that is being asked. After the interview, exude your confidence and show your gratitude. Going as far as sending a thank you note is great and will certainly set you apart from other applicants. 

Video of what not to do during an interview link below: 

Bad Job Interview Clips:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEJswfDbXyw 

Our Air Is Killing Us - Ad Analysis

Hi Readers, I found this advertisement and thought it was quite creative. Feel free to let me know what you think about this advertisement in the comments, and tell me- did you interpret the message differently than the way I did?

This advertisement is an image presented by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The NRDC is an environmental movement organization whose mission is to work to “safeguard the earth—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends.” The Air Pollution Kills campaign and advertisements focuses on how the pollutants that are released into the air are detrimental to human health and the planet. The advertisement itself gives a real-life example of how air pollution is contaminating our earth. This specific image shows a factory building with a billboard hung on the side of it with an apparent illustration of a firearm in alignment with the factory’s chimney. The visual also includes a short statement that reads on the billboard, “Air pollution kills 60,000 people a year.” This advertisement as a whole confronts the dreadful and hazardous effects that ultimately results in death. The statement of text located below the firearm is not as visible as it should be, given that we see the advertisement through a photograph that was taken; however, in-person as the initial advertisement is depicted, would allow one for a much more visible and readable message. Despite that, the message is still capable of being read and understood. The short statement is clear and effective, in letting the viewers know the effects of air pollution, and an example of what causes air pollution. The argument of this ad intends on targeting the audience emotionally and logically, for no one wants to live the world that we share that is being polluted, and worse yet, no one wants to be a part of a death statistic due to air pollution.

Stop Texting and Driving

 

Hello to my AdridBlogs Readers! I loved analyzing an advertisement on my last post and after reading all the positive feedback and comments from my audience, I am glad to be bringing you another visual advertisement analysis. I believe the messaging behind this advertisement can speak to us all and is an important issue.

 

This advertisement is presented by Terremoto Propaganda, a Brazilian Company that created a worldwide ad campaign series in attempt to create awareness among people to “Stop the Violence.” The “Stop Texting and Driving” advertisement focuses on educating and conveying the potential consequences of texting and driving using scare tactics – emotionally and physically, and preachy messaging. The visual of the ad focuses on a man’s face that depicts a motor vehicle and is being struck by a human fist that also represents a motor vehicle, as a result of texting and driving. The white and gold, bold-lettered message underneath this visual states, “Stop the violence. Don’t text and drive.” The clear focus is the ad’s visual; however, without the text or its message, the concept may be perceived as ambiguous. The black background of the advertisement allows for the visual to be the explicit and primary focus of the ad, with no distractions, and also allows for the message to be easily readable. The contorted face of the man in the visual gives support to the overall message of the ad, which is that texting and driving can cause a huge, yet avoidable, life or death situation. The ad’s targeted audience are those who drive and operate a motor vehicle and have a cellular device. This advertisement effectively sends the message that if one texts and drives, he or she is putting themselves and others at risk. For the sake of saving a life, please do not text and drive or engage in any distracted driving.

Liking Isn’t Helping

"Liking Isn't Helping. Be a Volunteer. Change a Life" 

The power of branding, marketing, and advertising is limitless. What are you trying to present to the audience? What do you want your message to be? How do you intend your audience to receive the message? All must be cognized with marketing and getting a message across, whether that be to persuade, to inform, to create a call-to-action, or simply for entertainment. As a Business student, every thing I come across in my life, whether how an individual presents oneself, or how a product is branded, or why decisions are made in such a specific way, I consider it from the perspective of a business. For this blog post, and likely my next blog post, since I find the concept of advertising/marketing intriguing, I have decided to analyze an advertisement. This image is an advertisement created by Publicis Singapore for a volunteer program called Crisis Relief Singapore, as part of the “Liking Isn’t Helping” series. It depicts what seems to be a mother holding her injured and bloody son as he looks into her eyes for what may be his last moments with her. Surrounding the mother and her child, the advertisement positions us to see several hands motioning a “thumbs up,” just as it would appear on Facebook, and towards the left of the image near the mangled boys head includes a few words that states, “Liking isn’t helping.” This advertisement is significant because it puts the viewer's “activism” into perspective. As ethical human beings, more needs to be done in ways that simply “liking” a photo cannot do. This Publicis Singapore advertisement implies that today’s society is quick to “like” the post and forget the image’s message as they scroll on. The message behind the advertisement without the text “Liking isn’t helping” would be somewhat unclear for some; however, with all images that include text, it allows for a better understanding and comprehension of the concept and clarifies what message the advertiser is sending. On the other hand, the text reading “As a volunteer, change a life” is so minuscule that the 'what can' and 'should be' done factors of the advertisement are missed. The mother and her child are the main focal points in this advertisement. In addition, the ad is portrayed in a black-and-white color scheme. The black and white effect that the advertiser has applied to the ad gives off a simplistic, yet dramatic effect to the scenario and atmosphere. The use of a real photograph, rather than a painted or graphic designed image provides the audience to feel repulsive, and the issues depicted in the ad should not be taken lightly. The advertiser’s use of rhetorical appeals, such as pathos and logos, play a huge role in this advertisement, hence why the intended audience for this advertisement are those who use social media and carry compassionate and considerate emotions.

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Blog Post #4 - IS101

Modern (Millennial?) Viral Lingo

Between the mass number of social media platforms, hundreds of thousands of apps, acronyms, and wild terminology us millennials call English, it can get a little crazy. From Emoji’s to slang words it can be difficult for one to stay up to date with all the new terminology making its way around. NO WORRIES, I am here to help!

Today I will be explaining a very commonly used term.

THIRSTY:

One can assume that the terminology “thirsty” would mean that a person is parched. According to Merriam-Webster, thirsty is defined as, “having an uncomfortable feeling because you need something to drink: feeling thirst.” (“Merriam-Webster”)

Although that is the correct denotation, that is not the case in some circumstances when you generally see it on social media.
Thirsty is a commonly used term within the social media realm. You can see this term used on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and even throughout YouTube and its comment section. This term is used to refer or describe an individual who is looking for desperate for attention and is doing things over the top to get noticed.

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Urban Dictionary defines Thirsty as:

1. Too eager to get something (especially play)
2. Desperate
3. To crave attention.
4. Trying to talk to the opposite sex (most likely)

Example: "She is always posting [revealing] pictures, thirsty much?

[LINK TO SOURCE/URBAN DICTIONARY DEFINITION]

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When you hear the word thirsty in the context of above, it is mainly being used by teenagers. I’ve never heard an older adult use this term in that way. Furthermore, I’d much rather like to keep it that way where those who are not in their teens do not say it. To hear a person in their thirties or forties speak in this manner is just awkward and inappropriate. It’s weird to hear people in their early and late twenties say it! Nonetheless, there is no actual reason why a person should use this term anymore unless they are trying to make a point that they need some H2O. This term dates back years, so to say how it came about would be me telling you a bunch of muck to be quite frank. I mean you look at the definition on Urban Dictionary, and it was entered in December of 2003. I do believe that this word had died out for about ten years and then came back to life in 2012 when Kanye West released a hit single entitled “Mercy.” (The power of “Yeezus,” people!) In this song, Kanye stated, “Lamborghini Mercy, your chick, she so thirsty,” and from that point on the word was resurrected. Today, in 2016 the word is still rarely used; you’ll hear people here and there using the term. (Click HERE for “Mercy” music video on YouTube)

This word can be used towards any person by anyone, not just a particular group. Men tend to use this term more often to refer to females as “thirsty,” but it can be used by whoever. People tend to not be offended when called by this term, and those who are called by this name are not excluded. They may be perceived differently, but ethically they are not excluded.

Commonly this term can also be referred to as a “Thirst Trap.” Take for example on Instagram. A girl posts a half-naked photo; however, she captions it “Check out my new phone.” No one is looking at your phone in that half-naked photo of yours! The thirst trap is when you put out a seductive photo just to get thirsty attention. It raises the question of why would they post a photo like that.

In some way, I can see how people could be against people who are viewed as “thirsty.” However, what may seem “thirsty” could also be the individual showing confidence. Maybe a person is thrilled with their weight-loss progress and chooses to take a photo showing off their progress. I believe that some photos should be private, especially the explicit (we all know what you’re trying to do) photos.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you embody.
As long as this word is out of standard terminology, then all is well.

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Blog Post #3 - IS101

Memoir of Adrian's Writing

The power of writing is unlike any other. Writing saves lives. Writing allows for an escape from the real world. And ultimately, writing is a safe-haven where your thoughts and feelings can escape and flow freely. Not only has writing changed my life in so many ways, but it’s changed the way the world works and how people communicate with one another. Something that was so common before the technological advances of cellular devices and electronic messaging became present was writing letters. To communicate, people would write messages on cards and stationary and mail them out. While it is still possible for everyone to write these letters and mail them out, more commonly today, we lean towards e-mails, text messaging, and web browsers for discussion and forum boards as our primary source of communication that allows for immediate response and answers. I am excited to be partaking in an interactive medium such as blogging, another form of creative writing, so what better way to begin a blog than explaining my developments and admiration for writing.

As the majority of us all do, I learned to write in school. Although I did not construct a full essay, or rather short text until fifth grade; in elementary school, I began using a pencil during Kindergarten. Kindergarten was more so about learning how to memorize the alphabet and numbers. It was not until third grade when writing became more apparent. Third grade was the year where we began to have journal entries and free-write. Starting in fifth grade, I was assigned to write essays and write responses to news articles that we would pull from newspapers. Technology has also had an enormous impact on my early experiences of writing. When arriving in middle school, I was required to turn in final draft essays that were entirely typed. Although I was not the best writer during middle school with brainstorming and beginning my essays, I believe that my writing was comprehendible and followed the topics and guidelines.

Earl Motycka once said, “The biggest failure you can have in life is not trying at all.” Many people view writing as a difficult task, and some may even consider that writing is not for everyone, it’s a talent. I used to have the same mindset and perception of writing, but time has shown, and through personal experience, anyone is able to become a better writer. I used to believe that I would never succumb to improving my writing abilities, but after dedicating myself to this craft, I improved and impressed myself time after time with my writing capabilities.  I am terrible at math; however, I know that in order to succeed, I may need to spend more time studying than the average student, attend tutoring sessions, and give up time from other obligations to make sure I fully understand the concepts and all that is required to advance. I pushed myself to improve my writing. I may say that receiving all the negative feedback from past English teachers, and being told that my writing was “vague” and “ambiguous,” they impacted my writing in the sense that it gave me a reason and push to progress. I pushed myself to become a better writer. I knew that I had limitless potential, and with practice, I could improve my writing tremendously. I used those negatives, and turned it around and fueled my writing. I must say, had those few teachers, not all of them, actually worked with me, helped me, told me how I could improve my writing, and not just critique my work, but see my work for its effort, dedication to trying to perfect the writing of my essays (though there is no perfect essay), rather than just being told it “sucked,” I would have gladly acknowledged them as a reason for my improvements. Just like life, writing is a huge learning experience. You learn something new every day and the more you work at it, the more knowledge you gain. Furthermore, there is no perfect person or writer in life.

Moreover, rapid technological advancements that affect how we communicate are inevitable. When wanting to learn about new writing technologies, such as this Blogger platform, I tend to research and look for online resources that may help answer any questions or connections I need. It occasionally will get challenging and timely at times finding a credible source or finding what I was searching for. Usually, when a new technology device is released, it is highly publicized thanks to the power of the internet and mass media coverage. I am excited that in this course, we will explore blogging, a different form of writing. I will enjoy the ability to write (blog) where I may write about anything, as long or short as I want, and with the ability to asynchronously communicate with my colleagues (yes, we’re classmates, but saying ‘colleagues’ is more formal).

Here’s to a successful semester of blogging!

Adrian

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Blog Post #2 - IS101

Opening the Door into Adrian's IS101 Journey!

 Hello Professor, Classmates, and Blog Readers,

My name is Adrian Duarte and I am the official creator and sole-blogger of the awesome https://adridblogs.blogspot.com/.  I am a first-generation college student, tech-enthusiast (is that what they call a "geek?" Let me know in the comments), and I am currently attending two higher-education institutions, UNLV and CSN, in pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree.

As a Las Vegas area native, I decided to stay close to my family and attend CSN (the College of Southern Nevada); Go Coyotes! I must also root on the Rebels as I am officially a Rebel this semester with the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in Information Management, but I will also be double majoring in Business Human Resources, so I gain background knowledge and practical skills. Currently, I am taking this course as part of my declared-degree requirements with UNLV. My career goal is to move up in an organization that focuses on public-service, whether that be a local-level office, a state-level, or on a national-scale, and do what I love. 

My first-impression of IS101 (Introduction to Information Systems) is off to a great one. Although we have not had our first class session yet; our first will be later today through remote instruction, I can already sense that there will be tons of coursework. I am confident in my abilities to manage and complete it all, but it is a bit concerning considering I have a full academic-course load, have outside employment obligations, and a family, but I will continue to work on my work-life-school balance and plan assignments that are needed to be completed by their due dates. I reached out to Professor Wu prior to the semester starting, and he has been already more than supportive in my academic journey and is able to be easily reached whenever I email him. I look forward to the continuation in building a professional relationship with Mr. Albert Wu, as well my Information Systems colleagues.

Furthermore, during my leisure time away from school, I enjoy traveling, exploring and dining at new restaurants, hiking, conducting research to learn new things, spending time with friends and relatives, as well as volunteering.

I look forward to this semester and venturing on this journey with you all!

Adrian D.