Month: November 2016

A Charette of Historic Proportions

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The competition starts as students take measurements in Providence’s historic Aldrich House. | photo by Jo Sittenfeld MFA 08 PH

Each year faculty members in Interior Architecture surface a real-world design project for an intensive, department-wide charette – a five-day competition in which teams of students work together to solve a single architectural challenge. This year the Rhode Island Historical Society (RIHS) provided a design problem perfectly aligned with the department’s focus on adaptive reuse: reimagining a small study in its historic, Federal-style Nelson W. Aldrich House on College Hill.

As RIHS Executive Director C. Morgan Grefe explained at the charette kickoff in late October, the house was built in 1821 and is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places. Used as both a history learning lab and a space for rotating exhibitions, the 15×23-foot room in question is also rented out on occasion for private functions such as weddings.

“Your proposals should respect the room’s history while embracing the cutting edge,” urged Critic Elizabeth Debs, who organized this year’s charette. “You’ll be folding history and heritage into a contemporary understanding of a multipurpose space.”

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How To: Managing School Work & An Internship, Simultaneously

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This week Kelsey gives some advice on how to manage school work and an internship, simultaneously.

Learning how to juggle the last few semesters of my undergraduate degree, two internships, a part-time job, and an attempt at having a social life has been one of the biggest challenges for me thus far. Here are some tips for keeping it all together while you are in school and juggling the challenges of young adulthood.

  • Communication is key when you are trying to juggle numerous obligations at once. If I haven’t stressed enough, an internship is all about a learning process; if you find yourself struggling with content, deadlines, etc. NEVER be afraid to speak up! Open communication allows for the structure of a strong support system for yourself; and will come in very handy when stressful endeavors arise.
  • Identify Your Goals; I find myself most stressed when I do not know, or am slightly unsure of where I am headed next. Taking the time to create a clear sense of purpose can help you stay focused and achieve your objectives. Make sure to be reasonable with your goals; ‘What do you want to accomplish at your internship/work in the next month, week, or year?’ ‘What do you want to accomplish for your classes each week, month, or semester?’
  • Prioritize; it is important to stay organized and keep a list of what is most important to you. While you should always be giving your best work in everything that you do, it is important to also take care of your well-being. Be sure to eat healthy, exercise, and get plenty of sleep! Remember to always make sure you can take on another commitment before you have accepted.
  • Plan, Plan, Plan! Now that you know where you are headed, and have prioritized, it is important to organize your time and plan so you can achieve your ultimate goals. Make calendars, set reminders, and make sure to plan your classes, and work schedules to avoid conflict; while remembering to get and stay ahead of your assignments.
  • Enjoy Your Experience(s); My last piece of advice would be to have some fun! It is important to enjoy what you are doing; don’t forget to take time to stop and appreciate all that you have accomplished thus far, and the great achievements you are continuing to work towards.

Treating cholera in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew

In a pair of tents on the grounds of a health center in a tiny town, Dr. Adam Levine is managing a cholera treatment unit where the staff still sees 10 to 15 new cases a day, more than a month after Hurricane Matthew.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] —Since Dr. Adam Levine arrived in Haiti in late October, he’s been managing a cholera treatment unit for International Medical Corps. Hurricane Matthew devastated the area on Oct. 4, creating conditions that foment the spread of the disease. The unit is still running near its 30-bed capacity.

The unit is a pair of tents on the grounds of a local health center in Les Anglais, said Levine, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Brown University and a physician at Rhode Island Hospital. The town sits almost at Haiti’s western tip on the southwest shore of its southern peninsula.

Levine, who directs the new Humanitarian Innovation Initiative at Brown’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, answered questions about his work providing life-saving rehydration and medicine to people who make a difficult trek to the center from surrounding villages.

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No Question: Meeting Prime Minister Was Highlight of RWU Internship for Rachel Wells ‘17

Senior political science major gained real-world experience with internships in London and Washington, plus work on campaigns and polling. 

BRISTOL, R.I. – Hands-on learning is a standard part of an RWU education and, like many Roger Williams University students, Rachel Wells has taken part in internships provide valuable, real-world experience in locations all across the world. But not everyone has been applauded by former British Prime Minister David Cameron.

On Oct. 26, Wells attended a presentation by political scientist Christopher H. Achen, who came to RWU as part of the President’s Distinguished Speakers Series. Before the speech, she had a chance to chat with Achen about everything from the United States’ presidential race to the United Kingdom’s Brexit vote. And attention turned to the fact that she’d been in London, as part of an RWU internship, during the 2015 elections that returned Cameron to 10 Downing Street as prime minister.

Wells, 21, a senior political science major from Woburn, Mass., worked as an intern with Cameron’s Conservative Party, handling letters from constituents between January and May 2015. During the semester, she saw Cameron from time to time, but she didn’t meet him until her last day, when he stopped by party headquarters to thank her and two other American interns.

“He clapped for me,” Wells said. “He made us feel welcomed. He said, ‘Thank you for all you have done for the party.’”

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