, to real strive for that over 
arching.  Please introduce 
yourselves, tell us what your 
major is and 
why you chose it.  
We can start with
R-I-Y-A.  
≫ I chose public health because 
it gives me over arching health,
how 
your lifestyle really impacts 
your health and how to prevent 
many of the 
diseases that effect us.
It is a great major, I really 
enjoy it.  
≫ I am also a public health 
major, I am a seen your.  I 
chose public 
health, because going in to 
school I knew I was interested 
in medicine, 
health
.  And while taking public 
health classes, I realized how 
foundational it is to your every
day life, so I really enjoy 
taking 
those courses.
After
doing this.  
≫ Hello everybody, I am a second
year student, I am studying 
political 
science and communications.  
The reason I chose political 
science is I love politics, the 
government, and I plan on 
working in it eventually.  I am 
actually 
working more of the E LEBs, but 
I chose communications because I
want to 
learn more on communicating with
people.  
≫ Thank you so much.
And I really appreciate you all 
for helping us 
out today.
And of course we're joined by 
college of liberal arts and 
science DAEN, STEF FI.  
≫ Thank you very much.
I am wearing my new fancy 
headset because I 
have a house full of people and 
dogs here at home.  This year I 
think 
that you all know the
majority of your experiences 
will be remote, but 
we will try to make them as 
great and interesting and 
informative as 
possible.  
You should know I am also 
interested in public health, I 
am a 
sociologist with expertise in 
mental health, substance abuse 
and 
community social problems.
I am also a program evaluators, 
so I spend 
my time looking at different 
programs.
And I forward this to looking at
academic problems and a Dean, so
I am here to answer as many 
questions 
as I can.
I will defer to the students 
because they know a lot more 
than me on certain thing, but I 
will try to answer as many 
questions as 
you can about faculty, 
academics, the college as a 
whole.  
Thank you.  
≫ Absolutely.  Thank you so 
much.  So awesome.  Let's move 
right in to 
the Q&A.
If you have any questions at 
home, you can ask us in the chat
at any time.
Our first question is one that 
has come up a lot.  I think 
Dean can answer this one.  When 
will we have in person classes? 
≫ That one I cannot answer.
So it seems like -- you know, 
Wayne State 
has done a very good job of 
articulating the
principals of epidemiology 
and using data to drive our 
decisions.  We did not say we 
were going to 
get out in front and say we're 
going to have in class.  
It is not great overall, 
Michigan is still middle to bad 
in terms 
of states nationwide.
But Detroit is moving, and on 
move in day there 
was like 0.9 percent positive 
rate.  
And we have a metric of if the 
rate on campus becomes 15 
percent, then 
we will go all remote.
We have been instructed to 
instruct faculty for 
winter semester to have them 
plan to be remote.  And I think 
this is 
coupled with the idea of flu 
season.  We're suggesting all 
students get 
the flu shot.
But concerns about confusion on 
the flu, coronavirus, 
increased rates.  We're really 
taking things as they come.  So 
until mid 
July a lot of faculty thought 
they would be teaching in person
, until 
August 1st.
I still had a lot of faculty 
thinking they would teach in 
person and they were told no.  
The risk is just too high to 
have 
clusters of folks coming up 
positive with the coronavirus.  
We have been 
very cautious at the University 
about convening people on 
campus.  So 
the truth of the matter is we 
don't know.  I suspect next 
September 1st 
or the summer, but we could be 
earlier than that.  It could be 
after 
spring break, too.  
≫ Thank you so much.
That insight is very helpful and
I know the 
University has been very 
pre-emptive in trying to do a 
lot of things 
ahead of time as far as with the
academic restart committees and 
gets 
students involved in those 
conversations to best understand
how to 
really take those next steps in 
this new and uncharted 
environment.  
Thank you so much.  
Now we have another question 
from biology student Daniel.  He
asks 
are there any job fairs coming 
up for class majors at the time?
typically do have a job fair.  
We have 
worked extensively with career 
services because what we wanted 
to do as 
a college is make sure that 100 
percent of our undergrad 
students had 
access to either a research 
experience or internship 
experience.  So 
then we started to work with 
career services because the 
internship can 
lead to thinking about careers, 
undergrad research can do the 
same.  We 
did have a big career services 
fair last winter, I think it was
before 
everything went remote.  I think
we will plan to do something 
virtually 
this winter.
So we're not willy-nilly just 
sliding
.  Because we are 
trying to think of what
programs students will think 
informative.  I 
think we want you all to have 
applied experiences and take 
your majors 
in political science or public 
health or sociology and go to 
the next 
step, have a job with them.  And
we just got something in the 
e-mail 
today from career services about
their support of students.  So 
do 
remember, we have career service
on campus as well.  And I can 
answer 
questions about internships by 
department or undergrad research
experiences at some point too, 
which I am sure you can as well.
Z
Another question that came in is
how is student live and 
how do you make so many friends 
in such a big campus?  
≫ I think student life is great.
There are a lot of opportunities
to 
get involved.
I know going in to the fall 
semester, it will all be 
online, but I think many student
organizations are still holding 
club 
meetings and events, so I would 
encourage you to attend those.  
Many 
will have break out rooms so 
you're in smaller groups and 
that way you 
can connect with many different 
people.  I would encourage you 
to still 
get involved.  
≫ Thank you.  Anyone else?  
≫ Yes.
I will say
when I was a freshman last year 
things were 
different, but what I can say is
definitely get involved in 
organizations because that's the
one way I made all of my 
friends.  I 
met them through student senate 
and I was super excited.  I went
to 
Israel with her and we had a 
really good bond.  If you're in 
organizations.
I am living on campus in Anthony
wane drive.  If you're 
living in your resident hall, 
you can hang out with the people
on your 
floor as long as you are staying
safe.  I will say it is a little
different, but you can
definitely text on your floor 
chat if anyone has 
salt or pepper and you may make 
a friend off of that.  
≫ Absolutely.
There are connections all around
at Wayne State and it 
just comes with a simple 
conversation, getting to know 
someone.  And 
going with them to explore what 
the University has to offer.  
Let's keep it moving here.  
Someone asked can first year 
students do undergraduate 
research?  And 
how do you start out?  
≫ Students go first and then I 
will wrap it up.  
≫ I can answer that question.
I have been doing research about
every 
single summer since I have been 
at Wayne State.  Really after 
your first 
year at Wayne State you have 
been taking classes most likely,
and your 
best source for doing research 
is hitting up your professors 
and ask if 
there are any labs going on.  
For the most part the professors
are 
really friendly, and if they 
don't have anything going on 
they will 
refer you to someone else.  
And you can also check online.  
We have a lot of faculty 
profiles 
within each department to see 
who is doing research, what kind
of 
projects and you can reach out 
and e-mail them and ask them
≫ Absolutely.  We have so many 
research conference, so 
attending those 
and engaging where your interest
is and aligning it with the 
curriculum 
work, seeking research programs
, also programs like scholars is
often 
open for students to join.  
≫ One thing we kicked off and 
the timing was probably not 
great because 
it was March this year was the 
undergraduate research portfolio
program.  
You don't have to be paired up 
intensively with one faculty 
member.  You 
do a series of things creating 
an annotated bibliography.  And 
when you 
click off those boxes you will 
get a notation saying you 
completed the 
undergraduate portfolio program 
in the college of liberal arts. 
That 
was one of the ways if there 
wasn't somebody you wanted to 
work with 
over the summer, you wanted to 
do it over the coursework, we 
created a 
new mechanism for them to 
complete undergraduate research.
That is the 
portfolio program, and you 
register for that in the Dean's 
office.
That 
is more centralized in the 
college.  I agree, I think it is
really -- I 
love to hear that the faculty
is friendly for the most part, I
really 
do, and I think they are, they 
do research.  Wayne State is the
one 
university that the faculty is 
teaching and generating 
knowledge.  They 
want to teach students how to do
that.  
≫ Absolutely.
And we know how much research is
so critical in the 
classroom learning.  
≫ I would also recommend
for a public health major, get 
added to the 
canvas page so we get notified 
when there are public health 
opportunities.
Maybe reaching out to your 
advisors on that, and then 
signing up for prehealth 
advising newsletters.  They 
usually have great 
research opportunities or 
checking academics also.  Those 
are also great 
ways to find research.  
We have a live question that 
asked have any 
of us done undergraduate 
research and when did restart?
If some of you 
want to go first, or I know 
maybe
Dean, if you want to go?  
≫ I can go.
I started doing research the 
winter semester of my 
sophomore year.
I started looking for
research the beginning of my 
sophomore year and I found it 
through that canvas page.
I reached out, 
sent them my resume, cover 
letter and they interviewed me 
and I was able 
to continue the research I'm 
doing now.  
≫ Awesome.  
≫ I am also doing research.
I started doing research the 
summer after 
my freshman year.
I went through faculty profiles 
and just e-mailed 
some people.
And then they invited me in to 
come and talk about the 
projects and I wanted to work on
a project.  The first summer I 
worked 
on a project involving type one 
diabetes.  And then the second 
summer I 
wanted to leave Michigan because
I have been here for a minute 
now, so I 
talked to my advisor and program
directors on how, and they 
helped me 
apply for doing research at 
other schools.  So my second 
summer I did 
research at the Harvard school 
of public health.  I was there 
for a 
little over a month doing LGBT Q
health.  And then I came back to
Wayne 
State after and the public 
health advisors e-mail us a lot 
about 
opportunities SH and they told 
me one at U of M so I reached 
out with my 
resume, cover letter, applied 
and worked on that too.  
≫ Awesome.
For me I actually was in a 
research program
.  My research 
focused on fruit flies, that 
realm SH and then aligning it 
with some of 
my public health interests and 
what I do in my side passions.  
That has 
allowed me to venture in to some
other humanities research and
when you 
present it is great to be 
recognized.
For someone that wants to attend
graduate school, it was accepted
at John Hopkins and that planted
a seed 
for me.  
Any other comments on that 
question?  
≫ You all are super smart.
I think I did undergraduate as 
part of a 
course.
I think freshman is the time to 
explore what is available, 
clubs, what is going on.  I 
think a lot of folks have a lot 
of questions 
how to navigate Wayne State has 
a social environment too.
And then 
sophomore year if you want to 
get involved, there are lots of 
ways.  
There is access for those 
opportunities for sure.  
≫ Awesome.
We have another live question.  
The question says can we 
still study somewhere on campus 
this semester?  
≫ Obviously if you're staying in
your dorms you can study in your
dorms, those are perfect areas 
to go.  We also have areas like 
the 
student center open as long as 
you can complete your daily 
screener, but 
that is with anyplace you go to 
at the university.  I will also 
say that 
we are opening up our library 
very soon as long as you 
register a time 
that you would like to go in.  
But if anybody wants to add more
to that, 
they can.  
≫ On the library note, we 
actually have the libraries 
coming to our 
student senate general body 
meeting today at 6:00 p.m..  so 
if you would 
like to learn more about how 
they're reopening and the steps 
they're 
taking, I would advise you to --
they're usually on Facebook live
so you 
can watch them and submit 
questions too.  
≫ So who else is on campus 
besides sailor?
So when you're in public spaces 
like the campus center you to 
wear 
your mask, socially distance.  
Wash hands, wear mask, socially 
distance.  
For students, if they're not 
wearing masks there will be
some Dean of 
students interference around the
code of public, and faculty has 
to deal 
with HR if they're not wearing. 
So mask wearing is the number 
one rule.  
And there will be open 
libraries, but they really don't
want folks 
working in groups or studying in
groups.  At the beginning of 
this we 
thought maybe we could hold 
classes outside and things like 
that, and 
we're not allowed to do that 
even.  Labs and some dance and 
theatre 
classes are being held in 
person, that's it.  
≫ So we have another 
presubmitted question.  Do I 
need a minor?  
≫ I keep muting myself thinking 
I'm off the hook.  Yes, you do 
need a 
minor, but we have I think over 
60 minors.  I was looking at 
this the 
other day because I have to 
present at the board of 
governors.  You can 
put together a minor in 
anything.  When we were talk 
about undergrad 
research, it was neat because it
enables you to major -- I say to
students major in what you love 
because you will do better and 
get 
better grades, and when you're 
in the job market you can talk 
about it, 
you weren't just forcing 
yourself to do it.
But the minor allows you to 
get in something cool.
For a sociologist, I might do 
biology, or I 
might
do public health because of the 
overlap, or criminal justice.  
There are lots of ways.
Talk to your advisors about what
do you think 
compliments this?
We encourage folks if you have 
the ability to do a 
language.
I mean, mathematics is even a 
language so you can speak a 
second language and you have 
your area of expertise in your 
major and 
then a secondary area of 
expertise.
But we do require a minor for 
you 
to graduate.
And usually the minors are 
between 15 and 21 credits.
Not 
terrible heavy lift but that is 
our rationale behind them.  
You should say what your minors 
are if you know.  
≫ I have a question because I am
learning too.  I am a double 
major, so 
do I have to have a minor as 
well?  
≫ You stumped me on that one, 
but I believe because you have a
double 
major I think that sub SUMs the 
minor.
We can find out though, we don't
want you going the wrong 
direction.  
≫ The minor requirement is waved
for students who complete a 
second 
major, a double major.
A concurrent degree, dual degree
or a second 
degree.  
≫ Our director of marketing 
knows it better than the Dean.  
That says 
it all right there.  
≫ Awesome.
What are some of the best online
resources for first year 
students to utilize?  
≫ I think the academic advising 
center is great.  I think all of
their 
appointments and seminars 
online, I know that really 
helped me when I 
first came, like learning how to
study and the different kinds of
studying techniques.
I would really recommend that to
all students.  
≫ Anyone else?  
≫ I think
learn anywhere website has 
resources for learning online, 
trying not to procrastinate.
I would check it out, look up 
Wayne State 
learn anywhere.  
≫ I would also keep checking 
academia because you get 
postings there on 
job listings, student 
organizations, things going on. 
And also you can 
check a bunch of things going 
on, especially with your account
and a 
bunch of stuff at the 
university.
I guarantee you will be looking 
at 
that a lot.  
≫ The Dean of students every 
Sunday also sends out that get 
involved 
virtually newsletter.
There is a lot in there, a lot 
of links to look 
at.  I thought that was great 
when it was coming out.  I think
it is a 
great resource for students.
Speaking of Deans of students, I
know get 
involved has a lot of updates on
different programs that the Dean
of 
office is putting on and other 
student organizations.  So all 
of those 
co curricular experiences in 
those virtual capacities are 
awesome for 
students to get involved with.  
≫ It has been great for 
branching them to all the other 
communities at 
Wayne State and all the other 
resources, so that is definitely
something 
to get involved with as well.  
Live question here.  How would 
you build relationships with 
professors virtually?  
≫ Virtually, I would say it is 
like class.  You still go to 
office 
hours because they will be 
posting online.  If they're not 
going to have 
a specific time, you can still 
reach out to them, ask questions
about 
the course.
If you are interested in the 
course and that field exactly, 
you can ask them questions on 
how they got in the field, 
things you can 
be doing now to build yourself 
up professionally.  
And then
also make yourself known, 
participate in class.  When the 
professor asks a question, 
answer, even if you think it 
might be wrong, 
answer.
Many times you're talking to a 
blank zoom screen and they love 
engagement, so I would say just 
making yourself known.  
≫ I taught this summer on 
Blackboard, it was a big 
learning curve.  
Canvas is a great resource once 
you learn how to tool around.  
The 
student evaluation, I was a 
little disorganized because OCH 
my day job, 
but also learning a new tool as 
I went.
But definitely coming to office 
hours and -- you know, I know a 
lot of you like to turn off your
camera, 
but we love to see your face 
when we talk to you.  But we 
love to 
communicate any way.  So any way
you can communicate with your 
professors, I think that advice 
is excellent.  The students I 
remember 
best from my class, and I had 
like 25+, were the wasn'ts that 
showed up 
and wanted to talk to me and 
learn more about the discipline 
but also 
wanted to engage.  
≫ Absolutely.
Are there any last questions 
from the chat before sailor 
and R-I-Y-A leave us?  Any 
comments you want to leave for 
anyone?  
≫ It looks like there is one for
sailor about undergraduate 
research 
and political science.  
≫ Yes, it is common for those 
going in to political science to
do 
research.  I am starting now to 
look at certain things I would 
like to 
do and research.
I am reaching out to advisors 
and professors at the 
moment.  I don't know if I am 
going to be doing research this 
year or 
next year because I'm very busy 
this year, but make sure if 
you're going 
to be doing research you set 
yourself up to be
able to handle that.  If 
you have a bunch on your plate, 
and we can't do a lot for the 
research, 
then you should do it when you 
don't have a lot on your plate. 
≫ From where I sit I get to know
what the faculty are doing in 
every 
department.
Political science has folks 
expert in history, law, art.  
During the pandemics the 
department put together a 
pandemic lecture 
series and things like that.
I know that one of the 
professors is in 
art and resilience and I am in 
one of her working groups.  
There are 
lots you can do in political 
science, archival research, out 
in the 
community.  It is nice, you just
have to talk to the professors 
and see 
what the fit is and what you're 
interested in.  
≫ Thank you.
Speaking of what sailor talked 
about on managing time and 
knowing what is on your plate 
and not stretching yourself too 
thin, any 
student that is are viewing now 
are there any questions about 
time 
management, planning, 
scheduling?
Feel free to put those in the 
chat 
and we can address those as 
well.  
F 
≫ I will say as a freshman last 
year, the most important thing 
you can 
do, even if you're shy, if 
you're reserved.  I recommend 
reaching out to 
people.
Those people are just as scared 
of you because they're right in 
college and you know, they're 
just wanting someone to reach 
out to them.  
You're not going to embarrass 
yourself, you're not going to 
say, oh, I'm 
weird.  No, those people will 
reach out to you.  College is a 
time of 
learning and understanding 
individuals.
and knowledge in general.  I 
guarantee if you just reach out 
to someone, you're going to have
a good 
experience here at Wayne State 
University, so get yourself out 
there.  
≫ I agree.
When I came to Wayne State, I 
was really scared and shy.  
But then I think once
you step out of your comfort 
zone and push your 
boundaries, you will meet all of
these people that think like you
and 
your community.
You will meet a lot of new 
people, so go for it, it 
doesn't hurt to try.  
≫ And she is the student senate 
president.
≫ Yes, I was shy in the 
beginning but I put myself out 
there for senate 
and now I am like the president.
If I can do it, you can do it 
definitely.  
≫ You never know.  And if you 
put yourself in spaces where you
can grow 
and develop, that morphs you in 
to the person who desire to be. 
So 
Wayne State has really been a 
place and a platform for 
students to 
transform in to themselves.
Not only professionally and 
academically, 
but socially and personally.  I 
value all of my experiences and 
the 
people I have gotten to know 
along the way.  
≫ I was going the say lastly, 
don't give
up, even if you don't succeed 
in the beginning.
Any get on when I first ran, but
you will get there, 
just take it one step at a time 
and don't give up.  
≫ Also I will say college is not
a competition.
We are on our own 
path.
You need to realize maybe it 
won't take you four years, maybe
in 
the middle of your second year 
and you want to change your 
major, that 
is okay.
College, like I said, is a time 
of learning, growing and 
understanding who you are as a 
human being and how you interact
.  So if 
you really don't like your 
major, don't stick with it.  
Listen and talk 
to individuals and you will be 
able to get to where you want to
be.  
Wayne State is a welcoming 
community, you're not going to 
have any 
backlash for saying you don't 
want to study political science 
or 
mathematics or anything like 
that.
Just know who you are and know 
where 
you want to go because we're 
there for you.  
≫ Thank you so much for that 
awesome advice from the two of 
you.
If anyone has any more questions
for those two, feel free to 
contact them.  I'm sure we can 
set something up where you can 
be able to 
ask any further questions.  
≫ I will go to a live question 
now.  
≫ We will stay on so we can 
answer questions for the 
remainder of the 
hour, I hope.  
some suggestions for how to feel
connected at Wayne State?  
≫ So I still have friends, a lot
of my friends have college age 
kids 
and they sent them off and now 
they're experiencing their first
bout of 
home sickness
.  And so I think when you're 
new to university and you 
move in to dorms, that September
month may be that month that 
sailor was 
talking about, put yourself out 
there.
A lot of these parents are 
reaching out to me because I 
work at a college thinking I 
have the 
solution for a home sick 
freshman.  I don't.  But what I 
did for myself 
because I was home sick was I 
played soccer and worked, had a 
job on 
campus.  But that is different 
for you all in this online 
environment.  
So the question becomes 
different, how do you feel 
connected?  And I 
think some of the tools that you
all mentioned already
about
the stay 
virtually connected.  What was 
the Wayne State?
That is learn anywhere.  
You both have probably good 
suggestions on how you feel 
connected even 
though you're remote.  
≫ So for staying remote it can 
be a little hard to connect with
new 
people, especially.
So like I said before, 
definitely engage during 
class, respond to your 
classmates, chat with them.  If 
you have a 
discussion period, I would 
definitely recommend being 
involved with 
that.
And then another thing for class
is I would say if you
can, try 
to keep your camera on.
I will be honest if I don't, I 
will be on my 
phone, chilling somewhere.
You feel more engaged and part 
of class if 
you have your camera on.
So try to make it feel like 
you're there as 
much as possible.  
And then I know for a lot of 
classes they have group chat, 
and 
stay engaged there.  Ask 
questions, have study nights.  
Me and my 
friends have been having study 
nights over zoom,
so we will say what we 
want to do for the hour, two 
hours.  I will say I will do 
public health 
homework, someone will do this. 
And then we will periodically 
talk 
during the study hour, not too 
much, but with your classmates 
you can 
also just engage, who wants to 
meet up on zoom or something.  
There are 
options.  
≫ Marketing has a class Twitter 
account.
I tweet things that faculty 
and staff is doing.  Instagram 
is another platform.  And these 
are just 
little ways to feel connected.
I would echo what she said about
if you 
can, I totally understand if you
don't want people to see 
whatever, your 
nine inch nails poster on your 
wall.  I mean, look behind me.  
We have 
all had moments in this 
environment.
I had a faculty meeting and one 
of 
the faculty in the back, his son
was in the background naked 
because he 
needed to go to the bathroom or 
something and we're all like oh.
We 
laughed.
There are always those moments, 
but if you can that is great 
advice.  
≫ For sure.
One thing to think about in this
time of the pandemic, 
social isolation, it is always 
helpful just to keep in mind of 
your 
mental health and mindfulness 
this that regard.  So you can be
prepared 
academically to do your best as 
far as performance in the 
classroom.  So 
Wayne State offers lots of 
services with counseling and 
psychological 
services.
Don't feel like you can't reach 
out.  Wayne State is always 
here to support our students.  
I will go to another live 
question.  This one says do we 
use any 
time management tools or apps?  
≫ The only one I use is
meetings app.  I add class 
deadlines, 
assignments and quizzes.  That's
how I keep up with it.  And I 
send it 
to it reminds me the day before 
that I have something
coming up 
tomorrow, that's what I do.  
I think learning to manage your 
own schedule and your 
own calendar is a huge thing 
freshman year.  You would be 
amazed how 
many come to us from high school
that haven't learned that.  Once
you 
learn that and you nail it down 
and have your reminders, it 
helps with 
time management.
So learning time management, 
that's the universal tool 
right now with outlook and 
e-mail and everything.  I am 
trying to think 
if there's anything -- you know,
tools like remind.  I have some 
sports 
apps for my kids sports, but it 
is almost too many
.  There are times I 
don't know what is going on.
So it may be group text, group 
chats like 
you said with your study groups.
I don't know of others.  
≫ I would say part of time 
management is knowing how your 
time works, 
because you can set times where 
I will get ready, all of those 
things, 
but you have to know about being
honest with yourself.  Do you 
have 
enough time to get ready, your 
commute?
It is all relative to you as a 
person.
So knowing how much you can take
and where to put your 
priorities and such.  That 
outlook app is super important. 
Another 
thing, make sure you all check 
your e-mails, check them 
multiple times a 
day.  That is so important.
Stay updateded.  And it goes in 
to a whole 
thing we mail etiquette and 
professionalism.  That's for 
another time.  
Go ahead.  
≫ And that goes to canvas too.
If you get that, it doesn't 
alert you 
in outlook.  
≫ Yes, canvas has its own.
It will show you the assignments
that are 
due at what times throughout the
week, so keep that in mind as 
well.  
≫ How did you find what you want
today do as far as a career 
passion or 
career field, what was the 
journey like?  That's a good 
question.  
≫ Why, because I have been in 
the field for almost 30 years?  
So it is 
what I said earlier.  It is 
absolutely true, I put myself 
through 
college so I majored in what I 
wanted to, not what anybody 
expected me 
to and that happened to be 
sociology and art.  I thought I 
would take a 
psych course but because I was 
putting myself through and 
didn't know 
what I was doing I got bounced 
out of psych and put in to 
sociology.  It 
was the best thing that happened
for me.  I didn't know what 
sociology 
was, and I fell in love with it.
I learned to do a lot of things 
including the methods of 
sociologically knowing.  I loved
studying 
cities.
I went to graduate school in the
city and learned urban 
problems in the city, because I 
think I learn through 
observation so I 
need to put myself out so I can 
breathe, smell, touch what I'm 
studying.  
You know, I knew -- I come from 
a long line of teachers, but I 
didn't really want to teach 
kids.
My dad was a college coach and I
didn't want to be a college 
coach.  I thought how do you 
become a 
professor?
So my advisors said you to go 
get your Ph.D. and we will 
help you, which was super nice 
because I had no idea.
So I was able to 
do that.
And it was very motivated to 
have -- to
get a job, got a job 
at U con medical school.
So I also have an appointment in
psychiatry at 
Wayne State.
I have always loved being a
sociologist, it serves me 
well, understanding groups, 
services, data to improvement 
programming.  
I guess I ended up being a Dean 
because I rushed through 
everything.
I was a professor, promoted, 
promoted again.  When you have 
tenure and you have your full 
professor fairly young, you 
start to 
wonder.
I really love teaching and I 
love research, but I did start 
to 
be asked to take on some 
leadership position and I love 
to begin to 
understand higher Ed as a 
secondary scholarship area.  I 
hope that 
answered the question.  But I do
still love to teach and I am 
still 
doing research and I love 
Detroit.  Detroit is great place
for what I do 
in terms of learning about 
cities.  
≫ I came in to Wayne State in 
medical classes because I knew I
was 
interested in health.  I majored
in public health like I said.  
And 
during my coursework I really 
enjoyed what I was learning.  I 
like that 
public health focuses on 
populations of people, rather 
than just 
individuals.  I wanted to make a
bigger impact that way.  I 
switched 
instead to Ph.D., so now Ph.D. 
and epidemiology.
I am not yet at that 
stage, so I have been trying to 
prepare myself for research, 
engaging 
with faculty and putting myself 
out there.  I am doing a lot of 
volunteer work now.  This summer
I did COVID-19 research and 
other 
research like every single 
summer like I said.
That is pretty much what 
my journey has been, ups and 
downs.  For many it will not be 
linear.  I 
know like she said before, it is
okay to switch your major, 
explore, 
figure out what you want to do. 
It is very hard to come out of 
senior 
year of high school and say this
is what I'm going to do for the 
rest of 
my life, because most people 
don't know.  And it is not until
you get in 
to college where you find out 
more about different fields and 
different 
jobs that you can really figure 
that out.  Like I didn't know 
what 
epidemiology was until I started
school and now I want to be an 
epidemiologist.
It is trial and error, you find 
out more while you're 
in college.  
≫ Thank you.
I guess for me when I came in to
college, it was about 
50/50, either music or medicine.
What ended up happening, I 
started out 
as a public health major, 
wanting to go to med school.  
Went through 
college, still in college, but 
went a couple of years and 
explores 
different course and speaking to
a lot of people.
And really was kind 
of battling where I wanted to go
as far as my career and how do I
want 
to be successful in life but 
also happy.
It is all up to you.  What 
does that vision look like to 
you, how do you want to live 
your life?  
For me I came to a
realization that public health 
was the route I 
wanted to go.
And this was solidified more 
recently is that my passion 
for public health -- you know, 
every public health major has a 
specific 
sector they really are 
passionate about.
For me it is considering 
health disparities, but 
environmental health.  That is 
something I'm 
passionate about.
I have taken that seed, that 
concept and made some 
initiative towards it.
I have a non profit calls B plus
and the 
relevance of beets for Detroit.
Getting involved, taking your 
passions 
and turning it in to something 
visual, something you can work 
towards 
that will align with your 
career.  Sometimes you have to 
consider other 
opportunities that may come your
way, is that is this for me in 
this 
chapter of my life now or do I 
need to put it off?  So knowing 
the art 
of saying no at the same time.
≫ Also, I think three of the 
students on the chat today were 
from 
public health, but we do have 20
different departments and 
they're all 
awesome.
And you can do environmental 
work from the languages 
department, we have 
environmental studies,
math, English, all the 
humanities.
And I talk a lot about studying 
humanities because we're in 
the museum district.  When we're
back live, there is no better 
place in 
the world to be accessing the 
D-I-A and the historical museum 
to do your 
historical projects.  It is 
really cool, there is lots to 
do.  
I think what we are saying is if
you find what you love, stick 
with it 
and immerse yourself with it.  
I know with some of us that were
the health program, 
even going throughout the 
university
, exploring with different 
organizations, we have gotten to
know what are the skills and 
strengths 
at our disposal.  Knowing where 
you fit in and how you can 
contribute to 
the world and the larger Detroit
community.
It has been a wonderful 
journey.
I wish the best for all of you, 
just explore
.  A big point is 
developing mentors too.  So 
finding people who have been 
there and done 
that in those fields so you can 
speak to them and they can help 
guide 
you along the way.  
≫ There was one about December 
graduation being online or in 
person?  
The president has mentioned 
this, I think it will be online.
This one says how many groups or
organizations would you 
recommend getting in contact 
with?  
All right.
I will let you two chat on that?
≫ So for student organizations, 
I would say it is always best to
get 
involved on campus.  My freshman
year I kind of just joined 
everything 
that I thought looked 
interesting.
But yes, I would say go to as 
many 
club meetings as you can.  You 
don't have to join right from 
the start, 
go to the first meeting and see 
if it is interesting, if you 
want to get 
involved.  But I would say get
involved with as many as you 
feel like 
could be okay for you.
I think for me I was involved in
like three my 
freshman year.
I was active, but that's because
I felt like I had time 
and wasn't doing research or 
working at the time.  It really 
depends on 
how busy you are.  But being 
involved is important, but don't
let it 
hurt your academics.
≫ Yes, and don't let it impair 
your sleep schedule.  Sleep is 
important, it is the foundation 
to success.  So get that 7.
5 to 
7.9 hours of sleep, please.  
Anything else you want to add?  
≫ I think also you have to 
relatively wait.  If you're a 
work study 
student working 20 hours a week,
he is right, you have to get 
sleep.  
You have to find your meditation
time or whatnot.
If you're a student 
athlete, it will be different.  
We have great opportunities 
through 
emergency food shelters and 
pantries and things like that, 
there are 
different projects and things to
get involved with in the city, 
but you 
need to find a balance right for
you.  
I guess maybe we would encourage
you to start with at least one 
thing just besides your 
schoolwork, try, and then if you
want to do 
more, everybody would love to 
see you.  But start with one and
see how 
it goes.  
≫ Absolutely.  We're running 
short on time, but we can take 
one 
additional question from live 
chat.
What goals should a freshman 
have 
for the first semester of 
university?  
≫ Okay.
So on the academic side of 
things, and you can talk more on
the social side, I think you 
should try to have a one on one 
conversation with each of your 
professors.  It doesn't mean 
you're going 
to necessarily click with all of
them,
but you will with one for sure. 
But try to meet them one on one 
with office hours, schedule an 
appointment with them.  They 
want to meet with you, if not 
let me know, 
but they want to meet with you, 
you will enjoy meeting with 
them.  I was 
surprised, I ran in to a student
and I heard your women and 
gender's 
study class is great, who is 
your professor?  They remember 
the classes 
really good and the content, but
they don't remember the name of 
the 
professor.  It reminds me that 
students don't always see us as 
human.  
So make an
effort to reach out to them 
individually, and they may start
a four, five, 6-year 
relationship.  They will be the 
ones that write 
your letter of recommendation, 
so start early and often with 
your 
professors.  
≫ Awesome.  Well, we're reaching
that time.  And it is give away 
time.  
So four of our viewers have been
chosen at random to receive a 
class 
prize pack with shirts, decals 
and other awesome items.  And 
the winners 
are, drum roll,
and I'm sorry if I mispronounce 
any names, bear with me.  
Apologies in advance.  
Rita, S-H-A
-N-M-E-N-E, jade and SUSHLG owe.
≫ Cool, congratulations.  I just
want to remind you to please 
e-mail 
your shirt size and shipping 
address to class at wane.edu.  
And we will mail that out to 
you.  So just be expecting that 
and thank 
you so much for tuning in with 
us.  
Any last remarks from any of 
you?  
≫ I know her.  She is awesome.  
≫ One last thing we should 
mention is talk to your advisor
I want to 
say at least twice a semester at
the beginning and end, 
especially your 
freshman year.
Their job is literally to help 
you, so I would say make 
that meeting and get involved.  
≫ That is something other 
universities don't have, and 
this is the 
beginning of my third year here 
and I didn't mean to over look 
it, but 
it is such a resource.  And such
a special thing.  Not all 
universities 
have an advisor in each area 
they're in, and we have layers 
of advisers.  
Until you declare a major, and 
then when you declare you get a 
major.  
So she is right on that.  
≫ Okay.  Thank you.
I will finish off and say that 
stick with it.  The 
university is here to support 
you and look at
just all the different 
entities of support there from 
administrators to faculty and 
staff, and 
even your peers.
Don't be afraid to reach out.  I
know that we're happy 
to continue answering questions 
online, but that does it for 
time.
Again, just e-mail us at Wayne 
State class
