E-Portfolio Link

Charisma N. Ricksy's E-Portfolio

Introduction:
Hello! My name is Charisma Nia Ricksy and I would like to thank you for visiting my e-portfolio. This site is a collection of some of my best work during my career as an undergraduate student at The Pennsylvania State University. The pieces I have selected are meant to reflect my many abilities as a student as well as aspects of my charismatic personality.

Over the course of this year, I have been afforded the privilege of learning, not only academically but also socially. One element of my growth as a student has been through becoming civically engaged. I define an engaged citizen as one who volunteers, or joins clubs and organizations which aim to better their respective communities. Personally, I have developed a strong desire to be involved in my community in an effort to make a difference. The pieces of work included in this portfolio are meant to reflect some aspect of civic engagement. Some works, such as my blog entries, are narratives from my own experiences while other works focus on the impact others have made on their respective communities by becoming civically engaged.

Please browse around freely and should you have any questions or feedback on my work, please visit the "Contact Me" tab. Thank you for visiting my e-portfolio and I hope you find many of the pieces of interest to you.

Become a Servant Leader!

University of Oregon Mortar Board Website

This past weekend, I volunteered to participate in the Mortar Board Day of Service. Mortar Board is a national honor society for seniors with a chapter here at Penn State. The Day of Service included a presentation by Dr. Nicole Webster, a professor from the Agricultural and Extension Education Department at Penn State, and later ended with a community service effort. Although I was not necessarily thrilled to be returning to the Penn State Arboretum (remember the MLK Day of Service in January?), I thought the overall experience was really worthwhile. I was especially captivated by Dr. Webster's presentation. She discussed becoming a servant leader. When she started her presentation, I had no idea what a servant leader was. I knew what a leader was, but I didn't know what she meant by being a servant leader. By the end of her presentation, I had a clear understanding of what this term meant and I was inspired to work to become a servant leader myself!

What I found most compelling about Dr. Webster's presentation was how it nicely tied together the two subject matters of our class: rhetoric and civic life (or engagement). Dr. Webster began by discussing a video in which college students were asked what it meant to be a servant leader and like me, they were not entirely sure of what the phrase meant. She then began to explain what a servant leader was and capped off her presentation by providing the audience with 18 ways to become a servant leader. Some of these suggestions included: making a decisive decision and sticking by it, keeping company that are as hardworking as you are and being willing to challenge the majority (as long as you know your facts). Although these suggestions did not require that we go out an try to have a hands-on approach to changing the world (as the word "servant" might imply), Dr. Webster's speech made it clear that by exhibiting these characteristics of a servant leader, we are actually having a profound impact on the world, just one that is not necessarily visible. 

Her presentation itself was definitely rhetorical in every way possible. It was persuasive, motivating, and inspirational yet still light-hearted and easy to follow. Furthermore, the ways in which the speech actually tied in an element of becoming civically involved by becoming a leader was especially awesome to me. Once again, I am left realizing just how prevalent both rhetoric and civic life are. Even when we might not think of something as rhetorical or we might not think we are being civically engaged, we really are!

Here is a video clip of employees and associates talking about Bob McDonald, the CEO of Procter & Gamble, and the characteristics he possesses which make him a successful leader of his company and in turn, an effective servant leader:

The Rhetoric of Compliments

Typically, when we think of rhetoric, we think of someone who delivers a moving speech or just has a way with words that has some significant impact on their audience.  And while this interpretation of rhetoric is valid, I also realized that simply complimenting someone is also a form of rhetoric. Just as a speech may have a persuasive or impressive effect on the audience, so might a compliment.
I started thinking about this topic after I had a meeting with one of my professors. I knew I was doing well in his class, but I wanted to meet with him to see how I might improve my performance even more. During our meeting, he said some really nice things about both my work ethic as well as my personality. I don't know what it is, but there seems to be something different about being complimented by a professor or other authoritative figure than being complimented by a friend. In any case, these short phrases which praised either my performance in the class or my personality had a significant impact on me, the audience.
Generally, we tend to take compliments for granted. As a society, we have become so skeptical of others and their motives in doing or saying certain things to us, therefore preventing us from accepting a compliment at face value. However, by constantly reading into a compliment more deeply than what is actually being said, we tend to miss the most significant part of being complimented. Sometimes, when someone compliments me, I, too, begin to question their motives and such, but today, after hearing such kind words from my professor, I am led to think differently. His words encouraged me to keep the good work up. His compliments let me know that I am doing something right and to me, that is just as persuasive and motivating as any speech I could listen to for minutes on end. From now on, I hope to view compliments differently and learn to actually appreciate the significance behind them.

Civic Duties

Hey There!
Throughout the course of this blog, I have had some posts focused on civic engagement but for this entry, I really wanted to focus on where we get these civic duties from?
This semester, I am taking an Introduction to Contemporary Africa class and often times, we compare American culture with that of some countries in Africa. It has become crystal clear that our customs are completely different from theirs and therefore, our civic engagement vastly differs from theirs as well. In Africa, they have more of a collectivist society so their civic engagement involves helping, not only themselves and their families but also their neighbors. Everyone within society is expected to help others by sharing their crops or watching each other's children free of charge. Here in America, as we all know, society is completely different. But I wonder, where do these differences come from?
From our lectures, I have learned that in Africa their values greatly differ from ours, which might explain why their civic engagement is also different. In Africa, large percentages of the population are amongst the lower class of society. They face extreme poverty and must overcome a daily struggle for food, water and medicine. Since their way of living is different, so are their values and engagement in society. For many Africans, working together to support one another becomes their civic engagement, which is especially reflective of their societal norms and values. They are more concerned with getting their next meal, rather than exercising the right to vote or volunteering with organizations. I think we can safely say the same applies to our customs in America, in regards to our norms being reflective of our civic engagement. Those who are a part of the upper and middle classes tend to donate money to charities or we believe we are being civically engaged by voting for the next President. This greatly reflects the values of our society because we are all about maintaining a class system and often times, we do not take advantage of the opportunity to better our community by becoming involved and helping others.
I'm not exactly sure why this topic crossed my mind but I thought it was interesting. What is your take on where our civic engagement comes from?

Here is a video clip of Peter Levine, director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) discussing what civic engagement is and how we can become more civically engaged:

Blessed and Highly Favored

So typically, I'm not one to openly talk about religion since I know it can become a very touchy subject. But after the church service I went to on this past Sunday, I don't think there is any way I can devote this blog to anything else.
A couple months into the first semester, a friend of mine invited me to join him at a church off campus that he recently went to and enjoyed. After my first visit, there was something I really liked about the church and I tried to make it a habit to go every Sunday. This past Sunday, however, something happened in church that never happened before. Nearly the entire congregation was propelled to a state of worship that involved mostly crying, but also some vocalized statements of faith in God. Growing up, these were the types of church services I had become accustomed to, so I felt right at home during this particular service. What captured me the most, however, was how this state of being "moved by the Spirit" (as we tend to say in church) came about. No, the pastor didn't deliver a stirring word that resonated with the congregation but in fact, it was through the gift of song. The praise and worship team (or the choir) sang all of two or three songs and from there, people began to "feel the Spirit moving in the church" or some message from the song began to resonate with their own lives, which brought about tears (at least that was definitely the case for me). I know I devoted a previous blog to the rhetoric found in a Whitney Houston song but I think this is a different type of example that has the ability to "touch" people in such a deeper way.
Sometimes when I'm going through things and school starts to feel overwhelming, I tend to look forward to going to church because it provides an escape from the stresses I'm experiencing as I remind myself of all of my blessings. Then, whatever I'm feeling just does not seem so bad because I begin to realize that even through my tough times, I am still being blessed. For me, gospel songs have always been able to speak to my soul far better than any other song and far better than some pastors in church. On Sunday, I found it absolutely amazing how the words of a few songs could resonate with an entire congregation to the point where nearly everyone was in tears. For me, it was absolutely amazing to experience something like that because for us Christians, it's a testament to God's grace and goodness in our lives. Furthermore, it was great to see how the words of the song managed to resonate with so many other people as well, which enabled many of us to release whatever we were bottling inside. Ultimately, it was just an amazing experience and what made it all the more astonishing was that the pastor did not even have to preach a word.

Justice for Trayvon Martin

Recently, a 17-year old boy by the name of Trayvon Martin was killed in Florida by a local neighborhood watchman who claimed the boy looked suspicious. The story has taken the news world by storm considering Martin was merely walking in the neighborhood wearing a hoodie and holding a bag of skittles and a bottle of Arizona iced tea. People have been left to question if wearing a hoodie is really so "suspicious" or if this was an act of racism. The shooter, George Zimmerman, has been identified by police as white although his family says he is Hispanic. To make matters worse, Zimmerman has not been arrested or indicted for this crime. Here on Penn State's campus, there will be a march held tomorrow at 1pm, entitled "Silent Voices: Silent Hoodie March," in an effort to take a stand against this injustice. For this blog, I just wanted to talk a bit about these methods of public awareness, such as marches and protests. I believe they are a vital part of our civic engagement as a people. Although we live in a very individualistic society, I believe it is still our responsibility to support one another. When an injustice occurs, especially one like this where an innocent person is left dead, it is our responsibility as fellow citizens to bring awareness to the issue and try to make a change. I think throughout history, we have also seen that when a situation like this occurs and it seems to involve race, people are even more compelled to protest, rally and march in an effort to make society better. I believe it is such a great part of being an engaged citizen in America. Yet, it is also rather sad that typically, we are most willing to partake in a protest or rally when it is under such sad circumstances. Nevertheless, while the situation is heartbreaking, I think it is great that people are willing to come together to try to make a change. After all, if you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.

Kony 2012

Recently, there has been a huge viral movement involving Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a Ugandan guerilla group. Kony is known throughout Uganda and now, throughout the world, thanks to a 30 minute video by the organization, Invisible Children, Inc. The video aims to spread awareness about Kony's vicious military tactics, namely, his treatment of children as sex-slaves and child soldiers. Since the video's release last week, there has been non-stop talk about the documentary and every one is trying to "make Kony famous". In other words, the ultimate goal of the video has been successfully met.
There are a number of things that I find especially interesting about this issue. First off, the viral sensation that this video has become reminds us just how central the internet has become in our lives. Without the internet, I'm more than certain that this issue probably would not have been able to spark the interest of the 75 million people it did. What's also really noteworthy is how one of the major foci of the video is how Kony treated children. While it is a huge issue that Kony is treating children as he is, I think it's also important to realize that it's largely due to the fact that this involves children that the video has become such a sensation. We've seen it so many times in society, when an issue is centered on the ill-treatment of children, everyone cares. And rightfully so, considering children are so innocent and should be protected. Yet, I do believe that if this video exposed Kony and how he treated adult-aged men, some people would still be interested, but I do not think there would be as much of an outpouring of support. By no means am I suggesting that the video is bad or anything of that nature, I am just taking notice of some of the elements of the video that caught my attention, besides the issue itself. Overall, however, I do believe that it is important that we are made aware of some of the serious issues of other countries because unlike many of the people in Uganda, Americans do have the resources to make some sort of contribution and we are better capable of aiding the Ugandans in making a change.

Wait, Was That A Kairotic Moment?

Since we've learned about kairos in class, I've found it so interesting, although I cannot exactly explain why. I guess the overall concept of taking advantage of an opportune moment is intriguing to me and more importantly, how someone decides to approach said moment. But for this blog, I wanted to explore the concept of "missing", if you will, a kairotic moment. What happens if a moment is there but you don't take advantage of it? Is it no longer a kairotic moment if you decide to address it hours, days or weeks afterwards?
I understand that there are some kairotic "moments" which are longer lasting than being merely a moment. For example, I'm sure if Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on December 2nd instead of December 1st, the Civil Rights Movement would have still proceeded as it did, regardless of the one day delay. However, there are those moments where something happens and we might not say or do anything in the heat of the moment but later, we reconsider the situation and realize we should have done something. Then, if you do something later, is the moment still kairotic? Here is a personal example to really capture what I am trying to get at.
So lately, my roommate and I have not been getting along very well. We don't speak to one another when we come in and out of the room and things have just been tense. Over THON weekend, my younger brother came to visit and while he was here, my roommate barely spoke to him and came across rather rude. My brother felt so uncomfortable (as if she really did not want him to be here) that he would find any and every reason to leave my room. At the time, it really bothered me that my roommate treated my brother this way. I believe, regardless of whatever problems she and I might have, she should not take those problems out on my brother. However, I never mentioned anything to her about how her rudeness towards my brother made me upset. Now, it's been about 2 weeks since my brother has been here. Since I let so much time pass, have I missed a kairotic moment by failing to address how I felt when the situation was actually happening? Would it be awkward or even unnecessary to address the problem now?
I think it's interesting to consider how much a situation changes when we allow time to pass and how we deal with missing a kairotic moment. It seems like often times, if we don't address a problem at the moment, it's no longer important to us some time later. Ultimately, we missed the moment so we have to move on. But I'm wondering, is that really the case? Can a moment still be kairotic if we let some time pass and then decide to address it?

Google Does It Again

So this week, as you all know, we gave speeches which rhetorically analyzed advertisements. I found this unit to be especially intriguing, despite the feeling of terror that comes with giving a speech before a class and knowing you will be graded on the speech. Otherwise, this unit has really left me thinking about advertisements in a different way. Yeah, we always see advertisements and we just accept them for what they are, without really analyzing them beyond what is presented before us.
Recently, I've noticed that when I log onto Facebook, along the side there are typically these ridiculous ads about finding a sugar daddy or voting in some type of cutest baby contest. However, I also noticed that with Facebook and some other websites, there are some ads which appear thanks to Google stalking your whole life. I'm guessing Google figured out a way to dominate our internet worlds more than it already does and now, they are strategically placing ads on websites that we visit which are based on some of our searches on Google. At first, I thought it was just a coincidence. But then, I noticed that every time I logged onto Facebook, there were advertisements about sororities or Penn State (which I had repeatedly searched on Google during my first couple weeks in school and some time before I left for college). Initially, I thought "wow, Google has reached an all time low" but then I realized just how ingenious this tactic is.
Typically, when we're flipping through a magazine or even surfing the web, we pay little to no attention to advertisements, unless we see something that catches our eye or something we're interested in. By placing ads on the websites we visit that are "specifically" tailored to our interests, we are far more likely to pay attention to the ad and may even click on it to learn more about what's being advertised. Although it does feel a little uncomfortable that Google manages to use, I'm assuming, your most popular searches to direct ads at you, it is a smart way of getting people to take notice of ads!

"There Can Be Miracles When You Believe"

As many of you may know, this past week, legendary R&B singer Whitney Houston passed away. Having been a huge fan of Houston, I thought I would dedicate this post to her.

Naturally, when any celebrity dies, especially a singer, their music tends to be played again and again on networks such as MTV and Vh1. One of Houston's songs that I heard played this week was "When You Believe", which she collaborated on with Mariah Carey.

Aside from their amazing voices, what makes this song especially moving is the message. The chorus says, "There can be miracles / When you believe / Though hope is frail / It's hard to kill / Who knows what miracles / You can achieve / When you believe somehow you will / You will when you believe..." The song is so encouraging to its listeners; it enables them to believe in themselves because you never know what may happen. The song reminds listeners that miracles are attainable, if you just believe.

This song exemplifies how music acts as a form of rhetoric. Often times, we merely listen to music because the beat is catchy or it's a song performed by one of our favorite artists. However, if we take a second to analyze the music a little bit further, we realize just how rhetorical music really is. Songs almost always have a deeper message for the listener to grasp (well that is, if the music isn't made by Soulja Boy). Here, the song is meant to positively influence and encourage its listeners. Similar to the advertisements we are going to be analyzing, this song portrays a particular message and influences listeners to respond in a particular way. Guess this goes to show how rhetoric can be found in literally everything around us!

P.S. This is one of my favorite Whitney Houston songs and I wanted to share it with you all :)

I'm Sorry!

Chris Brown and Rihanna together some hours prior to the assault
Source: E! Online

So recently in class, we were discussing character in conjunction with ethos. I've always heard the word "character" thrown around here and there but after our discussion (and the textbook reading), I figured I would look the word up just to be certain that I knew it's meaning. According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, character is defined as, "the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual; the distinctive nature of something; the quality of being individual, typically in an interesting or unusual way; strength and originality in a person’s nature; a person’s good reputation." I find that often times, a person’s character is largely shaped by the people they choose to surround themselves with and those who they allow to influence them. However, when a person makes a mistake in life, this is when their character is truly questioned. I think overall, there is a serious “gray area” when it comes to mistakes because there is such a broad range in the seriousness of a mistake. Yet, depending on a circumstances, some mistakes can really alter the perception others have of your character. A prime example of someone who suffered serious consequences in the wake of a major mistake was R&B singer Chris Brown.

Rihanna's battered face after the incident
Source: TMZ

Back in 2009, Chris Brown assaulted then girlfriend, R&B singer Rihanna while the two were in a car in Los Angeles, California. Rihanna later released a photograph revealing the physical injuries she endured as a result of the assault, which further sparked public backlash towards Brown. He lost commercial deals, some radio stations refused to play his music and some networks would not air his music videos. The squeaky clean image and reputation Brown once had was gone in an instant. Some months after the incident, Brown recorded a public apology. Although the apology was staged and scripted at best, I believe this incident is a prime example of how someone’s character can be severely tarnished. Today, while many seem to have forgotten about the incident with Brown and Rihanna, some refuse to forgive Brown for what he did. No matter how many public apologies he issues or how much effort he puts into repairing his image, for most, the damage is already done; there is no repairing his tarnished reputation. While, on the one hand, I find it rather shocking that one mistake can result in people having a permanently altered perception of one’s character, I also understand why. Ultimately, Chris Brown knows right from wrong and he definitely knows that assaulting anyone, especially a woman, is wrong on so many levels.

Do you think it’s fair that some people are never given a second chance? Couldn’t one argue that a mistake is a mistake, regardless of its severity, so if we can forgive someone for cheating on a test, for example, we should also be able to forgive that person for cheating on their wife?

"I Believe In 'Love and Basketball'" Podcast!

Blast from the Past- AACS



AACS following our cultural show
Photo taken by Charisma Ricksy

 During my senior year, I was the president of the African-American Cultural Society, otherwise known as AACS. Throughout my years in high school, AACS always had such a bad rep. Each cultural club was expected to give a performance that reflected some aspect of their culture, be it food, music, dancing, etc. AACS, however, always seemed to either cancel their shows at the last minute or throw together a poorly organized show that made a mockery of many well-known stereotypes of African-Americans. During my year as president, however, I was determined to change our reputation! I wanted other students to actually appreciate the African-American culture. I wanted to disprove any beliefs that our club could not "get our stuff together" and that we could actually perform a successful and thought-provoking show. And in February of 2011, we did just that. The members of AACS and the executive board collaborated on an original show that truly changed Hunter College High School's perception, not only of AACS, but also of the experiences of minority students at Hunter. The show sparked a discussion about race unlike any other in Hunter's history and truly made an impact on my schoolmates. I was honored to have been a part of the organization and humbled by the impact our show managed to have on our community.
I mention this story because as we discussed kairos in class, I was reminded of this kairotic moment in my high school career. (I was also reminded of this story because last night, I received an email from the advisor of AACS, Mr. Joffe, and he notified me of some updates regarding the organization.) AACS seized the opportunity to discuss an issue when the "time was right". Granted, we could have continued to wait, as many students have, until something happened. Instead, however, we decided it was best to create this kairotic moment ourselves. Throughout my 13 years at Hunter College Campus Schools (my school also had an elementary school, which I attended as well), the racial imbalance has always been a pressing issue but few have done anything to try to make it better. It's always been the elephant in the room. That is, until AACS decided to address it!
Can you think of a kairotic moment in your life, whether you created it or were a part of it? What impact did that moment have on your life and the lives of those around you? How did that moment make you feel?

Until next time! :)

Rest in Peace Joe Paterno

As we all know, this past week, the Penn State community was dealt another severe blow with the death of former football coach, Joe Paterno. While the circumstances of Paterno's passing were heartbreaking, to say the least, his death also signified, not only his greatness as a person, but the significant impact he had on so many people. Immediately following the news of his passing, kind words of condolence, images, videos and even events could be found on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. In essence, Paterno's passing acted as a rhetorical exigence, which drew people in and inspired them to respond in their own respective ways.
On Facebook, students created events such as the candle light vigil at Old Main, "Guide Joe Home" along Curtin Road and "Last White Out for Joe Paterno" on the Monday following his passing. It was clear that it did not matter if students knew Paterno personally, met him once before on a whim, were avid football fans or never even attended a game. To the Penn State community, there was an "issue" that need to be addressed: How can we honor Joe Paterno? What was more astounding was how many people attended all of these events, not to mention the two public viewings held in the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center. A shockwave quickly moved throughout the community to find any and every way to honor our beloved coach. More importantly,  there was a sense of urgency for the Penn State community to unite and mourn as a family. Through coming together as one, we're able to lift one another up during this troubling time. It's great because this sense of family seemed to be very important to Mr. Paterno.
Speaking from personal experience, I didn't come to Penn State for football. I've never really been much of a football fan and to be honest, I never even attended a football game during my first semester. Yet, even I was deeply moved by the passing of Mr. Paterno. As I walk from the Pattee and Paterno libraries, or attend honors classes in an effort to become a Paterno Fellow, I'm reminded of the investments Mr. Paterno has made in this university beyond being a football coach. Although at first I did not want to attend the processional, I was so glad that something within me moved me to stay to see Mr. Paterno's hearse drive by. There was something within me that made me want to "respond" to call to honor Mr. Paterno. And quite honestly, I am so honored that I did.
What were some of the ways you honored Mr. Paterno? What were your reasons for participating in these events? Were you a football fan or moved by the circumstances of his passing as I was?




Photo taken by Ben Jones of SN Nation Newsletters



"I Have A Dream" That People Will Stand Up!



Penn State Live

Rather than sleeping in late or procrastinating on starting my homework on our day off to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I decided to participate in Penn State's Day of Service. Approximately 400 or so students willingly volunteered to help others in the community and to me, it was one of the first times I felt a pressing sense of civic engagement here at Penn State. Yeah, I know a lot tends to go on at this campus and there are probably plenty of opportunities to participate in other forms of civic engagement, such as open forums, other volunteer efforts and the like, but what struck me the most about the day of service was the vast number of students who decided that their responsibility to help others superseded their own desire to waste the day away.

I found the day of service to be such a rewarding experience. Granted, I was assigned to work in the woods of the Arboretum and required to move some cut down foreign invader trees from a certain area but yet and still, I was appreciative of the experience. It felt great to know that I played an active role in helping our community and I am now inspired to do more.

Often times, we have a tendency of doing things for others with the expectation that something will be done for us in return. However, I can truly say that I did not want or need anything in return for the work I put in on this day of service. The benefit of meeting other students and people from the State College community was awesome enough to me. Yeah, we groaned and complained a bit as we walked over to the Arboretum in the cold weather and soon thereafter learned that we would be working outside for some 2 or 3 hours but in the end, our work spoke for itself and we were all able to say we actually enjoyed the experience. I just hope to become more heavily involved in other volunteer efforts here on campus and in the community because I believe these efforts are a fantastic way to exercise more than just one form of civic engagement.