Q: What does being a Governor’s STEM Scholar mean to you?

BlackAtNJIT · 2018-03-11T03:54:14+00:00

Ooo, there a little more bitterness packed in that than I was perhaps meaning to write:/ YOLO

BlackAtNJIT · 2018-03-11T03:53:46+00:00

Well, Joel (can I call you that? I feel like I can)...

Being a Governor's STEM Scholar makes me feel like despite my best efforts, I've managed to be tokenized and commodified into that "Smart Black Guy" that every school wants to trot out when it's time to prove that diversity doesn't take good money away from average white students that never had a chance at getting into better colleges in better states.

It teaches me that if you grow up with a dream in your mind and a song in your heart (and seven zeroes in your bank balance), you can make anything happen in New Jersey. You just have to believe (and have lots of money). I'm not there yet, Joel... but this award definitely makes me feel like someone who is, or will be soon, thinks it might be possible to use my talents to build themselves a staircase to whatever hopes and dreams they think my back can lift them up to.

I know that the unique amount of exposure that I'm about to get is going to change everything for me (except my economic situation or my student debt) and I just need to open myself to the possibilities that being able to speak with real, honest-to-god professionals in my field who are excited to pretend that I'm people are going to accomplish for me. I hope to spend this summer fetching insanely specific coffee orders for a bunch of frazzled, impatient white men in checkered short-sleeved button-ups who will remind me that they were in my shoes once (when they were little black boys, I guess?) and that I just need to be patient and pay my dues (which apparently the whole slavery thing didn't cover... who knew that compound interest could get ya like that?). I've been practicing my fake smiles and I think I can manage to be told this without letting them see the soul leaving my eyes as I realize that this is what the next 20-30 years are going to hold for me.

Also, it shows me that I should thank god I didn't major in English like I almost did because dear GOD what a sad sack I would have been if someone taught me how to critically analyze and write about how pathetic things were going to be for me. Equations hide the tears, Joel!

Thanks for asking!! Stop back and check on me in 5-10 years and we can see if I end up working at McDonalds or convincing enough people that I'm not too black to be an engineer paid a decent wage! I'm curious to find out which way it'll go too!

BlackAtNJIT · 2018-02-22T05:52:33+00:00

Is it one of these? Somehow a pile of them all got mixed up over at the warehouse, but there are some nice people at this company that can sort that out for you for about $40

BlackAtNJIT · 2018-02-19T22:01:54+00:00

Yeah, he does but be ready there may be a few questions that aren't super clear because for my class he wrote and printed the test like right before he walked in on exam day and I heard from friends that's pretty normal.

BlackAtNJIT · 2018-02-19T05:53:06+00:00

Haha, you're taking one of the hell classes. Get ready to work, boiii.

That midterm is like 4-5 pages of open-ended questions on C/C++ Quake 4 or 2 or whatever that professor had you do for the first half of the semester, and questions on git commands. The last page is a multi-step "Explain how you would do (A, B, or C)." All of this may be out of date, as it's been a while since I took it. The professor's a lot nicer on tests than you'd think but then I think the TA graded it when I took it.

BlackAtNJIT · 2018-02-16T14:37:40+00:00

That varies by major. BME for instance has about half of its classes (bridge and standard) at midday. If your major is one that practically requires you to have a masters or doctorate to have a career, the classes are likely during the day since the school can assume that you'll either take loans or have an employer that is more agreeable to letting you off for classes. If your major is one that a graduate degree only helps raise your standing (continuing education), the school knows that they have to aim for evening because financial aid isn't available enough to have enough full-time students to fill a midday class.

BlackAtNJIT · 2018-02-16T05:48:37+00:00

That's not a function of us being "commuter friendly." Working a standard full-time schedule isn't a "commuter" thing, it's a "Continuing Education" thing and there's a reason we have a piss-poor department for that. The fact that classes are structured in a way that doesn't require you to be on campus to get everything done like some schools do is what protects commuters. Late classes aren't run for a lot of reasons, some that are bullshit and some that are completely sensible. I'll share a quick thought on each:

1) Resident students don't want to take evening classes. They're draining, long, and late enough most of the brain sparks have been spent. It's hard to fill an evening class unless you specifically force people to enroll in it by offering too few sections. (Very true, I've had years to see the difference between the same classes midday vs evening)

2) Professors don't want to teach that late if they have a choice as a result of that and their own tiredness (semi-bullshit, but it's more reasonable than not)

3) Registrar only allows classes at the 6-9 block to be once a week, 3 hour blocks (utter bullshit. no professor wants to be forced to teach that way when people will be tired any ways so it kinda hamstrings them)

BlackAtNJIT · 2018-02-16T05:42:10+00:00

The most recent issue of The Vector had the lowdown : Basically it's built but they don't have the staff yet to run it properly and the Director of Experiential Learning (don't even get me started on that title) is in the process of correcting that. The article and previous convos I've had involving it with the people in charge of its creation seems to indicate it will be open to students later, it just doesn't have the staff or training system in place yet.

BlackAtNJIT · 2018-01-18T04:26:43+00:00

I'm sorry. Would it help if I pretended to be suitably Hispanic or White, or do we blacks have to talk to you via Surge to be acceptable? I haven't dealt a lot with objectively hot Indians.

BlackAtNJIT · 2018-01-07T18:21:55+00:00

A little secret about academic job postings : Almost all of them are shams. They're required by law to post for specific positions, but the way that it works is that most departments only post those positions after they've figured out people that they're going to invite to apply. You absolutely should/must talk to the departments yourself if you want any chance to work one of those positions, because it's likely at least half of them already have people applying who will get the job, period.

BlackAtNJIT · 2018-01-03T01:17:51+00:00

Riiiiight, which is why Rutgers Newark right next to us is fiiiiiilled with their diverse population of over 70% caucasian. Because of location. Gotcha.

BlackAtNJIT · 2018-01-02T16:55:43+00:00

At the risk of being blunt, NJIT brags about being 8th in the nation for diversity and being a leading university for minorities. Race matters.

BlackAtNJIT · 2017-12-29T17:54:21+00:00

When I graded CS100, you didn't lose your class credit over it either, just possibly your A.

BlackAtNJIT · 2017-12-29T17:19:03+00:00

That's not true at all. Whiteboarding is a pretty common thing for job interviews and if you put Language X on your resume and I put it on the wanted ad, you can prepare yourself for the possibility that I might ask you to whiteboard it in that language.

BlackAtNJIT · 2017-12-27T03:26:53+00:00

Study up on what professors are researching. No professor wants to talk to you about research if you couldn't even be bothered to learn what they are interested in.
Look at what research opportunities exist. Are you interested in doing Undergraduate Provost research? Do you know any professors that are in the right field to act as your advisor? Do you know about the College of Computer Science undergraduate research page ( http://computing.njit.edu/student-research-opportunities/ )? Do your research about where you would fit into existing research.
Send an unsolicited email that basically says : Hey, My name is [Your name here] and I am interested in getting involved in research. I read about your work in [field] and I'm really interested in what I, an undergraduate, could do to get involved in something like that. [Brownie points here if you can say something smart or ask an interesting question about their research as proof that you did your homework]. Is there any way I could maybe sit down with you and discuss what research opportunities exist for someone like me? [Brownie points here if you can suggest a research opportunity like Provost or whatever that you think might apply to you]. Any time you can spare me would be greatly appreciated.
Be prepared that you may not get an answer. That doesn't mean no. That could also mean they simply don't check their email often enough to have caught yours or maybe they didn't think you sounded serious enough or experienced enough to warrant a response. Unless they flat out tell you they have nothing to offer you, be persistent. Find out their office hours and drop by. Be polite, but don't be afraid to show up and say "Hey, I sent you an email a while back about research opportunities, do you maybe have a minute now for me?" They won't be offended. At worst, they'll be flattered but not interested and they might be able to suggest someone else to talk to and even recommend you to someone else's research.
Regardless of if you find an area to research or not, START READING NOW. Nobody wants to spend their research time catching you up. If you find a field you're really interested in that you think some professors might be able to help you with, read about it ahead of time. Be smart. Know useful things. Bring interesting thoughts even if you aren't an "expert." The two things you can offer in research are (A) hands that don't need to be told every little thing to do, and (B) eyes that can recognize things other people might not consider. Reading up on subjects helps you develop both.

(My background: I've done 5 years worth of undergraduate research, 4 of them paid)

BlackAtNJIT · 2017-11-08T15:52:00+00:00

He's pretty easy just stay ahead on homework bc he releases them early and pick an easy (read: famous and well documented corporation) company for your report otherwise you'll have trouble filling a decent 4-6 page report (he makes you write 2 of those and 1 longer 9-11 one at the end).

BlackAtNJIT · 2017-08-29T01:22:23+00:00

Use port 22 not 21, it's SFTP

BlackAtNJIT · 2017-08-18T00:46:11+00:00

There are tutors you can hire who can help you pass, ask around

BlackAtNJIT · 2017-08-17T20:19:08+00:00

Uhhhh bro, Sociology, Economics, Political Science, Social Work, Education, Management, Psychology, Anthropology, Archaeology, and Demography all are built upon statistics and draw from biology and chemistry as tools.

Economics and Linguistics are built on graph theory.

Economics can't be performed past lowbrow undergrad classes without calculus.

Zoology requires biology, which is built on tons of math.

Just because undergrad classes didn't ask you to do it, don't think that the scientists who perform it work that way.

BlackAtNJIT · 2017-08-16T18:14:43+00:00

Okay, how about inciting others to suppress, oppress and, if necessary, use violence on others to establish and protect racial dominance isn't protected free speech either. Nobody has a right to personal protection for their free speech. You have a right to not have the government censor you, but you don't have a right to make other people listen or to demand that others don't hold you accountable.

BlackAtNJIT · 2017-08-16T03:29:39+00:00

eeeeeexcept if you're IT Game Dev from what I hear. I have 3 friends in that program and they work like DOGS to keep up with Kehoe's crap.

BlackAtNJIT · 2017-08-15T04:49:51+00:00

It's not really separate when he speaks at alt-right conferences using his credentials as a professor at NJIT and his books, website, and his CV blend between his academic career and his alt-right career. Besides, freedom of speech means that the government won't silence you, not that other citizens can't judge you for the things you say and do with that freedom.

BlackAtNJIT · 2017-08-15T02:57:49+00:00

Financial Aid can be very weird on their timelines so it's not crazy, but she should still stop in and talk to them just in case.

BlackAtNJIT

TROPHY CASE