Kensignton Way

               When entering Forest Hills on Colonial Road, heading closer and closer to the mountain, trees colors of pink and white, similar to Japanese cherry blossom trees, give a very nice welcoming as they grow on the left and right sides of the road. Driving further into the neighborhood, houses belonging to middle class families come into view. Continuing to drive into this neighborhood residents will typically be walking their dogs, maybe even stopping to talk to other neighbors also walking their dogs,

other residents may be mowing or cleaning their lawn, or taking trash cans back into the house, or even getting mail from their mailbox, basically the routines of everyday people. Heading deeper into

the neighborhood a stop sign appears, turn left onto Continental Drive. After turning left, houses are larger than before, four bedroom, three bath, etc., usually belonging to middle-upper class families. Shortly after turning left, a turn on the right appears, this is Kensignton Way. Houses going up the mountain are the in the neighborhood. Crafted with stone and brick, constructed by gifted masons making them flawless. Giant glass windows built into the front, giving a glimpse of the beautiful interior within them. Theses house resemble smaller versions of celebrity houses with all the accessories, concrete drive ways with light going from beginning to end, back yards holds hot tubs, pools, with gorgeous patios. The houses may be amazing, but what is coming is better. Continuing to drive up the road until it ends. Finally, the Top of Forest Hills, the end of Kensignton Way. A place that is known to all locals.

             
              Chris, a man 32 years of age about 6'0 usually wears graphic tees, with shorts, has been going to the top of Forest Hills ever since he was a kid. Says he can remember when he would have to walk through a small wooded area in order to reach the top. He says, “When I was a kid there were no houses up her. In fact, there wasn't a Kensignton way. Forest Hills was still in the process of being built. This area was surrounded with trees and open grass areas. We had to walk ten minutes to get up here and enjoy the scenery. And now its as though we aren't allowed to come up here anymore because of all these new houses. The top of this mountain is losing its meaning and value.”

             
              Kenneth Jean-Louis, a black male about 5'7, usually wears a drugrug with a beanie, skinny jeans, and vans, has lived in Forest Hills since he can remember. He has been going to the to the to of Forest Hills for four years now. He says, “It's a good place to see stars and the night sky from up here, and you can see Harrisburg up here, it looks beautiful all lit up at night. It's a pretty good view.” He also explains what he likes to do with his friends up here, saying “Usually when we're up here, we have our cars and like to vibe out to music, get some food, eat, and talk.” Kenneth then goes into saying “this place gives away a peaceful feeling, being surrounded by nature looking up in the sky and at the horizon it kind of makes you feel small. We're only looking at a small part of the planet when there is just so much more out there that we haven't seen.” He then goes into describing how its a short get away in the world and helps yourself to think clearly.
           
              Technically you can go up to the top of Forest Hills at any time, but the ideal time is to go at night. The view of stars and city at night is breath taking. Looking up to the night sky standing at the top of the mountain, every star visible to this area can be seen. If you're lucky and look hard enough, you will be able to find a shooting star soaring across the night sky. When standing looking out, to the right lye's the city of Harrisburg lit up by the lights. To the upper left of Harrisburg is a mountain, and on the mountain forty five minutes away is Ski Round Top. A place to go to snowboard and ski. Looking straight and down, between the trees, is the whole neighborhood of Forest hills lit by the lights of the neighborhood and houses. Occasionally, a car's headlights can be spotted. To the left there will be many lights that represents many different places. Central Dauphin High School can be found looking towards the lower left, the parking lot is lit up by many orange lights. Beyond that are truck stops, where truckers come to refuel and sleep for the night, to only be back on the road in the morning. Looking straight ahead, lights within the distance are from a shopping complex that has many stores like Weis, Target, Gamestop, a book store called Bam, and restaurants like Panera Bread.

              Beside the 'Top of Forest Hills' there is a new house in the process of being built.

Construction workers are there during the day to finish the project. I interviewed Dan, a construction worker, asking how is the traffic is up here. His response was, “There isn't too much traffic up here during the day, we may see one or two cars while we are taking our brake, but the cars don't stop and hang out up here. The people that drive up here are usually lost and figure out that the road is a dead end then turn around to head back down. Also the folks driving past in cars looking to be an old age, so I don't think they are going to come up here to hang out.”

              Even though the Top of Forest Hills isn't a torist attraction, many locals, mostly kids, come here to get a break from reality. The relaxing sounds of nature, view of Harrisburg area, and beautiful stars creating wonderful constellations keeps this place thriving with locals.

CVS Pharmacy

Figure 1: Exterior of CVS in Mount Carmel, PA

Many people would think that working at a retail store is the easiest job out there, but little do they know, all of the behind the scenes activities that go on to keep the store running. CVS Pharmacy is one popular retail store that is found all over the country. It is very interesting to talk to people about what it is like to work in retail and to learn new things that a customer may wonder or never think about while shopping. This store gives incoming customer a friendly feel throughout the whole shopping experience. With all of their hard work and commitment to their job, Judy and Mare are two workers that give the customers a personalized experience that makes them want to keep coming back to this store.

Figure 2: Extra care center

 

Nestled in the most popular area of Mount Carmel, PA on West 3rd and Birch Street is CVS Pharmacy, which is next to the local grocery store, Boyer's Food Markets. Across from CVS is the Silverbowl football field and coal hills and behind the store are houses and the high school. When entering the store, the first thing that customers see is the red extra care card coupon center (see figure 2). The customers scan their extra care cards each week to get their weekly coupons. Once inside the store, the sounds are of customers chatting and mellow music playing in the speakers. The store is very bright with many lights lining the ceiling with the hidden security cameras all around. The 17 aisles are nicely spaced around the store from left to right and front to back. The store is full of color there are big signs hanging from the ceilings, including the "get your flu shot today" sign. Three white end caps line the front of the store with promotional weekly items, so they are the first things that the customers see when entering the store. Bright yellow signs with a red strip at the bottom and with black letters are on each item that is on sale every week, and there are big signs for the items on the end caps. These brightly colored advertisements and sale signs around the store provide customers with ways to help them save money.

 

Figure 3: The Pharmacy drop off area

There always seems to be a crowd in the store, because the pharmacy is keeps the customers coming in and shopping around while they wait for their prescriptions. As it is said in the name, "CVS Pharmacy," the pharmacy is a big part of the overall store. Mount Carmel is a very busy store when it comes to the amount of prescriptions filled each day. The pharmacy area is very welcoming with blue cushiony waiting chairs on the right and the pictures of the pharmacist and pharmacy manager prestigiously lining the wall (Figure 3). "One Pharmacy call," rings constantly throughout the store when there is an incoming phone call. Chit chat and the sound of counting pills are common sounds one hears in this area. Customers typically walk around the store and browse the item selection while waiting for prescriptions or before picking them up, which allows the customers to interact with both the front store and pharmacy employees for a complete CVS pharmacy experience.  

Figure 4

When approaching the checkout counter full of varieties of candy bars, bubble gum, and mints and the popular magazines, such as People and US Weekly, there are two ladies cheerfully waiting on customers (Figure 5). One of the workers at the counter, Judy, asked a customer that arrived at the counter, "Do you have your CVS extracare card or the phone number it is under?" and the woman replied with delight, "Yes I do!" and Judy smiled and scanned the card. She ended the transaction saying with a grin, "Have a great day, and see you again!" Judy is a tall, thin woman that has strawberry blonde hair with glasses and wears a blue shirt with red CVS pharmacy embroidery, tan khaki pants and a nametag that has "Judy, Shift Supervisor" written boldly on it. She is the type of coworker that is always joking around with everyone and is known by all of the customers. Judy has been a long time employee of the company and was recognized for her customer service by receiving employee of the year in 2015. It was an honor for her to receive this award and she went to a nice dinner in Pittsburgh, PA with other CVS employees and bosses and also received a plaque. Standing next to her was a shorter woman named, MaryAnn. MaryAnn, or as her coworkers call her, Mare, has long brown hair in a ponytail with dark blonde highlights. She wears the signature blue CVS shirt with the red embroidery and black pants with a nametag that has "MaryAnn, Shift Supervisor" written in black lettering. They make such a good team together, Judy is always laughing and Mare is always smiling and talking to the customers. These ladies are the first people customers see when they enter the store and they are a goofy bunch to get to know. They both have done all job tasks that a cashier and supervisor would do at CVS and collectively, they have been working with the company for 13 years. The mission of CVS is to help people on their path to better health and these front store workers help accomplish this mission, along with the pharmacy team in the back of the store. "This is a fun, stressful and a job that is very demanding of personal time, but they have a decent boss and coworkers that make them motivated to do a good job." Along with staying motivated in the workplace, they have something called Myimpact, which is completed with online customer surveys. Questions are asked about their past visit and they score the questions from 0-5, if a worker gets all 5's on their surveys, then they get rewarded with points that will accumulate until they want to redeem them for gift cards and other prizes.





"Team work is the best policy, it's how you get things done efficiently." - Judy


Figure 5: Front store checkout

A day in the life of a CVS front store worker involves many tasks that differ depending on the job title, cashier/shift supervisor/manager. The day starts off with one of them counting the drawers, deposit, and paperwork. They use something called a price gun to do cycle counts and quick picks that help manage what items are out on the shelves and in the backroom of the store. In between all of this they also ring out customers and ask if customers need help finding anything. While filling a shelf, the sound of the bell rang at the counter and Judy ran up to wait on the customer. They are responsible for keeping the front store clean, working out overstock products from the backroom and checking for outdated products. All of these tasks are completed while keeping their focus on customer service.

Figure 6

 

With talking to a few customers, the reasons why they come into the store were all the same. "I have been coming to this store for many years, I love seeing the smiling faces of the people that work here, they are always asking if I need help finding anything when I am just wandering around." "I love the good deals and using all my extra bucks and coupons to save a lot of money every time I shop here." They love the deals, especially the coupons and the extra bucks program. The extra bucks program is when some products are bought in the store, "CVS money" prints out on the receipts that can be used on the next purchase. For example, last week there was a deal where after spending $30.00 on toilet paper and paper towel products, the customer would received $10.00 extra bucks that are then good for one month from the day they were received. People seem to take advantage of the program and enjoy coming in and buying stuff with their extra bucks (Figure 6).





There are always going to be bad customer experiences and good customer experiences no matter what store someone works in. "When reminiscing about customer experiences, I always try to remember the good and brush on the bad, Mare explained with enthusiasm. "It's always nice for customers to tell you how much they appreciate what you do for them. It makes me feel accomplished in doing a good job for the company. One time, an older lady needed help taking groceries out to her car, because she had a walker and had trouble getting around. About a week later, she sent a thank you card to Judy and I for always helping her when she comes to the store. She even sent us Christmas cards," said MaryAnn with a big smile on her face. "Positive customer interactions leave a lasting impact on my views of this workplace and I always look forward to interacting with the customers each day I come to work," said Judy with joy. Customers are fully part of businesses and the impressions that workers leave them with will hopefully keep them coming back to the business.

CVS Pharmacy is just one of the many businesses found in the country that no one ever really thinks about what goes on behind the scenes to keep the company up and running. CVS Pharmacy would not continue to prosper without the success of their high customer service and customer loyalty. Judy and MaryAnn are just two workers that are part of this corporation and all of their hard work and dedication keep customers leaving happy and returning to the store time after time.



Hair Restoration

Hair Restoration

            Need a haircut? Perhaps just a touch up, or a complete transformation with new color? In the shopping center on Easton road, Carmine and Company is just the place to do it. A high quality salon, fairly new, founded in 2001, will do it all. A small but classic cute little shop, will help you when you need a trim, or to get you ready for your marriage day with an updo. The employees have been in the business for years and ride off of experience and personal customer service.

            'Walk all the way down and that's my area', Steph claimed, an employee of the salon trying to work her way up on the promotion ladder. Standing at five foot three inches tall with a big grin on her vibrant face moving her chubby cheeks, fingernails always done up to perfection with white tips, complementing the dark wings on the side of her wide hazel eyes. Although she started a year and a half ago, since it is a high class salon, and being a young high school graduate, she is not yet authorized to cut hair yet. 'I've had my cosmetology license for a while now, so I can't wait to move up.' Her day right now is fairly boring from cleaning towels to washing hair, and coloring. Mainly, she'll stay in the back of the shop where there are four sinks with chairs, ready to wash and color.

            A hair stylist is alike to a dental hygienist, how do you ask? They are so underrated and underappreciated. At least, that is what my experience has taught me. The experience that this profession demands from most the employees is quite impressive. For Steph to be hired was a big accomplishment in itself, but in this case, nothing short of impressive and a start to only move up higher in the field.

               Carmine and Company is so upscale for what looks like a little shop from the outside, surrounded by a supermarket and a pizza joint. Step a foot in and get surrounded by smiling faces, to the right sign in for your appointment at the receptionist desk attached to the make-up station and take a seat in the row of five cushioned reclining chairs, luxury for their loyal customers. If you need a color done clean smocks are straight forward in the closet. Make up products of Redken Company, jewelry and other retail products are sold here as well on the shelves in front of the closet. The shop is actually quite long, fitting twenty stylist station. Ten black leather chairs on each side, with combs scissors and all materials in a hair stylists arsenal sitting on the shelves in front of the mirror hanging from the brown wall. If you grabbed a smock in the beginning, the color bar is located in the back of the salon, complemented by a little hair dye stains on the tile floor in front of four shampoo chairs. Bamboo plants in decorated vases on the shelves across from the chairs really maintain the zen vibe of getting a wash and overall relaxed feel of Carmine and Company.

            'I absolutely love watching brides get updos and such for their wedding, it’s always so cute and a warm feeling that they are coming to my place of work in preparation for such a big day. Also, the transformation a different cut and color can make on a person is huge and it's really cool to witness.' Although Steph isn't content with her low pay right now, making mostly tips, she embraces the environment she's in and the beneficial factors of her workplace, she states positively that she can only move up and is motivated to do so. Even if some of the hair dressers can occasionally act like divas, since people in her position have the job of cleaning up after them. 'It's all just more motivation to move up', she claims humbly.

            Most of the customers being younger, Stephanie claims dealing with the older ladies that come in can be a challenge. She said while chuckling that 'We have to keep them happy while washing because they don't sit still! Sometimes they are even too short for their necks to reach the sinks or they have back problems, we get a couple that come in and are just plain too overweight to fit in the chair!' Just the other night she had an experience like this, except a little more extreme. 'An older woman was dropped off by her daughter to get a color and she was gone for twenty minutes, ten minutes went by after she left and as I’m washing this woman's hair she starts freaking out cursing out of nowhere! I had no idea why but as everyone stared she explained she needed to go to the bathroom and her daughter wasn't there to take her so she just had a frustration attack I guess. Luckily her daughter showed up quickly after the scene and we all had a laugh about it. I felt so bad at the time, but I did have to laugh afterwards, working under everyone has its benefits I suppose!' She states while bursting out into laughter from nostalgia of that recent night.

            The woman actually ended up coming back the next day to apologize. The employees were immediately forgiveful and showed amazing personal customer service that night and followed up on it the next day. The small salon thrives off of this. Calling her by her name, the receptionist booked Dee for another appointment next week. 'Of course, we all just did our job', Steph went on, 'she will most likely return weekly now and become another regular, it's a great way to get business, and really simple.'

Wallet Salvation

The Salvation Army Family Store, Bloomsburg PA

As you walk into the store, the faceless mannequins in the window wearing the season's latest outfits will be the first thing you notice. The store itself is filled with clothes of all shapes and sizes. A men's, women's, and children's section are the biggest attractions. Clothes are not the only thing the store carries however, in fact, it has about as much as one can imagine. Toys, electronics, and furniture are just some of the other products for sale to help less fortunate people save money.

For over a hundred years the Salvation Army has been providing services to citizens in the United States such as disaster relief, family tracing, and charity. It is easily recognizable by it's red shield which reads "The Salvation Army". What most people do not know is that The Salvation Army originates from England, where a man by the name of William Booth started it in 1865 as a religious group. To to this day, The Salvation Army is still considered a religious group, and is even closed on Sundays due to it being considered a religious day by Salvationists. From England, The Salvation Army spread to many different countries through its' disaster relief efforts.

William Booth, found of The Salvation Army

Whether you are looking for some cheap clothes or into something more vintage, you'll be sure to find something you like at The Salvation Army Family Store. The store carries a massive selection of clothing for people of all shapes and sizes. Each section is sorted first by item type, and then by color. The store is kept brightly lit, so that customers can get a good look at what they are seeing. T-shirts, jackets, pants, and many other different types of clothing are put together in colorful rows of blues, reds, greens, and any other color you can think of. The store kind of has an old, musty aroma that you'd imagine around used clothing. However, it is not very strong, and certainly do not let it stop you from visiting the store.

A view of the store from the men's section

The women's section is by far the largest in the store, containing rows and rows of used female clothing such as skirts, blouses, and sweaters. The far wall is lined with dresses, which can be prom, casual, or even wedding dresses. A shoe section contains heels, flats, and sneakers for any occasion. "I love coming into the store, there's always something new I can find," says Mollie Semler, an avid thrift shopper at the store. "The prices are amazing and you can find some really fun pieces of clothing. I never know what I'm about to come across when I shop there." The Salvation Army Family Store is one of the few places you'll be able to find an ugly christmas sweater 5 feet away from a wedding dress.

Although the men's section is half the size of the women's there is still a great selection to choose from. The setup is familiar- clothes are still arranged by type and color. This time instead of a wall of lined with dresses, there's a wall lined with snazzy suits and dress shirts arranged in row that resembles a rainbow. All types of brands are to be found in the store, which provides a great way to find new clothes. I was even able to buy a pair of shoes for six dollars, that retail for over 200 dollars!

Red Wings purchased for $6

The employees run around in navy blue sweaters with white shirts underneath, and dark colored pants. Some push around large carts which hold the inventory that has to be put out. "The inventory comes either locally or from trucks that bring it in from other locations," says Mary, who's been the supervisor of the store for nearly five years. Mary is a middle aged woman with dark hair who is wearing the regular uniform. "All profits go towards the things The Salvation Army does," such as the disaster relief and charity work. "Not everything that is donated to one store can be sold there, so it's held in the back until a truck can come and bring it to another store." The back of the store is spooky and quiet, and also has enough product to fill another whole store. Along with extra clothes, appliances, and other household goods, the back also contains racks and tables which are used to display all the things in the store.

A truck dropping off goods for the store

Clothes are not the only item that the store has to offer, of course. There's a household section which offers appliances, dishes, and vases; a movie section that includes all types of genres; a book section that satisfies all ages; and even a toy section for the kids. All of these items are intended to help those who are looking to save money by purchasing items second hand. "One of the benefits of my job is seeing those who are less fortunate find something that they can really put to good use."

If you're looking to purchase some used or discounted items such as clothes, furniture, or home goods, you can head on down to The Salvation Army Family Store, located on West Main Street in Bloomsburg, right in between the FNB Bank and Exclusively You. You'll be sure to find a wide selection of goods that you might not have known you even wanted. Thrift shopping is also a great alternative to normal shopping because you can save so much money. Next time you get an itch to go shopping, give The Salvation Army Family Store a try.

Bloomsburg Scranton Commons- Charles Manley
                                                                 
                                                                                         Bloomsburg Food

Entrance to Starbucks 

Towards the end of Bloomsburg's Campus in between Elwell and Schuylkill hall is the Bloomsburg Scranton Commons, a building with red bricks and huge glass windows. The building was built a long time ago,  so it has the older sturdy look unlike most buildings today; however it has a modern day feel on the inside. The inside has two large seating areas along with long porch and the PA room, these rooms are for a more secluded eating experience because of the closed in areas and limited seating. Every BU student knows where the commons is and about the food the commons serves, but what they don't know is the hard work and dedication that it takes to work at the commons and to get the commons ready for a good dinning experience.

Chip, an older women with an upbeat personality, is always there greeting people with a smile. She is dressed in typical work clothing; a white shirt, black pants, and an apron. She has short brown grayish hair and wears a hair net. Chip always asks "Are you hungry?" It makes students talk and become friendlier with her; it also shows that she thinks about the students. When asked if she likes working at the commons, she responded with "Yes I like working at the commons not only because of the people that I work with, but also I have built several relationships with some students". Chip's job at the commons is to swipe the cards to allow the students to eat, not a hard job, but she said "this job occupies my time and I have already had several other stressful jobs before this, and I don't want another one." Chip said "The most difficult time I had at the commons was this past year when the blimp was in Bloomsburg, the power went out and we had no idea how to feed the students. We all had a role to play and a job to do. Even though we ended up serving peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and grilled cheeses the crisis was avoided". There is no real preparation that goes into swiping cards but there is in counting money and giving correct change. Plus working the systems at the front can be frustrating and confusing, "At first I could not figure out the machine I would go to swipe the card and sometimes it wouldn't work I didn't know what was wrong" said Chip.    

Inside the commons

After the encounter with Chip and the card swiping comes the main area of the commons, the roaring sound of people talking, dishes smacking other dishes, chairs moving, grills sizzling, and workers asking "Can I help you?" All these noises are associated with the commons. The most popular line at the commons is the pasta line. If it is the 12 o'clock rush the pasta line will be a mile long. The second most popular is the specials line, usually serving grilled chicken and rice, this is a typical home cooked meal,  that reminds students of home.  

The woman who runs the pasta line is Ada a real Italian women, about 5'1 and speaks with a distinct accent and takes her job very seriously,  she used to run a restaurant and has since retied. "I run my pasta line the same way I ran my restaurant, if people don't like it they shouldn't get pasta".Of course since she is Italian, she wants people to eat, she always responses "That's it" when telling her the toppings on your pasta. She throws the toppings in the pan, then the noodles, then either marinara or alfredo sauce. Then comes her famous line "cheese?" A BU student said "The pasta is absolutely the best thing you can get at the commons because it taste like it is from Outback or Applebees" Even though the commons is far from Outback or Applebees the pasta is an easy dish to make and Ada does a perfect job of making sure she prepares it to the best of her ability. "Yes I miss working in an actual restaurant, but this is a close second". Some students prefer the commons over the husky because commons is just a meal swipe and they don't have to use flex until the weekends. 

Same side different view 

The Commons during the week and on the weekend differ greatly. During the week there is pasta, chicken patties, special lines on both sides, and freshly baked cookies. While on the weekend just one side is open and the pasta line is closed down.The commons;however,is still just as crowded, but there is only one side to get food from. Therefore, during the week commons is way better than the husky, but over the weekends the husky is better."We always go to the husky on the weekends, but during the week the commons is way better" said my roommate Jimmy. 

The hardest physical work at the commons is the job of the dishwashers, they are responsible for cleaning and picking up the plates that are put on the moving belt that looks like an assembly line.This is the true dirty work of food service.  They have to rinse off the cups, plates, bowls, and silverware before they can put them into the actual dishwasher to be fully cleaned. After being cleaned the stacks of plates and cups are on a green rolling machine and are then restocked for the next service time. This is a daily occurrence until the commons closes at 8 P.M.

Front of the commons 

After sitting down and finishing the meal comes the best part, the dessert. The selections are cookies, ice cream, brownies, cupcakes, and more. However, the cookies at Bloomsburg Scranton commons are so popular they have their own Facebook page! Soft and warm they hit the spot after a meal. "I will wait longer for cookies, then I will for a chicken patty" said Connor, a Bloomsburg student. If it is hanging out with friends, going to enjoy a meal, or just a table to do work, students love the commons and appreciate the hard work that goes into making the commons smoothly. Finally comes the putting away of dishes and then leaving the commons with a goodbye from Chip saying "Enjoy the rest of your day." 

Hit the quad - Steven Hill

Hit the Quad

Figure 1 (Lycoming Hall)

Now im not talking about the Bloomsburg University quad,
but referring to the quad in Lycoming Hall (Figure 1) on the second floor
where freshman and other class man spend their days in college.
This Residence hall stands four floors high, a brick layered building with peoples blinds either opened or shut. As you walk into the building and turn to your right there will be a door you scan a Bloomsburg ID which allows you to walk up the narrow steps. Once climbing the one flight you enter the door that says "8-2-SW." The burst of sunlight coming into the building windows brighten up the displayed covered white walls with university information, and the smell of recently microwaved ramen noodles rushing its way up through your nose you notice the quad. Room 240 is the hangout place to be where the Lycoming Hall is not just unknown faces of college people, but a family that we built over the last semester. The door always cracked open enough to see the dresser and the edge of a futon, welcomes you into the room.

The residence of the quad are Travis whom family heritage of Greece, he has fluffy side burns and a half maintenance beard. brushed up thick black hair and loves everything to do with soccer. There's also Eric, a tall quiet guy who seems to have bed hair even when he's all cleaned up. The third member of the quadruple roommates is Hunter, also known as Rambo. Lean built and quite tall and everybody seems to see him as a teddy bear with hes cheeks being a little bit chubby. Finally the social butterfly, loved by everyone Jason is our bearded hero and the dad look-a-like seems to be everybody best friend in the building.

"Whats the real atmosphere of the quad like?" I had asked Jason. He replied with "Well its simple, we are all a family and all get along its great" he said with a smile on his face. Clearing his throat continued this answer "Everybody wants to come relax here! There's always something to do from listening to music, play Xbox or GameCube, and we also watch TV and help out each other study." It's great to see this in college everybody getting along so well! I feel like it has made my experience better and made us in Lycoming Hall better people, it feels like we all grew up together.

Figure 2 (inside the quad)

As you can see to the left (figure 2) the quad has a good setup. It has a futon which invites whoever to come sit on and play some smash bros. A table to the left where they can eat and a speaker to play our music from. The quad creates friends, family and a vibe-able atmosphere. What the custodians had to say about the second floor was nice too the quad is considered "Friendly and helpful" said our eldest custodian which is great because having a good relationship between us and them gives us a line of respect after all they do clean up after us.

 Overall of all this hitting the quad is where we're all at. Anybody who is new to the floor or building are always welcome, we are there for each other no matter how big or small the problem. I hope this opens up your eyes behind close doors of what some campus residence are like. It's one big family we got here in Lycoming and I am lucky to be a part of that. In summary of it all I think our atmosphere  can compare to no other building because there's always something to do and always something new to learn.  

Information Technology Management in Industry.

            

Front of Milco Industries, Inc.

Data breaches occur across the world affecting many companies/people nearly everyday. People with many different titles try to prevent these attacks and IT (Information Technology) Managers implement their solutions. Computers and servers are used globally by providing data and information to people and businesses that request them. Having this convenience comes with a price of data security threats and the ever lack of privacy. It's an endless war with good vs evil, with the good trying to save the world's data from the grip of evil. This is the life of an IT Manager, called Dave, and this is his story. 

The environment of Information Technology is stressful or rewarding if everything goes well with the world. Servers are running with extreme precision and their fans are spewing air, computers are operating by their users that demand data and emails from the servers and the Internet. Dave is an IT Manager located at Milco Industries in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania and he's been there* for around four years. Dave operates his job in a more business casual environment with wood paneling and one small office with a larger rectangle common area for printing, meetings, and chatting on the other side of his office. There are only two people in this IT department including Dave. His coworker, Diana, is Dave's old business friend that worked with him at another company in the past. 

Dave like any other typical job, works from 8 am to 5 pm. He is a middle aged man dressed in slacks and a collared shirt. Dave understands the fundamentals of security and implements solutions to prevent attacks to the data he stores in databases for the company.  Minimizing the risk is one of his main jobs, and he explained the following on how to keep everything safe. He keeps software and hardware up to date, installs Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware to prevent penetrations from outside attacks. Also he implements OpenDNS for content filtering and backups data offsite in the cloud on a regular basis.

These steps help prevent breaches that could happen if they were running outdated software and/or operating systems like Windows XP which has been unsupported by Microsoft for a while. Dave isn't actually a security expert but with these solutions and the help of InnoTek (a local business that assists businesses with IT support), he is able to keep everything safe.

Around four years ago, Dave walked through the doors of Milco Industries and was ready to embrace the challenges he would face. He wasn't a newbie entering his first job, he was and is a seasoned experienced Information Technology Manager. He worked previous jobs before that involved the same work. RoseAnn remembers the first day Dave walked in and thought he was a pleasant man. Dave had to bring pieces together from the previous manager and implement servers and upgraded hardware to bring the company up to date in technology terms. After a few months of starting work, he brought along Diana.

The Information Technology department has to work with all the different departments in a business to successfully perform the duties of the department. Dave has to communicate with different departments everyday like Textile and Apparel. Dave currently works with Travis, part of Textile, and a outside company to develop a software. This allows them to keep track of production, inventory and cost centers so they can work as efficiently as possible. Other functions with working with other departments are generation of reports, labels for fabric rolls, and inventory tracking on computer screens. 

Around twelve moons ago, some interesting things occurred in the office. Dave explained that the air conditioning wasn't operating correctly this summer and the servers started overheating. They had to shut down the servers to prevent damage to the hardware. This means anyone trying to access the domain or their emails, wouldn't be able to because of the shut down.  Much longer ago than the temperature crisis, network cables were driving Dave bonkers because they were wired incorrectly. If you ever look at network cables, they have wires inside the connector and there is a standard to follow to do so correctly. The old employees who created these cables didn't follow procedure and made Dave's job harder than it should of been. 

Many things Dave implemented are servers, OpenDNS, backups, emergency batteries, VPN (Virtual Private Network), and upgraded computers. These assist with security, privacy, and convenience for the business and it's employees. The VPN connects to outside offices like sales from other states so they can access the same resources  as the main corporate offices. Technology assists this company with keeping shipments on time, keeping inventory in line and assisting with everyday tasks.

This company benefited much from Dave being their IT Manager. Dave is an extremely knowledgeable man according to his coworkers and brings technology in to make everyone's jobs easier. No one can compete with this seasoned IT Manager and what he provides for his company. Hopefully he keeps working hard and implements solutions when necessary to prevent future risk.